12th Sunday, Year B: Reflection by Fr Julian Ekeh

THEME: REASONS TO GO WITH CHRIST

(Mark 4:35–41)

Jesus invites us all to go with Him away from the crowd to see the better part of life, life in Christ, with Christ, and for Christ.

“Let us go across to the other side” was the invitation. “Anaghi ano otu ebe ekiri mmanwu.” Let us take the decision to make a move across. There are places you can’t afford to stay if you want to make out something positive in your life. Move away from toxic and corrosive places. Take a step away from places hostile to your spirituality. Leave the areas contaminated by evil. It is time to leave in order to live better. This leaving may not be physical.

IT IS EVENING

The evenings are dangerous times. Evil men wait for evening and night times to strike. As the night approaches, with darkness that follows it, Jesus takes us away from being subject to the devil that hovers and prowls in the night.

You should not wait till you are overpowered by the forces of darkness before you take cover. Being alert as a child of God entails moving away from darkness to Christ, who is light.

What are those advances towards your life? Do you recognise those evil friends who are waiting for the right time to drag you into sin? Do you notice those desires in you seeking opportunities to raise their ugly heads? Flee from entertaining them and run to Christ.

THE CROWD IS DECEPTIVE

The word today says: Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat. You’ve got to leave the crowd behind in order to follow Christ. If you want to go far in life, go with Christ. Leave the noisy crowd. Their suggestions will not do you any good.

We have a failed society because we leave God behind to follow the crowd. People move into politics and leave God. Individuals take up vocations and leave the God who chose and called them. Let us leave the crowd and take Jesus along with us as we journey.

LEST WE PERISH

It does not end at leaving the crowd. You may leave the individuals and the crowd, but you must still encounter the winds and storms. These are the temptations, the negative influences, and the troubles from nowhere that may come.

You feel lonely, and you feel abandoned. You are tossed up and down by sickness, by challenges, and by cruel, unforeseen experiences. The temptation here is to focus on the problems and forget God. But to succeed and overcome the storms, we must be conscious of the presence of Christ in the boat of our lives. Calling upon Him and keeping Him active and alive in our situation is the way forward to achieve our peace.

Let us, therefore, call upon Christ as we are perishing in the political atmosphere of this country. Let us invoke God to arise and pilot the affairs of our world. Let us call upon God-fearing men to take charge and speak words of peace, joy and life to our people in fear of perishing under the storms and evil winds blowing up and down in our lives, families, in the Church and the society at large.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

Thank You, Lord, for giving us reasons to follow Christ Your Son. We are glad to go with you. Continue to call us to your side. Remain in our boat. Calm the troubled seas in our lives and keep on saving us that we may not perish through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (12th Sunday, Ordinary Time Yr. B)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh