Tuesday of 29th Week, Year II: reflection
Theme: Christ has united us in Him; let us stop erecting walls of division in our societies.
Reading: Ephesians 2:12–22
Dear friends in Christ, if we have firmly rejected the worship of the gods that our forefathers worshipped and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, why do many of us still adhere to some of the commands given by these gods, even when they contradict the teachings of our faith in Jesus and pose a threat to our peaceful coexistence?
One of the reasons we rejected the gods is that they are inferior and malevolent beings and, as such, do not merit our obedience and worship. Our Christian faith teaches us that God Almighty is the Supreme Being, the creator of the universe, and that He alone is worthy of our obedience above all else and our worship. So, why should people who have the true God as their God and worship Him alone still obey directives from inferior beings?
In today’s first reading, St. Paul reminded the Ephesian Christians that they were formerly among those separated from the Abrahamic covenant and promises, but the wall that kept them apart was shattered by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through His sacrifice on the cross. His death unified all Christians, tearing down the barriers that had previously divided them. If Jesus has unified us into one body and instructed us to recognize ourselves as one in Him, why are we dividing ourselves through the Osu/Ume/Diala caste system just because the gods we have already rejected urged us to do so?
Many people have employed conspiracy theories to explain why they continue to adhere to these divisions, believing that marriages with people from the so-called caste systems will result in tragedies for the couples and their families. However, we know from verifiable instances that it has never been that way. Those who put aside their ungodly differences and allowed God-inspired love to unite them in marriage are still living and prospering in our communities. It is laughable that those who feel that persons from the so-called caste systems have inferior blood do not even inquire about the source of the blood they obtain from blood banks for medical purposes.
One of the ironies of maintaining these divides is that those who promote them still decry racism in the Western nations, xenophobia in African countries, and tribalism in Nigeria. Is it not clear that the Osu/Ume/Diala caste system in Igboland is a homegrown racism, xenophobia, and tribalism? May God help us.
By His death, Christ has broken down all walls of hostility separating us; let us stop upholding cultural practices and commands from the gods that are erecting new walls of division in our society.
May God bless your Tuesday. Amen.
St John Paul II, pray for us
Fr. Isaac Chima