Wednesday of 27th Week, Year II: reflection

Theme: Fidelity to the gospel in both words and deeds

Reading: Gal 2:1–2,7–14

According to today’s first reading, Paul rebuked Peter when they were at table in Antioch. The reason for Paul’s action and what he told Peter could help us in our mission to evangelize our brothers, sisters and friends.

At the heart of the trouble in the early Christian community of Antioch was the wrong teaching by some Jews that the Gentile converts must also observe all the laws of Moses, including circumcision, if they wanted to be true believers in Christ. However, when the apostles and St Paul weighed in, the Gentiles were told not to subject themselves to circumcision, since they were already adults. They were rather taught that faith in Christ was supreme, and that they should also refrain from practices that go contrary to the message of the gospel and God’s commandments as given by Moses. Although this stance was accepted by everyone, it probably didn’t go down well with some Jewish Christians.

While Peter was at table with the uncircumcised Gentiles of Antioch, some Jews entered the dining room and Peter stopped eating as soon as he saw them, possibly to avoid offending his fellow Jews who had not fully accepted the position of the apostles regarding the inclusion of gentiles into Christianity without having them circumcised. There and then, Paul rebuked him for such cowardly act saying: “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews.” (Gal 2:14). Paul meant that if Peter continued to live the same cowardly life as the Gentiles, he would be unable to win them over.

Dear friends, St Paul’s advice is deep and compelling. It challenges us to assess the image of Christianity our actions are presenting to those we have been sent to convert, as well as the impression we are making in them. If our actions do not reflect the message that we preach, we can’t convince them that Christianity is a true religion; in fact, we will be indirectly telling them that what we preach is not practicable. If we still soak ourselves in the same lifestyle that we want them to exit from, or even live worse than them, it will be difficult to convince them that Christianity offers a better lifestyle than theirs. Therefore, let us match all our words with good deeds everywhere we go.

May God’s blessings and favours be yours this Wednesday, Amen.

Fr Isaac Chima.