Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BIBLICAL IMAGERY

(Fr Michael Boakye Yeboah: Vice Rector of St Gregory Seminary, Kumasi-Ghana)

HE KNOWS YOU

            Do you know what people do and get themselves involved in just to be known? Some people do all kinds of things to catch the eye of people while others join all kinds of groups to be known and seen. Most of the time their pursuit of this is just for worldly glory and power. At times some people take offense when they meet some people who seem to show signs that they do not know them. While others, when they state that they know you, they do so just to use your past to discredit your present glory and honor. The latter seem to have been the case for Jesus when he went home and addressed his town folks in the synagogue. He made a deep impression on them to the extent that the inspired writer tells us that some “were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.” That was honourable from the town folks of Nazareth who were not known to be easily convinced about good deeds from their own people. On the same breath of praise, they did not finish that sentence before they turn praise to doubt.

            If they were amazed at the gracious words that came from Jesus, the same people now turned affirmation to doubt, for “they asked ‘isn’t this the son of Joseph?” With this example we can see the behaviour of some people when they declare that they know you. Some people normally declare their knowledge of you simply to use your past to discredit your present success. I would like to think that if I am to give people the chance to tell their story, a lot will be said. Some people in our world today have not occupied their rightful places today in society simply because their ugly past is being used to judge their present. It can really be painful when one is treated that way and Jesus demonstrates such frustration when he was treated in like manner. Jesus exchanged some words with his town folks which in the end nearly turned ugly, for the inspired writer tells us “they rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.” How can human being treat their own kind this way? At times, I think it is jealousy and sheer wickedness.

            The joy of today’s readings lies in the first reading. Let us recount the opening words of the prophets Isaiah: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed…” These words of the prophet are so warm and reassuring. When you go somewhere and people inquire about you with the question: “who knows you?” just tell them God knows me. Are you so sad and depressed because people have rejected you and declared a lack of knowledge of you? Stop the worries, for God knows you. When human beings know you, the rewards are limited and temporal. The only benefit one can get from his/her connection with powerful human friends is earthly; and ask yourself, how long will that earthly benefit last?

            When God knows you, it comes with eternal rewards. Look at the life of the saints, because of their association with Jesus they have become timeless and eternal. For example, can anyone identify some of the other fishermen who worked with Peter on that lake? Apart from those who joined Peter to follow Jesus, knowledge of the other fishermen has entered into decay, even though  they helped Peter to drag the net after the miraculous catch. But because Peter and others decided to follow Jesus, people in the 21^st century still name their children Peter, Andrew, John, and James.         If Jesus knows you, you get a timeless and eternal reward. I would like to think that it may have been because of this in the opening words of today’s second reading St. Paul counsels us with these words: “Brothers and sisters: strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.” The Apostle names one of the greatest gifts of God as love. My dear friend, if human beings deny you love and betray you do not worry too much because the love from God is the most important. Remember the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”