SETTING RIGHT OUR MOTIF FOR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

V/​ I will turn to you O God, 

R/​ to God who gives joy to my youth

V/​ Give me the Wisdom that sits by your throne; 

R/ that I may be counted among your children

Lord, in your all-providential plan, you have led me to this moment to rediscover me in your Word and Wisdom. Aid me to make this time of meditation and prayer enriching, transforming, and liberating for my well-being and others. Amen!

SETTING RIGHT OUR MOTIF FOR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

By Dr. Emmanuel Ibuot

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Amos 8: 4-7; Psalm 112: 1-2, 4-8; 1 Timothy 2: 1-8; Luke 16: 1-13

Sunday 21st September 2025

God, through the prophet Amos, warns us against prioritising evil schemes against God’s injunction, even as he promises never to forget such evil actions. Oppressing the poor, needy, weak, and treating them with contempt because one’s appetite for illicit wealth must be satiated amounts to dishonouring God; and the dignity he bestows on all human (Genesis 1:26; also see Act 10: 34). In the Psalms, God does not just propose that we treat the downtrodden and weak justly, which could be framed as neutral action towards the afflicted; positive value-adding support that would help the downtrodden escape misery should be provided. Writing to Timothy under God’s leading, Paul points to the positive impact that Christian life and practice could have both on others and ourselves. This is demonstrated by his call for prayers to God for all humans, especially leaders, to make sure we live devoid of war and disquiet, disorder and noise. The Gospel according to Luke shows a master and a steward; they understood that actions (positive or negative, honest or not) have consequences.

The yearning for ontological security drives human life and actions. This longing and the search that accompanies it often lead to error in judgment. But in God’s good pleasure, desire that we know the rich network of relationships that he has given to us, first with himself and second with the body of Christ; it is his will that we use them for our good according to his ultimate purpose. This discerning of God’s will is integral in Carmelite spirituality. We learn from the great teachers of Carmel that the true coordinates for securing innermost peace or contentment are not self-derived; they can only come from God, and therefore it behoves us to be discerning collaborators. Thus, prayer becomes a lived relationship between collaborators which has a colossal effect. Prayer is personal, but at the same time, apostolic, in that it is a business beyond the 9/5 demand.

Mother Teresa emphasises that as Christians, it is our calling to draw closer to God, guided by His grace, and to reflect His image in our lives. This transformation in us has a profound impact on how we engage with others and shapes the social values that influence our relationships. According to her, “at that time I was so frivolous and blind that I thought it a virtue to be grateful and loyal to anyone who liked me. Cursed be such loyalty when it goes so far that it militates against loyalty to God! … For we owe to God all the good that men show us, yet we consider it a virtue not to break off friendships with men even if they cause us to act contrarily to His will” (Life, Chapter 5). Therese of Lisieux highlights the apostolic nature of prayer, just like Mother Teresa, in the fifth chapter of The Story of a Soul. She prayed for the conversion of a notorious criminal, Pranzini, before his execution for murder. She prayed that he would repent before his execution. God heard her prayers. “Pranzini had mounted the scaffold without confessing or receiving absolution, and the executioners were already dragging him towards the fatal block, when all at once, apparently in answer to a sudden inspiration, he turned round, seized the crucifix which the Priest was offering to him, and kissed Our Lord’s Sacred Wounds three times. . . . I had obtained the sign I asked for, and to me it was especially sweet.”