*20th of September 2022*

*Tuesday in the 25th week of Ordinary Time, Year 11*

_Prov. 21:1-6,10-13_

_Lk. 8:19-21_

_(Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon & Paul Ha-sang and companions)_

*I urge you to remain steadfast in faith, so that at last we will all reach heaven and there rejoice together* (St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon)

Andrew Kim Tae-gon was the first native Korean priest. Evangelization was difficult in Korea around his time because Korea refused all the contacts with the external world. Christianity came to Korea with Japanese invasion of 1592 but Religious freedom came around 1883. Pope John Paul 11 will later in 1984 canonize Andrew Kim Tae-gon and Paul with 98 Koreans and three French missionaries who were martyred between between 

1839 & 1867.

The readings talk about the dynamism associated with being a Christian. Sometimes it is about hearing, which will give rise to acting on what is heard. 

While the book of Proverbs invites us to listen to God's word, the gospel talks about those who listen and put it into practice so as to become Christ's family.

Beloved, as Human beings, we cherish so much our human families and we derive so much joy being with them. The gospel of today gives a picture of what seemed like Jesus slighting his family members. This was not so, rather, he was welcoming more members into his family but this time, a family bounded by faith and the sacraments and not by blood and affinity. Jesus reminds us that sacramental and spiritual tie must be placed above worldly and blood tie.

•Jesus is inviting all of us to an intimate relationship with him, he wants us to be part of his family, he wants us to share in his family bond. However, he gave the criteria for this; hearing the word of God and acting upon it. We must hear and act.

•Finally, we know that the portrayal of Mary in the gospels especially Luke's qualifies her more than anyone else to be a member of Christ's family, why? Because she more than anyone else heard the word of God and put it into practice. Her whole life was filled with listening, answering and responding accordingly.

*God's grace upon us*

(Fr. Camillus Nwaigwe)