WORD 2day: Monday, 22nd week in Ordinary time
August 31, 2020: 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5; Luke 4: 16-30
The world today runs after so many preachers, sages, gurus, leaders, speakers, trainers, etc. There are many who practice it as a trade! Some have fans and followers across the globe. And today in a scenario of lockdown, where people are locked down to their homes and digital screens, when people cannot get out into the public squares of businesses and professions, these speakers and gurus have chosen to reach out to the homes, through FB lives, webinars, Youtube lives, Google Meets and so many other platforms. Of course, they are all good... talented... interesting... exciting... thought provoking. But the question is, how right are the teachings? The Word today counsels us: it is important to differentiate good teachings from right teachings.
Teachings that are worded beautifully, formulated creatively and expressed attractively but do not lead to true harmony, self transcendence, compassionate love and mutual concern based on the fact that there is some One who unites us all, invites all to form one beautiful community of brothers and sisters... how "right" can those teaching be... though they may sound good and attractive?
The readings today give us a clarity: so-called good teachings are based on human prowess of mind while the right teachings are founded on the power of the Wisdom from God. The Gospel presents us the sad fact that the world prefers the former to the latter. That is why today we need to question what according to us is "good"... If what is good is what is acceptable in the eyes of the Lord, only the right teachings can be good too!