Readings: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17; Psalm 96; Matthew 23:23-26.
The second letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians was written to commend the faith and love of the Thessalonians and to encourage them to remain steadfast in faith. It was also written to correct the erroneous teaching about the immediacy of the second coming of Jesus (imminent parousia).
The First Reading of today contains Paul’s teaching on that. He told the Thessalonians not to get too excited, distracted or anxious by any rumour or prediction. Instead, they should focus on living well each day, keeping the faith and remaining steadfast. The key message was that they should focus on the right thing and not be distracted or anxious because of what was not essential.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus accused the Pharisees again of shifting focus from what was important and what God wanted and focusing on what was convenient for them.
What is God saying to us today?
Like the Pharisees and the Thessalonians, we are reminded not to get distracted and to not focus on what is accidental whilst neglecting what is fundamental. Let me make this more practical by focusing on just two examples of how we often leave the essential things and major on the minor things.
I. Sometimes we focus on the sins, weaknesses and mistakes of others. We focus on the splinter in the eyes of others and judge them, instead of focusing on what is wrong with us and making a genuine effort to become better.
II. Sometimes we focus on the negative things around us and in our lives and so we do not appreciate the good things. For instance, we can focus on what we do not have, what we have not done right, what someone has said against us, on those who do not love us and so we forget to be grateful for what we have, what is good, what we have been blessed with, what we have done right and those who love us.
We pray today for the right focus – to focus on what is important and essential in life and in our walk with God and to not be distracted or disturbed by what is minor and non-essential.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on August 23, 2022