Sunday Reflections - THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR A

 LIGHT FOR THE LIVING

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR A

(2 Kings 4:8–11, 14–16; Romans 6:3–4, 8–11; Matthew 10:37–42)

My beloved in Christ,

In a peaceful village in Sokoto State, there lived an elderly woman called Mama Hauwa. Although she was neither wealthy nor influential, everyone in the community knew one thing about her—no one ever left her compound empty-handed.

Travellers passing through the village always found a bowl of cool water waiting for them.

Children returning from school with empty stomachs knew they could stop by Mama Hauwa's kitchen for a meal.

Widows who had no one to repair their leaking roofs often woke up to find that someone had quietly done the work during the night. They suspected Mama Hauwa had organised it, but she never admitted it.

One market day, a wealthy businessman stopped by her house.

After drinking water, he asked jokingly,

"Mama Hauwa, why do you waste your little food on strangers? Some of them will never return to thank you."

She laughed heartily.

"My son, if I begin to count who thanked me yesterday before helping someone today, I will soon become poorer than my empty cooking pot."

The businessman smiled.

"But surely you expect God to make you rich because of your kindness?"

Mama Hauwa stirred the soup on the fire and replied,

"My reward is not the reason I help. I help because God has already been good to me. If He chooses to reward me here on earth, I will thank Him. If He reserves my reward for heaven, I will still thank Him."

An old village elder who overheard the conversation nodded and said,

"That is why her compound never lacks peace. Those who calculate every act of kindness eventually become accountants of disappointment."

The whole compound burst into laughter.

 

Hospitality That Sees God in Others

My beloved, today's First Reading introduces us to the remarkable Shunammite woman.

She noticed the prophet Elisha passing through her town and said to her husband:

"I know that he is a holy man of God. Let us make a small room for him."
(2 Kings 4:9–10)

She expected nothing in return.

She simply recognised a need and responded generously.

Later, God blessed her with the son she had long desired.

Notice something important.

The blessing came after her generosity—not because she bargained with God, but because genuine love naturally attracts God's favour.

 

Generosity Without a Hook

Today's Gospel broadens this lesson.

Jesus says:

"Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple... he will surely not lose his reward."
(Matthew 10:42)

A cup of water appears insignificant.

Yet Christ elevates this simple act into something eternal.

Why?

Because God judges not merely the size of the gift but the love with which it is given.

Many people mistakenly think today's Gospel concerns helping only priests, pastors, or religious workers.

Certainly, supporting those who proclaim the Gospel is a noble Christian duty.

But Christ's teaching reaches much further.

Every human person can become our neighbour in need.

The child searching for school fees.

The graduate desperately seeking employment.

The sick person needing medicine.

The homeless family.

The elderly widow living alone.

The oppressed who have no voice.

The lonely person carrying hidden pain.

Even those whom society considers "rich" may be poor in friendship, wisdom, justice, peace, or compassion.

Need wears many faces.

Christian charity must learn to recognise them all.

 

Loving God Above Everything

Jesus also gives one of His most demanding teachings:

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me."
(Matthew 10:37)

Christ is not asking us to love our families less.

Rather, He is teaching that every other love must be ordered through our love for God.

When God occupies first place, we become better fathers.

Better mothers.

Better spouses.

Better children.

Better citizens.

Better friends.

When God is displaced, even our best relationships can become forms of unhealthy attachment or selfish possession.

 

Taking Up the Cross

Jesus continues:

"Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me."
(Matthew 10:38)

The Cross is not merely suffering.

It is faithful obedience when obedience is costly.

Sometimes the Cross is forgiving someone who wounded us.

Sometimes it is defending truth when lies are popular.

Sometimes it is sacrificing comfort so another person can live with dignity.

Sometimes it is remaining honest when dishonesty appears profitable.

The Cross is love that refuses to give up.

 

Baptised into a New Life

Saint Paul reminds us:

"We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead... we too might live in newness of life."
(Romans 6:4)

Baptism is not merely a ceremony.

It is a new identity.

The selfish person dies.

The generous Christian rises.

The disciple no longer asks,

"What will I gain?"

Instead, he asks,

"Whom can I serve today?"

 

Light for the Living Today

Back in Sokoto, Mama Hauwa understood something that many people spend their whole lives trying to learn.

Kindness loses its beauty the moment it demands applause.

True generosity gives without keeping records.

It serves without manipulating.

It loves without calculating.

As Christians, we are called to imitate Christ Himself.

He healed those who could never repay Him.

He fed crowds who had nothing to offer Him.

He forgave those who crucified Him.

He gave His very life—not because humanity deserved it, but because love does not wait for repayment.

Whenever we help another person—whether a priest, a student seeking admission, a young graduate searching for work, a sick neighbour, a struggling family, an honest judge seeking wisdom, a leader burdened by responsibility, or even a wealthy person carrying hidden sorrow—we are serving Christ Himself.

Our charity must never have a hook attached to it.

We give because we belong to Christ.

We love because He first loved us.

We serve because heaven is our true reward.

 

Sunday Reflection

My beloved,

By our Baptism, we have chosen to love God, carry our cross, and detach ourselves from every enslaving relationship and material possession.

We equally receive God's blessings in abundance when we care for His servants with a cup of water and give generously without a hook, like the Shunammite woman.

Is your generosity pure?

Where is your cross?

What have you given up for Christ?

May God bless you.

Happy Sunday.

Rev. Fr. Chinedu Ibearugbulem, C.S.Sp.