From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2013

Today’s first reading is taken from Sir 35:12-14, 16-18. It talks of God of Justice, a term used for what is right or “as it should be.” It is the a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, equity and fairness, as well as the administration of the law, taking into account the inalienable and inborn rights of all human beings and citizens.

Justice based the right of all people and individuals to equal protection before the law of their civil rights, without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, ethnicity, religion, disability, age among others.

In his dialogue Republic, Plato uses Socrates to argue for justice that covers both the just person and the just City State. Plato describes how such a state would be organized, who would govern it, what sort of education the children would have, and so on.

In this formulation the Platonic definition of justice seems plausible. A thief, for example, is unjust because he wants to have what is not his own. A doctor who does not care about curing his patients of illnesses can be called unjust because he is disregarding his proper role. A murderer acts unjustly since he deprives his victim of that which rightly belongs to him, namely his life.

According to Plato, these functions of the state include making possible the conditions under which everyone can feed, clothe and shelter themselves, as well as seek the Good. Since God embodies these laws, if we go against them we go against God’s 10 commandments.

God knows no favorites. He hears the cry of the oppressed. He is not deaf to the wail of the orphan or to the widow when she pours out her complaint. The one who serves God willingly is heard; his petition reaches the heavens.

The second reading is taken from 2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18. It talks of how to endure sufferings. Paul himself in his three pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus often quotes his own life and sufferings to encourage his disciples and successors to persevere in their apostolic labors. Paul had full confidence in God, his just judge, who would give him his eternal reward.

If Paul were to be in Kenya today I don’t know how he would encourage Kenyans who commit suicides almost every day due to the high cost of living to endure their suffering instead of killing themselves.

Just as some Kenyans commit suicides because of high cost of living, I don’t know again the message would have to the government over the recent new Value Added Tax (VAT) Act which has resulted in increasing the cost of living by a bigger margin.

Inflation rate went up for the sixth consecutive month in September to 8.3 per cent from 6.67 per cent in August. This coupled with an increase in fuel prices mid September resulted in steep rise in the cost of living.

Data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that the cost of food and other general items went up 2.87 per cent in September. The price of books and magazines went up by 6.62 per cent. Other items that went up include electricity and cooking items.

The implementation of the VAT Act and seasonal factors affecting supply of common food crops were the main causes of rise in the food index Notable is the price of milk that went up 22 per cent to retail at Sh57 per 500 millilitre, up from an average of Sh47 in August.

Other factors that caused a rise in the general price of goods and services include an increase in the retail price of fuel mid-September. Prices of diesel, super petrol and kerosene went up by an average of Sh2 per litre of each.

Likewise, the transport Index increased by 0.77 per cent mainly due to increases in the public transport fares that were attributed to higher prices of petrol and diesel.

The Gospel is taken from Lk 18:9-14. It talks of the parable of Pharisee and Tax collector. The parable demonstrates the need to pray humbly. “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Tax collectors, because of their association with the hated Romans, were seen as traitors to Israel and were loathed and treated as outcasts. But realizing his sin tax collector spoke of his unworthiness before God. He beats his breast in sorrow and repentance and appeals to God for mercy.

This is the type of prayer God wants from us, prayer that demonstrates that we are sinners and we need God’s mercy. It means admitting we have nothing to offer to God to atone for our sin except through his mercy.

We come to God as empty, impoverished, despised, bankrupt, pitiable, desperate beggars. The tax collector recognizes his sinful condition and seeks the only thing that can bridge the gap between himself and God.

“Have mercy on me,” he cries, and we know from the end of the parable that God heard his prayer for mercy and answered it. The tax collector went away justified (made righteous) because he had humbled himself before God, confessing that no amount of works could save him from his sin and that only God’s mercy could.

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole

Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002