Readings: Jer.18:1-6, P 146, Matt 13:47-53
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
LET GOD THE POTTER MOULD US INTO SPECIAL VESSEL FOR HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM
A story was told of a beautiful clay pot used to decorate a garden. The clay pot was the point of attraction to all, including its fellow ordinary clay. So one day the ordinary clay approached the beautiful clay pot and said, we do not doubt that you are clay just like us. But how come you have become so beautiful and special that everyone admires you?
The clay pot smiled and said: there was a time when I was nothing but a dumb lump of red clay. Then, one day, a Potter came with a digger and a hoe, dung me out of the dumb lump, and painfully separated me from my fellow clay and brought me to his house. I cried out, but he ignored me.
He rolled and pounded me on a wooden table several times without mercy. I cried out, don’t do that! Leave me alone!’ But the Potter suddenly placed me on a spinning wheel and suddenly spun around and around and around until I lost all consciousness. Just when I thought it was over, he placed me carefully into an oven which is hotter than the hell fire.
Why me? I cried out in anguish! But the potter only smiled and gently said: because you are special! I struggled, yelled, knocked and broke several times, but the Potter was patient and meticulous in ensuring that I adjusted to his will. Realizing that I cannot win, I surrender completely to the will of the Potter, and he only nods in understanding and quietly says: “it is not over yet!
Then he pulled me out of the oven, and when the heat cooled, he carefully picked me up and dusted away some dirt, and behold, I was transformed, looking so beautiful and special. And the potter smiled and said: this is what you are meant to be. For God has made you into a special vessel for a special purpose.
This story reflects what prophet Jeremiah is telling us in our first reading today: God is the Potter, and we are the clay. God has created humanity as beautiful clay in his hands to be moulded into a beautiful and special vessel for the heavenly kingdom. But humanity has sinned and rebelled against God and his plan for us. Unless we repent and turn away from our sinful ways we will all perish.
Hence, we are called to repentance, for there will be a day of judgement of which Jesus, in our Gospel passage, used a parable to describe that the kingdom of heaven will be like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in fish of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are of no use. Here, Jesus is telling us that the kingdom is open for all, but not all can be suitable to dwell in it; only those who, on the judgement day, are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom.
Dear friends, all God requires from us is for us to let him mould us into the heavenly vessels that he planned for humanity. There is no doubt that sin has destroyed our original nature, but just like when the pot potter was shaping spoils in his hands, and he formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. So will God re-mould us into a new vessel for his heavenly kingdom if we repent from our pride and sinful ways of life?
This is what we see in the life of St. Alphonsus Liguori, whose memorial we celebrate today. He was the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists. He was truly a holy man and a role model that we can emulate in our own lives. St. Alphonsus Liguori was remembered for his great piety and dedication to serve the people of God
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sin and pride have separated humanity from your plans for us; today, we come to you like clay in a dump lump, be our Potter once again and re-mould us into that heavenly vessel which you planned for us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. HAPPY NEW MONTH
