Contents
Introduction
This Sunday Gospel reading presents before us a very vital theme: identity. There are various and varied definitions of identity. Generally, identity is the condition of being the same as something described, claimed, or asserted, or of possessing a character claimed. That is, if “X” is a teacher and “Y” is a trader, both must show the characteristics of a teacher and a trader. Failure to do so results in an identity crisis and eventually the loss of one’s identity. In other words, if “X” begins to behave like “Y”, and “Y” behaves like “X”, both will lose their identities. Consequently, a teacher, a trader, religious leaders (Priests, Pastors, Imams, Rabbis), a married woman or man, a mother or a father, the president of a nation, a governor, a mayor/mayoress, a medical doctor, a nurse, a security agent, and others, whose modus vivendi and modus operandi do not correspond to what he/she is, has serious identity problem.
Consequence of identity loss
Had Jesus lived according to the indications of the people, he would have lost his identity. This fundamental. Today, things are not going well in the world. There are wars in almost every corner of the universe. There are a series of unresolved conflicts between individuals, communities, nations, religions, and families. In some nations (like Nigeria), corruption has risen to the highest decimal point, and people are corrupt beyond corruption. A world created in love and filled with love by God has unfortunately been stained by and filled with hatred by the same Man created in God’s image and likeness. Though we profess strong faith in God, our behaviour and interaction with one another do not portray such a profession. These are all consequences of identity loss. We do things to please a minority without minding the harm to which we expose many people. We blindly and unquestionably execute (selfish) orders given by religious and political leaders who are nothing but instruments of evil, people who have lost every godly identity in them. Many people live as if God does not exist. The only way to return to normalcy is to return to our identity.
Conclusion
Dear reader, have you lost your identity? There are so many reasons responsible for the loss of identity. Prominent among them are negative experiences (grave sickness, continuous failure, unemployment), greed (for wealth, money, love, honour, power, recognition, prominence, praise, and success), poverty, the desire to please all, and conformity. It is impossible to please everyone because even if you kill yourself, some people will still not be happy with you. Conformity is a bad habit. Avoid it! The reward for conformity is that everybody likes you except yourself. To conform is to lose your identity. People should be faithful to their vocations and missions. Many religious leaders are confused because they have lost their identity. Many families are undergoing difficult moments because many husbands and wives have compromised their identities as married couples.
FOR DETAILS, GET YOUR OWN COPIES OF THE BOOK “THE WORD OF LIFE:
SUNDAY REFLECTIONS” (vols. I‑II-III)!! The reflection for the 21st Sunday of the year (A) is found in The Word of Life, vol. I, pages 415–421. Happy reading!
For details on how to get it, contact the author on this link: https://m.me/uchennabiblia?fbclid=IwAR2yeg4a6sDGBp9QGkIvKj6FSADumMokN6lshdE0zuo-JHs6qOmlhA7jyHo
or email me at: postmaster@uchennabiblia.com
or simply send an SMS on 08116100926, and I will get back to you.