THE POWER OF THE ‘TWO’: PROGRESS IN MISSIONARY WORK

HOMILY FOR THE 14^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C

Rev. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

There was a forest. In that forest was a very mighty tree that actually was the mightiest and the oldest of all the trees. This mighty tree was fond of intimidating other trees, telling them that they are powerless; that they can only feed from the rains, the sunlight, and the soil after it must have fed. So the others are bound to feed from its left-overs. The other trees were always condoning it for all it said to them until one day when it said something that broke the camel’s back. The mighty tree said: You are because I am. Whenever the winds come, you are protected because of my mighty branches and leaves. You do not experience erosion because my roots are deeply rooted with very many fibrous roots scattered all around the forest. If not for my sake, this place can never be termed a forest. If not for my sake, you all would have long been cut down and perished. So, I demand that every morning, you all must bow down before me. The others felt too humbled and intimidated all the more, until a little grass that overhead the discourse whispered into the ears of the other trees: why not you all relocate to another area and see whether what he has told you is true? They all agreed to leave and relocated to another area; but there was one who pitied this mighty tree and remained. When the caretakers came and saw the deforestation that had taken place, they wandered and wanted to use the remaining two for wood production, but one person said: let us give these two trees some chance and care for them, so that when the others that left see how they are been cared for, they can return. The mighty tree did not learn from this as it continued to oppress its remaining ally, until this tree decided to join others in their new habitats. Hence, the mighty tree was left all alone. When the caretakers return, they saw that only the mighty tree was left. They immediately cut it down and used it for timber; so ended the forest.

There are many lessons derivable from this story, but amidst all, one is paramount to my theme. The reason for which the two trees were left and the reason for which the mighty tree was cut down is simply the fact that a tree cannot make a forest. Hence, unlike this mighty tree, I have never seen a reasonable tree that makes noise that it is a forest. There is power in the number two (2) for livelihood, for survival and for success.

In the Gospel ( Luke 10:1-12.17-20) of today, the Lord sends out his disciples “two by two” and gave them authority over unclean spirits with series of instructions so as to avoid the smallest suspicion that they may be working for their own economic advantage. In this number, we find the foundation for every mission and every Christian life in the community. It is the root without which the announcement of the good news and the financial advantage of the preacher become superfluous and ridiculous. It is the character and the power of “two by two” in Christian life. The disciples whom Jesus sent were seventy in number, but even in their numerical strength, they were sent two-by-two, which means that they were sent to 35 places/areas; of their names the hagiographer did not mention; all we can deduce is that these areas were places Christ had the intention of going to. He sent them ahead of them. But why must they be sent out two by two?

Our first awareness must go to the importance the Jews place on testimony. Testimony on Jewish law consists of testimony by eligible witnesses to a court authorized to render decisions. There are qualities which can make one an eligible witness. An eligible witness must in almost all cases never be deaf, mentally or morally unsuitable, or too young. In particular, women are in most cases not eligible. Hence, for the witness of the gospel to be eligible, Jesus sent free men who are matured enough, mentally and morally sound; women were not in this list. After the resurrection Jesus would send the women to go and proclaim the good news of resurrection; from thence began the gender inclusiveness of mission.

Two witnesses provide conclusive proof of reality, but one witness does not. The testimony of two witnesses is equal in force to the testimony of three or more witnesses. Thus, if two witnesses say an event occurred, and one hundred witnesses say it did not occur, the groups of witnesses are considered to contradict one another, but no more weight is given to the larger group. In betrothal ceremony, two witnesses are required to perform the action. Even a divorce case requires still two witnesses to sign the document or see the delivery. Recourse to the scriptures makes the case vivid. In Deuteronomy 19:15, only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three shall a charge be established. In Numbers 35:30, only on the evidence of more than one witness shall a murderer be put to death. In the Gospel of Matthew 18:16, it is by the evidence of two or three witnesses that a charge can be established. In John 8:13, the Jews had to make reference to this law when the Pharisees told Jesus: you bear witness about yourself and so this testimony is not true. In 2 Cor. 13:1, Paul reminds the Church of the Jewish law that every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. In 1 Timothy 5: 19, Paul admonishes Timothy not to admit a charge against an elder unless on the evidence of two or three witnesses. Even in Hebrews 10:28, the author establishes that anyone who sets aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy.

Hence, we can say that Jesus sent out his disciples bearing in mind that those to whom he sent them always require the testimony of two. Whatever is received is received according to the mode of the receiver – for the Jews to receive the message for which Christ sent his disciples, their mode ought to be considered. Christ actually made it easy for the disciples for the easy receptivity of their message. Therefore the evidence of two disciples carries much weight. In two is power; in two is acceptance. Two paves way without much ado. Who knows the series of questions that would have been asked the disciples if they were sent one by one. Their number enhanced their mission. Hence, we can unequivocally regard the number 2 as the number for missions. And actually, existence stands because of the reality of two. Recourse through the Scriptures and through our daily cultural experiences buttresses this point.

In the Old Testament, the power and the importance of the ‘two-reality’ stand out clearly. The very first verse in the bible says, in the beginning, God created heaven and earth (Gen 1:1), the hagiographer continues, the days of creation saw the creation of light and darkness (Gen 1:3-5), dry land and waters (Gen 1:10) till the day he made humans; male and female he created them (Gen 1:27). When still this man and woman brought forth offspring, they were ab initio two (Cain and Abel). In Gen. 4, Cain had to kill Abel; there came the distortion of the importance of two which made people to regard two as the number of division. Christ’s action of sending out his disciples now is employed to correct the impression left by the inordinate desire of Cain. This inordinate desire we again see in the history of Esau and Jacob, the two sons of Isaac (Gen. 27ff). However and continually, the importance of two was re-emphasized in the life of Moses in God’s gift of Aaron to him as his prophet in Exodus 7:1. We see again the relevance of two in the life of David and Jonathan (cf. 1 Samuel 18-20). Actually, David’s successes cannot but acknowledge the aid Jonathan gave him.

In the New Testament, we see how God acknowledges the relevance of two. Even though Mary needed not Joseph for the birth of the messiah, it was the divine desire that Joseph be the foster father of Jesus. Together Christ was born in the family of two –Mary and Joseph`s (cf. Matt.1:18-25.). Again we see Christ’s calling of his disciples in twos, he saw two brothers Simon and Andrew (cf. Matt 4:18). He saw two other brothers James and John the sons of Zebedee (Matt 4:21). Christ also sent his twelve disciples on mission two by two (cf. Mk. 6:7). In the crucifixion of Jesus, two men were crucified at his side (cf. Lk.23:32.) In the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit said as they were praying and fasting; set apart for me Paul and Barnabbas (Acts 13:2). The relevance of two in a mission is again emphasized even when Paul and Barnabas separated; each took with him another partner. Paul took Silas, while Barnabas took Mark (cf. Acts 15:13-41).

We are a new creation as Paul tells us in the second Reading (Gal. 6:14-18). So, let us work to transform this number two that neutrally signifies division into possessing the significance of unity and tolerance. If this is done then our citizens will learn to rejoice over her Government; and vice versa; just as the First Reading (Isaiah 66:10-14) exhorts us to rejoice over Jerusalem and be glad for her. Our own geographical Jerusalem is Nigeria. Is it possible to rejoice over Nigeria and be glad for her? Is it possible to expect that one day, we may suck and be satisfied with her consoling breast? In the Igbo tribe of the Nigerian nation, there are series of sayings that point out this character and importance of two: Adi abuo buru otu ibu, o di mfe; echiche otu onye anaghi ezuru ya; oji bu otu, mana o na-agba karia otu; otu aka anaghi eke ngwugwu. The character of two in the journey of life is very important. No man is an island. Everyone needs a companion to talk to and to listen to, to advice and to get advice from, in such manner that aka nri kwuo aka ekpe, aka ekpe akwuo aka nri.

We need each other for life’s goal. The wife needs the husband. The husband needs the wife. The women need the men; the men need the women. The Government needs the citizens; the citizens need the Government. The employer needs the employees; the employees need the employer. The clergy need the lay; the lay need the clergy. The priests need their bishop; the bishops need their priests. God needs us; and we need Him; that is why it is said that His grace is first of all operative, demanding our cooperation. There are practical benefits of doing the work of Christ with others. We are corrected by our counterpart when we err. We are advised when confused. We are encouraged when despaired. We are loved when we are downtrodden. It helps us to speak the mind of Christ, not our own. We draw more persons to God, when we carry out our mission as a group. We are assisted in the face of difficulties. We develop better thoughts when we share them with our counterparts. We achieve more as a group. It is in praying together that we experience Christ better, for where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there (cf. Mtt. 18: 20). It is in working together that we experience Christ the more, and that others see Christ in us (cf. Acts 11:19-26). May the Lord continue to give His Church the zeal to work together in community; may the mission for which we are sent be ever renewed in our hearts; and may we be faithful messengers to the purpose of our mission. All this I pray as I wish you a blessed week ahead and a new month. God Bless You.