THE ‘SHIFTI-MANIA’ VIRUS

HOMILY FOR THE 10^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

In the science of virology, a virus is an ultra-microscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts. They are harmful and dangerous to the host. In computer science, a virus is a software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer. They corrupt other files. In the human society, some agencies can also be regarded as viruses, when they cause harm to the government and corrupt other agencies to the point of revolt and rebellion; hence, causing chaos in the system. Beyond these specifications of viruses, there is an exclusive type of virus which we have called the shifti-mania virus. It is the combination of two words. The first word is the short form of the word ‘shifting’ (the change of position or direction). The second word is ‘mania’ (a mood or an affective disorder in which there is an excessive response, and many times irresistible and irrational). The combination of both words leads us to the compound meaning of this type of virus. The shifti-mania virus is the infectious organism which affects as to disorder characters to be involved constantly and excessively with change/transfer of position (direction, blames, and responsibility) to exonerate oneself or another from confronting the reality of situations. The shifti-mania virus and its antidote are seen in the readings of today.

How did man react after the primordial disobedience to God? The First Reading (Gen. 3:9-15) answers the question. As a prelude to answering this, we must remark that it is mind boggling that Adam and Eve failed to answer appropriately the questions asked them by God. To the first question of where (where are you?), Adam answered as if what was asked was the question of why (I was afraid...because I was naked). To the question of who told you, Adam answered as if what was asked was who gave you. And to the final question of why did you, the woman answered as if what was asked was who gave you. Disobedience actually leads to confusion. Now, concerning the direct reaction of man, the first point is that the man, Adam became afraid of God to such an extent that he hid from the omnipresent God. How come he thought that he could hide from the Eternal Presence who is everywhere? Oh, what a paradox!!!

1. The second point concerns the fear and the inability of the couple to face their sin which led them to shift blames. They ought to have accepted the blame and the responsibility for what they did, but they could not face them. When we act this way, it all means, the shifti-mania virus has affected us. This virus makes us afraid of accepting our mistakes, afraid of taking blames for what we have done, afraid of accepting responsibility for what we did not do right, and afraid of facing the reality of our actions. Just as Adam and Eve, we tend to shift blames and responsibilities when things go wrong to others just to appear clean and unruffled. Adam shifted the blame to the woman and the woman shifted the blame to the serpent; and then came the punishment to the serpent.

The serpent here represents Satan; it is he who seduces men to disobey God. There was a punishment concerning its relationship with other animals (that is, it would suffer exclusion). There was a punishment concerning its mobility (it would crawl). There was a punishment concerning its livelihood (it would eat dirt). And there was a punishment concerning its relationship with humanity (hostility awaits it). This implies that the devil would suffer from exclusion. That is why it continues to run around seeking for someone to devour/lure (1 Pet. 5:8). The devil would crawl; its efficiency was reduced to the barest minimum. This implies that every power and privilege has been withdrawn from him. The devil would eat dirt. This means that nothing holy and pure would be associated with him. He would only have those who are dirty. Humanity would be hostile to him. This implies that mankind would pursue him anywhere they see a trace of him.

2. Considering all these, one can imagine how disheartening it was to Jesus in the Gospel (Mark 3:20-35) seeing that the scribes were ascribing powers to the already-rendered powerless Satan. By saying that Jesus healed with the power of Beelzebul, they shifted praise. God be praised for what He has done, and not Satan be praised for what God has done. This is another case of shifti-mania virus infection. When we see the good God does, we tend to ascribe it to another ungodly force. We do this many times, especially when something good comes out of the one we do not expect, or someone we hate, or someone we feel we are better off than. We do this and its likes often. Yes, quite often. And when this happens, it then means that this virus has infected us.

3. Another thing worrisome in this episode is the problem-solution reversal. This is another shifiti-mania infection. We transfer problems to become solutions, and solutions to become problems. Jesus was the solution to the problem of the degenerated/demon-possessed man, and not the problem of the demon-possessed man. Beelzebul was the problem, and thus a problem cannot solve another problem. In fact, when a problem meets another problem, there is greater problem. How then can Beelzebul be the solution? How can Satan drive out Satan? We now see the futility in the proposition of those ignorant scribes. Many times in life, we reverse problems and solutions. We see in our siblings/family the problem, instead of the solution to our problems. We see in the Church of God the problem instead of the solution to our problem. Sometimes, too, we see in the problems, the solution. We see in diviners and seers the solution, instead of the problems. We see in sin (e.g. gluttony/lust) the solution to depression, when it is actually the problem that requires a solution. When we make what should be the solution of the problem the problem of the solution, we run the risk of an infinite regress in problems and the search for solutions.

This infection leads the human spirit and soul into being obstinate in sin, and the lack of seeing God above everything. And this is where we find the sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus was clear about it that whosoever sins against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. The sin against the Holy Spirit begins when we see anything above God and we ascribe the power of God to any other created thing. How do we discover when we sin against the Holy Spirit? A) When we see our sins above the mercy of God (cf. Responsorial Psalm: with the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption). B) When we remain in sin (like Adam dodges God) and become obstinate in it, portraying that we need no conversion. C) The moment we attack goodness and replace it with evil because of ulterior motives D) The moment we become reckless in evil, seeing nothing good in everything; therefore, seeing nothing good in God. E) When we become uncontrollable to the extent of losing the sense of sacred F) When we repeatedly fail to accept our sins and blame them on others. G) When we become so fade up with or give up in aspiring towards holiness, sanctity or purity, just as Adam gave up in meeting with us and decided to hide. Thus, at this various points, we tend to block the forgiveness of God from being felt by us; thus, there comes the need to move out from that region to feel God’s mercy again.

The antidote and cure of this mania is provided by Jesus at the end of the Gospel: for whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. This means that in listening to Jesus and in living according to the word of God, we become a member in the family of Jesus. That membership coats us against this virus that we become safe. St. Paul further widened this membership in the Second Reading (2 Cor. 4:13-5:1). If we are members of the family of Jesus, then we have a building not made with hands. This means that as a member of the family that you are, you have an eternal home in heaven. It is because we have Jesus that we are immune from this virus. May our belongingness to this family be sustained that our strength may never fail in our aspirations to do the will of God which is the food of Jesus (cf. John 4:34), and in turn our food that keeps us healthy against sin. Amen. Happy new week. God bless you.