PRAYER: “O GOD, WHO, SEEING THE HUMAN RACE FALLEN INTO DEATH, WILLED TO REDEEM IT BY THE COMING OF YOUR BEGOTTEN SON, GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT THOSE WHO CONFESS HIS INCARNATION WITH HUMBLE FERVOUR MAY MERIT HIS COMPANY AS THEIR REDEEMER. WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
1Sam 1:24-28; Ps 1Sam 2:1,4-8 and Lk 1:46-56.
There is this popular song that goes: “What thanks can I render you for the gifts you have showered on me? Every day I will sing you praise and glory, Alleluia.
It is said that the fowls or most birds are always full of gratitude and praise to God for giving them water. That is why whenever they are drinking water, they pick some with their beaks and look toward the sky before they allow the water to go down their throats. Someone once said that anyone who cannot say ‘Thank you’ to God and to fellow human beings for the favours they receive from them does not think.
Our scriptures today present us with two biblical women who rejoice in God’s goodness to them. Hannah for her part, shows appreciation for her deliverance from sterility. For Mary, the Lord’s mercy is coming through her, to deliver his people. The Lord has been doing a lot for you and me. Do I always show appreciation for all God and fellow human beings have been doing for me? There are times we take things for granted and therefore, we are not able to express gratitude. Even if we think we deserve the favours and blessings we receive from God and neighbours, there is still a need to show gratitude.
Today, the word of God is challenging all of us to reflect on God’s goodness, as well as the goodness and kindness of other people in our lives and make conscious efforts to offer our personal prayers of thanksgiving and appreciation to God and to such people. We could also offer our material gifts, talents and gifts as a form of appreciation.
There are times we receive lots of favours from God and fellow human beings, but we are sometimes not satisfied with that, nor do we have the spirit of gratitude to render gratitude to God and those who bless us. Some of us ask for more without saying thank you.
There was this man with both feet who, preparing for Christmas, got money to buy one shoe. He was always in church praying that God could not have mercy on him and let him get some money to buy the other shoe to now have a pair of shoes to wear for his Christmas celebration.
It happened one day, he was in church praying again for money for the one shoe, and suddenly, a one-legged man entered the church singing and praying at the top of his voice, thanking God for allowing him to have one leg and his life during a terrible accident. When the two-legged man who was there praying for money for his second shoe saw this, he left the church quietly and disappeared.
Please, no matter your situation, always learn to be grateful to the Lord. One perfect way of expressing gratitude to God is to follow God’s will and do what is pleasing to God. After all, our prayer of thanksgiving adds nothing to God’s greatness and goodness. No thanksgiving or gratitude is more befitting to God than to be faithful to him, honour him and keep his commandments. We should take note, not to behave like the Frafra man who taught his children that, as a way of showing appreciation to God, they should always drink water like the way fowls do.
There was also another man who was always in church, even attending daily Masses, with some offertory gifts, yet he never extended his hand to offer anything to the poor widow and orphans living in his house. Will God be pleased and will he accept such gratitude? Stay blessed.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, MONDAY, ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE ANNUNCIATION, THE VISITATION, THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE AND THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE’. (LET US PRAY FOR HUMILITY, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, POVERTY IN SPIRIT, OBEDIENCE AND JOY IN FINDING JESUS) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
PRAYER: “MAY RECEPTION OF YOUR SACRAMENT STRENGTHEN US, O LORD, SO THAT WE MAY GO OUT TO MEET OUR SAVIOUR WITH WORTHY DEEDS WHEN HE COMES AND MERIT THE REWARDS OF THE BLESSED. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com.
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