COLLECT: “GUARD YOUR CHURCH, WE PRAY, O LORD, IN YOUR UNCEASING MERCY, AND, SINCE WITHOUT YOU, MORTAL HUMANITY IS SURE TO FALL, MAY YOUR CONSTANT KEEP US HELPS FROM ALL HARM AND DIRECTED TO ALL THAT BRINGS SALVATION. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Is 1:10,16-20; Ps 49:8-9,16-17,21,23 and Mt 23:1-12.
Today’s scriptures (Is 1:10,16-20 and Mt 23:1-12), are a wake-up call on us to do things and live lives as Christians that will attract God’s attention but not people’s attention and their admiration.
Religion, Christianity for specific, is not only the observance of rules, laws, and the performance of rites and rituals like going to church every day, giving offerings and offertory every time, payment of tithes and Church dues, making lengthy prayers, praises, adorations and having dry fasting and what have you. Witnessing to others is also very important as a Christian. That is why Jesus refers to those who follow him as ‘Light of the world’ and ‘Salt of the earth’. If we observe all the laws and rules of our religion and perform all the rites and rituals without a change of heart from sinful to purified hearts, then, all our religious practices are but external shows to attract people’s attention but not to attract God’s attention.
We are called to live exemplary lives, lives worthy of emulation, lives characterised by good deeds coming from our good hearts, without any ulterior motives. We are urged every time to avoid works of darkness, evil and sinful deeds coming from evil and sinful hearts. We can live exemplary lives, worthy of emulation if we are humble. In humility, when we make mistakes, we accept being corrected and make amends.
This is the problem Jesus has with the Scribes and the Pharisees who occupy the ‘Chair of Moses’ but are not doing what they tell their followers to do. God through the Prophet Isaiah sounds a warning to the wicked and evil rulers of Sodom and Gomorrah to cease from their evil deeds and learn to do good things. They are called upon to change their sinful hearts to good ones, to live worthy lives and carry out deeds that are worthy of emulation and that will help people experience the love and mercy of God.
The lessons from today’s two powerful scriptures are relevant for our generation. We should be the ‘light of the world’ and ‘salt of the earth’, shining in the world through our good deeds to attract people to God and not to detract and repel them from God. Our lives and deeds should add taste and sweetness to the world and society within which we live. The society and people for that matter should feel the sweetness and palatability of Christianity through the good lives we live and the good deeds we do. There should be no pretence in our lives and deeds.
Unfortunately, there are times when some of us, especially some leaders tell people that they should do what they tell their followers but should not do what they do as their leaders. May God forgive us all. Let us pray during this season of Lent that our religious practices and Lenten observances should be devoid of pretentious external shows, only to attract people, but that they should genuinely come from our hearts, as a way of repentance and a comeback to God for forgiveness. May our lives be worthy of emulation in our homes, offices, job places, in our Churches and in the world at large. Stay blessed.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, TUESDAY, ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN, THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR, THE CROWNING WITH THORNS, THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS AND THE CRUCIFIXION’ (WE PRAY FOR SORROW FOR SIN, PURITY, COURAGE, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE) “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 the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “MAY THE REFRESHMENT OF THIS SACRED TABLE, O LORD, WE PRAY, BRING US IN INCREASE IN DEVOUTNESS OF LIFE AND THE CONSTANT HELP OF YOUR WORK OF CONCILIATION. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!