COLLECT: “ALMIGHTY EVER-LIVING GOD, INCREASE OUR FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY, AND MAKE US LOVE WHAT YOU COMMAND, SO THAT WE MAY MERIT WHAT YOU PROMISED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Eph 4:32-5:8; Ps 1:1-4,6 and Lk 13:10-17
We are urged and at the same time challenged as believers/Christians, by scriptures today to “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven” us in Christ. We should be imitators of God our heavenly Father. We should not be like the leader of the synagogue who was indignant that Jesus cured or healed the woman who, for 18 years had been crippled by a spirit. This was an act of kindness, compassion and God’s forgiveness showered upon this poor woman by Jesus, but because it was done on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader was furious. We notice here how legalism or strict observance of the law can do-no room for mercy, compassion, kindness and respect for human dignity. No wonder Jesus addressed them as hypocrites.
We should not only be kind with our material things or wealth toward the poor and the needy, but we should equally be kind to others with our time, talents, and especially with our words or expressions toward others. This goes with charity. We should be charitable to others with our kind words and expressions. There should therefore be no traces of filthy words and expressions, deceptions, lies, back biting, dishonesty and hypocrisy. We need to show compassion and sympathy to those who need that from us*. We should be ready to forgive and be merciful to others, for we from one time or the other will also need these from others.
St. Paul listed other things that we should not do in our lives as imitators and beloved sons/daughters of God. These are, immoralities, impurities and greed. Others are, obscenity, silly or suggestive talk, as well as empty arguments. These are part and parcel of children of darkness, they should not come from children of light. May the Lord of mercy, kindness, compassion and forgiveness give us gentle, kind, compassionate and merciful hearts. May he grant us the necessary graces to cast out all the activities of darkness in our lives so as to embrace and put forth the activities of light. Stay blessed and all the best of luck as you start your working week.
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 the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “MAY YOUR SACRAMENTS, O LORD, WE PRAY, PERFECT IN US WHAT LIES WITHIN THEM, THAT WHAT WE NOW CELEBRATE IN SIGNS WE MAY ONE DAY POSSESS IN TRUTH. 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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