“WALK DAILY WITH JESUS”, 13/11/26, (Friday, 32nd week in Ordinary Time of Year A).

(REMEMBER TO PRAY IN THIS MONTH OF NOVEMBER FOR YOUR RELATIVES, LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE DIED).

COLLECT: “ALMIGHTY AND MERCIFUL GOD, GRACIOUSLY KEEP FROM US ALL ADVERSITY, SO THAT, UNHINDERED IN MIND AND BODY ALIKE, WE MAY PURSUE IN FREEDOM OF HEART THE THINGS THAT ARE YOURS. 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”.

2Jn 4-9; Ps 118:1-2,10-11,17-18 and Lk 17:26-37.

“Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist. Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son” (2Jn 7-9).

In this brief letter of St. John to a friend, he said, ‘to live in the truth and obey God, we must watch out for deceivers/false teachers, and we must love God and each other’. John was moved to say this because in his days, there were false teachers (deceivers or imposters) who taught that the spirit was good and matter (body) was evil. Therefore, they reasoned that Jesus could not have been both God and man. This was the same heresy at the time of Pope St. Leo the Great- “Monophysitism and Eutychianism” (Cf. last Tuesday’s reflection-10/11/20). Also, as the Apostle that Jesus loved, John was probably there when the Pharisees asked Jesus about the coming of the Kingdom of God, to which Jesus reacted and said among other things that many people would come and say; “Look, there he is, or Look, here he is. Do not go off, do not run in pursuit” (Lk 17:20-25, yesterday’s Gospel). In very strong terms, St. John in this letter, warned against this kind of teaching.

In our contemporary times, many false teachers or deceivers still promote an understanding of Jesus in their preaching and messages that is not biblical or not sound and correct. They preach messages that seek to preserve earthly life and that this life must be all rosy, cozy and comfortable and we must not lose it. Such false teachers or deceivers are dangerous because they distort the truth and undermine the foundations of the Christian faith. In their teaching or preaching, they may use the right words and expressions, quoting the scriptures/the bible here and there, but change the meaning to suit their selfish and personal interests and gains. We must be watchful and vigilant as we hear them in order not to be taken aback or be taken by surprise.

As we meditate on this short letter of St. John, the wise and aged follower of Christ, let us recommit ourselves to being people of truth, of love and of obedience. These are vital virtues of Christianity and are inseparable in the Christian life. Let us always practice truth and love, which very often we ourselves talk about as lacking or missing in our present world. Please, men and women of God, let us practice love, truth and obedience, and let us not mislead the people who follow us. Stay blessed.

WE MEDITATE TODAY, FRIDAY, 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: “NOURISHED BY THE SACRED GIFTS, O LORD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS AND BESEECH YOUR MERCY, THAT, BY THE POURING FORTH OF YOUR SPIRIT, THE GRACE OF INTEGRITY MAY ENDURE IN THOSE YOUR HEAVENLY POWER HAS ENTERED. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com.