Today’s Readings:
1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Psalm 50:1-2,5-6,14-15
Luke 19:41-44
The shortest verse in the Scriptures is John 11:35 which simply says "JESUS WEPT". But there is another passage where Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and its inhabitants. Luke 19:41, 42 recounts that: "As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes!'"
What does this mean?
God's message which is contained in the Scriptures and embodied by Jesus himself is presented to us as the rule of life and key to salvation. What have we done with it? We have abandoned it and chosen the path of self-will which leads to destruction (Proverbs 14:12). To abandon Christ is to abandon true peace and date calamity.
How have we abandoned the message of peace?
We don't know the commandments of God and do not keep them (can you recite the Ten Commandments from memory?).
We have a million and one reasons for not taking five minutes each day to read the Scriptures and meditate on them.
We do not pray. So, we are addicted to our mobile devices and estranged from God.
Most of the social media content we consume daily is harmful and injurious to our faith and moral values.
We are comfortable with our sins and excuse ourselves because it is now acceptable to people we know.
We spend our spare time gossiping and tearing each other down instead of praying for each other and encouraging one another to persevere in virtue.
We cannot tell each other the truth because we are afraid of hurting one another's feelings.
We do not frequent the sacraments of the Church as sources of sanctifying grace and supernatural strength.
We don't love each other. We just use each other for our benefit.
We fear persecution. But it takes place every time we make choices in favour of popular trends to the detriment of our faith (even social media "punishes" you with fewer likes when you post faith-based content, causing you to stop).
Keep God's command, pray every chance you get, repent and confess your sins, go to Jesus in the Eucharist, love others unconditionally, and serve others with your gifts, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
JUDE-MARY OWOH
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, give me the grace to encounter you in Your Word and the sacraments. Give me the zeal to serve by my words and in the manner of my life, for the glory of Your name. Amen.
Lord, you're my inheritance. I want you to occupy my thoughts, desires, and plans. Be my ultimate concern and my secure shelter all the days of my life. Amen.
Lord God, please bless my friends. Shield them from all evil, physical and spiritual. Prosper the work of their hands and make their good plans succeed according to your will. Keep them close to your heart and never leave them alone. Amen. Send this to your friends to let them know how much they mean to you.
May God grant you wisdom and courage to speak the truth and be a model of virtue and a shining example of God's blessings and favours always in Jesus' name. Amen.
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