Today’s Readings:
3 John 5-8; Psalm 112:1-6; Luke 18:1-8
OUR SAINT FOR THE DAY IS ST JOSEPHAT. He was born of Ukrainian Orthodox parents about the year 1580. He embraced the Catholic faith as a young man and entered the Greek Catholic Order of Saint Basil the Great. He was later elected bishop of Polock. He was noted for his piety and devotion to the poor. He worked tirelessly for the union of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with Rome.
Enemies of the Union plotted his death and he was martyred in 1623. Many miracles were attributed to his intercession. In 1867 he became the first Eastern Church personage to be officially canonized by Rome. His body, vested in the episcopal vestments of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, lies under the altar of Saint Basil the Great in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Be Generous in Spreading the Faith. Today's first reading teaches us to be generous with our gifts in supporting our ministers in their service of the Gospel. Your generosity is a proof that you truly understand the importance of spreading God's word to the ends of the earth. Those who contribute to spreading the faith will always find a favourable response from God to all their prayers. I have heard a lot of testimonies in this regard. Share reflections such as this one, be generous in supporting your priest. Use your gifts in serving the Church. You will never regret it. When Prayer is Generous, Favours will Flow. The Gospel challenges us to be generous with our prayers when asking God for our needs. Don't give up or turn away when God appears to be delaying. There is this woman of North African descent you will find at the bus park in Ore. She or one of her several children will cling to you until you give them money. She has trained them to expect a "No" from you but refuse to take "No" for an answer. If a beggar can train themselves to expect goodness from you, despite your reluctance, how should you then relate with God when he seems to delay?
Trust and Persevere. God is all-goodness. Jesus explains that His Father may delay in answering our prayers. But this should not deter us. Rather, it should strengthen our resolve. If what you are asking for is important to you, then state it to God, persist in asking, insist on it, trust Him and believe that He will deliver. And certainly, He will! The key words here are PERSEVERANCE and TRUST. God takes you seriously if you trust that His seeming delay is not denial. Hear what Jesus says: "Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will He be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily."
JUDE-MARY OWOH
Prayer:
Lord God, speedily answer my prayers today.
Father let there be a speedy answer to that petition which I have made for the longest time.
May the petitions I have placed before God's altar and mentioned to His ministers find a favourable answer today, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Claim this blessings for yourself, your children and for your friends and loved ones and their intentions by sending this reflection to them. And God will bless you for spreading His word.
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