YOUR CHARACTER: TASTY OR TASTELESS?

 Sunday, February 5, 2023

Fifth Sunday of the Year (A)

First Reading. Isaiah, 58: 7-10
Psalm. 112: 4-9 (R. 4a)
Second Reading.  1 Corinthians 2: 1-5
Gospel. Matthew, 5: 13-16

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION 

IS YOUR CHARACTER TASTY OR TASTELESS? 

Good character is SALT OF THE EARTH, AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 

Bad character is TASTELESS SALT TO THE EARTH, AND DARKNESS TO THE WORLD. 

Naturally, we all love and wish to associate with good people, while nobody would naturally wish to be associated with bad evil people. 

The question is, are you a good or bad person? Your character speaks volume. 

However, wait a minute, before we continue, let me ask... 

Do you think you can be a light of the world and salt of the earth as a Christian without character? 

😆 😆 😆 its absolutely impossible. 

Your character defines you, it defines your personality. 

Let me define character in an unusual way 😆 😆 😆 

Character simply means the characteristics of a person. Just like saying what are the characteristics of living things, animals, non-living things, etc?

More so, characteristics means the behaviour of something or somebody. 

 Therefore, my dear, I plead with you never in your life to under estimate the value and importance of character. 

Character is everything, do you doubt me? Okay, if i may ask again 

1. If Jesus the son of God, who is also God, perform speechless miracles, heal the sick, raise the dead, fed countless thousands with few fish and bread, do not have a good character, do you think He will have uncountable followers even till date?

2. Let's assume Jesus was proud, arrogant, saucy, stubborn, a slanderer, malicious, destroyer, despite all His good works among people, can you as a person become His follower today? Can you even be proud to be associated to Him? 

3. As a person, can you have as your best friend who posseses all the attributes of No 2 above? Consider the fact that such a person is a staunch Christian. 

I suppose the answers to the above 3 questions are capital NO. 

So, your character is you, and not another person. 

It's either your character is tasty or tasteless, light or darkness to humanity. Still, be reminded that you are the first beneficiary of your character. 

Therefore... 

*** If you want to succeed in life, possess a good character 

*** If you want favor from God, possess a good character 

*** If you want to go places in life, possess a good character 

*** If you value joy, peace, happiness, co-existence, the brightest future, possess a good character 

*** If you are a committed Christian, and wishes to win souls for God and at the same time make heaven, possess a good character. 

As we know, charity begins at home. So, the whole liturgy of today centered on character, that is, your attitude towards your neighbors. 

In the history of humanity, the only person who had lived in this world like us but with no single blemish is our saviour Jesus Christ. Cf. Heb. 4: 15

Basically, to be a salt and light of the world, is embedded in good character. 

Jesus told us in today's Gospel that we should be the light of the world and salt of the earth. 

So, as a Christian, anywhere we are, we must shine out in good character by adding a tasty value to people's lives. Still, the second reading of St. Paul words of exaltation said our good character should not be grounded in human wisdom, but on the power of God. 

Therefore, Prophet Isaiah in today's first reading stated clearly on how one can be a light and salt of the earth.

1. Share your bread with the hungry. 

2. Bring the homeless poor into your house.

3. Cloth the naked 

Isaiah said further that the benefits of the charitable acts are as follows: 

1. Your light shall break forth like the dawn.

2. Your healing shall spring up speedily. 

3. Your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am. 

Finally, the prophet suggested how not to be tasteless and darkness to the world. 

1.  Do not point wrong accusing finger.

2. Do not speak ill or bad of others. 

3. Do not take advantage of those who are helpless or whom you have helped. 

4. In your good deeds to feed the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, be rest assured that your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. 

Peace ✌️ be with you. 

Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS. 

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