GOD WILL NOT FORSAKE YOU

 Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Weekday of Lent (4)

First Reading. Isaiah 49: 8-15

Psalm.  145: 8-9, 13-14, 17-18  (R. 8a)

Gospel. John 5: 17-30

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION

THE LORD HAS NOT FORSAKEN US

God who has been in existence before time began is still in existence today and will continue to be in existence till eternity.

He (God) who created us will never forsake us. If He does forsake His creatures, the question that will directly go to Him will be, why did you create us when you will still abandon or forsake us?

My dear friend, I am convincingly reassuring you that God has never forsaken any of us, and neither will He intend to forsake any of us.

The problem we all as human beings have can not be over-exhausted, a few among many are listed below...

1. We are not patient with God, and this lack of patience made many visit places they are not expected to which has made most go into idolatry sacrifices, become ritualists, etc.

One fact I will like to bring to our notice is that nobody born of a woman can know the destiny of you who is reading my reflection now. What they do is try and error, and many a time, we foolishly place our life into their hand, and through this means, many have been destroyed, exploited, maimed, killed, etc.

2. We want God to do things in our way, and once it is not done in our way, we conclude He (God) does not care about us.

3. We compare our destiny with others forgetting that our destinies are not the same, and can never be the same, they may just look alike.

It is good to know that so far our faces, character, attitudes, and behaviors are different, certainly, our destinies too will be different.

Comparing our destinies with others simply makes us a fool for a lifetime.

Therefore, today's first reading reassured us as follows:

The Lord said...

*** In a time of favor I have answered you, in a day of salvation I have helped you; I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people, which means by implication, we are covenant children.

*** I said to the prisoners, ‘Come out,

to those in darkness, ‘Appear in the light’

*** People shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for I (God) who pity them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.  

*** I encourage you to Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For I the Lord have comforted my people and will have compassion on the afflicted. 

However, why will you say, “The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.” But, I ask you this day, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?

In a simple and straight language, can your mother who carried you for nine months in her womb, whose breast you suck ever forget you?

Yet, ” even if your mother should forsake you, I will neither forget nor forsake you".

Similarly, in today's Gospel, Jesus spoke of God with confidence because He assures the Jews that He and God the Father are one. Jesus spoke further saying, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he is doing; and greater works than these will He show Him, that you ( the Jews, we Christians) may marvel. 

Jesus concluded the Gospel by saying, “I can do nothing on my authority; as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

In summary, my beloved in Christ, God has not forsaken any of us, let us learn to seek the Will of God in all we do, and also allow Him to direct our lives. 

In the Will of God is our peace of mind and heart. 

Peace ✌️ be with you.

Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.