ARE YOU PREPARED FOR GOD'S EXAMINATIONS

 Thursday, July 6, 2023

ST MARIA GORETTI, VM (Opt Mem)


First Reading. Genesis 22: 1-19

Psalm. 115: 1-6, 8-9 (R.9)

Gospel. Matthew 9: 1-8


TOPIC FOR REFLECTION


THE MERCIFUL GOD TEST HIS PEOPLE AS HE TESTED ABRAHAM

The way God tested Abraham to confirm if he truly loves and has trust in Him, is the same way God does to test us today. 

In our world today, the major test given to humanity,  in fact, after Abraham's test, is the test of charity.


Please, wait, on a good day, how many of us would naturally have passed such a test given to Abraham by God?

Some of us may boast that if we were in Abraham's shoes, we will do the same. 


Hmm, it is easier said than done. Let us examine the following together, for us to know how hard such a test is to pass.


So, if some may claim it is an easy test, what if you are in the following situations... 

1. Imagine you were barren for years, and finally, God gave you a son; still, the same God demanded of you that the child become a catholic priest who will not marry, will you allow the boy freely?

2. Imagine you have an only son among many girls, and God called him to become a catholic priest, will you allow him to go into the seminary to become a priest? 

3. Imagine after many years of barrenness, you finally gave birth to a son, and God told you that he is to join the military to save his country from their enemy, will you allow it?


My dear, we could go on to infinity with a series of samples; however, it should be noted that God does test our faith in different capacities. He does that mostly in terms of sacrificing for one another, which boils down to charity. God will not demand the sacrifice of a child, because Jesus' death has sacrificed all. More reason Jesus said, the greatest sacrifice is to lay down one's life for others, which means sacrificing.


Abraham won the title of our Father in faith because of this test he passed. Can we recall how many times God has tested us in different capacities that we have failed?


Similarly, today's Gospel expresses the merciful love of God to His people, even though they doubted Jesus' equality with God. They saw Jesus as being human alone and not God. 


The mercy of God is beyond human comprehension, God tested Abraham to kill his only son, God saw his faith and provided a ram for the sacrifice, and in the Gospel, Jesus saw the faith of His people to have brought the paralytic man, and He forgave his sins. Now those who have faith in God, do not have it in Jesus because they see Him as human and not God. Hence He was accused of blaspheming.


My dear, in summary,  hold on firmly to your faith, and any form of sacrifice to help somebody, see it as a test of faith by seeing God in the person. Charity could be in any form, not only monetary. Offer assistance that will put smiles on people's faces, and know that our merciful God will wipe all our sins away. More so, do not lose faith in God


As the bible says; charity wipes away a multitude of sins. Cf 1 Peter.4: 8.


Peace ✌️ be with you. 


Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DO YOU KNOW WHY AND HOW JESUS OVERCAME HIS TEMPTATION?

Image
 Sunday, February 26, 2023. FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (A) First Reading. Genesis 2: 7-9; 3: 1-7 Psalm. 51: 3-6, 12-14, and 17 (R. cf. 3a) Second Reading. Romans 5: 12- 19 Gospel. Matthew 4: 1-11 TOPIC FOR REFLECTION  YOUR DESIRE IS YOUR TEMPTATION.  Do you know why JESUS did not fall into temptation? It is because...  1. He is divine and not of the flesh; remember, only flesh is tempted and not the Spirit.  2. He came from Heaven, and not from the earth.  3. He is in the world, but not of the world.  4. All that exists on earth was created THROUGH HIM, AND WITH HIM, AND IN HIM. So, how can what he creates tempt Him the creator? 5. He came to save and to teach us how to be saved, by extension, how to overcome temptation.  I will like to quickly remind us that all temptations in life fall under 3 categories. They are...  1. PLEASURE  2. POWER  3. POSSESSION.  Jesus was tempted by these 3 categories.  They are as follows:  1. The temptation of pleasure: Turn these stones into bread. Jesus did
Read more

IF JESUS WAS BAD, CAN YOU FOLLOW HIM?

Image
 *Sunday, October 22, 2023*  29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A  *MISSION SUNDAY*  First Reading. Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6 PSALM 96: 1, 3-5, 7-10 (R. 7b) Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 Gospel. Matthew 22: 15-21 TOPIC FOR REFLECTION  *IF JESUS WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE, WILL YOU FOLLOW HIM?*  Today is mission Sunday, and for anyone to live a fulfilled missionary life, such ought to be a responsible person. No one can survive on a mission land if he lacks good character. I hope you know that Jesus' good character attracted us to follow Him in His mission. So will anyone with good character on a mission influence or attract people to God? Good character attracts, while bad character repels. Jesus is a good man because his ways of life are good. Christianity is a good religion because it is Jesus' way of life. Therefore, Christianity is a way of life. So, since Christianity is a way of life, it teaches how to live a good responsible life filled with a high sense of responsibility.  A Chr
Read more

DO NOT BE A HYPOCRITICAL PERSON

Image
 *Friday, October 20, 2023*  Weekday (28) Ordinary Time A First Reading. Romans 4: 1-8 Psalm 32: 1-2, 5, 11 (R. see 7). Gospel. Luke 12: 1-7 TOPIC FOR REFLECTION  *TRUST GOD, BUT AVOID HYPOCRISY*  Jesus said, "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees – that is, their hypocrisy".  It simply means if you know anybody with the under-listed attributes, please in your interest and for the sake of your future, avoid them. If you can't avoid them, learn to manage them. Do not keep such persons as friends, unless you want to ruin your future. So, avoid: 1. The people who are not real, fake by nature. 2. Those who teach the wrong doctrine 3. Those who blackmail and slander people. Note: Be aware that those who gossip to you about others have already massacred you to other people before coming to you. Avoid them. 4. Those who are pretenders  5. Those who are full of eye 👀  service 6. Those who live and dine with envy and jealousy. etc. Jesus went further to say, that ev
Read more