DATE : 3/2/2021, Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time (B)
EVENT : St. Ansgar (Oscar), Bishop and St. Blaise, Bishop, Martyr (Opt. Memorial)
COLOUR:Green/Red/White
READINGS : Heb. 12:4-7,11-15; Resp. Psalm 102:1-2,13-14,17-18; Mark 6:1-6.
THEME: DIVINE CHISELLING BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN YOU
Greetings beloved people of God. I welcome you to "My Catholic Homily Digest". On this Third day of February, I wish to reflect with you on the theme: " Divine Chiselling Brings Out The Best In You". Beloved, have you ever pondered on the following questions: Why do bad things happen to good people? Why are truthful and honest people always avoided? Why do good people die young? Why do honest business people hardly become rich? Why do righteous people have the most difficult situations, temptations and trials? Why do virgins hardly get married and hardly bear kids on time? Why do sincere and trusting people easily get cheated? If you have reflected on this questions before, then you will understand why St. Theresa of Avila, told God that, it is deserving that his friends are few. My dear friends, God is our loving father, he cares for us, and hates to see us perish. Hence, to successfully guide us through the right path, he chastises us as a loving father would punish an erring child whom he loves. Just as it is not proper to spare the rod and spoil the child, so it is not proper for God to spare us some brief crosses of correction for our good.
This correctional nature of God's heavy hand, is the hub of today's first reading, taken from Heb. 12:4-7.11-15. According to the anonymous author of this lettter, 'when the Lord corrects you, do not treat it lightly; And do not get discouraged when he reprimands you. For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes all those that he acknowledges as his children. Suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his children, just like an earthly father trains his children with strong hands, so that when they grow up, they would not depart from right actions. However, the Bible also acknowledges that at the present moment, any punishment is most painful and far from pleasant; but later, if it is endured gallantly and in good faith, it bears fruit in all those on whom it was used.
Child of God, just like kids coming back from the playground needs to be bathed thoroughly, before allowed to enter and sit at the couch and parlor cushion. God chooses and uses different mediums to chisel out the dirt of worldly stains which sticks to our spiritual bodies, as we journey along in this veil of tears. It is because he loves us and wants us to sit and dine with him in the heaven couches and cushions, that he chisels and punishes us when we offend him. So, rather than bemoan and complain about the sufferings and many troubles that you endure, look at them as an opportunity that God is presenting to you to make heaven. And pray for the grace to endure till the end, even when our family members and those closest to us seem not to make the situation any better for us, just as they did to Jesus in the Gospel of this morning, Mark 6:1-6.
Oh that today you would listen to his voice harden not your hearts (Ps.95:7-8)
LET US PRAY : Lord Jesus, give me the grace to endure the little crosses which are my own share in your agony, so that I may merit to enter heaven......
The Lord be with you....... and with your Spirit.
May Almighty God bless you in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit......Amen
@ Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara, MSP. ⛪
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