DATE : 10/12/2020, Thursday of the 2nd week of Advent Year (B)
EVENT : Mass of the Week day
COLOUR: VIOLET/PURPLE
READINGS : Isaiah 41:13-20; Resp.
Psalm 144:1,9-13; Matt. 11:11-15.
THEME: BELOVED, TO MAKE HEAVEN YOU MUST CARRY BRUISES OH
Greetings beloved people of God. I welcome you to "My Catholic Homily Digest". On this Tenth day of December, I wish to reflect with us on the theme: " Beloved, To Make Heave You Must Carry Bruises Oh". Beloved, if the kingdom of God promises us a life of peace, joy and happiness like the Bible tells us, what then does Christ mean when he said in Matthew 11:12, "that right from the days of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of God suffers violence and that it is only the violent person that shall survive it"? Is Christ now promoting violence and rancour instead of righteousness, reconciliation and peace? Beloved, let us not be misled, Jesus understood perfectly well what he meant to say.
Listen to me child of God, like people held captive by a slave master or a tyrant king, unwilling to let go of his captives, the Devil has held us captive for many years, and is unwilling to give us up to the redeeming grace of Jesus without putting up a violent and deadly fight. Now picture this scenario. We are like slaves tied and put into a cage with watch dogs around, to prevent anyone from escaping. Then suddenly, some freedom fighters arrived with a train, and started to vanquish the slave masters, calling on us to break loose from the shackles, so that we can get on the train of freedom. But to get on that train, we have to endure the bruises of the shackle and the bites of the watchdogs. However, the pains and suffering incurred is soon forgotten once we are able to get on the train.
Although imperfect as it may appear, the above description gives us a faint idea of our struggle for salvation. Like the story of the slaves above, Christ has come and won for us salvation in an objective manner, he has brought the train that will convey us to freedom. Yet, to get on that train (which is called subjective salvation), we must endure the little or fatal bruises from the shackles or watchdogs. And for us Christians, these bruises might come in the form of trials, daily challenges, contradictions, frustrations, depressions, temptations, adversity of several kinds, hunger, sickness, persecution, physical injuries and attacks, political marginalization, structural inbalance, oppression from a colleague or superior, a nagging wife, an irresponsible husband, wayward and stubborn children, childlessness, joblessness, and spiritual attacks and manipulations etc. However Beloved, in all these, we must constantly remember that, "the sufferings and pains of this world is not worth comparing with the glory we shall receive in heaven (Rom. 8:18). So, beloved, let us be courageous enough to bear these bruises or sufferings that may come our way, for they all shall be forgotten once we get on the salvation train of God's kingdom.
Do not be afraid for you will be remembered in my priestly prayers throughout this month. God bless you
#End Sars,
#End Political Oppression
#End Bad Governance
Oh that today you would listen to his voice harden not your hearts (Ps.95:7-8)
LET US PRAY :Lord Jesus, Fill me with your grace so that I may be able to suffer victoriously the violence assaults of the evil one.....
The Lord be with you....... and with your Spirit.
May Almighty God bless you the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit......Amen
@ Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara, MSP. ⛪
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