12/2/2021, Thursday of the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time (B)
EVENT : Mass of the Weekday
COLOUR:Green
READINGS : Gen. 3:1-8; Resp. Psalm 31:1-2.5-7; Mark 7:31-37.
THEME: PLUCK OUT THE GREED IN YOU
Greetings beloved people of God. I welcome you to "My Catholic Homily Digest". On this Twelfth day of February, I wish to reflect with you on the theme: " Pluck Out The Greed In You". Beloved in Christ, it was Mahatma Gandhi of India, who said, "there is enough resources in the world to meet everyone's need, but there isn't enough resources to satisfy every one's greed". God as the architect of creation, has fashioned the world in such a way that it is able to support the sustainability of every living thing, plants and animals alike. Thus, there is enough food to go round, enough shelter to go round, enough water to go round, enough money to go round, enough lands to go round, even enough male and female to go round. The world is not deficient in any way, there is nothing lacking in the world, the resources in the world are not limited. Just like the Bible says in Matt. 6:29 and Luke 12:27, God takes care of all created things, such that even King Solomon in all his adornment is not half as beautifully clothed as the lilies of the field s. And I dare to add that even Bill Gates with all his dollars is not as well taken care of as the ever green trees planted by the flowing river (Cf. Rev. 22:2).
However, despite this availability of unlimited natural resources, abundance of rich food, and variety of pleasant luxuries, we noticed that in the first reading of today, the Devil was able to beguile Eve. Now apart from many other theological and spiritual explanations behind the vulnerability of Eve which later metamorphosed into the fall of man (Adam and Eve), Eve, representing the entire human race, fell because of the greed of the eye, and the greedy desires of the appetitive tongue and stomach. Now, added to the fact that the devil suggested eating the fruit to Eve, the Bible recorded that the fruit was desirous and pleasant to the eyes (Gen. 3:5). hence the temptations became a slippery slope for Eve. And she fell easily into it.
Beloved in Christ, Beware of that which your eyes desire. Often times, we imagine that the devil will come to tempt us with something big. But no, as a cunning and wise serpent, he uses that which our hearts already remotely desires. What he does is just to give us a little push, and off we fall. As Christians, let us watch out for our Achilles heels, and our Waterloo, for that is the place the devil is sure to easily trap us. Bible tells us in 1Cor. 10:12, 'that he who thinks he is strong enough to stand should be careful lest he falls'. For as the saying goes, 'A chain is as strong as it's weakest link'. Always pray for the grace to work on your weakness and to pluck the greed of worldly desires from eyes.
Oh that today you would listen to his voice harden not your hearts (Ps.95:7-8).
LET US PRAY : Lord Jesus, help me with the grace to resist the most inordinate desirous longing in my heart.....
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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