Readings: Ephesians 1:1-10, Ps. 98:1-6, Luke 11:47-54
“He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” (Ephesians 1:4)
Who is a Christian? This is how St. Paul answers in today’s first reading: A person blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places; chosen in Christ to be holy and blameless; destined in love to be united to God in the fullness of time.
- A Christian is different; that is, not like everybody else. A Christian is chosen for holiness, to shine a light – to give the world an example. As Jesus says: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide… If you were of the world, the world would love its own, … you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world…” (John 15:16-19). To be holy is to be set apart from the world.
- Since you have the Spirit of God living inside you, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and you have what it takes to live a blameless life. You have power over your flesh and its desires. You only need to believe that you are not powerless against the urgings of your flesh and that you are blessed beyond measure.
- To say holiness is impossible or that it is not easy to live differently from the world is to act like the proverbial beggar sitting on a stool of pure gold, yet asking for crumbs from passers-by.
- The truth is that once you say something is not easy to do, you have already accepted defeat. By your mindset, you have paralysed yourself as far as that task is concerned. Have you tried to explore all your spiritual potential? What if you stop focusing on your weakness and explore the rich depth of goodness within you?
- St. Paul tells us that in Christ, we have been redeemed, forgiven of our trespasses, and destined to be united with God forever. Stop looking down on yourself because of your past. Today is a new day. Repent and start afresh again.
- Jesus is unhappy with the Pharisees and lawyers because instead of leading people to God, they did the opposite. Jesus’ stern condemnation of these religious leaders calls for a serious examination of conscience on our part. Am I a light for the world or just part of the darkness? Is my life inspiring people to do good or to do evil? Am I a good leader?
- The Pharisees adorned the tombs of the prophets who were martyred for speaking the truth but hated Jesus for calling out their evil deeds. Jesus told them they were about to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors, but nevertheless, the blood of the martyrs would be avenged. Jesus also condemned the lawyers because they knew the truth but refused to practice it, preventing others from entering heaven.
- After Jesus said these things to them, “the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things, lying in wait for him, to catch at something he might say.” (Luke 11:53-54). Rather than look inward to repent, they were determined to kill Jesus for daring to tell them the truth. Truth always sounds like an insult when we are guilty, but we can only grow if we accept it and work towards changing our ways.
- Today, remember St. Ignatius of Antioch. He was the third bishop of Antioch. He was arrested, condemned to death, and transported to Rome to be thrown into the wild beasts in the arena. In one of his letters, he describes the soldiers escorting him as “ten leopards, who when they are kindly treated only behave worse.” During his journey, he wrote seven letters to various churches, in which he dealt wisely and deeply with Christ, the Church's organisation, and the Christian life. They are important documents for the early history of the Church, and they also reveal a deeply holy man who accepts his fate and begs the Christians in Rome not to try to deprive him of the crown of martyrdom. He was martyred in 107, and his feast was celebrated on this day in fourth-century Antioch.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, cleanse us from the inside out that we may live by the Spirit and not by the impulses of our flesh. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop, Martyr. Bible Study: Ephesians 1:1-10, Ps. 98:1-6, Luke 11:47-54).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu