Today’s Readings:
Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59
Psalm 31:3-4,6,8,16-17
Matthew 10:17-22
The Christian faith, the following of Christ, is a bittersweet experience. It is as sweet as Christmas and it is as bitter as the martyrdom of Saint Stephen whom we celebrate today. What makes Christianity such an irony of a faith? It is because this world, for which most of us clamour and struggle and worry and almost split our heads, is not all that we are living for. But in this world, you will have a mixture of bitter and sweet experiences.
Sweetness will come in the form of welcoming a child, anniversaries, weddings, educational successes, job promotions, accolades in your field of specialization (sciences and arts). Bitterness will come in the scenarios of illnesses, death, heartbreaks, disappointments, selfish treatments from others, slander and false witnesses. All these add to the complexity of human life. But at the end of all these, like Saint Paul reminds us, “All things work together for good for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:28).
What should be your disposition as you go through life?
Live in union with Christ from start to finish, all the days of your life.
Let your life be guided by the Holy Spirit.
Speak the truth and speak up for God.
Create time to be by yourself and with yourself.
Let go of unforgiveness.
Pray for those who persecute you. If you cannot win them over by your words, you can win them over through your prayers.
Enlarge your heart to accommodate the pains, frustrations and shortcomings of others, so that you can celebrate their successes with them.
Do not become immune to pain or run away at the slightest sign of discomfort. Such escapist tendencies destroy any chance of building meaningful relationships.
Live each day as if it is your last (Psalm 90:12).
Do not procrastinate or put off until tomorrow, something that you can still do today.
Live for heaven, which is your true home.
You are in life for a time, reason and a season. And when your time comes, you have to return to God to give an account for your life. Make it a good and blessed experience. It will never be sweet all the way. It will come with its share of sweetness and bitterness, celebration and desolation. People will love you and others will hate you without cause. Some will be loyal until death; others are looking for opportunities to enrich themselves. Do not take it personally. Treat them all with love and mercy and God will bless you.
JUDE-MARY OWOH
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and meet the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
May God bless and favour you as you go through life.
May His consolation and strength accompany you when trials come.
May your heart swell with joy which the world can never take away from you through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The bitterness of life shall not consume you.
The sweetness of life shall not derail you.
The joy of the Holy Spirit will keep you grounded in good and bad times through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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