Reading: 2Kings 19:9-11.14-21.31-36; Ps.48; Matt. 7:6,12-14
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
LEARN TO AVOID THE WIDE AND CAPTIVATING ROADS OF THIS PASSING WORLD FOR THEY ARE DESTRUCTIVE
Life
is a temporal assignment, a journey which begins in the morning so beautiful,
full of expectations and hope, but the sojourner does not know his/her
destination, purpose and end. The only guide is his/ her willingness to
constantly follow the directives of the Sender who communicates his plans and
purposes to those who care and are willing to listen.
Thus,
this emptiness and shortness of life makes me reflect on my future as a human
person and the question that comes to my mind is: "Where will you and I,
and the beautiful things of this world be in the next one, ten, twenty, forty,
eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? The deep silence in my soul
could not offer me any answer to this question rather, it exposed me to the
foolishness of human greediness, corruption and selfishness. Hence, I asked
myself what does God really require from us in this world? And how can we
really identify the path we are called to follow?
I
found a consoling answer to this question in our Gospel passage today, where
Jesus said “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is
the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” And He added, “Enter by the narrow
gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many
are following it; but narrow is the gate and hard is the road that leads to
life, and those who find it are few.”
Here,
Jesus described how humanity has failed to embrace the life of truth, holiness
and love for God and for one another seems difficult and narrow to them but
prefer to follow the destructive ways of life that are born out of pride, greed
and uncontrollable desire for worldly things, as things of this passing world
are so captivating and many people are captured by its seductive power and are
greatly following it.
This
is exactly what happened to King Sennacherib of Assyria in our first reading,
who out of pride and greed, blasphemed against God before the walls of
Jerusalem, as he mocked God and the people of Israel, referring to their faith
and hope in God as being useless and meaningless. Then the people turned to God
in deep prayer and the Lord reassured them, from King Hezekiah through prophet
Isaiah, that despite all the power and the vast armies King Sennacherib
possessed, he would never conquer nor achieve his desire, for he would soon
meet his just end because of all the sins that he had committed against God and
His people. So his pride, greed and sins led to his downfall and damnation,
calling us to reflect on our own lives and actions.
Dear
friends, life is indeed very short and the road that leads to death and
destruction is truly wide and very captivating, of which many are captives of
its seductive power. But the road to life is becoming narrower more and more
because humanity is working so hard to expand the seductive road and gates of
destruction against the narrow gate of life.
Therefore,
to embrace the narrow gate and road that leads to eternal life, we must work
harder by resisting all the temptations and sinful things of this passing world
and embrace the life of love and sacrifice which Jesus has offered us. Let us
turn towards God with all our hearts by removing from our hearts all forms of
pride, greed and unhealthy desires that lead us astray down the path of
destruction.
LET US
PRAY: O God, our journey of life depends on you and today you have called us to
follow the narrow gate of love and sacrifice. But the seductive road of this
passing world is captivating and many are victims of its power, grant us the
grace to resist it but journey through the path and gate that leads to eternal
life, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God bless your little
efforts in life and guide you always.
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