Readings: Rom. 8:31-39; Ps 109; Luke 13:31-35
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia
NOTHING SHOULD COME BETWEEN US AND THE LOVE OF GOD
In this world, we struggle with so many things, and we often encounter ugly events and challenges that cause us sorrows and tears. And most times we don't know how to manage those moments.
This is because there is an active presence of evil in the world which manifests itself in different forms. So, every day is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them.
Today, St. Paul in our first reading encouraged us to be strong for he is certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is exactly what Jesus manifested in our Gospel passage today when some of the Pharisees warned him to leave the area where he was teaching because Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great was after him. This warning was just a way of trying to get rid of Jesus by frightening him using external forces and authority under the name of Herod.
But Jesus was not moved by all their threats. For he knows that his mission is part of God’s larger plan, which can not be interrupted by any external forces or authority. Hence, he ignored them and continued with his work of healing the people and liberating them from the evil ones
Dear friends, our lives are in God’s hands, for we are part of God’s larger plan, and nothing will happen to us which is in conflict with God’s wishes and plans for us. All we need is to embrace the whole amour of God in faith, with belt of truth buckled round our waist, and put on integrity of life for a breastplate, with eagerness to spread the gospel of peace while carrying the shield of faith so that we can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil ones, using the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. By so doing, we can overcome the ugly situation we face every day in our societies and families today.
LET US PRAY: Lord God, every day is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and oftentimes we don’t know what to do. As we embrace your words today, grant that we may find the courage and strength to conquer our fears and struggles against the evil ones, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you and fruitful day.
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