From the outset it is evident that pains and sufferings are part of our existence as humans. Unfortunately, when trials and difficulties come close to us, many tend to easily turn away from the path of faith and run after those things that are inimical to our spiritual wellbeing. Also, many loose focus on the promise of God and his word.
Our world is socio-economically sick and morality has being blindfolded by social media space and extreme relativism. In our country Nigeria there is heavy pain of hardship, inflation, lack of fuel, shortage of food distribution and other means of livelihood, insecurity is seriously disturbing, kidnapping is a new order of business, poor health facilities in our communities, threat to life and goods by bandits hits the major headlines in daily news, pain of scam, fraudsters, problem of bad roads, harmful commodities sold for human consumption, bad leadership, ritualism, deadly sickness and so many other turbulence has increased the fear in our society and world at large.
There is need to heal the world and make it a better place for the living. Amidst all these, today’s first reading gives us the hope to be strong and fear not, because our God will come and save us. It is essential for us to corporate with the grace of God. St Augustine wrote that “God wills all person to be saved, and there is no one saved whose salvation he does not will”. Hence, it is important to remember and believe that the God we serve is Almighty, The Healer, The Restorer of every good things in life and that His word is our testimony and saving grace.
Whenever we approach God with our needs and intentions of our heart that are not sinful, He brings to manifestation his power and might. Dear people of God, in the Gospel passage some people brought to Jesus a man who was deaf and had impediment in his speech and begged him to lay his hand upon him. And Jesus did not relent in manifesting his healing power to save. Remember this is a practical testimony of what Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke 4:18 “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor… to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind”.
As Christians, we ought to allow Jesus take charge of our situations and worries. Secondly, we ought to take others to Jesus as seen in the Gospel. We love to be called Christians but it is sometimes difficult for us to do what our faith as Christians demand. Do you have firm believe in Jesus Christ as your Saviour in all things of life? In difficult moments who do you rely on? When your relationship or marriage is sailing through turbulent winds who do you share your experience with? In moments of dryness or loneliness who do you go to for consolation and comfort? Is it friends or God? Do you rely in multiple prayer houses, shrines, consultations to different pastors or you are holding firm to the presence of God in the Holy Eucharist?
St James in the second reading tells us to show no partiality in holding the faith of our Lord Jesus. Dear Friends in Christ in painful moments of our life let us learn to realize our nothingness and God’s greatness, our humanity and God’s divinity, our weakness and rely in the word and grace of God. Sometimes when confronted by problems of life, your neighbours could refuse to help you but God does not disappoint, business partners or office colleagues may shy away but God will not, family and friends may give excuses and reasons of inability of helping but God will not relent in helping out. Little wonder Scripture says in psalm 50:15 “call upon me in the days of trouble and I will answer you”. Even today’s responsorial psalm tell us that “it is Lord who does justice to those who are oppressed, gives bread to the hungry, opens the eyes of the blind, loves the just, He protects, upholds the orphan and widow, thwarts the path of the wicked and will reign for ever”.
These words help to restore our hope, rekindle our faith and plunge us to love God who is ever faithful in his promise. Remember He said “I will never leave you or abandon you” (Hebrew 13:5) and He alone knows the plan that he has for us, a plan of hope and not for destruction (cf. Jer. 29:11). Let us live our lives in faith on the word of God and always call upon him in prayers like the psalmist “Come Lord, and save us”.
