Readings: Jeremiah 28:1-17, Ps. 119:29,43,79-80,95,102, Matthew 14:22-36
“Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you made these people trust in a lie. Therefore, thus says the Lord: I am going to send you off the face of the earth. Within this year, you will be dead.” (Jeremiah 28:15-16)
Our first reading today is quite dramatic. A prophet called Hananiah lied against God by announcing to the people something he did not hear from God. He also broke the wooden bars God had told Jeremiah to place on his neck. These wooden bars symbolised the imminent exile of the people, a punishment that could only be averted by their repentance from sin. Instead of addressing the problem (sin and its consequences), Hananiah, like modern-day prosperity preachers, was more concerned about making the people feel good.
Hananiah is an example of what St. Paul spoke about in his second letter to Timothy: “The time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their desires and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). There is nothing wrong with preaching sweet things to uplift people’s moods, especially in trying times such as the present situation in Nigeria. However, the problem is telling lies in God’s name. Why did Hananiah claim that God said such things to him? What stopped him from saying: “This is what I think” or “This is what I pray for”
Growing up, we were told, “Say the truth and shame the devil.” This saying has Biblical roots in John 8:44, where Jesus addressed the Pharisees: “You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. He speaks according to his nature when he lies, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44). A child of God should never tell lies. Lies belong to the devil and his children.
Telling lies is very bad. Telling lies in God’s name is even worse. This is because when you claim to have received a message from God, and it turns out that the message was false, you make God look like a liar. For this, Hananiah died that year. Many so-called men of God “prophesied” great and wonderful things about this country on New Year’s Day. How many of such prophecies happened? Either they did not hear well when God spoke, or they did not hear from God. It pains me that they still refuse to admit the truth when confronted about their fake prophecies. Let us be cautious and discerning in our spiritual journey, for the consequences of false prophecies can be severe.
The problems with this country today are quite complex, but we cannot deny that our refusal to repent contributes to our woes. We cannot continue living in darkness as individuals and still hope to have a great nation. We appear to be a religious nation, but we are very far from God; we partake in religious rituals and ceremonies, but we behave like children of the devil. What if our collective suffering today is a consequence of our bad choices? Let us urgently turn to repentance and seek God’s forgiveness for our misdeeds.
After the feeding of the multitude, Jesus goes to the hills by himself to pray. As Jesus prayed, he saw that the disciples were in danger, and He went to them walking on water. The disciples, who were already frightened, were even more afraid, thinking they were seeing a ghost. Jesus says: “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.”
Peter wants to be very sure; he tells Jesus to command that he too would walk on water. Jesus obliges Peter, and he gets out of the boat and starts walking towards Jesus, but when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Peter had faith enough to step into the water but was soon overcome by fear and doubt.
Faith is like a fire. We must constantly feed it with fresh logs so that it continues to burn brightly. If we do not feed our faith, fear takes control of our lives.
When Jesus got into the boat, there was a great calm. Everyone in the boat worshipped Jesus, saying: “Truly, you are the Son of God.” When Jesus is in your life, your soul is always at peace regardless of what may be happening around you. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Let us pray: Draw near to your servants, O Lord, and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness, that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Monday of week 18 in Ordinary Time Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: Jeremiah 28:1-17, Ps. 119:29,43,79-80,95,102, Matthew 14:22-36)
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu