DAILY HOMILIES #Israelites

Jesus taught that while the manna was earthly food (never satisfied), the bread from heaven truly satisfies. The people said, “Give us this bread always.” Jesus replied: “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35). In other words, to have Jesus is better than having the whole world. No wonder St. Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.” Only Jesus can give us true satisfaction. Stephen was not afraid of dying because He knew he had Jesus.

This is the night when God led our forebears, Israel’s children, from slavery in Egypt and made them pass dry-shod through the Red Sea. This is the night that God banished the darkness of sin with a pillar of fire. This is the night that, even now, throughout the world, sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them with his holy ones. This is the night Christ broke the prison bars of death and rose victorious from the underworld…

No matter how dire your situation seems, always maintain a positive attitude. Trust that God is giving you the best for now and that He is leading you somewhere. Good days bring memories, bad days teach lessons, and worst days bring endurance. No matter how painful your experiences are, learn to look at the bright side.

Esther displayed great confidence in God. Although she was the King’s wife, she did not rely on her position. She did not think she could lure the king by her beauty or charm; she knew she was nothing without God. She prayed before embarking on a visit to the King.

The Psalmist says: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1). This was the joy the people felt in today’s Gospel passage they moment they recognised Jesus. They ran from various neighbourhoods to meet him, bringing their sick with them. Like those who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, let us approach God’s temple, conscious that we will drink from the river of life that flows from it. According to Ezekiel, “Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live.” (Ezekiel 47:9)

Success is sweet but comes with challenges. Before Goliath, Saul regarded David as some harmless musician. Saul loved David. However, the moment Saul heard the women singing, Saul hated David. We all have people like Saul in our lives; they become a threat to us the moment we start shining. If something good comes your way, they either block it or try to eliminate you. Am I genuinely happy for my friends when good things come to them? Do I accuse them of pride or develop hatred against them because they have become more prosperous, more innovative or successful?

Samuel tried to identify all the negative aspects of having a king to discourage the elders, but at this point, they were too angry to listen. They said: “We will have a king over us so that we also may be like all the nations.” In moments of failure, we tend to look down on ourselves, our efforts, our religion, or what we have. Stop trying to be like everyone else. You have a unique destiny. If God allowed you to fail, it is for a purpose. Identify the mistake and stop blaming God.

In our Gospel passage, Jesus heals a man who, though physically blind, refused to settle for less. This man was not the only person in Israel with this impairment, but he received his healing because he stood out from the crowd. When Jesus initially ignored him, he refused to be silenced by the crowd; he refused to accept the status quo. He did not keep quiet even when the crowd made him appear small and unimportant. He called out to Jesus as loudly as he could until Jesus noticed him.

Courage is not merely the absence of fear; it is the knowledge that God is alive and He is with you always. Jesus knew that achieving salvation for mankind was not going to happen on a platter of gold, hence He said: “The Son of man MUST SUFFER many things, and be REJECTED by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be KILLED, and on the third day be RAISED.” (Luke 9:23).

Like the Israelites we read about in our First Reading, we become idol worshippers when we seek security in our possessions. To the young rich man who wanted to know how to possess eternal life, Jesus said: “If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you possess and give to the poor.”

Let us examine our conscience. Have I become ungrateful? Have my prayers become avenues to complain against God? Do I recognise the fact that I am only a pilgrim on earth? Like the Israelites, we are on a journey to our homeland (the bliss of heaven), and nothing in this world can satisfy us. Regardless of how wealthy you are, without contentment, you are poor. On the other hand, no matter how little you have, as long as you are grateful, you are rich.

Prayer is not one-way traffic. We ask God because we are His children, and by asking Him, we also declare that we live according to His instructions. Sin destroys our relationship with God. When we pray, we should have complete confidence in God. At the same time, our prayer must affect the kind of life we live. If we beg from God, we must not forget that others are begging from us; others who need our charity; others who need our forgiveness; and others who need us to intercede for them, just as Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah.