DAILY HOMILIES #Jesus

: “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” The key to greatness is to serve others.

God calls us individually to different tasks. Just as our gifts and abilities are different, our sufferings for the sake of God are never the same. Sometimes we would wonder if God is partial but all that matters is that we follow Jesus.

Today we celebrate the fact that Mary intercedes for Africa. When Herod sought to kill the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph took shelter in Africa. At a time when our continent is faced with the turmoil, suffering under the yoke of neo-colonialism, we need Mother Mary’s intercession more than ever.

All we have to do is to say “Yes” to God like the Ethiopian Eunuch who gladly accepted Philip into his chariot. In fact, his “Yes” to God began with his decision to read the Bible that day. The Ethiopian Eunuch was ready for God and God actually showed up.

Anytime we reflect on the earliest Christian communities as we have it in the Acts of Apostles, we cannot but feel sad at the situation of things in our churches today.

Jesus had the chance to totally squash to pieces all those who treated him badly yet, He did not even wait to rise from the dead before He began his campaign of forgiveness. Right on the cross, Jesus said: “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). As if this was not enough, eight days after Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to his disciples saying: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Jesus had the power to call down fire to burn down those who were exchanging words with Him but he simply “escaped from their hands and went away across the Jordan.” Jesus did not use the power he had to fight back his enemies. Secondly, Jesus reminded them of the good he had done for them in the past.

Somehow, we tend to shut Jesus out of our homes, we refuse to allow him to enter our space. The moment we leave the church premises and return home, we pull off our Christianity along with our Church attire and change into something else; we begin to behave like strangers to the faith.

Yes the devil has power but you are stronger because He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world. (1st John 4:4). Just don’t try to eat your cake and have it because the devil knows those who are for him and those who are truly against him. As the saying goes: “If you are not fighting against the devil, you are probably working for him.”

It is bad enough that despite our efforts, we still fall but nothing can be more terrible than our refusal to get back on our feet when we fall.

If God permits suffering in your life, it is not out of hatred or punishment, it is because He knows that something good can come out it. Don’t have this attitude of complaint or bitterness against God, do not seek to revenge (lest you open your mind for the devil to feed you with all kinds of evil thoughts). Just look at the unique opportunities your situation is offering to you.

If you consider Jesus as your King, then live as His subject. If you consider Jesus as your Shepherd, live like His sheep; follow His instructions with a childlike trust. If you consider Jesus as your priest, then surrender completely to Him.