DAILY HOMILIES #quarrelling

The key to overcoming the temptation of jealousy and quarrelling is seeking the Holy Spirit through constant prayer. Did you notice that in today’s Gospel passage, immediately after the healing and casting-out-of-demons session, Jesus retreated to a quiet place to pray? This is an important lesson. Jesus did not “need” prayer, yet He never took prayer for granted. If you value prayer, you will always make time for it. Even if it means rising early or staying up all night, you will never let a day pass without spending time in communion with God.

Today, we learn that if we must fast, *our fasting must be necessary and purposeful.* Avoid following the crowd. Your fasting should be between you and God. Am I fasting because it is fasting season (or because I see others fasting)? What exactly do I hope to achieve by my fasting? Don’t fast if you have no prayer intention (purpose). Fast for an end to kidnapping in our country, inflation, injustice, corruption, etc.

For the Corinthians, their problem was taking sides between Paul and Apollos, similar to when we began to form camps around our spiritual leaders. Paul was unhappy with them because they failed to see that Paul and Apollos were mere instruments while God was the real Chief Shepherd who made the growth happen.