DIVINE WHISPER with FR. PIUSRALPH EFFIONG, SMMM

THURSDAY OF THE 25th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR (II)

Mystery of the day: Luminous 

Celebration:  St Maurice & Companions, Martyrs (Optional Memorial)

Maurice was an officer of the Theban Legion of Emperor Maximian Herculius' army, which was composed of Christians from Upper Egypt. He and his fellow legionnaires refused to sacrifice to the gods as ordered by the Emperor to insure victory over rebelling Bagaudae. When they refused to obey repeated orders to do so and withdrew from the army encamped at Octodurum (Martigny) near Lake Geneva to Agaunum (St Maurice-en-Valais), Maximian had the entire Legion of over six thousand men put to death.

Table of the Word:  Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; John 14:6

"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3)

Theme: The emptiness of life. 

Reflection for the day:

When the author of the book of Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth) in the beginning part of the book of Ecclesiastes gives the résume of the reality of human existence outside God. For him, God is over everything, as every other creature in creation is dependent on God. Which outside God is vanity of vanities.

In the light of this, he avers:

"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3).

It is therefore a truism that the toil of man day and night to make ends meet is void. Void in the sense that, outside salvation of soul our struggles are for nothing. 

In today's gospel acclaimation Christ reassured us in these words:

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6).

Therefore, if we put our trust in Him then, our day-to-day toil will never be in vain but a seed sowing for eternal harvest which we all long for.

Finally, let us be ever conscious of our shortcomings and then be focused in our daily living. Peace, be with you!

Let us pray

Almighty and ever living God, we thank You for the wonders of our being. Grant we pray the grace to be faithful in our day-to-day toil with hope and trust in You. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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