Thursday, August 10, 2023

DIVINE WHISPER with FR. PIUSRALPH EFFIONG, SMMM

FRIDAY OF THE 18TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR

Mystery of the day: Sorrowful 

Celebration for the day: St. Clare, Virgin

(1193-1253). She imitated St. Francis of Assisi in the virtue of poverty and was remarkable for her penitent life. She founded the Order of the Poor Clares.

Theme: Forget not the goodness of the Lord.

"Ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors,..." ( Deuteronomy 4:32-34) 

These and many other goodness are the handwork of our God in the past as Old Testament text recorded. In the New Testament era many of the goodness of the was experienced; in our age the situation is not different. This go a long way to bring to the fore the "timelessness of God" that is God of all season. 

In our liturgy of the Word today, the first reading presents before us the event where Moses recounted the wonderful deeds of God before the Israelites, citing the many wonders He did, which no other god can be compared with our God: 

Ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors,..." ( Deuteronomy 4:32-34) 

This reminder came as a result of their murmuring and stubbornness of heart, amidst this they were still not satisfied with their situation. 

Beloved in Christ, how can we relate the situation of the Israelites with our own experience? Let us take our minds back, in our daily journal of life, we have had alot to boast of from God, ranging from the breath He freely gives, and other basic necessities of life including divine security which we cannot pay for; then how sudden do we begin to doubt His existence just because the going in our calculation is tough. 

Johnson Oatman Jr. the composer of that ancient hymn Count your Blessing avers: "When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,. When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,. Count your many blessings; name them one by one,..." 

Indeed, there is no better gospel of reminder than this. Sometimes we tend to be ungrateful to what God has done for us, easily forget how He led us out of the dungeon of pains, and set us on the table of healing, how He provided for us in moment of need, what about the serenity we enjoy despite the chaotic situation engulfing us, these and many others are testimonies of the goodness of our God. 

Beloved, forget not His goodness as the Psalmist cries out: "Bless the Lord, O! My soul and do not forget the goodness of the Lord." (Psalm 103:2). In doing this, we are reciprocating the kind gesture of His goodness. 

Finally, let us be thankful no matter the situation we find ourselves; while invoking the spiritual assistance of St. Clare whose Memorial we celebrate today to interceed for us that we may give thanks always. Peace be with you!

Let us pray

O God, who in your mercy led Saint Clare to a love of poverty, grant, through her intercession, that, following Christ in poverty of spirit, we may merit to contemplate you one day in the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


© The ARCHIVE                           11082023


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