DIVINE WHISPER with Fr. PiusRalph EFFIONG, SMMM

THURSDAY OF THE 11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR (I)

Mystery of the day: Luminous 

Celebration: Ferial 

Liturgical Colour: Green

📚 Table of the Word 

First Reading:  2 Corinthians 11:1–11

Gospel: Matthew 6:7–15

Theme: Forgive us our trespasses...

Reflection

Dearest friend(s), today we are invited to reflect on the theme of genuine service, selfless love, and the power of prayer and forgiveness. We are called to examine the motives behind our actions, especially in ministry and interpersonal relationships. St. Paul reminds us that the Gospel must be preached with sincerity and without seeking personal gain, while Jesus teaches us to pray with simplicity and to forgive as we wish to be forgiven. It is on account of this that I invite you to reflect with me on the theme: "Forgive our trespasses."  This theme which is rooted in love, one of the principal virtues in Christian living challenges us to a life of humility and self-denial.

Obviously,  it is noted that unforgiving Spirit borne out of pride, a feeling that we are better than others, why should he or she step on my toes? Is my rank or file so hidden before Him? And other mind blowing questions that boast our ego. This is captured in St. Paul's exhortation this morning when he defended his apostleship, not out of pride, but to protect the Corinthians from being led astray by "false apostles" (cf. 2 Cor. 11:13). He emphasizes that his service to them was free of charge, reflecting his integrity and the generosity of the Gospel. Here Paul’s words remind us that ministry is not a business but a dutiful service without charge. In defence of this that, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches that evangelization is a duty of love, not gain (cf. CCC 905).

This humble virtue is accounted for in the gospel pericope as the Lord gave His disciples a model of prayer  devoid of many words, not a Pharasaic pattern where our ego is being displayed instead of humble service of forgiving one another. In the same spirit, the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours encourages that our prayer be rooted in the psalms and Scriptures, not in excessive verbosity (cf. GILH 14). 

 However, in the course of this prayer (Our Father) taught by our Lord we are exhorted to a life of:

- Dependence on God (“Give us this day our daily bread”),

- Reconciliation (“Forgive us… as we forgive…”),

- Spiritual warfare (“Deliver us from evil”).

And most striking is Jesus’ postscript: “If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions” (Matt. 6:15). Forgiveness is not optional, it is the measure of our spiritual maturity and a prerequisite for divine mercy (cf. Sirach 28:1–5; CCC 2838–2845). This therefore becomes the summary of this day reflection.  For it is in forgiving one another that we are being forgiven and every barrier is broken.

Finally beloved in Christ, God has freely given us His love, mercy, and grace. Our response should be freely giving to others in service of charity, in forgiveness, and in sincere prayer. As we pray the Lord’s Prayer today, may it not be just words, but a reflection of our hearts and a challenge to our lifestyle. May we echo St. Paul’s selflessness and Christ’s teaching on forgiveness.

+ Peace be with you. 

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