Life is Worth Living

Agricultural scientists are of the view that ACID RAIN removes minerals and nutrients from the soil that plants need for growth. It leaves the soil overly neutralized. Furthermore, it causes aluminum to be released into the soil, which makes it difficult for crops to take up water. All in all, acid rain seems to be very POISONOUS to plants. If the Word of God is compared to rainwater (cf. Isaiah 55:10-11), please BEWARE of ACIDIC OR POISONOUS RAINS. Not everything that you hear is the WORD OF GOD. Don't let your heart be SPIRITUALLY POISONED as you hunger for God's word. The truth is that THERE ARE MANY ACIDIC AND POISONOUS RAINS OUT THERE. Please, pay attention to that! Secondly, Matthew 13:1-9 compares the Word of God to a SEED. Ordinarily, a seed has the potency to germinate into new life. Amongst other things, one condition is key: THE SEED MUST BE HEALTHY. A rotten seed will NEVER germinate. Take note of that! Again, pay attention to this word of caution! BEWARE of ROTTEN ...

The first reading (Isa. 55:10-11) likens the Word of God to rainwater which has the power to bring about germination and growth of sown seeds; the Gospel (Matt. 13:1-23) likens the word of God to a seed which has the potency to germinate into new life. These are agricultural expressions which are very clear to us. But within the context of agricultural practice, the surface which receives the rainwater or the seed matters a lot. It is not enough that rain falls, on what does it fall? It is not enough that seeds are scattered, on what are they scattered? If the rainwater meant to water and soften the farming ground falls on the tarred road, it is of no use on that surface insofar as agriculture or farming is concerned. If a seed meant to be scattered on a good soil falls on the pathway, on rocky ground or thorns, it will not germinate. It is not just about receiving or hearing the Word of God. What is the nature of the heart or the mind which receives the Word of God? In the Parable of ...

A gold refinery receives the raw/crude gold – commonly known as the gold ore – (mixed with impurities such as rock, scraps, and so on) and re-liquefies it by exposing it to a very hot furnace (intense fire and heat); and then various chemicals are added to the molten substance in order to separate the pure gold from the impurities. From the above illustration vis-à-vis the readings of today, few things are clear: 1. In order to be purified, a piece of raw gold must be exposed to intense fire and heat. We can’t attain holiness (purity) by clinging to our old selves of sin (moral impurities). In the first reading (Isaiah 6:1-8), Isaiah had a vision of being exposed to the fiery and awe-inspiring holiness of God. Just as a piece of raw gold, Isaiah a man of unclean lips was purified by that fiery presence. Such an encounter teaches us that “the more exposed we are to God and His precepts, the more purified we should become if we are very sincere with ourselves”.  2. For the already mo...

The spiritual power to cast out unclean spirits and cure all kinds of diseases is a wonderful gift that must be greatly appreciated, earnestly sought after and wisely used.  As I go about exercising such gift, wisdom demands that I mustn't enter every "pagan territory". What does this mean?  Any wise army commander knows that he must limit his objectives. He must direct his attack at one chosen point. If he diffuses his forces here, there and everywhere, he dissipates his strength and invites failure. TO ATTEMPT TO ATTACK ON TOO BROAD A FRONT IS SIMPLY TO COURT DISASTER (William Barclay). Does Jesus have this in mind when he told his newly commissioned Gospel Generals (that is, the apostles) "TO GO NOWHERE AMONG THE GENTILES AND ENTER NO TOWN OF THE SAMARITANS" (Matt. 10:5)? Your thoughts may be as good as mine! I deem it a crass show of spiritual arrogance when people highhandedly invade territories and begin to destroy the vegetation, cutting down trees and tu...

The history of the people of Israel is a story of daily walk with God: from the past, through the present and unto the future.  The prophecy of Amos, reflecting a portion of the Israelite history, brought to their consciousness that beyond the period of gloom and doom occasioned by sin and injustice, there will be a time of restoration, abundance and joy. Time with the bridegroom is a period of merriment and joy. But a time of sorrow will come when the bridegroom is gone.  But whether in the past, present or future, God walks His way through, works through history without being confined to time and space.  Our journey with God should take into account that even though God walks with us from the PAST, through the PRESENT unto the FUTURE, we must not confine Him to our own space and time. Insisting on the past and on the old ways of doing things sometimes can be counterproductive. FAITH SHOULD NOT STAMP OUT CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION. If it does, it stops being producti...

In Ephesians 2:19-22, St Paul describes YOU and I as members of God’s household, a household built upon the foundation of the apostles. By this, he is making reference to the “Church” as the people of God. We are a people who have been built upon the foundation of the apostolic faith: on the profession and confession of faith by the apostles. And today, we are celebrating an apostle who is famous for his initial lack of faith in the resurrected Jesus. Now, how and why should this “doubting” Thomas (who obviously expressed his lack of faith) be part of this foundation of faith? In John 20:24-29, when Thomas was told that Christ appeared, he doubted. When Christ appeared again, Thomas was made to search by touching the holes in the hands and side of Jesus in order to know and believe that it was Jesus. Having SEARCHED, he KNEW; and having known, he finally BELIEVED. From his doubt, he journeyed to faith. Between his moment of doubt and arrival at faith, there was a search which never gav...

Amos was a sycamore tree dresser and a herdsmen/shepherd, from Judah (the Southern Kingdom of Israel) called and commissioned as a prophet to speak against social injustice in Samaria (the Northern Kingdom of Israel) where Jeroboam was the king and Amaziah the priest. Amaziah the priest felt intimidated by the presence and words of Prophet Amos, despised him and told him to flee to the land of Judah and prophesy there, probably because he (Amaziah) felt that Amos, being a sycamore dresser, was not qualified to prophesy. But appearances can be deceptive. Jesus faced a similar situation in his own city where he was well known as a poor carpenter, as a mere man. When he healed and forgave the sins of the paralytic, his people (the scribes) accused Him of blasphemy, for it is only God that can forgive sins not man. They did not know that Jesus’ divine nature, power and greatness were hidden in his poor human appearance. Appearances can be deceptive. In our world, people and things are ofte...

Events of recent times have proven beyond reasonable doubt that humanity seems to have placed more value on other things than on the dignity of the human person. Every act of man’s inhumanity to man is premised on our propensity to sacrifice human dignity on the altar of material and selfish gains.   When the prophet Amos cried that justice should roll down like waters, he was challenging and highlighting the hypocrisy of a people who trample upon the needy and then come to the temple to offer burnt and peace offerings of cereals and fatted beasts. The miracle of the healing of the Gadarene demoniacs not only reveals the love and compassion of God but also exposes the hypocrisy and wickedness of human beings. Gadara was a Greek (Gentile) territory; and this may account for the breeding of swine in the area. Of course, Jews have nothing to do with swine because, according to their laws, pigs are unclean animals. Certainly, the herd of swine was being reared for material gains: ...