THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2023
THURSDAY OF THE THIRTY THIRD WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME A
SAINT CLEMENT I, Pope and Martyr (Opt Mem)
SAINT COLUMBAN, Abbot (Opt Mem)
1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Luke 19:41-44
CONTENDING WITH THE FORCES AGAINST OUR LIVES
We live in a world that sometimes fights hard against us. We are battered in body and soul. We feel this agony of soul when we fall into sin and the agony of the body with pains that visit us emotionally and physically. These are all human experiences. And they are so often felt and are our every day experience we go through life.
Equally, the Christian faith experiences great obstacles and oppositions. Our moral life is challenged and we tend to be struggling with ourselves. We push but sometimes we fall and enjoy the pleasures that are inordinate and the conscience bleeds and sorrows.
Our first reading demonstrates for us how Matthatias was able to overcome this struggle and tension in living with oppositions to our lives. He was resolute, loyal and very zealous. These endeared him to fight against the oppositions and challenges that we go through in life.
Zealousness in the spirit is the key behind his overcoming the fears and tensions that confronted his faith and devotion. We need a bit of zealous attitude to our faith and life generally. Until we learn to act like this man who went all out refusing to sacrifice to idols as demanded by the King and even going further to kill both the guilty Jews who abandoned his faith and shamefully resorted to sacrifice even before him. He also out of zealousness killed the servants sent to execute this order for them to sacrifice.
We may not go this far of killing and maiming others but we must keep a zealous spirit in our struggles with forces that confront our life on earth.
Jesus, in the gospel of today wept over Jerusalem for the impending doom that will visit the land. His death may not be appreciated and followed. His sacrifice of himself may not call many back. Jesus felt the holy sorrow in his heart and wept.
We must also accept this sorrow that may well up in our consciences whenever we fall into sin and whenever we deviate from the path of salvation. Let us never be complacent with our lives when we know we are not at peace with our God.
Holy sorrow leads us to make reparations, to make restitutions and to return to our God. We must recoup the spirit of zealousness, loyalty and dedication to our faith and never allow ourselves be beaten by the forces against our faith and our lives. We must face them, hold our heads high and turn always to our God for our wellbeing and salvation.
Heavenly Father, the forces against our spiritual growth, moral uprightness and salvation are numerous and intense. We beg you, help us, give us the strength to overcome. Quicken our spirit to be more zealous, dedicated and forthright with you. May we never succumb to fear or submit to moral decadence or spiritual death but may we struggle and with you win life eternal through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
