WEDNESDAY MARCH 20, 2024
WEDNESDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT B
Daniel 3:14-20,24-25.28
John 8:31-42
LIVING IN TRUTH AND NOT IN SELF DELUSION.
Most times, we human beings tell a lot of lies to ourselves knowingly and unknowingly. We tend to create an utopia, or a mystery or an illusion and accept it as real when of course, it may just be a figment of our imagination. We need to be real, to be true and to seek truth from the God of our salvation and live in truth.
The people of Israel in the gospel of today, held on to the fatherhood of Abraham. They had accepted the fact that Abraham was the father of faith on whom God had pleasure in and promised on oath to bless with his descendants. The Israelites therefore so hangs and holds on to these promises and privileges that Abraham was given that they even forgot the very obligations laid upon Abraham in living a good moral life, in upholding the faith and living for God alone.
Their sense of entitlement to the blessings of Abraham, their claims to the promises made to Abraham and their being heirs of Abraham has so much blinded them from their obligations towards God and the real urge to work for the kingdom of God. They continued to tell themselves the great lies that because they have Abraham as Father therefore they are already saved and made free men.
Meanwhile, they had been under bondage and slaves of the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Philistines, and the Persians even. Yet their self delusion has kept them in greater bondage. Their non acknowledgment of their sins and moral decadence was even more telling. That they were even sinners and slaves of sins was even denied. They continued to live in self denial and never accepting the truth of their real situation and existence.
This was what Jesus tried to bring to their knowledge. That they need to be real, to accept their real situations, to recognize their sinfulness and the iniquity they have plunged themselves into and to seek redress to be saved.
This kind of illusion is even seen in our lives especially when we assume that baptism, marriage, priesthood and the sacrament of anointing alone can guarantee or bring our salvation. That possessing these and being administered these aforementioned sacraments that we are already saved. We tend to live with such notion and unconsciously act it out in our lives. We acquire these sacraments and tend to forget that our daily spiritual struggles and growth is even more important to our eternal salvation. We tend to forget that our moral life and sense of purpose in life counts and is of importance than reliance on mercy and compassion of God.
The greatest of all is to live as if sins does not exist again or as if we are immune from sin by our membership of the Church through baptism, ordination or matrimony. We live in self denial, self delusion and take for granted the things that matter most.
So we even assume that heaven has been made already and we go about living purposeless lives, unchecked lives and invariably immoral and careless lives. This is self delusion and living a life of lies. At this time, we care less of our spiritual wellbeing, we excuse ourselves from attendance at liturgical functions, Sunday and weekday masses, retreats and recollections, daily spiritual struggles and sacrifices and others become optional and of no consequence to us. This is the beginning and sure way to be lost. And it is the devils antics.
We must be true, seek to know the truth and uphold the truth. We must seek greater knowledge of God and understand that it is not over until it is over. That growth in our spiritual life demands daily sacrifices and struggles, that our lives is only made secure by possessing unwavering faith, truth and daily acceptance of God and renewal of intentions before God. That there is no ready-made salvation. That we need to daily work out our salvation with and in God until we take the last breath. That the spiritual life abhors vacuum, recess, presumptions and all forms of laxity.
Like Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego, we must hold on to our faith, allow it to be tested by Fire and tried in order to conform our lives in truth to what we believe in. That salvation in Christ is our goal and aspiration that needs our concerted effort and longing and sacrifices for grace to embellish and finally help us out. Let us live in truth and never in self delusion.
Heavenly Father, help us to face the reality of our existence, accepting the truth in life, never deceiving ourselves but rather upholding and facing the real and needed truths that will bring us life, fulfillment and eternal life through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
