MONDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2024
MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
ST AGATHA (MEMORIAL)
1 King 8:1-7, 9-13
Mark 6:53-56
THE OVER RIDING REASON IN SEEKING THE COMPANY OF JESUS
Many Christians today seek Jesus for different and diverse reasons. The situations in our life sometimes determine our reasons for seeking the company of Jesus. So many want healing from infirmities and sicknesses as we find in the gospel of today, others are for fun. What should actually be the better or rather the best or ultimate reasons why Jesus must be our companion in life?
People want to add value to their lives, to surmount the difficulties of life, to ease the tensions of life and to be comfortable in living. The problems of life are varied and multifaceted that sometimes they go beyond the capacity of man and demand some supernatural solution. This is one reason why the need of Jesus is very necessary. With Jesus as companion, these problems will be attended to and fizzle out before him.
So our companionship with Jesus boils down to helping us conquer the imminent threats to our lives. So our goal in this regards is to help us coup with life struggles and situations that are troubling us and to grant us serenity of mind and health of body to live quality life in peace. This is a laudable reason as we find in the gospel of today.
People sought the company of Jesus for the reasons of getting healing for their various sicknesses and bodily infirmities. So, does it mean that the companionship of Jesus is only for the reasons of solving human earthly problems?
King Solomon in the first reading goes beyond this reason of seeking God merely for companionship of God in the category of seeking for comfort and problem solving to that of building God a house to stay with him and welcoming him definitively into the house to stay and journey with them in life. That is a better or rather the best way to attend to our God.
God wants to stay with us, live with us, and by staying with us attend to our problems, solve our life threatening issues. So welcoming God in our lives and giving him a place of abode in our heart is the best option we must adopt. And this comes with its conditions and challenges. God must be allowed to live with us, stay close to our lives, solve our difficulties, and in return we must hearken to his voice, do his biddings, follow his ways, walk in his path and attend to his demands.
This is the mutual relationship that we must allow and foster in our relationship with God. Let us never be wanting God as part time but he must be full time in our lives and necessary companions in our journey of life into eternity. We must then learn to stay close to him, build him a home in our hearts and listen to him daily as he directs us in life.
Heavenly Father, you sent us Your Son Jesus Christ whose name is Emmanuel because you desire to stay with us, live in us and be by us. Help us to welcome you and build you a home as Solomon did. May we strive to stay close to you, as you continue to heal our infirmities and sicknesses, deliver us from all ugly situations and bless us with peace, progress and divine favour even as we begin this new week through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
