2 Cor. 6:1-10
Matt. 5:38-42
Dear beloved in Christ, the road to heaven is not easy. In other words, to get to heaven, we have to go through an uneasy road. Not to retaliate or revenge for any hurt, offense, or evil done against you is a really difficult task- it is a deeper virtue that permeates the mind and heart towards forgiveness, mercy, and peace. Heaven is indeed a reward from God and it is by His grace we merit to enter into the eternal paradise.
St. Paul admonishes us today in the first reading that in times of distress, when we are flogged or mobbed or sent to prison, laboring, sleepless, starving, we prove we are God’s servants by our purity, our knowledge, patience, and kindness, a spirit of holiness free from affectation, by love, truth and the power of God. It means, therefore, that no matter the forces against us, we must know where we stand.
So, St. Paul is inviting me, and all of us, to hear the word of the Lord now. This will be enough for us. This very moment the Lord is revealing to us his plan of salvation and how we are to be a part of it. Now is the time of grace and blessing. And all we have to do is to say, Yes, Lord, thank you Lord, and carry on from there!
May God continue to free us from worries and anxieties and make us focus on our direction to heaven. May he never allow us to be tested beyond our human limitations but grant us the grace and strength to announce and make known his salvation to the ends of the earth. Amen.
Do have a wonderful week ahead.
Fr Joseph Osho
