Are We Grateful!

 

14th Week Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Year One

Meditation

Are We Grateful!

Gen 41:55-57, 42:5-7

55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.” 56 And since the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became severe throughout the world. (Gen 32:22-32).

God raised Joseph of Egypt to be the governor and to manage the difficult time.  The working of the Lord is marvellous; from all over the world, people came to buy food grains. His brothers came from the land of Canaan. Joseph recognizes them and he treated them as if he does not know him. What we consider as useless becomes important.   A slave can become a leader. It is in the hands of God. A person who was rejected, disregarded and maltreated can become a person of importance.

We do good or bad for others without much thought, but the Lord turns everything for the good. We need time and faith to understand the works of the Lord. Let us go back into our lives to see not the negative things of life but those hard moments that build our lives and the lives of people in present.  A memory of the past that praises God is one that heals us and fills us with renewed grace of life for the future.

Do we look at the past with gratitude?

Year Two

Hos 10:1-3, 7-8,12

Meditation

We are the Vine Planted by the Lord

Israel is like a vine it is growing. It is a vine that was shown by God and planted. It is bound to grow and spread and give fruit. The vine grows wild, and it needs pruning. So too the people of Israel have grown wicked and they have gone away from their God. They are guilty of their evil life and sinful life. The Lord did not abandon them in their sinful life.

To experience the unfailing love of God, one has to be merciful to oneself. Love of oneself and willingness to amend one’s wrongdoing are the ways to help oneself. The Lord, with his grace, will break through the impossible and make us holy and acceptable to the Lord. As a person to pleasing God, one will be pleasing to others to live in peace.

Do we take a chance to set things right in our life?

 

Mt 10:1-7

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. (Mt10:1)

Jesus prayed and chose the twelve disciples. Jesus gives and shares authority to his disciples. Authority for the well-being of the people of God. We like authority, who make use of their power for the good of the people. Authority is not for the sake of self-satisfaction. Authority is given for the good of others. People go to those in authority because they are the right people to help them.  God chooses the unqualified and qualifies them.  The most important qualification of the disciple is to have good will and convert the good will into action for the good of the faithful. The followers of today are also given the authority to take care of the flock of Jesus. Today, we need not and may not perform miracles, but certainly we can do a lot of good for the welfare of people. If we misuse authority, miracles will not take place.

Do I misuse the authority given for the welfare of others?

Fr Putti Anthaiah Sdb

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