A Life Pleasing to God!

 

21st Week of the Ordinary Time, Friday

Year One

1 Thess 4:1-8

Meditation

Readings are of the Week and not of the Martyrdom of John the Baptist

A Life Pleasing to God!

 Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.  For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honour,  not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one wrong or exploit a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Therefore whoever rejects these rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you. (1Thess 4:1-8).

We are concerned about the purity of the body. The purity of the body will keep you healthy. We desire the purity of the heart and soul that will keep us holy and happy. The purity of the body, heart and soul are related. Human life is integrated and it's not bits and parts; that is why we are invited to live an integral life in Jesus. Our words, actions and thoughts have an impact on our body and vice versa. Life is interlinked and inter-related. The invitation of St Paul to life of purity of body, heart and soul will help us to be close to God and one another. This happens when each one keeps themselves pure and take care to be pure with the help of God.

Do we take needed care to keep ourselves holy with the help of God?

Year Two

1 Cor 1:17-25

Powerless is Powerful in the Sight of God.

God has a way of teaching humans about life eternal. God is omniscient and Omnipotent. Human beings share in the knowledge and power of God. The bigger, stronger and more powerful are considered in the world. The Lord does not need bigger, stronger, and wiser people. He needs simple people. The truth and reality are not in the strength of people or those of the powerful. The truth and wisdom are in the most weak and powerless people. God’s wisdom and holiness are manifested in the simple and in those who are not considered by the world.

David was able to kill a big person like Goliath. It was possible because the Lord was with David and Goliath died with the hit of a small stone. David became king and he ruled well. David sinned and the Lord brought him down and the humility of David taught him many things in his life. David prayed and prayed, sang and sang the praises of God. The Lord showed him mercy. God loved his tears and prayers so much that he chose his family as the descendants of the Messiah.

What is useless is useful in the sight of God?

Mt 25:1-13

 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you; I do not know you.’  Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Mt 25:10-13).

The above passage is about the wise and the foolish virgins. When the bridegroom arrived, those who were ready went into the wedding banquet and those who were not ready with their lamps were left out.  A very important lesson that we learn from the wise virgin is that they were ready to receive the bridegroom. They kept their lamps burning and finally they did not give away their oil to the foolish for they needed oil and instead they sent them to buy for themselves. The foolish virgins did not keep sufficient oil and they went to buy oil at the wrong time of the night and when the doors were shut, they went and knocked and they were notified that the host didn’t know them. Let us learn from this parable to be like the wise virgins and not foolish.

 Do we live lives like the wise virgins?

Fr Putti Anthaiah sdb

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