God has Power Over Us!

 

34th week Monday in Ordinary Time

Year One

Dan 1:1-6, 8-20

Meditation

God has Power Over Us!

Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem and captured king Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, who died because of the siege of Jerusalem. They captured people and valuables from the temple and treasury. Taking men from royal families and temple vessels is a sign of capturing the people and their gods to keep them under control. The king employed the best of men of Israel to serve at table and in his rule of the nation. The king wanted to show his power over the people of Israel. At this capture of Jerusalem the people of Israel have gone for seventy years of exile.

The way to have dictatorial power is to have a say in one’s religious beliefs and to make one to be at the beck and call of the rulers. This sort of power over religious matters and power over the people of Israel is painful to them for they believe in  God Yahweh and serve him alone. At times we are  not aware we sell our power to others and worldly things and people neglecting God. Let us submit to God and his will and he will not abandon us.

Who has power over us?

Year Two

Rev14:1-5

Be Pure and Truthful!

The redeemed are perfect and pure. The number 144,000 represents an ideal and perfect number. There is perfection in God. It is noted that even with perfection in calculations, there is perfection. God himself is perfection. Human beings try for perfection, which is not complete on this earth. It does not mean one should give up being perfect, as the law of the Lord guides us.

The perfect number of people who are redeemed are those who are pure and truthful. The common vice of humans could be impurity and untruthfulness. These lead humans to sorrow and evil. To be part of the perfect number of the saved one has to pure and speak the truth. Let us try our best to keep the above virtues and seek God's grace to grow holy.

Are we aware of the need for purity and truthfulness?

Lk 21:1-4

The Widow’s Offering!

 He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.  He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them, for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” (Lk 21:1-4).

The poor widow gave all she had. Giving all what we have is a sign of total love, total dedication and complete trust in God. Most of us give out of abundance. The love is great, natural and genuine if we give out of our poverty. Needless to say, it is the poor who make genuine offering.  Though it is a little but they give with clean heart. In today's Gospel we see the widow's love for God and same love flows into the life of the widow which, she shared.

What is important is the attitude of our offering to God?

Fr Putti Anthaiah, sdb