WEDNESDAY, 19^TH APRIL, 2023

READINGS: ACTS 5:17-26; PSALM 34:2-9; JN 3:16-21

THEME: LET THE LIGHT OF CHRIST DISPEL EVERY EVIL IN YOUR HEARTS!

Dearly beloved in Christ, after the resurrection of Christ, the apostles of Jesus had a mission to fulfil. A mission of proclaiming the risen Lord to their brothers and sisters and the entire Jewish community. This mission was met with opposition from the Jewish leaders and some leading religious sects like the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their opposition was characterized with or by jealousy. Jealousy emanating from the healing of the lame man who use to sit and beg at the door of the entrance to the temple. With jealousy in their hearts, they refused to accept and resisted every attempt made by the apostles to proclaim the message of the resurrection. The only way they thought that could deny or stop them from parading the whole community with the message of the resurrection and the healing that took place at the temple gate was to throw them into prison, but God will always find a way to vindicate and liberate his people.

My dear people of God, jealousy as we have seen in the ensuing discourse between the apostles and the Jewish leaders, can hinder our relationship with God and that of our brothers and sisters and to be more specific to us – STAFF OF ST ANNE’S HOSPITAL who are working daily to bring relief to the sick and all those who come here to seek health care in our facility. We need to harness the Spirt of harmony, love and acceptance in our working relationship with our colleagues. However, if we live lives of jealousy like the Jewish leaders towards the apostles who sought to fulfil their mandate, we would not be doing any good to ourselves and to all who come here to seek medical attention. In relating to the story, let us take some food for thought!

➢ Whenever we allow the spirit of jealousy to inhabit our hearts, it will prevent us from acknowledging or showing appreciation of the gifts and talents of others. God has endowed all of us with different, multiple and diverse gifts and talents for the common good but if not checked these can be turned into evil, seeking to destroy the good of others by willful witch hunting, ill will, hatred, resentment, bitterness, backbiting etc.

➢ Moreover, jealousy can limit our capacity to avail all our hearts, minds and strength and in fact, all our efforts for the common good and hence, retard the growth and progress of every endeavor.

The jealous attitude of the Jewish leaders made them to do the unthinkable; arresting innocent people because they stood for the truth. Let’s not be afraid to always stand and speak for the truth, even when we are persecuted, rejected and if possible arrested on accounts of the truth like the apostles. Whenever we stand by and for the truth God will always find a way to set us free. Sometimes our freedom may delay in coming for speaking the truth but it will surely come at God’s own time when we least expect it. God’s promise to protect and deliver his people throughout history cannot be overemphasized especially in trying times. Once we work with genuine hearts, God will always be there for us and will fight for us – Cf Ex 14:13-14, Jn 8:31-32. In the light of the apostle’s persecution, God intervenedfor them and set them free from prison. In fact, the saying that God will make a way where there seems to be no way is very appropriate here. He has indeed made a way when they never expected it.

My dear brethren in Christ, when God begins to fight your battles for you (EX 14:13-14), all your enemies will become confused and perplexed. They will begin to wonder what is happening in your life. It is for us to acknowledge that it is the doing or working of the Lord not your own strength or power of any sort but the Lord’s.

With the gospel reading, I would like to share some few thoughts for our reflection.

First of all, God loved the world he had created- he loves us, you and I and for our salvation, He gave us His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The coming of the Son of God into the world is not to condemn the world but to bring the world to salvation through His Son. Therefore, we are called to accept and believe in Himas our savior. This is an invitation thrown to you and I and the whole of humanity for our consideration and response! It is an invitation that will need to be answered on an individual and personal level. What is your response dearly beloved.

Admittedly, St John throws more light to the coming of the Son as one who is light and comes with light into the world in order to dispel the darkness that has engulfed humanity. The unfortunate thing is that man loved darkness rather than the light. Why. Because the light exposes the darkness of our lives. Our evil inclinations as mentioned earlier – (jealousy, hatred, resentment, ill will, witch hunting, backbiting etc.) The Lord Jesus who is light, is inviting us to embrace light and to cultivate the Spirit of harmony that will harness our love for one another and to speak the truth so as to dispel every evil of darkness that seeks to engulf our hearts leading to the destruction of our common good; the growth and development of our noble facility.

May the name of the Lord be Blessed! Now and forever- Amen

By:

Rev Fr Clement Majeed Bakari

Hospital Chaplain, 

St Anne’s Hospital, Damongo.