1Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11 / Psalm. 51:10-11 / Luke 4:31-37

In the first reading, the apostle tells the Thessalonians that it was needless to enquire about the particular time of Christ’s second coming. He says it will come “like a thief in the night”; there was no point speculating about what he calls “times and seasons”. He says, there are times and seasons for us to do our work, it is therefore our duty and interest to know and observe.

Beloved, let’s note this, there are many things which our vain curiosity desires us to know but of which there is no need nor would our knowledge of them do us any good.

Paul continues to say to them, “you are all sons and daughters of light and sons and daughters of the day”. They were the children of the day, for the day – star had risen upon them; the Son of righteousness had risen on them with healing under his wings – Jesus who brings life and immortality. So, they should not sleep as others do, but stay awake or watch; they must not be secure and careless, nor indulge in spiritual sloth and idleness. Let us also not be off watch, but continually be on guard against sin and temptation. Again, let us also keep our natural appetites after the things of this world within due bounds.

In our Gospel, we heard of the Lord in His works and ministry in Capernaum, a town in Galilee, where He often performed His miracles and wonders, and where He did His teachings and preaching among the people, who were often amazed and astonished by His great wisdom and teaching authority. And in today’s account in particular, we heard of how Jesus encounters great hostility from a man possessed by evil spirits.

The hostility takes the form of shouting at Jesus, asking him an aggressive question, ‘What do you want with us, and also revealing before all that He is the Saviour, the Holy One of God sent into this world. Beloved in Christ, at times when we encounter aggressive hostility from others, there is the tendency to respond in like manner, showing our own aggression. Jesus in this instance did not respond in either way. He rather sought to quieten the man’s agitation and then delivered the man of the cause of his aggression and hostility, ‘Come out of him!’

The gospel reading suggests that the Lord does not respond to us in the way we tend to respond to one another. Rather than taking flight from us or relating to us as we relate to him, he works to bring us whatever is lacking in our lives. The man in the gospel reading lacked peace; he was not at peace with himself or with others.

 We can come to the Lord as we are, in the assurance that we will always find a compassionate and healing presence. This is the life-giving and liberating authority which so impressed the on-lookers in today’s gospel reading. We can experience the Lord’s life-giving authority for ourselves, and as we do so we can become channels of it to others.

Mass Intentions: Praying for the intentions of Ujo Gloria, Chika Jude Onanika, Beatrice Ogar, Adama Anthony. Praying for God’s healing mercies for all those suffering from Ulcer, Depression, Diabetes and Divine restoration for all broken marriages or near collapse. Rosary Prayer: Sorrowful Mysteries