Bible
Study: Haggai 2, 1 to 9 and Luke 9, 18 to 22.
It is precisely
when things becomes most difficult that we must push forward. And what keeps us
going is courage. When you begin a race,
a journey or perhaps a new virtue, it is usually sweet and interesting but as
you get along, it soon gets extremely difficult and you feel left with no other
option but to give up completely. The truth is that it is precisely when things
get most difficult that you become closest to victory. Courage is what will get
you your long awaited victory. Courage is what will give you the crown, courage
will earn you a new life.
I remember
when I started sending out daily homilies on this platform around August last
year. At first, it was easy and interesting but as time went on, I discovered I
had put myself in trouble; there was no going back! Many times, I felt like
giving up as it was consuming much of my time and energy but COURAGE kept me
going. Today, this cross has become part of me.
Addressing
the leaders and people of Israel, Haggai in today’s first reading calls for
this great virtue of courage: “Yet now TAKE COURAGE, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord;
TAKE COURAGE, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; TAKE COURAGE, all
you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD
of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt.
My Spirit abides among you; FEAR NOT. For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once
again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea
and the dry land. Haggai 2:4-6.
The beauty
of being alive is that your situation is not yet hopeless. Courage is a virtue
that is only inaccessible to dead people.
Just know
that the journey to success in life as well the journey to heaven is meant to
be DIFFICULT. There must be hurdles along the way, there must be sacrifices and
tough choices to be made. Jesus sums it all up in today’s Gospel passage when
he said: “The Son of man must SUFFER many things, and be REJECTED by the elders
and chief priests and scribes, and be KILLED, and on the third day be RAISED.” Luke
9:23.
Let us
pray:
Lord Jesus
my big brother, help me to gain wisdom in the fact that the darkest part of the
night comes just before the dawn. Grant me the grace of Courage especially when
it matters most. Amen.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.
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