Bible
Study: Isaiah 10, 5 to 7, 13 to 16 and Matthew 11, 25 to 27.
The story has been told of a man who was
taken on an excursion to Heaven. As he walked from room to room, he saw how the
Angels were busy with their daily assignments. He entered one room and noticed so
many Angels there looking overworked and completely stressed out. So he asked
why they had too much work in that room and he was told, this is where the
petitions from prayers around the world are processed. Then he entered another
room and noticed only one Angel working and it seemed as though there wasn’t even
much to do at all. When he asked, he was told, this is the Thanksgiving
department.
Today’s Gospel passage contains a
prayer that Jesus addressed to the Father. And it is a prayer of thanksgiving. Compared
to Jesus’ tone in yesterday’s Gospel passage when he was upbraiding the towns
for their refusal to repent, Jesus seems to be in a joyful mood today. He is
thanking God for the few who have come to believe, those who have encountered
him and are changing their lives. And the Good News dear friends is that, you
and I are included among the infants that Jesus is thanking God for.
Jesus gives thanks for me because I
have come to know things that were hidden from the wise and understanding. And
Jesus is happy for me because I have chosen to believe He is God and I have not
allowed the wisdom of the world affect my judgement. Jesus gives thanks for me because
I am an infant and as he said, unless one because like a little child, he
cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
As Jesus thanks God for me, I should consider
myself privileged. I should not see my Christian faith as a burden but rather an
opportunity given to me by God. Yes, I should always see myself as lucky; lucky
to know God and be counted among his children; lucky that I can go to mass this
morning and receive the body and blood and Jesus; lucky that I can simply walk
into the chapel and adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. All these things our fathers
of old longed for them but never received any. Imagine all the great men and
women we read about in the Old Testament, none of them was privileged to
receive Holy Communion. Am I not lucky?
Thanksgiving and happiness go
together. They are like fire and smoke. You cannot get one without the other
one coming along. Like Jesus, I must consciously look around me for things to
be grateful for, for things to say “Thank You” for. The more I give thanks to
God, the more I keep seeing more reasons to give thanks and the happier I would
become ultimately.
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, give me the
grace of true contentment that apart from asking all the time, I may learn to
give thanks too. Amen
Good
morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.
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