Bible
Study: Isaiah 30, 19 to 26 and Matthew 9, 35 to 10, 8.
Have you
ever been sad before? If yes, how do you think God felt about your sadness?
Today’s Gospel passage answers that question: “At that time: Jesus went about
all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the
Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. When he
saw the crowds, he had COMPASSION for them, because they were harassed and
helpless like sheep without a shepherd…”
The
difference between God and fellow human beings is that while God weeps at our misfortunes,
human beings take joy in seeing our misfortunes. Whether we like it or not,
there are people who will never laugh unless they see us cry and they are all
ears waiting to hear bad news about us. When they hear we are progressing, the
hiss and carry long faces but when they hear we are going down, they sit down
to drink wine. But this is not so with God. God is different. He likes it when
we smile and he is more than happy when we are overjoyed.
God takes
joy in preferring solutions to our problems and if we are truly children of
God, our primary aim in life should be solving other people’s problems rather
than celebrating their failures. Jesus saw the people were harassed and
depressed, he immediately commissioned his disciples and gave them power and
authority over unclean spirits and diseases. He sent them out to bring joy to
the people. As his disciples, this is our mission: joy to the world!
Take it
from me, if the price of your laughter is the tears of another person, then you
are not a true Christian. If somehow has to cry so that you can laugh, then you
are not a disciple of Jesus. No matter what others have done to you, if you are
constantly waiting for bad news from their angle in other to be happy, then it doesn’t
matter how long you have been going church, it simply means you are yet to
encounter Christ.
As Christmas
approaches, we are reminded once again of our need for joy. Yes, we must be
happy because we are celebrating the one event that changed the entire history
of mankind. We are celebrating how God himself took flesh and became man in
other that man may not die in sorrow and tears.
As the
prophet Isaiah says in today’s first reading: “O people of Zion, who dwell in
Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out,
as soon as he hears he will answer you. The Lord will give you the bread you
need and the water for which you thirst… He will give rain for the seed that
you sow in the ground, and the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and
abundant.”
This is a
promise from God and if you believe it, it will come to pass in your life. When
next you pray, approach God with trust and confidence, knowing that he really
cares for you, remind him of his promises, pray with expectation and faith
especially now that you have been reminded of how much he is concerned about
your welfare.
Let us
Pray: Lord Jesus, wipe away my tears and give me the towel so I too can wipe
that of others. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. Happy Weekend.
Fr. Abu.
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