Ask For Your Blessing Before it Passes You By.

Homily for July 11, 2017


You remember that song: “I will never let you go unless you bless me; I will never let you go unless you bless me…” The origin of this song is in today’s first reading – the encounter between Jacob and God.

For wrestling with God, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and this became the name by which the entire nation would henceforth be known. What is quite remarkable about this encounter was that the moment Jacob realized he was not dealing with an ordinary person, he immediately asked for blessing.

Mind you, this was the same Jacob who received the blessing that was meant for Esau his brother. Even though he got the blessing by playing a trick on Isaac, he was destined to receive that blessing because Esau had earlier on sold his birth-right to him in exchange for a pot of porridge.

Jacob knew the importance of a blessing. He knew that to receive blessing is far more important than receiving silver or gold. Jacob’s life is a testimony to what it means to be blessed not just by one’s parents but God himself.

In our Gospel passage, Jesus is practically going about distributing blessings in terms of healing and many are so marvelled at what he was doing because they had never seen anything like this before.

But then, there are some persons who rather than receiving their own blessing, criticized, condemned and concluded that Jesus was operating by the prince of demons. They said this out of jealousy and sheer ignorance.

Today we celebrate Saint Benedict, the man chose God above everything else such that at the early age of 16, he left home, left everything behind and decided to pursue salvation as a lone hermit. Within a short time, he had matured so much in spirituality attracting disciples to himself whom in organized into 12 monasteries.

For love of God, Benedict left everything behind. We are to leave everything behind as well. As our opening prayer at mass today says, “grant we pray that putting nothing before love of you, we may hasten with a loving heart in the way of your commands.”

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, bless me. Amen

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Tuesday of the 14th week in Ordinary Time. Year A. Bible Study: Genesis 32:23-33 and Matthew 9:32-36).

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