No Condition is Permanent: Nothing Lasts Forever.

Homily for Friday 28^th September 2018

_“For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; *(Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)*_

There is great wisdom in knowing that Life happens in stages and seasons. There is a particular time for everything; birth time and death time, morning time and evening time; mourning time and rejoicing time; planting time and reaping time. Nothing lasts forever.

The book of Sirach says: “In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger; in the days of wealth think of poverty and need. From morning to evening conditions change, and all things move swiftly before the Lord.” Sirach 18:25-26.

Are things going so smoothly for you right now? Think of the sad times when you wished you were dead and learn to be grateful for this moment. Are you going through difficulties at this moment, is there something seriously eating you up deep within? Then just remember the good times and say to yourself: “This too shall pass.” If you haven’t seen the end of something, then it is just because the end is yet to come.

When we understand that life is rhythm, a song, a dance, then we understand why things must change. Imagine a song with just one tune or a dance with only one type of move? How sweet will it be if a musician plays only one key on the keyboard? Again, no matter how sweet a song is, if it never ends, it becomes boring. Change is the only permanent thing.

Are you having the best of what life has to offer right now? Think of those who are not so privileged and help them no matter how insignificant you assume your help is to them. This is because life is a rhythm. You may be dancing millionaire dance today but tomorrow, it might be your season to dance “koboniare” dance.  They say, when you are climbing a ladder, remember those you meet along the way because you might need them when coming down. This is not a curse, it is the way life is! Nothing is permanent.

Jesus was able to tell his disciples in today’s Gospel passage that he would be handed over to the elders and the chief priests, that he would suffer many things, be rejected and killed. You might wonder, how did Jesus summon the courage to talk freely about his death? The answer was that He knew his death was only going to be a season that would pass. Jesus knew that no matter the amount of beating, shame and insult, no matter the pain he was going to face, something beautiful and great was coming afterwards.

I can only imagine that with each blow Jesus received, he quickly thought about the bliss of paradise. Jesus was not scared of the cross because he had absolute trust in the in the resurrection. This should also be our mindset when we suffer. Tell yourself this: “Whatever it is I am suffering today, one day I go down on my knees and say, God, thank you for making me suffer.” Life is a song, it is a rhythm, it will soon be your turn to change your dance steps. Trust me, you will not cry forever and these tears will not be in vain. One day, you shall use your present situation to crack jokes.

Don’t Give up!

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, save me from despair. Teach me to be grateful no matter what life throws at me. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 25^th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, Psalm 144:1-4, and Luke 9:18-22)