Nothing is Hidden Under the Sun.

Monday 15^th July, 2019. Exodus 2:1-15, Psalm 69 and Matthew 11:20-24

_*“If the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” (Matthew 11:21)*_

Today’s readings contain a lot of lessons for us.

*The need for Proper Upbringing of our Children. ---------  Consider the role Moses’ sister played in our first reading today. She stood at a distance watching the child float on the water and the moment she noticed Pharaoh’s daughter had taken the child, she stepped in immediately.

The little girl succeeding in convincing a woman probably twice her age about what to do with the child. She must have been a very sharp girl who knows how to go for errands. Her plan with her Mum succeeded. Moses would now be brought up by his own mother pretending to be a nurse.

*Nothing is hidden Under the Sun. ---------  When Moses grew up, he couldn’t stand oppression against his people so he killed an Egyptian. While doing this, he thought nobody would see him. But the following day, he got to understand that his so-called top secret wasn’t hidden at all.

The fact that people are not watching you does not mean God himself is not taking note. Am I proud of my secrets?

*Miracles do not often lead to repentance. ---------  We have miracle centres everywhere. Churches even advertise miracles on radio and television. When we talk about miracles, we tend to think of things like childless couples having children, people healed of sicknesses or even raised from the dead, we think of persons getting their dream job or dream husband or spouse and so on.

But there is one miracle we do not pay attention to; it is the miracle of our own repentance from sin. This is the miracle that pleases God above anything else. Jesus was not happy with the towns where most of his miracles happened because the people remained stiff-necked in their sins.

Lastly, today we celebrate the optional memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel; a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid-13th century. They built in the midst of their hermitages a chapel which they dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Our Lady of Mount Carmel was adopted in the 19th century as the patron saint of Chile, in South America. Since the 15th century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Brown Scapular. (Culled From Wikipedia).

Do you have a brown scapular? Do you know how powerful it is when it is worn with faith? Never be ashamed to get a scapular. It is not in any way idolatrous because it contains the picture of our Lord Jesus Christ and that of His Mother. You serve God by wearing it. Non-Catholics have often criticised Catholics for wearing the scapular but recently, we started seeing these same non-Catholics wearing scapulars with the picture of their pastors and general overseers on them. It is all about faith. What do you believe in? Who do you place your trust in for protection in life? In Jesus Christ and His Mother or in Your Pastor and his wife?

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may my love for you be greater than my love for this world. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 15^th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Exodus 2:1-15, Psalm 69 and Matthew 11:20-24).