The danger of Over-familiarity with God.

Friday 2^nd August 2019. Bible Study: Leviticus 23:1-37, Ps.81 and Matthew 13:54-58.

_“Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? *(Matthew 13:54-56)*_ 

Once upon a time, a native doctor set up his shrine very close to a Church. So, every day, the members of the church would pray against the activities of the native doctor asking God to send down fire on him and burn down his shrine. This went on for many years. One day, the native doctor’s shrine burnt down completely and nothing was left of it. So the native doctor decided to sue the entire church and its members to court accusing them of burning down his shrine.

On the agreed day, the members of the church showed up in the court denying any hand in the fire incidence. However, the native doctor insisted they had burnt down the shrine with their powerful prayers. Yet the church members said they were completely innocent of the fire.

The judge was completely baffled, he said: “Here is a case of an entire church that does not believe in the power of prayers and a native doctor with complete faith in prayer.” The church members prayed night and day for fire and when they eventually saw the fire, they did not believe God had answered their prayers. The native doctor who only heard them pray believed God answered when he saw the fire.

In our Gospel passage, Jesus is not happy with his own people as a result of their over-familiarity. They saw Jesus grow up right before their eyes and treated as a commoner, an ordinary person, they even took offence at Jesus for addressing himself as the Son of God.

Have I become too familiar with God? Do I treat Holy Things as Holy? Do I still believe in the power of prayers or am I just praying for the fun of it? Do I still have the fear of God in me? Do I invite visitors to my church only for the visitors (non-believers) to be the ones telling me to keep quiet in church? Am I hooked in a sinful life all because I take God for granted? Do I value the Bible or treat it as just one of those books?

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may I never take you for granted. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Leviticus 23:1-37, Ps.81 and Matthew 13:54-58).