The Danger of Being ALONE.

Monday 6^th October 2019. Read Jonah 1-2:10, Psalm (Jonah 2) & Luke 10:25-37)_

_“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. *(Luke 10:30)*_

In Genesis 2:18, God, having created Adam looked at him carefully and observed something: “it is not good for the man to be alone.” In other words, God observed that the man he had created was not meant to survive without others. Often we read this passage of scripture in the context of marriage, but it is much deeper than that. By “alone” God was referring to “Stinginess”, “Selfishness”, “Self-Centeredness”, “Self-Interest” and so on.

Being alone is not simply being unmarried, being alone is living in your own world, a world where everything centres around you, where the only person you love is yourself, a world where you can only sacrifice for yourself. Now, it is possible to be married and still be “alone” – selfish. This is one reason why some marriages experience problems.

Jonah is one example of a man who was alone. He lived in his own world and cared only about himself. Even though he was a prophet, he had a problem with making sacrifices for others. So, when God asked him to go to Nineveh, he tried to escape from God, he didn’t think there was any need to make a sacrifice to save the souls of the Ninevites who were languishing in sin. God taught him a lesson using his life as an example for us.

Jonah’s experience, how his ship almost drowned, how he had to spend three days inside the belly of a great fish is a classic example of what we suffer when we live only for ourselves! In the Gospel passage, Jesus teaches us the need to be kind and generous to everyone regardless of who they are. He offers us a universal definition of neighbourhood; one that is not restricted by race, colour, religion or physical borders.

And to pass home his point, Jesus gave a parable of a man who was travelling ‘alone’ along a road path that was usually beset by robbers. Why was he was travelling alone? The robbers saw him as easy prey because he was entirely on his own. They not only stole from him, but they also stripped him, beat him and left him half dead.

A priest saw him but passed by. This priest was alone, he too lived in his own world like Jonah the prophet. So likewise a Levite. Finally, a Samaritan who had no business with this man was the one who came to rescue him, offered to treat him and took him to an inn where he paid the medical bills.

This Good Samaritan is the direct opposite of Jonah, he teaches us how to live by caring for our neighbours. They say, “if you want to walk fast, walk alone but if you must walk far, walk with someone.” Do not be a loner, do not live in your own world, look out for others.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, free me from selfishness. Amen.

Today is the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. According to St. Padre Pio, “The rosary is the weapon of these times.” In this month of October, let us try to pray the rosary every day. The rosary is not simply a repetitive prayer, it is actually a meditation on the life of Christ. In every decade, we are supposed to reflect on a particular aspect of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ thereby drawing closer to Jesus through Mary His Mother.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Our Lady of the Rosary. Bible Study: Jonah 1-2:10, Psalm (Jonah 2) & Luke 10:25-37).