Saturday
2nd May 2020. Read Acts 9:31-42, Psalm 116 and John 6:60-69.
“Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter
answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’” (John 6:66-68)
The words
of Peter in today’s Gospel passage calls for some deep reflection. When it
comes to God, do we really have a choice? Is there an alternative to God? Where
else can we find salvation for our souls? Dear friends, if we cannot find
happiness following the footsteps of God, where else can we turn to?
The people
walked away from Jesus and stopped following him because he told them he was
going to give them his own flesh and blood. Like those who walked away from
Jesus, there are many times we walk away from God when our expectations are not
met. How? We stop taking prayers seriously, we become less fervent with our
devotional activities, or we turn aside from following our conscience.
Dear
friends, no matter the reason why we may want to turn our backs on God, the
truth is that THERE IS JUST NO ALTERNATIVE. St. Augustine said: “You have made
us for yourself O God and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” We
are made by God and made of God and made for God. Following God is not easy but
it is the best option we have.
Do you
notice that the same Peter who spoke in today’s Gospel passage is the one we
see in today’s first reading working miracles in the name of God? Imagine if
Peter had walked away from Jesus during that moment of shock when Jesus said
they would eat his flesh?
We cannot
always understand God, yet God deserves all our trust. Don’t quit on God. Don’t
give up your prayers. Don’t drop that cross. It may look like Good Friday now
but your Easter Sunday will come. No matter how dark the night is, the daylight
must surely come.
Today, we remember St. Athanasius, a Bishop and one of the Doctors of
the Church. As a young deacon, Athanasius accompanied Bishop Alexander to the
council of Nicea and he spoke in support of the Divinity of Jesus Christ
against the backdrop of the Arian heresy which was gaining grounds then. At the
council of Nicea, the Bishops of the Church composed the Creed which holds what
we believe. Athanasius who succeeded Alexander as Bishop would spend most of
his life defending the Doctrine of the Divinity of Christ, a feat which cost
him so much. Five times he was banished and seventeen years of his entire
episcopate were spent in exile. Athanasius is also known as the father of
Orthodoxy and Defender of the Faith.
Let us
pray: Lord Jesus, please give me the courage to remain when I feel like giving
up on you or quitting the race. Amen
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of the 3rd Week
of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 9:31-42, Psalm 116 and John 6:60-69).
No comments:
Post a Comment