FOCUS ON THE KINGDOM FOR YOUR BLESSING
⏰Monday of the Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time 1 (31 July 2017 – Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola)
????Exod 32:15-24, 30-34; Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23 (R.v.1b); Matt 13:31-35
My dear, things might be rough, slow and unstable at the beginning, but if you put your trust in the Lord and persevere to the end, you shall reap the fruit of abundance. And as the month of July ends today, I pray that it may equally bring to an end, anything that hinders your progress or causes you pains. Amen.
In our journey of faith, our destination is the kingdom of God. The two parables that Jesus gave in Matt 13:31-35 speak of the kingdom as one one with a small and probably discouraging start, but which grows to provide shelter and sustenance for many. It is only those who persevere with the rough beginnings that will enjoy provisions of this Kingdom.
On their way to the Promised Land, the people of Israel met with that rough beginning and got discouraged from walking with God. They turned to other gods and the consequence is that God’s anger burned out against them and he decided he was going to eliminate them (cf. Exod 32:15-34).
However, in the celebration of the memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, we see the faithfulness of God in being patient with sinners and calling them to repentance.
St. Ignatius was a gallant soldier who lived in every way but moral. He was even once jailed for his abuse of the clergy. But God arrested him while he was on the hospital bed nursing an injury he sustained in a battle. This conversion came through just an ordinary book which was given to him to read at the hospital to while away his time.
He went on to become a priest and founded the Society of Jesus (SJ), the Jesuits, which is the Congregation that gave the Church the present Pope, Francis.
I want to encourage you, in this new working week, no matter how rough your journey has been so far, remain focused on journeying with God and stay away from sin. With God by your side, there is an assurance of shelter and abundance of blessing.
May the Lord bless all the works of your your hand and may all the provisions you seek from him be granted you in abundance in this new working week and beyond. Amen.
I wish you a blessed and grace-filled working week. Peace be with you.
