THE RIGHT WAY TO CELEBRATE

⏰Saturday of the Seventeenth Week of Ordinary Time 1 (03 August 2019)

📖Lev 25:1, 8-17; Ps 67:2-3, 5, 7-8 (R.v.4); Matt 14:1-12

Life is full of celebrations, and as we noted yesterday, such celebrations offer us the opportunity of reflecting on the faithfulness of God. That means, in our celebrations, we are simply celebrating God. Therefore, we must do as God wants.

In Lev 25:8-17, God gives us some guidelines on how to celebrate. The bottomline is to shun exploitation of both human and material resources. All comes from God and must be treated as having the mark of God. He therefore calls for respite to the poor and the oppressed. It is not a period of material recklessness and human intimidation.

Unfortunately, Herod the tetrach got the point wrong (cf. Matt 14:1-12). He preferred to behead John the Baptist so that he can still keep his prestige before his visitors. But his joy was shortlived as he was haunted by the memories of the evil that he committed.

That is an insight into what shall happen to us after our life here on earth. Am I going to be guided into eternal life by the good I have done or haunted into eternal damnation by the evil I committed?

What shall people remember you for at the end of your life? More importantly, what shall God remember you for?

May God grant us the grace to live just as he wants us to live and so gain eternal life that he has prepared for us. Amen.

Have  a happy, holy and restful weekend. May you emerge from it more energized to help in making the world a better place. Peace be with you.