Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BIBLICAL IMAGERY

(Fr Michael Boakye Yeboah: Vice Rector of St Gregory Seminary, Kumasi-Ghana)

YOU’RE SAFE

            If the Lord has no intention of keeping us safe, he will not let us rise from our beds to see the day’s light. Once we sense breath and life, then we should be hopeful under every circumstance that the Lord will surely be our protector and provider. I find this assurance that the Lord gives from the pen of the inspired writer very warm. We live in a world that many a Christian pray for protection from enemies and those who wish their downfall. Some of these people are fully aware of their enemies and their enemies’ machinations towards them while others sense their enemies in the spiritual realm. In life something seems to chase somebody at every turn, but if anybody finds him or herself in such a situation, I would like to recommend today’s first reading to him/her.

            The inspired writer recounted to his audience the great deeds of God to the Israelites the night before they left the shores of Egypt after years of generational slavery. The wisdom writer states that the people were courageous because their Lord will deliver them from the hands of their enemies based on the faith they had in God. The inspired writer stated: “The night of the Passover was known beforehand to our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage…” The Israelites were so much aware of the threat from their enemies in Egypt but their awareness of the protective power of their God far outweighed the fear of their enemies – and this made them courageous. The inspired writer described the confidence level of the Israelites in these words: “Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes. For when you punished our adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had summoned…”

            God did not summon us to be followers of his Son Jesus Christ to dwell in the tent of the defeated. Once we belong to Christ we form part of the resurrectional children and nothing, even death cannot hold us captive. It may have been based on this that the Psalmist said in today’s responsorial psalm: “Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.”

            If we can always stay confident of the Lord’s protection then we need to have a strong faith. Faith is one of the main weapons of a Christian in spiritual warfare. In the second reading, the author to the letter to the Hebrews wrote: “Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen…” Citing Abraham’s faith as an example, the inspired writer counsels us on how best we can live our Christian lives and enjoy divine protection. Abraham went through a lot of adversities but his faith in God saw him through all of them. At every point in time the Christian should make his faith bigger than his/her challenges in life.

            Humans as we are at times, instead of keeping faith in God we live in fear and we allow the fear to consume us. We are blessed with a beautiful gospel passage today but I am touched by the first two lines. Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom…” Fear can serve as the blockage of one’s up and coming divine blessings. Jesus said, the Father is pleased to give you the kingdom and so little flock do not be afraid.

            Once there is life there is hope and as the Lord lives he will keep his children safe and sound. So many challenges in life may have taught you fear but let us be encouraged by today’s readings and keep faith in the Lord. I pray that the Lord will bless you with faith so that like Abraham, you will keep your faith in him until your time of bountiful blessings arrives. You are part of God’s plans and so never give up in life. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR US.