Tuesday, September 10, 2019

THE HILLS OF PRAYER

Reflection for Tuesday of 23rd Week in Ordinary Time Year I
(Col 2:6-15; Lk 6:12-19)
         
Now, we are getting deeper into Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The reflections are getting more interesting but climbing the heights of thought. In today’s reading St Paul warns that we should not fall prey to anything that is not according to Christ. “For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness of life in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority.” In Christ Jesus, we are like in the apex of the mountain of life. While we are alive, we die to sin in Him; when we die, we live with Him.

Image result for Lk 6:12-19The Gospel narrates how Jesus climbed the hills to pray. He spent all night in prayer. Up on the hill of prayer is the will of God imbibed; there wisdom and vision are acquired. And after that, he came down to the low ground to attend to the people.

However, in-between the hill of prayer and the low ground of action is decision-making! This is where one begins to adjust his ideology of life, and plan of action, to align with the wisdom from the hills. Here Jesus chose His twelve apostles. It was a great choice that shaped our salvation. We should not take it for granted that simply because we spent all night in prayer our actions will automatically reflect the will of God. Choice is free! We must consciously choose rightly. The formation received from the height of prayer supplies the courage and promptness to choose thus.

“And He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people...And all the crowd sought to touch Him for power came forth from Him and healed them all.” Then, Jesus became for the people the Height of Blessedness; for the fullness of divinity dwells in Him. We ascend to Jesus as up the hills of prayer to receive vision for the mission, and courage to choose the will of God.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Ss Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Tuesday September 10th, 2019.

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