CHRIST-CENTERED LIFE

Meditation for Monday of the 22^nd Week in Ordinary Time
(1 Thes 4:13-18; Lk 4:16-30)

As we draw close to the end of the month and St Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he begins to instruct them about death and the end times. About those who died, “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.” With hope in the resurrection in Christ Jesus, we should not grieve over the dead like those who do not have faith. The life of the Christian is not a death-burdened life, rather, it is a Christ-centered life; he does not live merely to escape death, but he lives to the glory of God in Christ Jesus. This is the hope the Christian ought to bring into his daily activities.

So, we gaze our eyes of meditation on Jesus as He reads from the Prophet Isiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” A great sound of silence resounded over the people as He closed the book and sat down. The powerful words He read continued to re-echo within that ‘sound of silence’ and vibrate in their hearts! And their attend was focused on Him. This is how a Christian ought to center his life around Jesus. From within that silence, He said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Now, the words that touched their hearts would not remain a mere imagination of their hearts, but it has taken concrete root in the Person of Jesus!

That is why those who has issues with the personality of Jesus and rejected Him lost the blessings and hope He assures. They became angry, restless and bloodthirsty. Their frustration is boldly on their faces as they attempted to throw Jesus off the brow of the city hill. “But passing through the midst of them He went away.”

 

St Felix, pray for us! Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Monday August 30^th, 2021.
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