Meditation
for Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time
(Hos
11:1-4, 8-9; Mt 10:7-15)
Prophet Hosea now shifted the narrative to God’s line of
action. God, in His faithfulness, took positive steps to keep Israel close to
Him. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” But
the more God called them out of slavery, the more they kept enslaving
themselves to idols. Yet, God kept teaching them gently, and healed them
secretly. “I led them with cords of compassion, with the bands of love, and I
became to them as one who raises an infant to his cheeks, and I bent down to
them and fed them.” Hosea announced that the Lord’s compassion grows warm and
tender. The Lord says, “For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come to destroy.”
Love generates positive action! As the compassion of God
made Him to take positive steps to safe guard Israel, so also did Jesus direct His
apostles on the positive directions to take in their mission. He said to them, “Preach
as you go, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the
dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without pay, give without
pay.” Jesus instructed them to avoid distractions and attachment to things. But
the best way to avoid distractions is to focus on the right actions!
Thus, Jesus instructed the apostles on how to coordinate
themselves and what they should say when they enter any house. “As you enter
the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it;
but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.” Jesus notified them
that things might not go as they desired; their offer of peace might be
rejected! He warned them not to channel their energy to those who might reject
them; “shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.”
In other words, do not allow the ‘dust’ of negativity to cling to you. The Lord spoke through prophet Hosea that He will not come to destroy; in
His love He creates and re-creates! Though Israel rejected His faithfulness and
love, God continued to care for them. He sent Hosea and other prophets to
minister to them. In the same way, the mission of the apostles cannot be
quenched by rejection or persecution, for they must focus on the positive
action of announcing the good news of peace. It then means that relationships,
marriages, businesses, etc, can succeed if we focus on the right actions, and
shake off the dust of negativity. Amen.
Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.
Thursday July 7th, 2022.
