THE FREE FLOW OF GRACE

 THE FREE FLOW OF GRACE
Meditation for Tuesday of the 26^th Week in Ordinary Time
(Job 3:1-23; Lk 9:51-56)

Job lost all he had; evil had befallen him. The design of Satan was to get the man of faith to join him and rebel against God. If Job were worshipping God because of the good things of life he enjoyed, taking those things away would make him to withdraw his steadfastness in God. In the face of suffering and pain, man turns to himself, which was the basic trick the serpent used to get Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. When man no longer relies on God but looks up to himself for answers, Satan will begin to proffer quick and easy solutions, without regard to God’s will. Remember the temptations of Jesus, how Satan tempted Him to eat stone as a quick remedy for His hunger. Satan taught it would be easy for Job to reject God, ‘mold his own golden calf’, and offer allegiance to a god that cannot save him!

 

“Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.” This was not the reaction Satan projected. He expected Job to think highly of himself, his ego and status, and denounced God for allowing such injustice on him. But, no! Job taught less of himself, saying, “Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire?” When a man humbles himself, especially in the face of suffering, and not project himself as a ‘necessity’, he becomes available for the free flow of grace. This disposition is foreign to proud Satan, he will only remain restless around such a humble man.

 

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose hearts are the roads to Zion” (Ps 84:5). Such are the men who seek the Lord, who seek the face of the God of Jacob (cf. Ps 24:6). Now, reflect on Jesus making His way to Jerusalem, and some Samaritans would not allow Him pass through their village. The disciples James and John burned with anger, and asked Jesus to allow them to send down fire on those Samaritans. But Jesus rebuked them. Think about how hatred and anger block our hearts from the free flow of grace, and make us act like Satan by inflicting pain on others. Jesus went up to Jerusalem, humbled himself on the Cross, took our sufferings and pains upon Himself. From His wounded side the free flow of grace gushes forth upon us. Unlike the Samaritans, we must open our hearts to Him by humbling ourselves like Job in the face of life situations, so that there will be a free movement of His grace in our hearts, to nourish and to heal us; flowing through us to our neighbor. Then, every plan of Satan will come to nothing. To God be the glory! Amen.

 

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.

Tuesday September 27, 2022.

www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com