John ESENE

Continue from Pt. 1 of last week.

     “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” Mt. 6:14-15. When you reconcile with those who hurt you, God may decide to turn your advercity to your advantage  like he did to Joseph. When his brothers sold him to a slave trader, he did not fight back and God was with him through his sojourn and made him a governor.

     When Joseph who was sold to a slave dealer by his siblims, he did not fight or oppose them. when eventually reconciled and reunited with them and his parents, God elevated him and his entire family. “The king said to Joseph, ‘Now that your father and your brothers have arrived, the land of Egypt is theirs. Let them settle in the region of Goshen, the best part of the land. And if there are any capable men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.” Gen 45:5-6.

 

     We all  should learn from Our Mother Mary who we refer to as Our Lady of Sorrows because of these seven sorrows: the prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35), the flight into Egypt (Mt.2:13-14), the loss of the Child Jesus in the temple *Luke 3:43-45), the meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross, the Crucifixion, the taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross; and the Burial of Jesus. These Seven Sorrows actually pierced Her Heart as prophesied by Simeon at the Presentation, “And a sword will pierce through your own soul also.” Luke 2:35.

     All through Her Sorrows, Mother Mary was patient and did not revolt or utter a word to attract sympathy from anybody. So, dear readers, each time people hurt us, let us look up to Our Blessed Mother who is ever ready to counsel and pray for us!

      The visionary Hermas is told that anger forces the Holy Spirit to take flight from our souls. Once we let anger in, we are on the road to “incurable sin.” So, it is important to know that some battles in our lives can only be fought and won on bended knees. Let us remain unshaken in our conviction that prayer does change things.

     Psalm 34:5-7 says, “The oppressed look to Him and are glad; they will never be disappointed. The helpless call to Him, and He answers; He saves them from all their troubles. His angel guards those who honor the Lord and rescue them from danger.” Let your life reflect the faith you have in God. Fear nothing and pray about everything. Be strong, trust God’s word, and trust the process. 

     The story of Cain and Abel is very familiar but we see it as an event of old that may not occur in our time. But both Cain and Abel still exist in our midst today because the devil who influenced that incident is still in our midst! “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” Mt. 12:25. Do not allow the evil one to disorganize your family unity because of your personal interest.

   Two wrongs cannot make a right; besides, know when and how to fight for your right! When Joseph was thrown into the well and later sold as a slave, he did not fight back but rather put his trust in God who eventually uplifted him. When Daniel was falsely accused and thrown into lion’s den, he did not fight back but he relied on the God of justice who protected him.

   “Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith.” 1 Peter 5:8-9.  John Mason said, “Hate, bitterness and revenge are luxuries none of us can afford. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the high cost of hatred and the waste of energy.”

      Dear readers, thank God for giving you the grace to know the devil’s tactic and control your anger whenever it overwhelms you. But do not blame others. Rather, pray for them that God may protect them now and always! James consoles us in 1:2-4 when he said, “My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trails come your way, because you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trails, the result is the ability to endure. Be sure that your endurance carries you all the way, without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

    Most of us still believe in the old law, “an eye for an eye” which Jesus replaced with “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”.

To forgive an offence is not easy but when you do, you will set yourself free from your creditors. Someone has said, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner is you.”

      Jesus was like us in everything except sin. He knows the pains and sorrows we are going through. In Lk. 6:27-28 Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who ill-treat you.” Our Lord Jesus Christ has shown that it is possible for us to love our enemies and pray for them. He did not stop Judas from betraying him but felt sorry for him. When it was all over, he said on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” Lk 23:34.

      If you believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and Life, then obey His command, “Love your enemies and do good to those who hurt you.”  Forgive those who must have hurt you in any way that God may forgive you your sins too! Father, forgive us our trespassess as we forgive those who trespas against us.  “One of the secrets of a long and fruitful life is to forgive everybody everything every night before you go to bed.” O Lord, give us the grace to forgive those who sin against us. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”