LEAVE AND FOLLOW WITHOUT DELAY
(Mark 1:14-20)
Our Christian life is all about
leaving and following or, better put, leaving to follow. Jesus invites us today
to consider without delaying where we are as Christians, where we are in our
spiritual life, where we are in our practice of the faith, the people we are
with, and what we are doing with them at every point in time.
With eye on the gospel of today,
let us know what God wants from us and how we are supposed to respond to Him.
KNOW THE TIME TO LEAVE
Jesus started His preaching
saying: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent
and believe in the Gospel".
Here, He is talking about the
time to leave old bad ways. There is no best time to do so than now. In the
face of the uncertainty, insecurity, inhumanity, pandemics, and infirmities
here and there, we must be prepared and know that the time to repent is now.
The time to leave evil is now. The time to leave bad habits is now. The time to
leave carelessness is now. Indeed, the time is fulfilled. Tomorrow may be too
far. Let us leave evil so as to live in Christ.
LET US CONSIDER OUR
ASSOCIATIONS
Show me your friend and I will
tell you whom you are. This is a saying we know too well. Jesus looks into the
associations you keep. He cares about the one you're always with. Are they people
who lead you to God or away from God? Are they people who inspire you to do
good or evil? Are they those who help you to bring out the best in you or those
who target to destroy the best in you?
Leave them if their agenda in
your life is from the pit of hell. Leave them if they intend to steal your joy
in the Lord which should be your strength. Leave them if they encourage you to
commit one sin or the other. Leave them for good if they want to make you
disobey God. Leave them if they are distraction to your progress.
When Jesus looked, He saw Simon
and Andrew his brother. He called them to follow Him.
Take the decision today to take
that your brother, sister, friend or lover to God. February is around the
corner. People have started warming up for the 14th day. Go with that friend of
yours to God. Take that your partner to the altar. Lead that your weak friend
by the hand to God. Go together to answer the call to holiness. Leave together,
say goodbye to working without Christ. Get God involved in everything about
you. Live in His presence.
GIVE NO EXCUSES
What are your excuses to follow
Christ? A good number of us would like to leave certain things they know too
well not to be good but because of one reason or the other they procrastinate.
They keep it for another day. They delay. What is it that makes you feel like
not responding immediately to God who calls?
Your family, your job, your position, your aspirations etc?
Some say if I stop this, how will
I feed? If I stop this how will I survive? If I leave that man how will I
finish my education? If I leave this group, they will come after me. If I
leave, he will blackmail me. And so, they remain in the devil's cage. Jesus is
calling you out today, to leave without delay if we really want to live.
Listen child of God, those things
you fear should not stop you from living according to the mind of God for you.
They should not stop you from leaving from where God wants you to leave. Let's
learn from the apostles, they didn't allow their father to hold them down. They
left him as soon as Christ called. Christ's voice should carry the highest
authority in our lives. No one should stop us from doing the will of God.
GOD HAS A BETTER PLAN FOR YOU
The call of the Lord promises a
more dignifying outcome. He promises to make you become a better version of
yourself. He comes to reveal to you the possible positive achievements and
exploits you can make with Him. All you've got to do is to follow Him. You will
stop fishing just fish and become fisher of
men. Men will be drawn to you for the glory of God you carry with you.
May you not delay and regret leaving your old evil ways today as you encounter
the Lord today.
LET US PRAY
I am very sorry Lord for delaying
several times and dragging my feet in evil. I have given several excuses as
reasons to stay away from you. Thank you for making me understand that these
reasons are not enough to hold me down. Take me up by your grace Almighty God.
Help me to leave my attachment to things of this world and focus on following
you to get the heavenly blessings you destined for me through living fulfilled
after labouring here on earth through Christ our Lord. Amen
Happy Sunday (Week 3, Ordinary
Time, Yr B)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
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