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 6^TH SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: ATTRACT BLESSINGS AND NOT WOES

(Luke 6:17.20-26)

Jesus comes to us with blessings from God. He is a trustworthy Saviour. The Gospel Reading of today is a follow-up from the episode where Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, to seek the face of His Father, to bring down heavenly blessings to humanity. When He came down, He called people to be co-bearers of this blessing. He started with 12, and with time, their number grew, and he started teaching them the way to blessedness. The blessing of Jesus Christ is not conditional. It is a type that is felt in every situation, a blessing that locates you in every condition whatsoever, a blessing that tells you how much God cares about you. A blessing that explains indeed why Jesus came, why He comes and continues to come to us:

TO HEAL AND LIBERATE

Even before speaking the words of blessing, Jesus had already started with deeds that bless. People gathered to be touched and, as many as touched him, got healed of their diseases. He's the Lord that healeth thee.

TO LOOK INTO AND BLESS EVERY SITUATION

The crowd can never stop Jesus from locating you if you are His own. The word says: 'looking at his disciples'. Another translation puts it this way: 'fixing his eyes on his disciples'. God looks lovingly on us in our situations. Open yourself to Him. Yes, lay bare your life before Him as you are. He looks for you and on you to bless you based on what you are facing at the moment. Stop claiming what you're not. Be you, and God will raise and bless you.

God sees what you're going through, and He is speaking words of blessing to each and every one of your situations: You're poor, but the Lord says you have a rich God who is in heaven. So He tells you: Yours is the kingdom of heaven, look up to heaven because it is from there that God supplies for you according to His riches in glory. Meanwhile, He has blessed us already with His riches in glory. May our bad government and corruption, nor laziness not stop us from receiving the blessings packaged by God for us.

Are you hungry now? The Lord is promising you satisfaction. May you be satisfied with good things. He gives His people bread from heaven, having all sweetness in it.

Are you weeping now? You must laugh. In some people's lives 'ihe ato ochi agwula' (there's no reason to laugh), no course for joy, there's every reason to wail. Such people go to the office, they behold problem, they go to the market, lo and behold trouble. They go to bed, soaking their pillows with tears. Night and day, their hearts are weary with looking upwards. They drink alcohol, sleep, and wake up with the cause of their cry staring them at the face. The Lord is saying: weep no more, I am here for you. Am here to comfort you. Egbula onwe gi.

Are you hated for good? Rejoice! God will fight for you.

Why do you fight the person you are fighting? Gini ka o mere gi?

FROM WHERE THEN CAME THE WOES?

God doesn't curse. Curse is a consequence of one's refusal to be blessed. Rejection of divine Benediction results to woes.

Woe to you when you choose to get rich by impoverishing others.  Woe to you if ala arighi mma wu uru gi ka onye nze, if you're 'oji akpa eli ozu' if you're 'ori na crisis '(people who feed fat in bad times)

Are you feeding fat through poor people's sweat? You will vomit it through one means or the other.

If you're rejoicing because of what you should weep for... Be careful.

Are people clapping for you when you're not getting it right? They're digging your grave.

TAKE HOME QUESTIONS

Do you attract blessings or woes by your actions and inactions?

Are you a blessing or a curse to your generation?

Are you a disappointment or blessing to yourself and to God?

PRAYERS

May God appoint you for blessings and not curse.

May God free us from every form of curse.

May He lavish His numerous blessings upon us through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday to You (6th Sunday, Ordinary Time Yr. C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh