Anglican Digest in Ghana

Anglican Digest in Ghana Anglicanism in Ghana, the way forward

this page is purposely to stir up the concerns of Anglicans within the communion of all believers, their root, history, present state and the future of the church.

06/11/2024

“WALK DAILY WITH JESUS”, 06/11/24, (Wednesday, 31st Week in Ordinary Time of Year B).

COLLECT: “ALMIGHTY AND MERCIFUL GOD, BY WHOSE GIFT YOUR FAITHFUL OFFER YOU RIGHT AND PRAISEWORTHY SERVICE, GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT WE MAY HASTEN WITHOUT STUMBLING TO RECEIVE THE THINGS YOU HAVE PROMISED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.

Phil 2:12-18; Ps 26:1,4,13-14 and Lk 14:25-33.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites the would-be disciple to calculate the cost or demands of following him, before accepting to follow him: “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his whole life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple”. These words should not be taken literally.

Once you decide to follow Jesus, nothing should at any point in time, be an obstacle on your way. In the portion of St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Paul encourages the Philippians – who are already disciples or followers of Jesus – to be blameless and innocent, shining in the world like lights. Surely, one of the disciple’s greatest tasks is to bring Christ, the light of the world which we each received on the day of Baptism to others.

Going forward, the words of Jesus in the Gospel should not disconcert us. What should have pride of place in our lives is love for God and neighbor and we should keep away from anything which obstructs our love for God and neighbor. Even our relations and things of this world should not be stumbling blocks towards our love for God and neighbor.

That is why Jesus subtly puts it in today’s Gospel that a disciple must hate his family, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Cf. Lk 14:25). This is not to be taken literally.

According to Saint Gregory the Great, “In this world, let us love everyone, even though he be our enemy; but let us hate him who opposes us on our way to God, though he be our relative…. We should, then, love our neighbor; we should have charity towards all – towards relatives and towards strangers – but without separating ourselves from the love of God out of love for them” (Cf. In Evangelia homiliae, 37,3).

Love for God involves striving to please God rather than pleasing men or fellow human beings. Love for God involves being always ready to abandon everything for Christ (Cf. Apostolicam Actuositatem, 4). The “striving” symbolizes the cross that Jesus urges each of us to carry and come after him as his disciples. It also symbolizes diligent planning and preparations to stand firm in the face of trials, temptations, tribulations and persecutions on our faith-journey.

May the Lord help us to always give him the first place in our lives. May we be strengthened always to follow in our Lord’s footsteps. Stay blessed.

PRAYER: “MAY THE WORKING OF YOUR POWER, O LORD, INCREASE IN US, WE PRAY, SO THAT, RENEWED BY THESE HEAVENLY SACRAMENTS, WE MAY BE PREPARED BY YOUR GIFT FOR RECEIVING WHAT THEY PROMISED. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev'd Father Theophilus A. Mensah, Anglican Diocese of Accra, GA/R, Ghana. (00233) 0249813377/0277513377. Email: [email protected].

05/11/2024

“WALK DAILY WITH JESUS”, 05/11/24, (Tuesday, 31st Week in Ordinary Time of Year B).

COLLECT: “ALMIGHTY AND MERCIFUL GOD, BY WHOSE GIFT YOUR FAITHFUL OFFER YOU RIGHT AND PRAISEWORTHY SERVICE, GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT WE MAY HASTEN WITHOUT STUMBLING TO RECEIVE THE THINGS YOU HAVE PROMISED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.

Phil 2:5-11; Ps 21:26b-32 and Lk 14:15-24.

“Kaabanye” (Lit. “Look and not see”) is a popular Dagaaba expression. The actual meaning of it connotes pride or arrogance. Today’s scriptures have, so to speak, condemn arrogance and rather extol humility. This is very clear in the first reading, where St. Paul has presented Jesus as a very humbled person. He was in the form of God, but did not regard equality with God something to hold onto.

Therefore, God raised and exalted him, and gave him a name that is above every other name. I am just imagining how Jesus could have ‘looked and not see’ (kaabanye) the Father, because he is the Son of God. Do we have such attitudes and behaviours in our society? Am I, or are you involved in such?

Have I ever behave in such a way that I am alright, I can do whatever I want, I do not need others, even people who have made me who I am, or even God who is the source of my being and life? This is a clear sign of pride or arrongance. There is no sign of humility here.

In line with this, God called and chose the Israelites, right from Egypt to the Promised Land. Along the way to the Promised Land, God and his people entered into some covenantal agreements, where, God became their God, and they became his people. It was a kind of invitation for the Israelites to eventually enjoy the heavenly banquet one day.

But for now, they were invited to participate in the divine glory, and later share that with others in the world. However, the lures and cares of the world, they gave excuses and they eventually missed entry into the banquet hall. This is a form of pride and arrogance. Why did they not tell his servants when they were inviting them that they would not come? Only when he had finished preparing everything they started giving excuses. This is “Kaabanye” proper.

Today’s scriptures have a lot to teach all of us, contemporary Christians. There is a warning here against self-complacency. Please, first to become a believer/Christian goes with heavy responsibilities. By our earlier calling into the Christian vocation, we are to respond promptly, and allow God to use us to invite many more people into his heavenly banquet. There is also no room for procrastination on our journey to our final destination, heaven. Every day and every time, we should consider ourselves as being invited to come into the Lord’s banquet.

We therefore need to always prepare to attend God’s invitation when everything is set on our last day of earth. What excuses have I been giving for God’s invitation to pray and communicate with him? To go to Church? To carry out my responsibility? To carry out a good deed or work of mercy toward a needy person? Etc. Is it my business, my job, my farm, funeral, a fellow human being like my marriage partner, or what is it that gives me the opportunity to give excuses not to attend to God’s invitation to enter into his heavenly banquet?

May God help each of us to learn and cultivate the spirit of humility for one another. May he help us avoid giving excuses. May each of us always be ready to be responsible for whatever we do. Stay blessed and happy Tuesday.

PRAYER: “MAY THE WORKING OF YOUR POWER, O LORD, INCREASE IN US, WE PRAY, SO THAT, RENEWED BY THESE HEAVENLY SACRAMENTS, WE MAY BE PREPARED BY YOUR GIFT FOR RECEIVING WHAT THEY PROMISED. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev'd Father Theophilus A. Mensah, Anglican Diocese of Accra, GA/R, Ghana. (00233) 0249813377/0277513377. Email: [email protected].

04/11/2024

“WALK DAILY WITH JESUS”, 04/11/24, (Monday, 31st week in Ordinary Time of Year B. Also,).

COLLECT: “PRESERVE IN THE MIDST OF YOUR PEOPLE, WE ASK, O LORD, THE SPIRIT WITH WHICH YOU FILLED THE SAINTS, THAT YOUR CHURCH MAY CONSTANTLY BE RENEWED AND, BY CONFORMING HERSELF TO THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST, MAY SHOW HIS FACE TO THE WORLD. WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.

Phil 2:1-4; Ps 130:1-3 and Lk 14:12-14.

One sin with its forms, commonly committed by most of us but sometimes taken for granted is SELFISHNESS. In our selfishness, we have no compassion, mercy and love for others, especially those who are “less fortunate than we are". At best, the selfish person may only pretend as if he/she is showing mercy, compassion and love to the less fortunate person.

Selfishness is demonstrated in many forms. These include, doing things for vainglory, for fame or to be praised or for our own interests and gains. Otherwise, I will not do anything for anyone. But this is also a sign of pride/arrogance.

Another form of selfishness is when I have to do things for people because I am convinced one day, they will return that act to me, especially when I am in trouble or in need in future. This attitude shows that I do not lose what I am giving out to others because it is more like an investment. Jesus condemns this attitude in the Gospel we are meditating on.

Today, both Jesus and St. Paul challenge and at the same time urge us to avoid the sin of selfishness. Rather, Jesus suggests hosting a banquet for the poor and the disabled like the crippled, the lame and the blind, in fact, the marginalized in society. These are people who can never pay us back, but who are a treasure and a blessing to you.

The parable of the Last Judgment in Mt 25:31-46 teaches us more about taking good care of the poor and the disabled in society, as a great treasure and blessing. We are in fact, to consciously look out for people’s interests rather than our own. This goes with the virtue of humility. Indeed, the spirit of considering other’s interests as more important than our own links us with Christ, who was a true example of humility.

The sin of selfishness has a lot as its negative consequences both on the society and on the individual. It widens the gap between the poor and rich, making the rich, richer, and the poor becoming poorer. It retards development both in the society and in the individual. It could easily result in exploitation and extortion of both the existing system and people.

This is true because the poor, who need to survive could be handled anyhow by the rich for their personal gains and interests. It also results in hypocritical lifestyles in the society. Maybe, certain parts of our contemporary world are not excepted. One only needs to open one’s eyes and ears a bit, just to see and hear what goes on in the world. This, of course, results in a lot of social vices. We could go on and on but suffice it.

Let us pray that as Christ representatives in the world which is seemingly divided between the rich and poor, caused by selfishness and greed, where the latter suffers more, we may encourage, bring joy/happiness, show mercy, compassion and love to the poor as we generously share what we have with them without counting the cost or without expecting any returns from them but from God. Stay blessed and as you start your working week, may God bless you so that you may equally a blessing to others.

PRAYER: “MAY THE SACRED MYSTERIES OF WHICH WE HAVE PARTAKEN, O LORD, WE PRAY, GIVE US THAT DETERMINATION WHICH MADE THE SAINTS IN MINISTRY AND FERVENT IN CHARITY. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev'd Father Theophilus A. Mensah, Anglican Diocese of Accra, GA/R, Ghana. (00233) 0249813377/0277513377. Email: [email protected].

03/11/2024

31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OF YEAR B – 03/11/24.

COLLECT: “ALMIGHTY AND MERCIFUL GOD, BY WHOSE GIFT YOUR FAITHFUL OFFER YOU RIGHT AND PRAISEWORTHY SERVICE, GRANT, WE PRAY, THAT WE MAY HASTEN WITHOUT STUMBLING TO RECEIVE THE THINGS YOU HAVE PROMISED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.

Deut 6:2-6; Ps 17:2-4,47,51; Heb7:23-28 and Mk 12:28b-34.

“LORD, YOU ARE MY ALL. LET MY LOVE FOR YOU RELECT IN MY LOVE OF NEIGHBOR”.

This Sunday’s selections from Deuteronomy and Mark remind us that God is our ALL and ALL, and we should do well to love HIM totally as we ought to. This implies, keeping and observing His Commandments. In the portion of the Gospel of Mark we reflect on, Jesus combines two scripture readings and proclaims the “great” commandment: Love of God and neighbor.

This is a quotation from Deut 6:4-5, known as the “Shema”, the greatest Old Testament Prayer, and Lev 19:18. By fulfilling these two commandments, one keeps all the other Ten Commandments. In fact, these two commandments summarize the Ten Commandments and the other Old Testament moral laws. In teaching these two commandments, Jesus wants us to know and understand that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep the commandments.

Today, we need to have a very profound look at the Commandments of God and how we keep and fulfil them. It must be noted that keeping and fulfilling God’s Commandments is not just about worrying ourselves or cracking our heads as to WHAT WE SHOULD NOT DO, like what we have at the beginning of each of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no……, You shall not… etc.”). Rather, we should concentrate on ALL WE SHOULD DO to show our love for God and neighbor.

What Moses presented to the Israelites in the portion of the Book of Deuteronomy we reflect on today, is an important insight for the Israelites. Monotheism, the belief in only one God, was a distinctive feature of Hebrew religion. Many ancient religions believed in many gods.

But for the Hebrews, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of the whole world and earth, and he is the only true God. This is the only God they are to love, and also extend this love to fellow human beings. Once again, it is very important for Moses to let them know this as they are about to enter a land occupied by people who believe in many gods.

By implication, at our baptism and confirmation, we are chosen by God, and it is like, so to speak, we are moving from this land to our ‘Promised Land’ Heaven. As we move along this world, filled with many things and people (human gods) that could detract and distract us from getting to our final destination. Therefore, we equally need these words of exhortation by Moses.

Therefore, this Sunday’s scriptures are relevant for us. In our contemporary era, there are people who prefer to place their trust in many different worldly values, belief systems, ideologies, and so on. These and their like, are in themselves “gods”, for gods in this world are not necessarily and only human handicraft objects or items. What worldly value, belief system, ideology, traditional custom and value, are is so dear to you, but do not promote love, peace, human dignity and life?

Do you not think that is a “god” in your life, which you are worshipping? Especially, when you, a Christian, is confronted with a life-threatening challenge, how do you handle it? Do you still become faithful to your God alone, or you go your traditional way and maybe, later come back to your Christian faith? This is hypocritical, which, in the Dagaaba expression is known as “Pontir na kale” (“A toad with two legs in water and the other two on dry land” because it does not know where trouble or peace will come from. So, it decides to live in both water and on land). Please, do not be such a Christian.

Keeping God's Commandments enjoins us not to be not to be "half Christians" (Krista-bi kyelii), when one is a Christian and at the same time believes in occultism and or fe**shism. One should either be a Christian or a fe**sh or occultist. Also do well not to be a "hanging Christian" (Kristabie nang yangli/zaali/luri/gyogli). Some Christians have no grounds. They are hanging like an object hanging in space. Please, firmly be grounded in your faith and stay focused.

We are all invited to ponder seriously upon the above. Many of us think that the idolatrous is the one who worships other images and objects made by human hands. Some of us are sometimes very quick at condemning those who, due to weak faith, are easily lured by strong temptation to fall into sin.

However, we do not see that our many different values, belief systems, cultural values and customs we hold on to in high esteem, and use that to do things to other people that show that we discriminate against them and we do not love them, are very often not considered as gods we worship. We need to once more, give heed to James’ warning about discrimination, ‘for if you show partiality (discrimination), you commit sin, …for whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it” (James 2:1-13).

May we see God today, as our ALL and ALL. Some of us also think and behave as if the only sin in the world is sexual immortality or sexual promiscuity. Therefore, one thinks one can steal, cheat, rob, or be irresponsible in life, but once one does not commit sexual immortality, one obeys the commandments of God. May we always endeavor to love him totally as we ought to.

May our love of God be translated in our love of neighbor. May Jesus our High Priest always intercede for us at the right hand side of his Father to always keep and observe his commandments. Stay blessed and may your Sunday be fruitful.

PRAYER: “MAY THE WORKING OF YOUR POWER, O LORD, INCREASE IN US, WE PRAY, SO THAT, RENEWED BY THESE HEAVENLY SACRAMENTS, WE MAY BE PREPARED BY YOUR GIFT FOR RECEIVING WHAT THEY PROMISED. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev'd Father Theophilus A. Mensah, Anglican Diocese of Accra, GA/R, Ghana. (00233) 0277513377/0277513377. Email: [email protected].

03/11/2024

“WALK DAILY WITH JESUS”, 02/11/24, (Saturday, 31st week in Ordinary Time of Year B. THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED – ALL SOULS).

PRAYER: “LISTEN KINDLY TO OUR PRAYERS, O LORD, AND, AS OUR FAITH IN YOUR SON, RAISED FROM THE DEAD, IS DEEPENED, SO MAY OUR HOPE FOR RESURRECTION FOR YOUR DEPARTED SERVANTS ALSO FIND NEW STRENGTH. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.

Wis 3:1-9; Ps 22:1-6; Rom 5:5-11 or 6:3-9; Jn 6:37-40

The Feast of All Souls is a beautiful, fitting Catholic tradition. It is an annual special day of prayer for those who have gone before us in life and who are now in Purgatory. This celebration is associated with the Catholic doctrine that the souls of some faithful at death, have not been cleansed from temporal punishment due to sins they committed and therefore, these souls cannot immediately attain or receive beatific vision or blessedness in heaven.

According to this doctrine, these souls may be helped to attain blessedness by our prayers, sacrifices and offering of Masses and almsgiving or works of mercy/charity. These souls form the “Church suffering”.

The author of “Bible Alive” November 2, 2016 edition, threw more lights into the above: “In contrast to yesterday’s feast during which we praised God for those whose lives were marked by the signs of blessedness, today (November 2), we focus our attention on those who have died, but perhaps whose life on earth was much more a mixture (perhaps of good and evil).

It is comforting to know that even though God’s purpose is that all of his Son’s followers would manifest the same blessedness as of his Only Son, the Church recognizes its ministry towards those, including ourselves, who can fall short. Today, especially, is an opportunity to pray for the dead. It reminds us that living a life of blessedness is not something any of us can accomplish simply by our own effort”. There is therefore the need to always sympathize with one another and offer prayerful support for one another.

Romans 6:23 teaches us that “…the wage paid by sin is death”. Human life was initially meant to be permanent but due to disobedience and sin, death came into the world, and it negatively affected humanity. The painful and worse side of this ugly death is that, scriptures confirm that death will, in most cases, come to us as a thief attacks people, coming at a time, an hour or a day that no one expects it.

Isn’t this sad, disturbing and worrying? The best for us should have been for death to always sound or give a warning to allow people, especially those of us who have garbage in our lives to clear it and straighten and put some order to our crooked lives, as a way of preparation for death.

What is more painful and disturbing is to see the ‘just” and “holy” ones dying, sometimes suddenly and sadly without any warning. At the human level and thinking, we wish God could intervene and prevent such deaths (the just and holy ones dying, especially without warning). This is one of the mysteries about God. We are not able to read his mind, we do not know his intentions and how he does things.

In any case, we, human as we are, cannot and will never be able to know or read the hearts and minds of our fellow human beings. Someone’s behaviour, may be hypocritical behaviour and the person’s actions may deceive and mislead us to think that the person is a “just” and a “holy” one, but in the sight of God the person is the exact opposite. It is only God who knows us true and true.

Since it is possible that people we consider just and holy here on earth could be unjust and unholy before God, and therefore at their death they might still have some stains of sin or at the point of death they might not get the chance to make reparations for their wrong deeds and actions especially if the death is a sudden one, the Church believes and teaches that the souls of such people are in the state of Purgatory, waiting for purification and cleansing before they can be received into heaven. There is therefore the urgent and dire need for the living to pray for these souls to be raised up and be received by the Lord and to see him face to face as he really is.

All of us have lost our relatives, our loved ones and friends. Some have entered heaven and have received beatific vision and blessedness and others are still probably waiting to be received by God. Let us call to mind today all our beloved dead ancestors, parents, relations, benefactors/benefactresses, friends and all the faithful departed, especially those waiting in the state of Purgatory, that the Lord of Resurrection may purify them receive them into his heavenly abode. Stay blessed by the Lord who saves and gives eternal life to the dead.

PRAYER: “GRANT, WE PRAY, O LORD, THAT YOUR DEPARTED SERVANTS, FOR WHOM WE HAVE CELEBRATED THIS PASCHAL SACRAMENT, MAY PASS OVER TO A DWELLING PLACE OF LIGHT AND PEACE. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev'd Father Theophilus A. Mensah, Anglican Diocese of Accra, GA/R, Ghana. (00233) 0249813377/0277513377. Email: [email protected].

01/11/2024

“WALK DAILY WITH JESUS”, 01/11/24, (Friday, 31st week in Ordinary Time of Year B. Also, THE SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS – Today is HOLIDAY OF OBLIGATION for Anglican)

COLLECT: “ALMIGHTY EVER-LIVING GOD, BY WHOSE GIFT WE VENERATE IN ONE CELEBRATION THE MERITS OF ALL THE SAINTS, THROUGH THE PRAYERS OF SO MANY INTERCESSORS, AN ABUNDANCE OF THE RECONCILIATION WITH YOU FOR WHICH WE EARNESTLY LONG. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.

Rev 7:2-4,9-14; Ps 23:1-6; 1Jn 3:1-3; Mt 5:1-12a.

“WHILE I AM STILL ALIVE, LET ME ENDEAVOUR TO ACHIEVE SANCTITY AND EVENTUALLY REACH THE GOAL OF MY EXISTENCE AND BE COUNTERED ONE DAY AMONG OUR ANCESTORS OF FAITH-THE SAINTS”.

Today is the Feast (Solemnity) of All Saints. We are celebrating all the good, holy and heroic men and women who followed Christ faithfully during their lifetime but have taken lead of us and are now with God in heaven. "These are the ones who have survived the great period of trial, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:13-14).

Among the Dagaaba, they have serious reverence for the ancestors. An ancestor is any person from whom one is descended. Ancestors are traditional leaders who led exemplary lives before they died. Finest among them are those whose actions and way of life affected the community considerably.

Apart from venerating and remembering them during the celebrations of festivals where and when their good works are recounted, one remarkable way African Traditional people remember their ancestors is to establish cults for them, where, when a person to be considered an ancestor dies, a piece of wood is curved or an object formed (depending on the culture) and it is kept in the place designated to be the cult of the ancestors.

They are commemorated, celebrated and venerated from time to time annually. The general idea or mentality is that the person who is dead is considered to still be alive especially in the Land of the Living (Kpiimetenga) from where he continues to play his roles while he was alive on earth. A living relative, especially the next family head may deputize for the ancestor.

In religion, especially in Christianity, we have ancestors (of faith) just as the ancestors in African Traditional Religion, known as Saints. A saint, generally refers to a holy person; holy in the sense that the person is extremely virtuous, kind, or patient.

In religious terms, a saint is one who has died and has been officially recognized and honoured by the Christian Church because he/she followed Jesus and lived according to Jesus’ teachings and his/her life was/and continues to be a perfect example of the way Christians should live. Saints are so to speak, the counterparts of Ancestors in the African Traditional Religion.

The Sermon on the Mount in general and the Beatitudes in particular by Jesus in Mt 5:1-12, are the Code of Ethics or Terms of Reference for the Christian Life. Following and living them is not easy because what they present to us to follow, obey and live, are contrary to the ideals and values of the world and anyone who will faithfully follow and live them will certainly suffer and go through pain, but at the end reward and blessings from God will be yours.

The heroic women and men we are celebrating today faithfully, and with dedication and commitment followed and lived the Christian ideals, values or Code of Ethics elaborated specifically in the Beatitudes. They strove for holiness as they lived the attitudes (The Beatitudes) that Jesus called them to imitate. Most of them died bloody or martyrs' deaths and have been received by God in heaven as good and faithful servants who persevered in their faith. Let us emulate them as we journey from this earthly life back to God.

We pray for patience, courage, perseverance, commitment and dedication in following the Christian life we have embraced at our baptism so that one day we may also be counted among these holy and heroic women and men in God's heavenly blessedness. “O pleasant happiness to see the Saints, to be with the Saints, to be a Saint” (St. Augustine).

WE ASK ALL THE SAINTS TO INTERCEDE FOR US, SO THAT WE ALSO WILL ACHIEVE SANCTITY AND REACH THE GOAL OF OUR EXISTENCE. HAPPY FEAST DAY and stay blessed. NB, Today is a special feast day for all who do not have specific feast days in the calendar. Please, enjoy it today.

PRAYER: “AS WE ADORE YOU, O GOD, WHO ALONE ARE HOLY AND WONDERFUL IN ALL YOUR SAINTS, WE IMPLORE YOUR GRACE, SO THAT, COMING TO PERFECT HOLINESS IN THE FULLNESS OF YOUR LOVE, WE MAY PASS FROM THIS PILGRIM TABLE TO THE BANQUET OF OUR HEAVENLY HOMELAND. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev'd Father Theophilus A. Mensah, Anglican Diocese of Accra, GA/R, Ghana. (00233) 0249813377/0277513377. Email: [email protected].

31/10/2024

“WALK DAILY WITH JESUS”, 31/10/24, (Thursday, 30th week in Ordinary Time of Year B).

COLLECT: “ALMIGHTY EVER-LIVING GOD, INCREASE OUR FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY, AND MAKE US LOVE WHAT YOU COMMAND, SO THAT WE MAY MERIT WHAT YOU PROMISED. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.

Eph 6:10-20; Ps 143:1-2,9-10 and Lk 13:31-35.

One guiding principle of successful Christian life is RESOLUTENESS, i.e., a fixity or boldness of determination or purpose. In that case, if one wants to succeed in his/her Christian life, one needs to be bold in the life one has embraced as a Christian and be determined to pursue it.

We have got a lot to learn from Jesus our Lord and Master, from the Gospel we are reflecting on today. We see resoluteness in Jesus’ speech: “I must continue …. for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem”. Jesus says this when some Pharisees came and told him to “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you”.

Jesus’ reply is, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose….’” (Lk 13: 31ff). This also reveals that this world is not ours and whatever we acquire or amass here is temporary. But what lasts is heavenly things which we should aspire for.

It is an undeniable fact that anyone, especially believers/Christians, who are determined to do their work as Christians/believers will not have it easy. Sometimes it is not even a direct attack from our enemy the evil one or Satan, but very often from our own compatriots and comrades or fellow believers or associates. This is often caused by envy and jealousy.

It is unchristian and a counter witness for a believer/Christian to be so envious and jealous of his/her fellow believer, or even to be so to any other person in the world. This makes us liars and hypocrites, and therefore we are quick to destroy others in whatever possible way is available to us.

However, St. Paul, in this portion of his letter to the Ephesians, gives us some guiding principles that could help and assist those who are going through ‘hell’ because they are resolute in doing the will of God. Such people should draw their strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. They should put on the armour of God so as to stand firm and strong against the tactics of the Devil. They should stand fast with their loins girded in TRUTH.

They should cloth themselves with righteousness as a breastplate, and their feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace. In fact, they should not pay evil with evil, for this will not result in peaceful coexistence but conflict and war. They should hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.

They should take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. They need to pray constantly and present their supplications to the Lord. Never abuse any given opportunity and be watchful and vigilant. Stay blessed and have a good day.

PRAYER: “MAY YOUR SACRAMENTS, O LORD, WE PRAY, PERFECT IN US WHAT LIES WITHIN THEM, THAT WHAT WE NOW CELEBRATE IN SIGNS WE MAY ONE DAY POSSESS IN TRUTH. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.

Rev'd Father Theophilus A. Mensah, Anglican Diocese of Accra, GA/R, Ghana. (00233) 0249813377/0277513377. Email: [email protected].

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