Thursday, 6^th February – Thursday of week 4 of the year

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and his companions, Martyrs

Reflection: John 15: 15 (Gospel acclamation)

FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD

Since time immemorial, caught in the web of world’s politics and diplomacy, man has always court the favour of the powers that be. He inherently desires protection, recognition and fulfillment. However, history and experiences have shown the unreliability of this quest. Man essentially needs a more enduring and satisfying anchor. This, our foremost parents had in the garden of Eden, but unfortunately lost to the schemes of satan. Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ who came to restore our intimacy and friendship with God. This is the most privileged, enduring, protective and fulfilling relationship or friendship we can ever have (John 10:10).

David, the man after God’s own heart, having grown old and enjoyed God’s goodness admonished Solomon, his son, to wholeheartedly obey the commandments of God to be successful in all his undertakings. This was an advice from a good friend of God. Dearest in Christ, if we too are to be friends of God, we must necessarily grow in three principal virtues, namely: obedience, service and trust. An obedient person does all that God wants, as God wants and as long as God wants (John 15:14). He joyfully serves and trusts in the Lord in complete self abnegation as exemplified by the disciples in today’s Gospel reading (Mark 6: 7-13). The overall motive being nothing but love. Blessings are offshoots.

Until we grow in intimacy and friendship with God, we cannot have the satisfaction and fulfillment our hearts crave for. “You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” – Saint Augustine of Hippo.

PRAYER: Eternal Father, help me love all that You love, abhor all that You abhor and grow in intimate friendship with You. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: CCC 396 – God created man in His image and established Him in His friendship. A spiritual creature, a man can live this friendship only in free submission to God. The prohibition against eating “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” spells this out: “for in the day that you eat it, you shall die.” The “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” symbolically evokes the insurmountable limits that man, being a creature must freely recognize and respect with trust.

HIDE A TREASURE: “You are my friends if you do what I command you” John 15: 14 RSV-CE

Readings for today: 1 Kings 2: 1-4, 10-12; 1 Chronicles 29: 10-12; Mark 6: 7-13