Saturday 5th July – Saturday of week 13 of the year
Reflection: Amos 9: 11-15

THE NATURAL ORDER

To every farmer, of paramount importance is the planting season, for he knows that there can be no harvest without sowing. To have a bountiful harvest, sowing must be properly conducted. Not only must he recognize the planting season, he must necessarily plant a viable seed to envisage growth and fruitfulness.

Same can be said of the human life. Our life runs in seasons (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8) and if we fail to recognize the seasons of life and its requirements we run the risk of sabotaging our future. You current state (intellectual, moral of spiritual) reflects largely the input of yesterday. As youths, many are our desires and expectations; we must however daily ask ourselves if by our way of life we are not moving farther from rather than closer to our lofty dreams and aspirations. Success is not accidental, it responds to purposeful and consistent effort. This season of our lives demands that we apply ourselves to good work, and dedicate ourselves to excellence in our study and character building. As a farmer roots out weeds and thorns from his plantation so must we do away with negative and retrogressive habits and tendencies that seek to debar us from our best.

Many youths of today no longer appreciate life’s principle of delayed gratification; we want to skip life’s incubation period and attain overnight stardom of self-actualization. This is clearly a distortion of the natural order.

Dear friend, let us embrace the legitimate sacrifices that life demands of us. Here and now is the season to build the future of our dreams. Much as every farmer counts on heavenly showers for a fruitful harvest so must we trust in the Lord’s providence and blessings having done all on our part.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to embrace the necessary sacrifice and training I need to undertake this day to attain the glorious height you have destined for me. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: CCC 2427 – Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation by subduing the earth, both with and for one another. Hence work is a duty…Work honours the Creator’s gifts and talents received from Him. It can also be redemptive.

HIDE A TREASURE: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1 RSV-CE

Readings for today: Amos 9: 11-15; Psalm 85: 9, 11-14, Matthew 9: 14-17