Daily Homily for July 22, 2017: The Steadfast Love of the Lord Never Ceaseth by Fr. Abu
Finally, as we read in today’s first reading, the children of Israel were freed from the bondage of Pharaoh’s captivity.
They did not come to Egypt to become slaves rather they came in search of Mercy at a time when there was no food in their land.
They sought mercy from men – a mercy that always has an expiry date.
Human sympathy and mercy is like that.
People tend to love you only to the extent that they can benefit from you or appreciate you for something you have done for them.
When Joseph brought his brothers to Egypt, the then Pharaoh gladly welcomed them and gave them the best part of the land, Goshen.
He did so in appreciation for what Joseph did for the land itself by offering superior wisdom to survive the famine.
It only followed that when a new Pharaoh arrived who had nothing to be grateful for, he turned the people to slaves, in this way, he started benefiting from them by force.
More still, he was been cruel to them hoping to completely exterminate them.
He even went as far as trying to kill their male children so that their daughters will have no choice other than to marry the Egyptians and forget their own people.
This is very sad but it is true. We humans are pragmatic by nature. Our goodness to people comes with an expiry date.
I once read a quote: “Feed a dog for three days and it will remember you for three years but feed a man for three years and he will forget you in three days.”
It is not as if Pharaoh did not know Joseph, he actually “forgot” Joseph.
The sad reality is that even though we know how short human mercy can be (and how fake it is most times), we tend to seek it more than we seek God’s mercy.
We look too much at people’s faces whereas, we should only be looking at God’s face.
See how Jesus displayed the depth of his mercy in today’s Gospel passage.
He knew there were plots against his life.
Yet, instead of getting angry or raining curses at those plotting to kill him, (as we humans would normally do), he simply withdrew from there but he did not stop his good work.
Right there on the cross, he would say: “forgive them father for they know not what they do.”
God’s mercy unlike human mercy does not expire. Sing…. “The Steadfast Love of the Lord never ceaseth”…. “His mercies never come to an end…..” “They are new every morning, new every morning, great is thy faithfulness O Lord.”
Today, we celebrate St. Mary Magdalene, the first person to witness the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the woman who called Jesus by the name ‘Raboni’ a name that depicts how close she was to Jesus.
Mary Magdalene unlike the Blessed Virgin Mary did not have a clean past, she was not immaculately conceived, she was not sinless.
In short, we are told seven demons were cast out from her.
We celebrate Mary Magdalene today because at some point in her life, she encountered God’s Mercy.
You know what, God never goes back to our past once he forgive us.
He does not remind us like we often remind people as if to warn them against offending us again. The Steadfast Love of God never ceaseth.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, teach me not to seek from men that which only you can provide. Amen.
St. Mary Magdalene, Pray for us.
Be Happy.
Live Positive.
Have Faith.
It is well with you.
God bless you.
(Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Exodus 12:37-42 and Matthew 12:14-21.).
Source:
Fr. Abu.
God desires Mercy; Not Sacrifice by Fr. Abu was July 21 Message in case you missed it
