It is sheer common knowledge that there isn’t any room for the weak and meek in this harsh world of ours. Just to survive in Lagos alone, you have to occasionally assume the role of a ‘gangster’ or ‘street thug’ in order not to be taken for granted by hoodlums especially when you reside in suburbs like Bariga.
Even whilst driving on Lagos roads, you unconsciously metamorph in a ‘bank – robbing – driver’ as there is no common place for timidity driving on our busy roads.
The key message from the homily and the readings on Sunday 29th all preach a different disposition. A different thought system, humility.
The readings all revolved round the sacred nature of the humble and the need to assume such state.
‘At that time, seeing the crowd, Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down while his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…” [Matthew 5: 1 – 3]
I have always pondered to understand the true meaning of the first beatitude, ‘blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ and during Sunday’s homily, I finally got my answer.
‘Being poor in spirit means to acknowledge our spiritual poverty before God, acknowledging we are no better than the next man but all had been made available through the grace and mercy of God’, said Fr. Wisdom.
Humility is prerequisite to having a healthy and lasting relationship with your family and friends. Marriages suffer when humility is lacking. For effective output at work, humility plays a vital role too.
‘Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love’ [Ephesians 4:2]
Seek the Lord all you humble of heart and allow the love of God take the lead in our activities today, tomorrow and forever, henceforth.
Selah!