First Reading: Gn 17:1. 9-10. 15-22; Psalm: 128. R. v. 4; Gospel: Mt 8:1-4

LET GOD TAKE THE GLORY IN ALL THINGS

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP

Sincere love and kindness requires no publicity. We must not announce or publicise our good deeds for people to know. God will reward us abundantly when we do good for goodness sake; otherwise our desire for cheap praises becomes the only reward we would ever receive. When Jesus healed the leper, he told him to tell no one. This instruction of Jesus is called the ‘Messianic secret;’ for the time was not due for the people to know that Jesus was the awaited Messiah. But aside this, this instruction of Jesus could also be telling us to do nothing for self glorification but only for goodness or for love’s sake.   

Added to keeping the healing secret, Jesus also instructed the cured man go and show himself to the priest. This was necessary because it was only the priest who could ascertain that this man was now clean and qualified to be reinstated into the community. Although Jesus was obeying the Mosaic Law by this instruction, but he was also directing this cured man to the temple where he should go and privately give thanks to God for the healing he received. So, Jesus wanted us to learn that attention and glory should go to God whenever we do good rather than seeking unnecessary praises and attention.

We may have heard of the saying; “Don’t help me if you would go about telling people that you did.” Sadly, some people only feel important when they do this. But we must always remember that we were only able to help because we were helped. All we have received came to us through God’s divine help visible in the help we have received from one another in different ways. Even our intelligence, strength, health and wealth which we categorise as products of personal effort are all blessings from the Lord. The dead cannot speak of these things. So take no glory for anything. Every helper was helped and the helped is as well called to be a helper. But in whatever category we find ourselves, we must not take glory for anything.  

PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Lord Jesus, purify our intentions and actions that they may only be for your greater glory. Amen.