A university student was seen with a large “K” printed on his T- shirt.

When someone asked him what the “K” stood for, he said, “Confused.”
“But,” the questioner replied, “you don’t spell “confused” with a “K”!

The student answered, “Well, you don’t know how confused I am!”

The confused state of mind led to be boy to display a totally confused and puzzled look!

How often is this true in our own lives as a Christian…
• We fail to have certain convictions in our faith… and the resultant life that is displayed outside, is one of confusion or uncertainty.
• We fail to be sure of what our life of faith is…and as a result, we fail to bring people to experience God’s love and instead, sometimes even lead others astray.

The Gospel of the Day is a peek into the conviction that Jesus had in His life of preaching and mission and a challenge for us to become persons who become fervent and convinced in teaching the commandments of the Kingdom of God.

The Gospel is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfil” (Mt 5: 17)

One of the distinguishing features in the preaching and teaching ministry of Jesus was His deep conviction and certainty.

• Jesus did not speak as if He was blabbering on some unknown topic.
• Jesus did not mutter words as if He was whiling away time to talk on a strange issue.
Instead, Jesus was thoroughly convinced of what He spoke and taught.

It was this deep-seated conviction that made Him to say that He had “come not to abolish the law or the prophets”.

The message of Jesus contained newness and freshness.
• However, it was not a preaching that was entirely new
It was a teaching that was born in deep certainty and delivered with utmost conviction.

• He was the fullness of the teachings of all the Law.
• He was the fulfilment of the prophecies of all the Prophets.

This gave it a fresh crispiness.
This gave it a refreshing perspective.

Do we also possess a similar conviction and certainty in our Life of Faith, just as Jesus displayed?

The Lord demands such a requirement.

Hence, He would say, that “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so, will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5: 19)

Our Christian lives are sometimes marked by an unwanted uncertainty and confusing convictions.
• We know a little bit about our faith…but not deep enough.
• We know a little bit concerning our teachings…but not in its depth.
• We know a little bit about the virtues we are to live…but not fully convinced of it.

As a result of this ‘unsure’ attitude and ‘confused’ mentality, we are unable to
… (1) live a true and honest Christian lives
… (2) witness and teach others our genuine faith

May the Saint of the day, Blessed Bogumilus be an inspiration for us to have a deeper faith and fervour in our Christian Faith.

This holy person from Poland was consecrated Archbishop of the Polish See of Gniezno.
Bogumilus recited the divine office with much care and devotion.

Each day before celebrating Mass, he would prepare by prostrating himself in prayer, extending his arms in the form of a cross.
It was thus that he asked the angels to present his prayers to God, and petitioned the Blessed Virgin Mary to obtain for him the purity of heart requisite to consecrate the Eucharist worthily.

He gave much of his time to mental prayer, which he punctuated with fervent aspirations: “May I love you, O Lord, my strength; O Lord, my pillar, and my refuge, and my deliverer.”

On his deathbed, Bl. Bogumilus experienced a vision of the Madonna and Child, surrounded by a throng of angels, inviting him to heaven.

May we not remain confused Christians; rather experience the love and mercy of the Lord, and make efforts to grow into being Convinced and Certain and Confident Christians!

God Bless! Live Jesus!