“Growing in selfless deeds and noble tasks and self-sacrificing actions!”

(Based on Col 1:1-8 and Lk 4:38-44 – Wednesday of the 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

A young nurse once shared her experience after a grueling night shift.

She said: “I walked into the hospital drained, weary and almost broken…
… but I walked out stronger, renewed, and strangely at peace.”

Someone asked her in surprise: “How can you be more energized after giving yourself away the whole night?”

And she replied:
“Because every time I wiped a patient’s tears…
… every time I offered a glass of water
. . every time I simply held a trembling hand

I felt my own heart being healed.
My tiredness melted away.
My weakness turned into strength!”

Isn’t that the paradox of love?

When we pour ourselves out for others…
… God fills us back in.
When we serve…
… we are the ones renewed.
When we give…
… we receive more than we can imagine.

Altruism is the echo of Christ’s love in a soul that has been touched by His mercy.”

The Gospel of the Day presents the Altruistic Ideal – Jesus – engaged in number of works…
… of healing
… of rebuking the evil spirits
… of bringing consolation and joy to the people.

In Luke 4:18, Jesus announced His Mission Programme of “… bringing good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, new sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed…”

In accordance with this manifesto, Jesus sets forward to announce the Kingdom of God.

The Lord unveils the Compassionate Face of the Father and reveals His Benevolent Heart to the needy and the deprived.

He cures Simon’s mother-in-law of her fever and restores her to good health and wellbeing…(Lk 4:39)

Am I today in need of a touch of the Lord…
… which takes away the fever of tiredness and fatigue of spiritual life?
… which restores me back in serving and assisting others in my life?

At sunset, He laid His hands on many with sicknesses and diseases and cured them all… (Lk 4:40)

In the sunset of darkness and pain in my life…
…. Do I go to the Lord to receive the Light of Hope and Healing?

In the sunset of emptiness, frustrations and despair, in my life…
… Do I go to the Lord to receive the Light of Faith and Revival?

He also rebuked many demons and commanded them to let go of many possessed people… (Lk 4: 41)

Am I tormented by the demons of bad, unhealthy addictions…?
… The power of the Lord is here to overcome

Am I tormented by the demons of filthy words and dirty thoughts…?
… The power of the Lord is here to liberate!

Am I tormented by the demons of peer pressure and societal strains…?
… The power of the Lord is here to set free!

The Lord at the end of today’s Gospel passage expresses His intentions of going to other towns to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God!

The zeal and enthusiasm of the Lord to reach out the Gospel to many others is really amazing….

Do I imitate the Lord…
…. in being zealous to reach out God’s goodness and kindness to many other people?
… in being fervent to let ignorant people to know the saving message of the Gospel?

The Gospel of the Day invites us to take note of the Altruistic Spirit of Jesus…

The Altruism of Jesus challenges us…
…. to reach out to the sick and suffering, with the Love and Compassion and Healing and Mercy of the Lord!
… to go beyond our zones of comfort and help the lonely, the depressed, the unwanted and the rejected!

Today, You and I, are invited to imitate and follow Jesus, the Ideal Altruist!

Let us show forth that we are Children of our Heavenly Father and soldiers of the Kingdom of God…
… not only through our words but much more by our altruistic words and deeds and actions.

St Gregory the Great – Pope and Doctor of the Church – whose feast we celebrate, says…
“He is not wise to me who is wise in words only, but he who is wise in deeds.”

Let us grow in selfless deeds and noble tasks and self-sacrificing actions…
… realising that “every sunset of our pain can become a sunrise of God’s Mercy, if we place it in His hands

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion. (CCC # 2286)