Enlightenment On Flourishing Life

 

It is flourishing to walk in the ways of the Lord.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Saturday after Ash Wednesday, February 17th, 2024                                                                    Texts: Isaiah 58:9-14; Psalm 86:1-6; Luke 5:27-32

Lent is a period of enlightenment on flourishing life. It is time to open our eyes to those things that make life stagnant and filthy before God and man. Our eyes are open to some of them, today. They are yoke, pointing of finger, speaking wickedness, indifference to the plight of the hungry and the afflicted. 

The other behaviours are defiling the day of the Lord, seeking our own pleasure and talking idly. Life does not flourish with those behaviours. Those behaviours kill joy and bring gloom and darkness upon our life.  

God's call is to walk in His ways

God calls us, today, to change our ways of life. His call is to walk in His ways. Hence, Jesus said to the Levi of today’s gospel reading thus: “Follow me.” Hence, we are not to seek our own ways but His ways. We are not to seek our own pleasure but His pleasure. Our prayer everyday, as people who have answered His call, should be this: “Teach me, O  Lord, your way, so that I may walk in your truth.” His ways are of mercy, love, righteousness and faithfulness.

During this Lent let us abandon our ways and walk in the ways of the Lord. It is flourishing to walk in the ways of the Lord. 

Isaiah says, “then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the  Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.” 

Prayer  

Almighty ever-living God, look with compassion on our weakness and ensure us your protection by stretching forth the right hand of your majesty. Amen (Collect) 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke