REFLECTION FOR THE MEMORIAL OF ST. MAXMILIAM MARY KOLBE/ MONDAY OF THE 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR I. (3)

REFLECTION FOR THE MEMORIAL OF ST. MAXMILIAM MARY KOLBE/ MONDAY OF THE 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR I.

THEME: Always recall God’s presence in dealing with life situations.

BY: Fr Francis Onwunali.

We celebrate today, the Memorial of St. Maxmiliam Mary Kolbe, priest and martyr. Maxmilian was born in Poland on 8 January 1894. Ordained a priest in the Franciscan Order. Filled with love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, he founded the Militia of the Immaculate Mary and, with his preaching and writing, undertook an intense apostolic mission in Europe and Asia. Imprisoned in Auschwitz during the Second World War, he offered himself in exchange for the father of a large family who was to be executed. On 14 August 1941, he was given a lethal injection when he failed to die fast enough from starvation in the concentration camp. In 1982, Pope John Paul II canonized Maximilian as a “martyr of charity.”
“Your ancestors went down to Egypt not more than seventy persons, and now the Lord, your God, has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky” (Deut. 10: 22). The readings of today admonish us not to dwell in our confusion in life but to always recall God’s presence in dealing with life situations.

RELATED: HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME.

In the gospel (Matt. 17: 22-27), the disciples of Jesus were so confused and overwhelmed with the message of Jesus’ impending death. If such could be the fate of their Master, what then will theirs be? However, Jesus did what is impossible in human thinking to prove to them that nothing is impossible for God – taking out money from the mouth of fish to pay their taxes.
In the first reading (Deut. 10: 12-22), the Israelites are urged to recall the great deeds God has done for them and to turn to the Lord instead of being stiff-necked.

Dear friends, there are times in life we question or doubt God’s presence in our life, either because of what is happening to us or things not going as we planned. God wants us to understand that He is in complete control. We may not fully understand all of God’s actions, but we need to have firm trust.
I pray as we journey in life today, we will tune to the positive frequency of God’s ability and eschew all forms of pessimism in our relationship with God. May God continue to strengthen the bars of the gates of our lives (Ps. 147: 13). Have a trust-full day.

@Fr Francis Onwunali

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