“A leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Friday 28th June 2024 – MATTHEW 8:1-4.
So, I guess we must have read or heard about the “concrete slab.’
In a military base, there was a concrete slab that was guarded around the clock by four soldiers. This was a routine that had been in place for decades. Over the years, different Commanders were posted to the base, but the tradition remained the same with four soldiers changing shifts to guard the slab.
One day, a new Commander took over the unit and asked why the soldiers were guarding the concrete slab around the clock. He was told that the routine had been the tradition for years, and no one had questioned or bothered to change it.
Not satisfied with the answer, the Commander decided to go on a quest to find out why the soldiers were guarding the concrete slab.
To his surprise, he discovered that years ago, a former Commander decided to build a platform, where events would be held. When the slab was laid, animals would walk all over it at night, leaving footprints, before it could dry.
This prompted the soldiers to patch up the holes. It happened over and over until the Commander asked four soldiers to guard the concrete slab for three weeks — day and night, to prevent the animals from walking over it.
A week after the order was given, the Commander was transferred to another unit. The new Commander who took over continued to uphold the tradition without asking any questions.
Decades later, this continued to be the norm.
During the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, a journey that was supposed to last forty days but continued for forty years, laws, rules and regulations were made as were supposedly suitable for such temporal setting of a mass exodus.
Some of these laws were concerned on preventing outbreak of epidemic, check sexual immorality and idolatry among others.
Therefore, even when one has a boil or any benign swelling on the body, such must be subjected to the scrutiny of the Chief Priest. On confirmation, they would have to be isolated from the exodus camp to forestall a supposed spread.
The rule was that, even mere touching them or their garment amounted to defilement which needed cleansing.
Some of such laws then snow balled into the ‘concrete platform’ mentality.
Hence the pitiable plight of the leprous man in today’s teaching who dared the odds to break the ranks and beckon on to Christ Jesus.
Ordinarily, leprosy, also known as Hansen’ Disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by bacteria.
The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes.
This disease is known to occur at all ages ranging from early childhood to old age.
Leprosy is however, not spread through casual contact with a person who has it like shaking hands or hugging, sharing meals or sitting next to each other. Moreover, the patient stops transmitting the disease when they begin treatment.
The society has since regarded such fellow brethren as invalids and always confine them to such colonies of invalids to perpetrate there until their end.
Nevertheless, irrespective the society’s verdict, the Scriptures say, “We, who do not live by our corrupt nature but by our spiritual nature, are able to meet God’s standards.” – ROMANS 8:4.
Christ Jesus resurrected Lazarus from dead without as much as touching the tomb stone. Equally, he cleansed the ‘legion’ demoniac by mere words of mouth and cured the crippled man whose friends tore the roof and lowered him without touching him.
Therefore, he could have equally said the word and the leprous man would be cleansed.
Seizing that opportunity, he demystified the ‘concrete slab’ mentality and publicly displayed how such people are not sub-humans as ironically presented by society but how they, too, need human touch to massage their feelings.
Jesus Christ, therefore touched the leprous man and he was cleansed.
My dear friend, whatever be our leprosy, whether physical or spiritual, when we call on Christ Jesus, unlike the society, he will touch us and we shall become clean.
Have a fantastic day folks.
Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Thursday 27th June 2024 – MATTHEW 7:21-29.
So, if we ever have cause to doubt those you claim they have revelations of heaven and hell, and in hell they saw some supposed ‘powerful’ men of God; then, here is our proof.
By the way, I am not making a case for such people, neither am I saying one should refute their claims.
Moreover, we weren’t there when God made the supposed revelations to them, neither did God revealed to us anything on such people.
Although, as predicted in the Bible, there are false prophets who perpetrate false teachings with displays of miracle and healing, there are yet genuine people whom God has anointed them with the gifts of prophecy, healing and exorcism, etc.
Some of these people could even be mere lay faithful, while a good majority are ordained clergy.
Now, irrespective of the type of life such gifted people may lead in their everyday life, their gifts are still valid and retained in them. – For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. – ROMANS 11:29.
That is why even when Lucifer fell out of favour with God, he still retains his gifts and powers.
Therefore, one may have the gifts of exorcism, another the gifts if healing and yet another the gifts of praying and a dead person would come back to life. Nevertheless, it is not always that having such gifts translates into equally having love, empathy and forgiving spirit to a fellow man, although, they should.
A man could be a priest of the Catholic Church that practices celibacy, even when he supposedly carnally defies himself right before he goes for Mass, his sacrifice of the Mass would still be valid.
Now, talk less of those that only render selfless service in the church.
Ordinarily, those of us so gifted as well as the ordained clergy and those of us privileged to render our services in the church are supposed to permit ourselves to be subsumed by the graces and anointing of such privileges and therefore endeavour to live our lives worthy of such callings.
Dear friend, today’s teaching is therefore for those of us who should, but are not.
One could be an ordained Priest/Pastor, a spiritually gifted person and one who renders services in the vineyard of God, that alone is not a free pass to heaven.
Christ Jesus says today that, unless we amend our ways, else, when we die, he is certain to ask us to depart from his presence and go to where we rightly belong.
So, do we still have cause to doubt those people who claim to have such☝️revelations?
Have a fantastic day folks.
#OUR_LADY_OF_PERPETUAL_HELP! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
“Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. And when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah thy priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah; and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that‘ has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, . . . . . . . . . .”
Excerpt, First Reading, Wednesday 26th June 2024 – 2 KINGS 22:8-13; 23: 1-3.
So, as mortals, made in the image and likeness of God, we have conscience.
It is this conscience that makes even the most hardened of us to soften up and reflect whenever we are attentive when the word of God is preached.
Now, do we still wonder why most hardened people do not bother going to church?
Little wonder, the devil crafts different avenues to get us distracted often when we are in the church.
My dear friend, the word of God has impacts and it is imparting.
For these reasons, the Bible says of it thus, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – HEBREWS 4:12.
The Bible further buttressed the above assertion, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” – LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23.
Finally, God says, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” – ISAIAH 55:11.
Of the truth, the devil knows all these in detail.
Hence, he gets us distracted from evening touching the Bible or giving our undivided attention to listen to the word of God.
The Mass has various stages of sitting, standing, kneeling and walking all in a space of less than two hours.
Yet, some of us still get so bored that we either sleep through these stages or we fumble with our phones to get distracted.
Dear friend, it mustn’t be lost on us that as often as we permit ourselves to be distracted in church, it is the handiwork of the devil wanting us to distract from the good that he knows about but can no longer benefit of it.
In today’ teaching, the word of God tore through the king as it should also tear through us whenever we are attentive to it.
Then, as Christ said in today’s Gospel reading, we will begin to bear good fruits.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.
“Thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, . . . . . . . . . . . . For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” And that night the angel of the Lord went forth, and slew a hundred and eighty- five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians.”
Excerpt, First Reading Tuesday 25th June 2024 – 2 KINGS 19:9-11,14-21,31-35-36.
So, have we ever used this expression, “By a stroke of luck.”
Dear friend, that thing we called luck is not really so, but God doing it for us when we have reached our limit.
If during the recap of our day, God could avail us a vivid backup video of our day, showing what was, what wasn’t, and what we narrowly missed or missed us, then, we would most definitely be awed.
At the recount of narratives surrounding the bomb blast at Emab Plaza in Wuse 2, Abuja, someone said he was to go there that very afternoon.
Ordinarily, he would walk from his place around Mama Cass on the same Aminu Kano Crescent, as it is about a quarter of an hour casual trek and he usually walks there to and from.
However, the weather that day was dull and it affected his mood.
So, he crossed the road to get an ‘along’ taxi coming from Wuse Market to Banex. He waited for over a quarter of an hour. All such taxis that passed were filled.
Twice, he saw taxis who dropped a passenger at K-City Plaza junction.
He later changed his mind and crossed back over to the front of Mama Cass to take an ‘along’ to Wuse Market, get something there before proceeding to Emab Plaza.
Incidentally, immediately he crossed over to the other side of the road, he got an ‘along’ going to Wuse Market within the minute.
They have hardly reached Kryxtal Lounge which is just a stone throw from where he took the taxi, when the bomb went off.
News of the bomb blast went ahead of them. So, when they arrived Wuse Market, other ‘along’ drivers were already talking about it.
The driver of the ‘along’ he entered was dumbfounded because, the bomb went off around the unofficial taxi rank where he just departed from.
This narrator was more dumbfounded because, he would usually lull around that same taxi rank before entering the Plaza.
And, the timing of the blast and his supposed arrival were so accurate.
There many tales of similar nature, not just about the incident at Emab Plaza but others as well, both sad and otherwise.
Now, such unfought battles won for us that we are unaware could even be more than the known fought ones that we may have won or loss.
Nevertheless, to such, is the need and the efficacy of prayers.
Prayers for ourselves, for our children and other loved ones, as well as prayers for us by our parents and others.
It is the efficacy of our faith, hope and trust in God in prayers that usually save us from all known and unknown looming dangers.
However, we mustn’t go thinking that those times we were adversely affected or those who were involved in such dangers, was because we or them didn’t pray enough or at all.
No, it is not so, it just because God works in mysterious ways.
This, my dear friend, underscores even more the need for constant prayer.
In today’s teaching, King Hezekiah prayed and God took over his battle and fought for him.
Why not, even now, God is ready to do the same for us when we must have exhausted ourselves and have only Him to look unto.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
“And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all marvelled. And immediately his mouth was opened . . . . . . . . . . . .And fear came on all their neighbours. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea; and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Monday 24th June 2024 -LUKE 1:57-66.80.
So, as at the year 2022, the population of the world was approximately 8 billion people.
With this eight billion people in the world today, it means there are roughly sixteen billion human palms. Amazingly, there is no single pair of these palms that is identical, which means that every palm is unique.
Dear friend, do not just take my word for it, fact check me. Spread out your palms and examine them carefully and see for yourself if they are the same.
What is more amazing is that, from the creation of Adam and Eve up until now, no one knows even an estimated figure of the number of people that have passed through this world, not exempting those who were unfortunately aborted, it could be in trillions or more. Nevertheless, our palms still remain unique to us.
Now, my dear friend, that is how each of us are equally unique and uniquely born also.
Those neighbours of the Zechariahs who were amazed at the new born John and were wondering what he would turn out to be as well you and I were equally uniquely born.
The situation surrounding our births may not be as mysterious and dramatic as that of John-de-Baptist, it was nonetheless unique to us. It wasn’t even the same with our siblings’.
As it was with John-de-Baptist, so, it is with you and I. We all were created to accomplish a purpose.
To be fulfilled in this life, we must find that purpose, live it, and accomplish it.
Therefore, if John-de-Baptist could faithfully follow and accomplish his mission, we too, we can, so, we should.
Our purpose may not necessarily be as tortuous and grand as was with Christ Jesus.
It could be as simple as with John-de-Baptist who’s principal mission was to point out to the world and declare, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” – JOHN 1:29.
Today, as the Church marks the solemnity of the nativity of John-de-Baptist, the one thing we must take away from his life is humility.
Although, in this our world right now, humility is difficult, it is however achievable.
In our world now, most rich people deceptively lie and pretend to be poor and humble, while the poor deceptively lie and pretend to be rich. Sometimes, rich and humble.
Saint Augustine says the three things that will take one to heaven are, (1) Humility. (2) Humility & (3) Humility.
Have a fantastic rainy day and a fulfilled week ahead folks.
#SAINT_JOHN_DE_BAPTIST! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Friday 21st June 2024 – MATTHEW 6:19-23.
So, according to the story of creation of the world, this is what God after creating man in His image and likeness later have to say, and, I quote, “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” – GENESIS 6:3.
In like manner, in a latter part of the Holy Bible, another reference is made once again on the duration of man’s age, and once again, I quote, “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength, eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.” – PSALM 90:10.
The latter is that which seems most arduous even by merely hearing it.
Now, if Christ talks about laying up our treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed, it then implies that, heaven actually exists and such treasures would be valuable to us.
So, for those who still have confusion about the existence of heaven and hell, this comes as an evidence to dispel our doubts that they actually do exist.
Christ Jesus said he has gone to prepare a home for us where we will join him as co-heirs to spend our eternity.
Now, let’s just assume for the purpose of scientific accuracy that eternity could mean the same 120 years allotted for man on earth, would you want to spend your own in a repeat of your life now or life at the place where Christ said he has gone to prepare?
We may want to reflect on that while we enjoy the weekend.
Nevertheless, having established the fact that there is heaven, what then is meant by storing up treasures?
One may even be tempted to ask if it’s possible to acquire worldly treasures as well as store up treasures in heaven.
In the pursuit of acquisitions of this world like real estate, automobiles, jewelleries, wrist watches, liquor, etc, one may be so caught up in such avarices so much so that God may soon be consigned to one corner and forgotten there.
Moreover, is it not most of us with plenty of all these possessions that are yet most affected by high blood pressure?
Is it not we who mostly need sleep induced medications to sleep?
These are just some of the effects of concentrating on storing up treasures on earth.
The constant worries and concern for this and for that end up causing longer days and shorter nights.
Meanwhile, because of the constant overtime we must have subjected our mind and brain, even those shorter nights could be bereft of sleep, hence, we resort to sleep inducing medications.
Pretty soon, we will find ourselves abusing the medications as they seem not to have much effect on us again.
Then, we may soon start drinking strong spirits to assuage for the ineffectiveness of the sleep inducing pills.
Before we know it, it has become a lifestyle which would gradually degenerate to us having HBP.
Now, would we say it was the lack of sleep or the liquor taken with the sleeping pills that caused our ailment?
Of course not. One’s heart as said above in today’s teaching, is where one’s treasure is.
Nevertheless, one is not saying acquiring luxuries is not good and should be avoided. Far be it from that. It is never the presumption.
By all means, we should acquire and enjoy as much luxury as we can rightfully afford and as would make us happy.
However, it is when we eventually live our life for that instead of having such to compliment our life that it starts becoming a burden and a thing for concern.
Therefore, if we can set boundaries and strictly respect them, then it will be possible to have and enjoy our earthly treasures and still store up treasures for ourselves in heaven.
At all times, we must never allow ourselves to forget that things are meant to be used and people should be loved and not the other way round. Once we know this and keep it, of course, we can possibly have and do both.
When we live not only for ourselves but also for others, we are storing up treasures for ourselves in heaven.
So, my dear friend, live and lets live.
Folks, have a fantastic day and a pleasant weekend.
#SAINT_ALOYSIUS_GONZAGA! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.
“At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. . . . . . . . . . . .”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Thursday 20th June 2024 – MATTHEW 6:7-15.
So, some of us are faithful apostles of this assertion, “See it, take it and run away with it.”
In light of the above claim, some of us have practically adopted and have since been practising what we understood of this part of the Holy Bible, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. – MATTHEW 11:12.
It is therefore very common to hear some folks praying like this, “Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!”
We go ahead to say this word in sets, repeatedly.
Then, we will switch to the all time popular one, “Holy Ghost Fireeeeee! Fire! 15x. This we will continue in multiple sets.
Dear friend, just assuming one should approach you, requesting that you should talk to your boss on their behalf to sign the proposal they submitted to your office.
Then after saying this, the person would now go ahead and keep repeating the word, talk, talk, talk to the umpteenth time. After which they would switch to, “Your boss, boss, boss,, etc.
For goodness sake, wouldn’t one find that absurd and tiring?
If we that are mere mortals who give our attention to one thing at a time will still finds that absurd and tiring, talk less of God who has His attention on all the over 7 billion people in the world, not to talk about the fish in the water, birds in the air and the animals in the forest.
When, our friend approached us, the approach possibly went this way, “Good morning chairman. How do you do, I trust you had a good night rest. You obviously work really hard. Your boss is certainly blessed to have such a capable hand like you. I sincerely thank you for this privilege to have audience with you.
After all the pleasantries are over, as expected, the request will then be made.
Dear friend, the above is akin to the prayer taught by Christ in today’s teaching☝️above.
Prayer is a conversation between us who are praying and God Who is patiently listening to us. Would we want to wear Him away wit our verbal repetion?
By the way, assuming you are a father with many children. If one of them should approach you with a request to allow one of the siblings to die, just assuming you also have powers to take life.
No matter how much recalcitrant such sibling may be, what supposedly will be your reaction to such a request?
Now, that is same kind of position we put God into whenever we pray those our die, die, and fire, fire kind of prayer.
However, we have now been instructed on how to pray properly.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.
“At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Wednesday 19th June 2024 – MATTHEW 6:1-6. 16 – 18.
So, now that the economy has become so dire and the prices of ordinary food items are now rapidly rising, today’s teaching becomes quite apt.
The era we are in right now is that of giving or should be that of giving without counting the cost.
Once we are moved by the spirit to be generous to anyone or to any cause, we should yield to that spirit. It could be the Holy Spirit urging us on.
Sometimes we are prompted to be charitable to someone who appears neatly dressed but could be dissuaded by the supposed appearance of such a person.
Even such well dressed people could temporarily fall on unfortunate times. Their supposed appearance shouldn’t therefore count against them.
Although, more often than not, those who look good may not really need our charity. Nevertheless, if the spirit moves us to be generous to them, we must not hold back.
The good our generosity may do to them may not necessarily be in what was given but in the act of giving.
Then, there are others who are quite right very indigent and requires every little help that we can muster.
Nonetheless, whether we are able to help such people or not, they will not die of starvation. God has a way of taking care of His own.
Therefore, whenever we manage to give to such people, today’s teaching is saying that we must not go sounding it out to the world that if it were not for us, so-so-&-so-so person(s) would have since died of starvation.
Well, the world may get to hear us and praise us to the high heavens for our supposed generosity. However, Christ says, that will be all, nothing else.
A word is enough for the wise.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
“So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the Church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians.”
Excerpt, First Reading, Tuesday 11th June 2024 – ACTS 11:21b-26; 13.1-3.
So, in other translations of the Holy Bible, this Antioch was particularly called Antioch in Syria. It was a chief centre of early Christianity during Roman times.
The name Antioch means: stubborn, resistant, holding fast.
Sadly, in the year 526, between 28th and 29th May, a strong earthquake struck the city of Antioch and an estimated 250,000 people perished.
Nevertheless, the city is still in existence, but now in southern Turkey. However, it has been renamed to Antakya and the town is now predominantly Muslim.
As we may have already known, Adamawa State is a derivation from Adama. The name means, the people of Adama. So, also the label ‘christians’ from Christ.
This label of ‘christian’ was first used as a derogatory word. It was an insult. There was a movement of people who were following the way of Christ, and they were growing. Therefore, the idol worshippers chose to refer to them as, ‘the Christ people’ hence the reference was shortened to ‘christians’.
This is very much like the moniker prevalent on the political scene in Nigeria now.
Where we have the likes of ATIKUkates, BATists, OBIdients, Kwankwasiya, etc. All representing Atiku Abubakar, Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankaso respectively.
Nevertheless, derogatory or not, if they saints or disciples (as they called themselves then) hadn’t acted and behaved like Jesus Christ, they wouldn’t have been so christened.
Dear friend, it is better folks christen as ‘mgbeke’, ‘holy-holy’, pastor, than one should be called devil’s advocate, traitor, talkative, ‘telephone-without-wire, etc.
Like Saint Barnabas, we too, must shape our ways so that such descriptions as used for him – “A good man, who is full of the Holy Spirit” would some day be used to describe us or make reference to us.
Have a fantastic day folks.
#SAINT_BARNABAS! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
“Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Monday 10th June 2024 – MATTHEW 5:1-12.
So, Scripture scholars have posited that they expression, “Poor in spirit” means those who in word, in deed and in truth have renounced material wealth and have focused on God Almighty.
Some of us are so destitute that we have been passing the nights sleeping under the shed in front of the market on the bare floor or on torn cartons.
Others not so different, however, more privileged, have a place under the bridge where they sleep.
The more endowed among us have actual roofs over our head.
It really doesn’t matter if we live in thatched or concrete houses, it is sufficient that we have roof over our head and a place to come to and sleep peacefully.
Then there are those of is who live in palatial homes with almost every trapping of wealth and luxury completely available.
However, there is a common decimal recurring among all of us that dwell in all of these places.
The common thing is, once we lay down our head, we sleep soundly until at dawn.
Nevertheless, there are however some little differences between the seemingly destitute and those who dwell under a roof.
While some of us who have a comfortable bed and guards at our gate to ensure our safety while we sleep, we yet still need sleep inducing medications or other enhancing substances to induce sleep.
Meanwhile, the seemingly destitute or those in very less comfortable abodes just drift to sleep once we lay down our head.
Again, those of us in luxurious abodes more often, have bedside alarm clocks to wake us up at dawn, whereas, a good majority of us have never had the need to use any of such.
Now, have we noticed a trend or occurrence among the classes of people?
The more unattached to wealth or the less wealthy one is, the better the life or strain on life or stressful is life and vice versa.
The man who sleeps in luxury requires money to buy sleep inducing medications, pay guards to mount his gate and buy alarm clock to wake him.
So, Jesus’s teaching that heaven is for the poor in spirit, is only a background to further teachings stating that, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” – LUKE 18:25.
We mustn’t get this twisted, God is not against having wealth, neither is he against those who are rich. As a matter of fact, God is the giver of wealth.
God is only concerned about we turning to the wealth He permitted us to have for security instead of relying on Him.
Sometimes, it is also how we were able to get such riches that could also get us to becoming docile to the assured protection from God.
Now, if one were to be God, won’t we deem it treacherous if that same who slept on the bare floor and relied completely on God for everything eventually grows to become that person in a palatial house who now relies on his money to buy him sleep and safety, and waking up?
Now, the difference between these two kinds of personality may not necessarily be the riches, but probably how they were acquired.
And that, my dear friend, is God’s concern.
We must be wealthy, but ensure that we are also poor in spirit rather than become rich at all cost for temporal luxury in this world and lose the Kingdom of Heaven.
Have a fantastic day and a fulfilled week ahead folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! ##Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.
