“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men; . . . . . . . . . . ..Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Friday 12th July 2024 – MATTHEW 10: 16-23.
So, should we all just step aside and watch as our society drift away to the abyss or we too, will jump on to the bandwagon so as not to be left out high and dry?
In some supposedly advanced societies, religion and prayer as well as anything that has the tiniest religious connotation or has to do with God is now restricted in public schools as well as other public institutions and all other public spaces.
For what reason one may ask? As they put it, “Just so as not to hurt the sensibilities of others.”
Pressing further, one may yet be compelled to ask again, “Who are these others?”
Well, the people who stipulated such restrictions and are enforcing them know best whom these others may be.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that while you and I know and are very aware of two sex, which are male and female, these authorities who are supposedly careful not to hurt the sensibilities of ‘these others’ in some kind of a wield conclusion, recognise twelve different kind of genders.
Notwithstanding, we are aware that on very rare occurrence, there would be some who are caught in between the two genders.
Even with that, we already know that severally, there have been successful corrective surgeries so that such people are free to choose the gender they want to permanently remain with.
During the time of propagation of the Gospel by the Apostles, their offense was openly preaching to people in public spaces.
Their penalty then was arrest, imprisonment and sometimes execution.
Happening in our world today, especially in the supposedly advanced societies, the acts of the Apostles is still frowned at, it is has yet not become as punitive as it was at the time of the Apostles.
Nevertheless, there are yet some subtle hindrances and prohibitions carried out by the same enforcers because they do not want to offend the sensibilities of others. And while at their enforcement, they yet offend the sensibilities of those so restricted and gradually alienating their feelings.
This subtle alienation has now gone on so much that in such societies, the Christian celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is no longer officially referred to by its name Christmas by those in office.
Now, the name Christmas has suddenly become offensive. Yet, the people so offended by the word Christmas also celebrate the Christmas that offends them.
The beautiful celebration of hoisting and lighting a Christmas tree is offensive to these people, so, that, too, they seek to prohibit it in public spaces.
Yet, they go to the stores, buy gifts, wrap them and send to family and friends for the sake of the celebration of Christmas.
Is something then not wrong with humanity?
When one wears a religious item like medals, rosaries, scapula, etc, on their body, some law enforcement may want to challenge them to make such items less visible to the public just so as not to supposedly offend some people.
Then, one may ask, is the person so harassed so unfeeling that they, too, wouldn’t have their feelings hurt, therefore, be so offended also?
Or could it be that the supposed offended people are different kind of humans?
At public functions as well as at the airport, one wearing a shirt with bold inscriptions : I SUPPORT LGBTQ would be proudly given the right of way. Another person wearing a shirt with the inscriptions: I LOVE JESUS CHRIST, or one wearing a shirt with the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary would be either harassed to cover such inscriptions or image or shielded away from press cameras.
That is our kind of world in today’s day.
Something definitely is not right.
Nevertheless, while the objects, inscriptions and images would be restricted and prohibited, whom and what we are cannot be tempered with no matter how much the decadence of the world.
Therefore, from our fruits, we should strive to defeat this kind of world.
Dear friend, although, it is sometimes quite attractive to feign ignorance and join the fray, but unfortunately, that has it consequences.
However, Jesus Christ in today’s teaching says, “But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
Therefore, for those of us still braving the odds, we have a consolation for our present predicament.
Folks, have a fantastic day and a pleasant weekend.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo.