A WORD FOR TODAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2022

*A WORD FOR TODAY*

*RISE, RETURN TO GOD AND YOU WILL FIND MERCY*

_"But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;"(Luke 15:17-18)_

_*It is a reality of life that sometimes as we navigate through the various hurdles and challenges that life presents, we fall at different times. These falls could be as a result of the decisions we make and at other times as a result of what others have done to us and in most cases as a result of our inability to let God lead the way.*_

*GOD IS HOLY AND MERCIFUL*

_The readings of today tell us a lot about God and How He treats us and relates with us as His children. He is a holy God who wants His children to be holy, but He is also a merciful God who shows us mercy when we acknowledge our sins, repent of them and come back to Him._

*SIN IS AN OFFENCE AGAINST GOD*

_*In the first reading of today from the book of Exodus we see how the people of Israel offended God through idol worship and He was to punish them greatly, but Moses interceded for them and the Lord forgave their sins and showed them mercy. We learn from this story to constantly help those who are weak to become strong and to pray for God's mercy and forgiveness for those who may have gone astray instead of gossiping and castigating them. Moses stood in the gap for the people and this is an attitude we must imbibe as followers of Christ.*_

*MAKE EFFORT TO RISE*

_To fall into sin is not good, but it becomes worse when you fail to acknowledge that you have fallen and make sincere effort to rise from where you have fallen and return back to God. If you are strong, do not laugh at those who are weak, instead, stand in the gap for them and help them to overcome their weakness and become strong like you too._

*GOD'S MERCY SAVED US*

_*St. Paul in the second reading of today acknowledged that the Lord showed him mercy, forgave his sins and made him a vessel for proclamation of the gospel. For this he was grateful and never took the Lord's mercy for granted. He accepted the new life in Christ and never looked back.*_

*GOD’S MERCY IS SUPREME*

_God's mercy and love is supreme and we must constantly seek for it, because it is the only thing that can save us from eternal damnation. Sin destroys, but if we acknowledge our failing and ask for pardon, we shall be forgiven and saved._

*RISE AND RETURN BACK TO GOD*

_*The prodigal son in the gospel reading came back to his senses and he made a movement back to his father. He told himself the truth and he asked his father to take him back. The father was happy that his son has come back. God and heaven is happy when we turn away from sin and seek the way of righteousness.*_

*GO TO CONFESSION AND CLEAN YOURSELF UP*

_You may have drifted far away from God because of your weakness and selfish desire. You may have been terribly wounded in your soul because of the gravity of the sins you have committed. You may have flirted with the devil in idol worship. You may have lost your connection to God and you have fallen flat and there is no drive in you to seek to rise again. The message of the gospel reading of today is for you, no matter how far you have gone astray, no matter how grave you have been broken and wounded, no matter how dirty you have become, God's mercy and love is supreme and can heal and restore you. All you need to do is to rise and return to the Father through the sacrament of confession. Acknowledge your sin, confess your sins and you will be forgiven by God and you start afresh and keep moving towards your heavenly homeland._

*DELAY NO MORE*

_*Why die in sin when you have a God who is ready to help you and save you. Come to Him today, pour out your sin to Him, be truthful and you will be renewed in your heart. Do not remain where you have fallen, God is loving and He is waiting for you to come back, delay no more, take bold step today and go and see a priest for confession. If you have fallen twenty times, rise up twenty times and God will show you mercy and welcome you.*_

*HELP OTHERS TO RISE ALSO*
_Like God and Moses we must show sympathy to sinners and see how we can help them to overcome their weakness and become better. We must not be sad when a sinner repents and returns back to God, instead, it should give us joy, because that is what the Lord wants. God loves the sinner, but hates tye sin. We must also strive everyday to resist the things that are tempting us to leave God and follow the way of evil, if we do, we will not sin, but incase we fall, let us not waste anytime to rise and return back to God._

_*Good morning dearest one. Smile😊as you begin your day and do have a beautiful Sunday. May Jesus give us the grace to rise from our sins and return back to Him so that we shall find mercy and be saved. Amen. And may the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen*_

*Meditation:* Exodus 32:7-11,13-14/Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,17,19/1 Timothy 1:12-17/Luke 15:1-32

*Watch-Word:* I will arise and go to my Father.

_*God is love and His mercy endures forever. Come back to Him today and you will find the mercy you seek.*_

(Twenty-fourth Sunday in the ordinary time. Year II)

*© Rev. Fr. Augustine Eleke*