A WORD FOR TODAY 29 AUGUST 2022

*A WORD FOR TODAY*

*SPEAK THE TRUTH AND BE READY TO DIE FOR IT*

_"For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. And Hero′di-as had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe."(Mark 6:18-20)_

_*Today the Church celebrates the martyrdom of John the baptist, the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was killed because he spoke the truth to the king. They killed him truly, but the the truth he spoke was never killed nor destroyed, it remained the truth.*_

_St. John was a holy man who knew why he came and stayed through to his calling. He was brought up by his holy parents and was taughtbthe way of God from infancy and as he grew up he never departed from it._

_*In the first reading of today we see how the prophet Jeremiah was instructed by the Lord to speak the truth to the people without fear and he did as instructed. He told him that thry will fight against him, but he should not be troubled because He will be with him and they will not destroy him.*_

_John the Baptist also spoke the truth as Jeremiah did as we have recorded in the gospel of today. The truth was bitter in the ears of Herod and his wife Herodias and they eventually killed him to destroy the truth, but that was not to be the case, because the truth lived on after John was killed._

_*People can hate you because you tell them the truth, speak the truth anyways. People will stop being your friend when you tell them the truth, speak the truth anyways. People will cease to help you because you tell them the truth, speak it anyways without fear. They may even threaten you with persecution, incarceration and death, speak the truth anyways. Truth is bitter, but it is life for those who accept it.*_

_The world loves you when you tell lies, but as followers of Christ we must speak the truth and stand by it, because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and when we say the truth we shall be set free from the guilt in our conscience for not speaking when things are going wrong._

_*Like John the Baptist, we are called to courageously witness for Christ everyday. We must not be afraid of rejection, persecution and death. We must speak the truth, stand by it and also be ready to lay down our lives for it. In this way we will be able to see God face to face on the last day. We should never be afraid of those who strive everyday to tie our lips so that we don't speak the truth, we must never compromise, instead, we should speak the truth and be ready to pour out our blood for it. God will stand by us and with us and He will defend us when the enemies of the truth plot to destroy us.*_

_Good morning dearest one. Smile😊as you do your work and do have a lovely day and a blessed new week. May Jesus give you the grace to speak the truth always without fear. Amen. *And may the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.*_

*Meditation:* Jeremiah 1:17-19/Psalm 71:1-6,15,17/Mark 6:17-29

*Watch-Word:* Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

*God will stand by you when you speak the truth. Do not be afraid to say what His word has instructed you to say.*

(Monday of the twenty-Second week in the ordinary time.)

*© Rev. Fr. Augustine Eleke*