Monday of the 34th week in ordinary time year A
Daniel 1:1-6.8-20 Luke 21:1-14
Theme: Faithful God
In the 1st reading of today, from the Book of the prophet Daniel, we see the faithfulness of God towards all those who have faith in him. This is seen in the position that was taken by Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They had faith that God will not disappoint them, because they have opted to stand for God instead of obeying the king, by eating the rich food and wine he presented to the young men. At the end of it all, Daniel and his companions came out better than all the others who ate the rich food and drink of the king. They had no fear or doubt that they would be detected by the king if they don’t look like the others. This shows us that God never disappoints all those who have faith and trust in him, especially in difficult moments as encountered by Daniel and his companions.
All of us as children of God, has a lot to learn from the type of faith that was shown by these young men, even when they knew the implication of the action they have chosen. One thing that is very clear from todays 1st reading is the fact that God will never fail or disappoint you in that present challenge you are going through in your life. No wonder the word of God said that if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will give command and things will begin to happen. It is easy for us to say we have faith in God when things are going well for us or manageable. But the true test of our faith is seen when we find ourselves in difficult situations that overwhelm us as individuals. Just like in the case of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, will you remain firm and trust in God, or you will begin to doubt and move from place to place in search of solution to your problems? The 1st reading of today is encouraging us to stand firm and trust in God at such moments, because he will never fail or disappoint you. Remember, you serve a faithful God that is tested and trusted.
In the gospel reading of today from St. Luke, we are presented with the story of the widow’s mite. A story that encourages us to make selfless sacrifice for the good of our sisters and brothers. This is very important in our practice of Christianity. The widow did not give out of the abundance she had, rather she gave everything she had, that is the height of faith. We all need to pray for the grace of faith in our lives, it will go a long way towards helping us to be true followers of Christ. May the good Lord continue to always strengthen our faith, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.