From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2013
In today’s first reading taken from Hb 1:2-3; 2:2-4 Prophet Habakkuk condemns political intrigue and idolatry. The prophet is arguing with God about this state of affairs—why should God allow these things to happen? God tells him, he has prepared a severe punishment for Judah and its wicked inhabitants but the just will be saved.
Habakkuk is not talking of the use of statues, relics, and other articles as our Catholic friends and family members have been indoctrinated to believe that the use of statues, relics, and other articles is acceptable and even necessary for worship. These images and icons are used in the church not actually “worshiped” but are simply “visual aids” to worship.
The idolatry Habakkuk is talking of here has at its core the three lusts found in 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
In the Bible to be idolatrous or worship idol is to believe in witchcraft or hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions. Use of strange powers, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings.
It is also identified with drug use and casting spells, hate, losing your temper, conflict, involvement with the occult, factionalism, intrigue, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people.
When people are afflicted by such misfortunes as ill-health, poverty, unemployment, infertility and poor crops, instead of seeking earthly solutions, instead want spiritual intervention.
Our hearts and minds must be centered on God and on others. This is why when asked what is the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). When we love the Lord and others with everything that is in us, there will be no room in our hearts for idolatry.
If we take care and companionship to the lonely, especially the elderly create system that can enable young people to get employments, to change a global economic system that puts people in hardship and miserable life.
The second reading is from 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14. In it Paul is encouraging Timothy the need to continue preaching and preserving the faith which he had learned from his father-in-Christ. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord. You should bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
Paul exhorts Christians to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The main reason why so many Christians struggle with a lack of faith is because we follow our perceptions of what is true rather than what we know to be true by faith.
Faith is not belief without proof, or belief despite the evidence, rather faith is a complete trust or confidence in someone or something. That trust or confidence we have in someone is built up over time as they prove themselves faithful time and time again.
The Gospel is taken from Lk 17:5-10. It tells of the story where the apostles said to the Lord to increase their faith. The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Scriptures about faith teach us to hold our faith in Jesus Christ in hope for eternal life. The scriptures also tell us to put our faith in action and to share faith with others. This is because as Paul tells us in Rom. 10:10, faith is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment.” It is love that opens the eyes of the mind.
Yet most of us are inclined to forget God and his providence when our earthly affairs are going well. How often do we thank him when we are enjoying good health, and when our home-life and business are going smoothly?
In most cases it is only when a storm arises in our lives that we think of God and prayer. Jesus wants us to have faith all the times, whether we are in good health, terrorist attacks, rich or poor.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002