DAY XI: FOCUS ON JESUS (3) – JN. 21:15-19

“This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him” Mt. 17:5.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” Jn. 6:68.

“Who are you listening to?”
We must be very careful on  whom we listen to in our journey of faith especially on our desire to be holy like the Lord. We need to test the voices and the spirits around us (cf. 1 Jn. 4:1-3) by confronting them with the CROSS – the power of God’s sacrificial love for us (cf. Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 1:18). The CROSS the only way to God’s holiness and glory (cf. Jn 14:6; Phil. 2:6-11).

Honestly, note that the voice(s) that would not want you to thread the same path of sufferings with Jesus can never lead you to your glory in God and must not be trusted. Those voices are louder these days and are everywhere around us. But listen and listen very carefully you will hear the still voice of the Lord calling as always (cf. 1 Kn. 19:11-13).  Follow him.

Abraham heard and followed with faith patiently and sacrificially for 25years before he could reap of the covenantal glory in Isaac, whom the Lord demanded again as a sacrifice 12years later. He never failed, very willing to make the sacrifice all over again, all for God (cf. Gen. 22).
In this man Abraham we (Christians) all claim his blessings on ourselves everyday in the mornings and in the evenings but none, absolutely none had claimed his sacrificial patience sufferings where in lies his glory and blessings. He listened to the Lord, are you?

Before saying feed and tend my sheep and lambs, Jesus asked Peter three times: “DO YOU LOVE ME?” A very personal question, a discomforting one, one that saddened Peter (Jn. 21:17). Yes the question was person but one that indicated in a very concrete way to Peter that without Him, he can do absolutely nothing (Jn. 15:5). Invariably Jesus says focus only on me for in me would you have the strength to feed and tend my sheep and lambs. Then the invitation”follow me” (Jn. 21:19); just you (cf. v. 22). On your own you are bound to fall.

Jesus to St. Faustina: “The cause of your falls is that you rely too much upon yourself and too little on Me (1488). You must know that on your own, you can do nothing (639). You are not even capable of receiving my graces without my help (738).

My most sweet and adorable Jesus, you know that I am very weak please do not leave me alone. I will just die along the way and the enemy of my soul will just snatch me away. So I ask you dear Jesus to stand by me constantly. May I lean on your grace, sweetest saviour, so that I may not fall continuously on the same errors; and if I fall, help me rise and glorify your mercy. Amen.

Sing prayerfully with the songs: “Give me grace to follow” and “I depend only on you King of glory, I depend only on You, Lion of Judah.” Pray too with St. Pio’s “Stay with me, Lord.” For today, study the 13th chapter of the book of the prophet Jeremiah.
SHEPHERD ME O LORD, BEYOND MY STRENGTH.

By Fr. Charles Emore

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *