KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST OR KNOWLEDGE VANITIES? - 9/22/22 (Thursday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time)

Luke 9:9

But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him. 

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092222.cfm

Blessed Thursday! God is our refuge. He always desires for us to come to Him and for us to love Him because He knows that this is what is best for us. Our Lord knows that by resting in Him, we will obtain the strength from God to face all the trials and remain firm in our faith. But, God is also aware of those who are far from Him spiritually. Because of His goodness, He still calls them and invites them despite all of their sins in the past. One example is King Herod. King Herod was guilty of adultery, besides other sins. And, he was the one who also beheaded St. John the Baptist. Due to the goodness of our Lord, He inspired Herod to be more curious on Him. 

Of course, we cannot say with absolute and complete certainty where Herod is now. Did he repent at the end of his life and is in heaven? Or, not surprisingly, did he also fall to hell? What we knew was that even after this event, it was not recorded that King Herod had a conversion. He even befriended Pilate during the time that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. Why did he stop seeking Jesus? Why did he just remain with natural curiosity and continue with his sinful ways? One reason may be his attachments to vanities. He was content with his riches, with the satisfaction he got from adultery, and with his power. Because of his deep attachments, it became difficult for him to be a follower of our Savior. 

Like King Herod, we may also fall to the trap of vanities. Some of us may be giving our full effort on our jobs and money to the point that we may have neglected our prayer time. In some families, faith in God was not deeply instilled, both in the teachings of the parents and their examples, even from a young age of the children which became one of the reasons why they lacked devotion as they grew older. In modern culture, worldly success has become the main purpose in life. But, all of these are vanities. How will these things help us, especially at the last moments of our life here on earth, if we depend on these things rather than on God who gave all the blessings to us? And yet, God's mercy is inexhaustible. When Jesus inspired King Herod to know Him more, it's because it's possible for Herod to change. The same is true for us. 

No matter how we have neglected God before, He is constantly inviting us and speaking to us in our conscience. He is drawing us to Himself because He knows that He alone can grant us true happiness and everlasting peace. Unlike King Herod, we need to persevere in knowing Christ and loving Him even more. We can do this by having more time in our prayers. Before and after doing an activity, study or work, it is pleasing to God if we use some of our time to pray and beg for His guidance. Instead of immediately seeking satisfaction from social media and gadgets, it may be better for us to have a scheduled time that balances our prayer and work and be firm in the schedule as we consult God in discerning our schedule. Sometimes, we can be affected by the numerous worldly things in our mind. As such, it will be helpful if we practice to have an interior picture, an imagination of Jesus in our minds as we pray if we find it difficult to concentrate. Besides this, for parents, there is a link of a YouTube video below this reflection which shows how parents can help in the faith of their children, particularly through the sacrament of Confession, Adoration, Rosary and Eucharist or Mass. Let's reject the knowledge of vanities and seek the knowledge of Christ because He will take away from our hearts our fears and bring us to the light of His truth. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Amazing Testimony on Rosary:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FFyRwJBExMk