Tuesday of 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Yr. II: Reflection

Theme: Look at God’s patience as opportunity he is giving you to be saved. (2Pet 3:15)

Reading: 2Pet 3:12–15a,17–18

People frequently boast about their intelligence and smartness after doing something wrong and evading punishment. Such people often go home to re-strategize for another occasion.

While it is true that God has endowed us with higher intelligence and that we often use it both positively and negatively, St. Peter cautions us not to count our apparent successes when we applied our intelligence negatively as a reflection of our own brilliance but rather as a sign of God’s patience and tolerance for us and His gift of a chance to use our intelligence for good in subsequent times.

Peter reminded his audience in today’s first reading that the day of the Lord — the last day — will come to people when they least expected it. Thus, he advised that the best way to wait for that day is to be pure and faultless in God’s eyes and at peace with Him, rather than by misusing the abilities and gifts that God has given us in the name of intelligence and smartness.

Dear friends, have you been thinking that the many times you escaped justice were due to your intelligence or smartness in dealing with others or in handling issues? Peter says you are wrong. So, every justice evaded is an opportunity provided by God to do things right the next time. Failure to seize such opportunities can be costly because they do not always come.

May God’s blessings and favours be abundant for you as you embark on the activities of this Tuesday. Amen

Fr Isaac Chima