7th Sunday of Easter Year B. By Tobe Eze

      Attention reduces attention. Tobe Eze.

7th Sunday of Easter Year B.

FIRST READING
Acts 1:15—17, 20a, 20c—26

SECOND READING
1 John 4:11—16

GOSPEL
John 17:11b—19

THEME: REMAIN STEADFAST.

A certain rich man wanted to help a poor man who lives beside his house. He called the poor man who was living in an open roof house to come and leave in his boys’ quarter. He promised him that he will reconstruct or renovate his house for him. The poor man gladly came to the house and was living with everything being provided for him by the servants of the rich man. He was enjoying himself to the full. People who knew him before were surprised to see the man transformed into another person all together. The rich man, came back one day and was telling them how he escaped kidnappers and they all thanked God. He warned his house hold to know the type and caliber of men and women they welcome in his house for his own safety. They all echoed like the Israelites on the mountain, all that you said, we shall do. That poor man living now as a rich man went out one day, some men approached him telling him that he can be as rich as the man he is living in his house or even more than him. He was interested in the game and was asking more questions. They told him that the only way they can tell him is if he will open the gate of that man by 08:00pm that night for them to come and follow them eat and drink as he enjoys. He sheepishly agreed. By 08:00pm that night he went and opened the gate and he was surrendered with gun. The rich man was kidnapped. When he was released, it came to him that that poor fellow was the one who opened the gate for them on agreement. He was angry with him and jailed him for the crime of kidnapping and that was how he lost all that was promised to him. The rich man went and did that to the person who gave him the information on how he was kidnapped. Continue Reading.........................

The story above has summarized the three readings of today. In the first reading, Peter as the head of the apostles following the adage that says, Nature abhors vacuum, told the other apostles that they will fulfill what is written in the scripture, his position, another should take (Psalm 109:8). The position that should be taken has conditions for that and that condition came out properly in the theme of this reflection. The one who has remained steadfast from the baptism of John till the ascension. It is not meant for every passersby to take that position but the one who remained steadfast till the end.

The second reading still on the issue is talking about remaining steadfast in the love of God. God himself is love and he who loves abides in him and he abides in the person. He wants us to love till the end no matter the situation. The love is not only the horizontal or only the vertical love rather combination of the two to make it cross like love. That do not complain like as St. Paul talked in 1Cor. 13:4-8.

When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. These words of Jesus in the gospel is to show that anyone who leaves the track has lost many thing and he will be called the son of destruction. We are to remain with and in him so that his joy and our joy may be complete as he prayed. He prayed for those who remained with him till the end.

The question now is, are we still with him? If yes, we should continue but if no, there is still time for us to come back. Peter left him by denying him but latter came back. Thomas left by refusing to accept his resurrection till he sees the openings but latter came back. Our own cannot be different. Let us not allow another to take our position as Mathias has taken that of Judas Iscariot. Let us remain steadfast and maintain our position and it will never be taken from us. THANKS AND HAPPY SUNDAY.