DO NOT FEAR WHEN THEY PLAN EVIL AGAINST YOU

Life could be very interesting when you are doing what you know is right and do not listen to what people are saying about you. There are many secret enemies around who hate you not because you have done something wrong to them, but because your good life is a threat to them. 

In the first reading of today, we see how Jeremiah describes the life of a just man like a sheep led to slaughter. Sheep trust their owners even when they are being led to the slaughter. People dine and wine with you, but you can never tell what is in their mind.

 Nevertheless, Jeremiah tells us today that he was never afraid of his enemies because he knows that God is always on the side of the just and those who do his will.

We see the same scenario in the gospel reading. Many people were discussing about Jesus behind him as to whether he was a prophet or the Christ, where he came from and why he was commanding much crowd. Some wondered why he was still alive, and the police met the scribes and pharisees to inquire why he had not been arrested and persecuted. All these were discussed behind Jesus and they all plotted against him. 

The fact that their plan to arrest and kill Jesus came to pass is because he willingly decided to die for our sins. We therefore do not need to be afraid or suspicious of those around us when we are doing what is right. Psalm 34:19, tells us that many are the trials of the just, but from them all, the Lord will deliver them. May the Lord deliver us from every troubling situations. Amen 

*Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP*