THE LEGACY OF JESUS

Parents always advice their children and want them to be good in life. Any child who is seen not to be doing well in life especially in terms of morals and character, is usually a dsgrace to the parents who people blame for not bringing up their children in the right manner. Some parents spend hours to instruct their children who are to travel fir work or to go to a boarding school on how to behave and do better in life. Those who are at their death bed and those who are old are also known for always giving advice to the younger ones and all those who come around them.

The gospel reading of today presents the last instruction of Jesus to his disciples before he was condemned to death. It is a legacy of love. Jesus tells them that it is only when they love that they will be regarded as his apostles, just as children from good homes are easily known by the way they behave. 

As we see in the first reading of today, Paul and Barnabas carried on this legacy of love as they travelled round the known world where the apostles had preached the word of God, to console and encourage all the Christians there. They did this, despite all the persecutions and opposition they were passing through.  This shows that the legacy of Jesus is not an easy one. 

The second reading reassures us that though it is difficult to carry out the legacy of Jesus, we are assured that it will lead us to eternal life, where we shall embrace a new heaven and earth, where there will be no trials and tribulations, where God will wipe away every tears from our eyes, no more death, no mourning, no sadness and sorrow. We all can be part of this by witnessing to the legacy of Jesus. 

*Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP.*