Follow The Path Of The Lord

Gen. 13:2, 5-18 & Mt. 7:6,12-14

Some people make it their rule of life to look after number one because as they will tell you, if they don’t, then nobody else will. Abraham was not of that mind. When his herdsmen and those of his nephew Lot quarrelled over grazing rights for their flocks, he allowed Lot to take his choice of the richer portion of the land.

Lot seemed to have got the better deal but God had other greater plans for Abraham and He showed Abraham that his descendants would possess something better, the entire land of Canaan. Abraham's actions were in accord with the teaching of Jesus in the Gospel. "Always treat others as you would like them to treat you”. How many people are really willing to behave like this?

Practically everything in our society is based on the idea that you must look out for yourself. We are told it is weak and foolish not to be assertive and stick up for our rights, and not to let anyone take advantage over us. Sin makes us selfish, turning the focus of life upon ourselves.

Jesus also tells us in the Gospel to enter by the narrow gate. This is Jesus’ way of saying that the road that leads to Heaven is not easy. Jesus also expressed it another way. “You cannot be My follower unless you take up your cross daily and follow Me.” One of our Capuchin saints had his own interpretation of Jesus’ words, “Don’t expect to get to Heaven in a taxi.” It is the narrow and hard way that leads to everlasting life and there are not many who walk it.

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us get to Heaven through the narrow gate, to carry our cross daily and follow Jesus, our Leader. To keep persevering with our prayers and good works because our arch enemy Satan wants us to abandon the good we do and walk through the broad gate.

Lord Jesus let us have the mind of Abraham. If we are generous God will always look after us. We will never be losers for we know that God is never outdone in generosity.