It is 28th February 2019. The readings are from Sirach 5:1-8; and the Gospel from Mark 9:41-50. In everyone’s life, there is someone or something that delays our returning to the Lord. When heart is mortgaged for money, our souls are caged in sinfulness. A drop of sin can attract the rain of sins in our life. From money comes all sins. It is through money, at times we become insensitive, insecure, impatient, indifferent, independent, indecent, imprudent, imposter, important and immature. Money satisfies nothing of the soul yet it aggregates the hunger for more in the heart. To do good and right, we do not require money. Even God is silenced and side-lined by the arrival and accumulation of money. Money offers more room for sins and the courage to be sinful constantly. A false sense of security and power grips in when we have more money in our pockets. Money delays our coming back to the Lord. The first reading invites us to return to the Lord as early as possible. Nothing in our life undermine the importance of God in our life. It is time now to settle all our accounts of sin by a sincere confession. There is no guarantee of God’s forgiveness to those who have chosen to be evil, selfish, sinful for the rest of the life. Self-sufficiency is found in God and God alone not in the pleasures and material wealth of the world. The responsorial Psalm praises, “Happy the person who has placed the trust in the Lord.” (Ps.39:5). The Gospel instructs us that whatever that is obstructing us to come closer to the Lord needs to be dealt with. Most of all we ourselves and the parts of our bodies have become the biggest enemies of our souls in doing and saying things that makes us to be unjust to those who are vulnerable in our communities. Charity becomes so difficult virtue to emulate in our life when we are allowing ourselves to abuse the weakest members of our communities. Charity is the surest way to come closer to God and to reach Heaven. Whatever is necessary to our life need not be sinless. Freedom demands and expects us to be responsible. Is my life and family holy? “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.” (Mark 9:50). May you have a good day. May God bless you.