26 November, Thursday — Injustice could attract vengeance; and what comes first are warnings

Thursday of Week 34 in Ordinary Time

Apo 18:1-2,21-23;19:1-3,9
Lk 21:20-28

“For this is the time of vengeance when all tthat scripture says must be fulfilled.”

In many lessons in the Bible, we have seen that vengeance — God’s anger and punishments that befell the people as a result of sin, rebellion and transgressions — were predicted and prophesized, and they came following warnings. We have them in Jeremiah 5:9; Deuteronomy 32:41;  Isaiah 1:24, etc. It is clear that God’s nature cannot be understood by any human being; He is overwhelmingly great, He is the God of love, the God of forgiveness, God of mercy and God of grace, but He is also a God of vengeance — “O Lord, thou God of vengeance, thou God of vengeance, shine forth” – Ps 94:1. It means that God sees everything and takes His time to punish wrongdoers who are given opportunities to repent through due warnings. Leaders who are trampling their people, who fool their people and take advantage of their vulnerability to exploit and cheat them; leaders who are infected by corruption viruses, milk and cart away the common good of the people have dangers awaiting them. Wicked leaders may fool their people, but they cannot fool God because if not now, it be will be later that “He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for  their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out” — Psalm 94:23.

Recently in Nigeria, mental and social pains and frustrations were converted into massive protests by the youths in Nigeria as a result of what was perceived as anger against police brutality, it was tagged #endsars, #endpolicebrutality. The protests snowballed into anger against the rulers, the establishment and some leaders in the country who were considered as corruption pipelines. There was good sense in the understanding of the protests because injustice could attract vengeance; and naturally what comes first are warnings. The spread of the protests, the enormity of the destruction and losses that trailed them presented timely warnings because the people’s spirits were crying for justice and vengeance. This was the common interpretation given to the cry of the Nigerian youths. People in authority and leadership must be very careful because vengeance ordained by God could come from the drive of the people’s will.

(Today’s Oxygen by Julius Otusorochukwu Dike, KSJI, JP)

Prayer: Our Father and Our Lord in heaven, guide our leaders to show loyalty to you in leading their people. May they have your fear in mind as leaders. Raise worthy leaders among us who will do your will and guide the society through the path of peace for the common good of the people here on earth. We pray for your guidance, Amen.

Thanksgiving:  Our Father in Heaven, we thank you for granting us a listening spirit in guiding our people, particularly our youths. Continue to guide our leaders in their strive to serve humanity with your fear. We thank you for granting us this desire, Amen.