Thursday of the 3rd Week of Lent
Jer 7:23-28
Lk 11:14-23
Whoever is not with me is against me.
A Fill or Kill (FOK) order is a type of instruction used in stock trading that requires an order to be executed in its entirety, or not at all. It prevents partial fills, ensuring the buyer or seller only transacts if the full volume is available. FOK orders remain active until filled or cancelled. So, it is a situation where one must accept everything offered or reject it entirely, with no middle ground.
Similarly, today’s Gospel challenges us to choose sides in the spiritual battle between God’s Kingdom and evil. When Jesus heals a mute man, critics wrongly accuse him of using demonic power. Jesus reveals that a divided kingdom cannot stand, proving his power is from God, and demands complete allegiance, declaring that one is either with Him or against Him. This leaves no room for lukewarm faith. We must be active in gathering with Him, or we are scattering. The passage assures that Jesus is stronger than any evil force, capable of overcoming any obstacle in our lives.
As we grow older, we tend to become less sure of the outcome we desire and so, we are not as firm or resolute in achieving the outcome. It is very different for many children, and I notice that in my son, L
L is a very determined and curious boy. Yes, he is quick tempered and sometimes cannot control his emotions. But if he wants something or puts his mind to do something, he will keep at it.
In the mornings, if he wakes up earlier than usual and wants his milk, he will keep demanding his milk till it is given to him. Some would wish they could shut him up or coax him to forget about what he wants. But that is not L; he will keep at it. When I witness this, I want to encourage this behaviour. On one hand, I see perseverance, but on the other hand I also see faith and belief in achieving the final objective.
Recently, L’s older sister, M, told me that she did not want to wear her diaper when she sleeps at night. This is a big step for her and I am glad she came to me to suggest this. Naturally, I encouraged her and as it turned out, she wasn’t quite ready. Barring a few ‘training mishaps’, I now see her well on her way to being fully toilet trained. I have complimented her and told her that we can now save money on those expensive overnight diapers.
L witnessed all this. One morning, he comes up to the study at about 5:30am and hands me his diaper. In his baby 3.5 year old voice, he tells me “Daddy, now you also save money”.
(L is also being toilet trained and he does not wear a diaper during the day, but needs a diaper at night.)
I am frankly quite impressed and I compliment him. He then asks me to follow him down the stairs and leads me to a small pool of pee!
For a moment, I do not know how to react. I try asking L why did he remove his diaper and not just pee in it. He begins to tear and repeats “Save Daddy’s money”.
It then dawns on me what his intention is. He heard me compliment his sister on being completely toilet trained and the end result is a saving of money. Despite being 2 years younger, he does not wish to be undone.
I kneel down and tell him that it is alright to use his diaper at night. That we can slowly wean him off the diaper and there is no rush. He looks a bit confused and repeats “save Daddy’s money” a few more times.
I am touched at his gesture, but also a little bit guilty that I must have made him feel compelled to try and not use his diaper and ‘save money’ – believe you me, cleaning up his mess was a good 20 minute job!
The next few days, L thankfully kept his diaper on, but would alert me in the morning that his overnight diaper was dry and we then led him to the toddler urinal. There are some mishaps, but he is well on his way to becoming toilet trained, way ahead of his classmates.
I thought a lot about how L did not like being not totally toilet trained. How he wanted to be like his sister, fully independent and toilet trained. I guess that speaks of his determination.
But it also got me thinking a lot about how I managed my matters. Was I one to focus and work at getting something done? Was I clear and resolute with single-mindedness? Or was I just trying “my best”, as I would term it, and hope for the best outcome?
For L, saving on diapers did not mean only using a diaper at night, and still saving by not using any during the day. To L, saving meant not using one at all.
Brothers and sisters, relating this to today’s Gospel — we either choose God or we choose sin. We either choose to be a faithful disciple who lives by the Gospel values, or none at all. In God’s Kingdom, there are no half measures. If we fail or fall short, we pick up ourselves and strive towards perfection.
That is really all our Heavenly Father expects of us – complete faith, or none at all.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Gerard Francis)
Prayer: Lord, give me a heart that recognizes Your power, and help me to stand fully on Your side, allowing Your Kingdom to reign in my life.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the messages you deliver to us to guide us along our way.
OXYGEN 
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