Listen to the Voice of God!

 

19th week Monday in Ordinary Time

Duet 10:12-22

 Listen to the Voice of God!

So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being.  Although heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord your God, the earth with all that is in it, yet the Lord set his heart in love on your ancestors alone and chose you, their descendants after them, out of all the peoples, as it is today. Circumcise, then, the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stubborn any longer. (Duet 10:12-16)

The law of the Lord is very simple: To love God and to love the other. To do this one needs to have fear of the Lord. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. We do not love God out of fear. The fear of God is out of love. There is fear when something is wrong is done. There is something called holy fear that will enable us to live better. Love God and love his commands to live right. We regard people out of fear and love them. We do not hurt but regard and respect them. Why so? Because they deserve respect, regard and love. Such persons sacrifice and wish only the good of the others. In way, such people are given love and care. God is like such people, who is magnanimous. God has done immense good for the ancestors of Israel.  God created humans in freedom; but, Israel rebeled against God; instead of lovingly follow his commands. The Lord invites them to circumcise their hearts that is to come out of their stubbornness of heart and love God and the others.

Do we remember that love of God and love of other is most important laws of life?

Ezek 1:2-28

 Listen to the Voice of God.

Ezekiel had a vision of God. He saw God’s glory. The Lord does give visions to his beloved people. In the times of old God used to guide the people through the visions. The visions do come to holy men/women. The visions are for a purpose. They are to reveal the glory of God. Visions are for the transformation of people and to bring about renewal in society and among the people.

Sometimes people speak of visions and frighten them. Visions are to help and not to destroy. One has to listen to the holy men/women and follow the message for positive change. Let one not be carried away by the visions to harm oneself and others. Visions of God manifest the glory of God and bring a message for the good of people. Ezekiel is given the vision to move forward in the mission given to him among the people of Israel.

Do we seek in visions the Glory of God or one’s glory?

Mt 17:22-27

But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” (jMt 17:27).

Jesus was asked to pay tax. He pays his and Peter’s tax.  Paying tax is responsibility. Living is responsibility. Jesus fulfilled his duty of paying tax. We need to learn to own up responsibility for us and for others. In the world of today, there are many who evade taxes. The reasons could be many but we avoid our duty towards society. The laws and customs are good in themselves, when we follow them, it is good for the society at large. Jesus obeys the civil authority and pays the tax.  A person who is responsible to nation will also be responsible in spiritual matters.  Don Bosco wants his boys to be good Christians and upright citizens. They are same, like both side of a coin. It calls one for integral life. Faithfulness in little things leads to faithfulness in more important matters.

Do we realize we have duty to our nation and our God?

St Clare

Fr Putti Anthaiah Sdb

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