Replies

October 3, 2014

The Lord, our God, is so gentle, so loving in his treatment of us humans, his creation. He goes to great lengths to call our attention to his words. He works out miracles, performs extraordinary feats to prove the truth of what he teaches us so that we may believe. Even in reproaching us for our continued unbelief, he does not act with anger or condemnation. He continues to try to convince us. He does not force us to believe him. He respects our freedom to decide for ourselves.

In the Gospel, when he sees Jerusalem from a distance, Jesus laments “O Jerusalem, you slay the prophets and stone your apostles! How often have I tried to bring together your children as a bird gathers her young under her wings, and you would not!” The Lord cried, expressing his sorrow for the future destruction of the city because its people refused to recognize the salvation offered to it by God. Christ’s reproach is not in the form of angry condemnation for the refusal of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum to believe his word. He laments instead of the fate which they will suffer if they persist in their unbelief.

God gave us free will, freedom of conscience, to decide on our actions. He also gave us intelligence and the grace to discern what is good and what is evil. We must not allow our pride, our desire for secular fame and fortune, to blind us from the eternal life destined for us. Jesus suffered and died to redeem us from our sinfulness to gain eternal life. We must not persist in our unbelief but accept instead the redemption which Christ offers us. Jesus reminds us, through his apostles that if we reject what the apostles teach us, we are actually rejecting Jesus, and in effect, rejecting God who sent him and rejecting the eternal life which God is offering to us.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 30, Issue 6

<< Friday, October 3, 2014 >>

Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
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Psalm 139:1-3, 7-10, 13-14

Luke 10:13-16
Similar Reflections

SEE-SICK

"My journeys and my rest You scrutinize, with all my ways You are familiar." —Psalm 139:3

Job had a rough journey, being tossed about emotionally and spiritually, because he couldn't "see" God's love and provision in the midst of his trials (see Eph 4:14). When his "Captain" called "Attention!" (see Jb 38:16ff), Job realized the awesome power of God (Jb 40:4) and his own rank of low standing (see Prv 1:7). Once Job saw the Lord (Jb 42:5), his healing and restoration followed shortly thereafter (Jb 42:7ff).

The townsfolk of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were privileged to witness the love of God made manifest in the miracles of Christ. However, they were blind to God's love for the poor and the weak and unable to "see" their own need to repent (Lk 10:13ff). They are warned by Jesus that their behavior merits a more severe judgment and that their "see-sickness" may even be terminal (Lk 10:15).

It's been said, "The eye is the window to the soul" (see Mt 6:22-23). Do you guard your eyes from evil? (see Is 33:15) Or is your life full of "enticements for the eye"? (1 Jn 2:16)

Do you see what I see?

Prayer: "Probe me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; see if my way is crooked, and lead me in the way of old" (Ps 139:23-24).

Promise: "He who hears you, hears Me. He who rejects you, rejects Me. And he who rejects Me, rejects Him Who sent Me." —Lk 10:16

Praise: Steven, at first, was unable to share his faith with strangers, but found he was able to do all things with God (see Mt 19:26).