It is 02nd June 2020. We celebrate the memorial of Saints Marcellinus and Peter, martyrs. The readings are from 2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18 and the Gospel from Mk. 12:13-17.
“I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5).
Our metamorphosis is the root of our spiritual mitosis. We are born anew every micro second of our existence. Cells are always created and destroyed in the human body. About 300 million cells die every minute in our bodies. To be precise 50,000 cells in our body died and were replaced by new ones while we are listening to this sentence. We are all still waiting patiently for something new to emerge in our personal life and in society at large. We are born anew every moment of our life no matter what the life situation we are in or forced to be.
Carl Yung said: “I am not what has happened to me; I am what I choose to become.”
Patience is God-given opportunity to give birth to something new. The readings propose inspiring pairs for our spiritual well-being such as Vigilance Vs virtuous; Cesar Vs God; hypocrisy Vs patience; politics Vs religion and New Vs old. Newness is never born in a hurry but in patience. Catholic Dictionary clarifies patience that “enables one to endure present evils without sadness or resentment in conformity with the will of God.”
“See, I am creating new heavens and a new earth; The former things shall not be remembered nor come to mind. (Is.65:17).
God’s patience leads us to salvation. Peter points out two types of preparation in experiencing patience. Personal virtuous life and appropriate relationship with one another. Our personal holiness alone not sufficient to reach God but our relationship with the other does. “For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near.” (Rom.13:11).
In the Gospel, Jesus not only avoided falling into the Pharisees’ trap but also questioned their silence about love towards God. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mk.12:17)
Whose image and likeness, are we?
Obedience to God and the rulers are not the same but is inter-connected. One cannot ignore and replace the other. Things of God and things of world are to be discerned so as to bring something new for God and the world.
Our respect towards the leaders cannot replace the reverence due to God. As excessive respect leads to suspicion so lack of reverence diminishes purity. In pleasing our leaders, let us not forget God because we are inscribed in the image of God. St. Paul urges us, “Pay to all what is due to them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honour to whom honour is due. (Rom.8:7). We have received much from God and so we owe God so much. May the love of God submerge our hyper-criticism and hypocritical way of relating with the other persons.