It is 2nd April 2020. We celebrate the memorial of St. Francis of Paola, hermit. The readings are Genesis 17:3-9; and the Gospel from John 8:51-59. God’s love is guaranteed to all of us throughout our life. The first reading presents us with the covenant God made to Abraham and was fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus and in His personal presence among us. As we are all in retreat during this painful and depressing time of our life-time, we need to believe that God honours, and remembers God’s promises through God’s only Son Jesus. Moses remained the people, ““if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:5-6). Obedience is the ideal and the appropriate response to God whom we love. His holiness Pope Francis taught during the General Audience, 27th Jan.2016, “God “is not indifferent.” He does not look away from our human pain. The God of mercy responds and takes care of the poor, of those who cry out in desperation. God listens and intervenes in order to save, raising people able to hear the groan of suffering and to work in favour of the oppressed.” It is because of our selfish choices, we do not honour the promises we made to God. A sliver line of hope and blessings is promised to all who believe God like Abraham to whom God said, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant.” (Gen.17:9). The responsorial Psalm prays, “The Lord remembers his covenant forever.” (Ps.105:8). In the Gospel, Jesus confronts those who refuse to believe Him as the Christ. Our suffering, pain, sickness even death cannot reduce our goodness and faith in God rather it allows us to come closer to Christ who is the fulfilment of the promise God made through the covenant with Abraham. Jesus defends His divinity and revealed himself as the divine person He existed even before Abraham. “Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” (Jn.8:59). Jesus shared His intimate relationship with the Father. Do I believe Jesus the Son of God? Or do I have issues like those in the Gospel today? Jesus is God and Abraham himself rejoiced in Him. The salvation history began with Abraham but only completed by the sacrifice of Jesus, the Giver of our personal salvation. Those who find it hard to experience God in the person of Jesus cannot encounter in God any other way. May the Lord help us to know Him to love Him to worship Him as our God and Saviour by following the Word of God. May you have a good day. God bless you.