It is 8th March 2018. We celebrate the memorial of St. John of God, Religious. It is the International Women’s day too. Let us pray for all women who brought us this far in our lives. Their contributions cannot be reduced to mere words. May the Lord bless all women and provide them love, security and affection they need all through their lives. The readings are from Jeremiah 7:23-28; and the Gospel from Luke 11:14-23. We all are proud to be called as the children of God yet we find it very hard to listen to God. There are somethings in life makes us different and committed persons such as justice, peace and love. Some of us have chosen to be indifferent and some others are forced to be indifferent to God and others. Indifference makes us to be deaf and insensitive to the needs of the others and refuse to be receptive and makes one’s heart so hardened in which there is no love and compassion. To belong to God, one needs to listen and obey what God wants us to do. Lent is the time to assure ourselves through the sacrifices we make that we truly belong to God. We cannot go on remain Catholics only by the Sacraments we have received; we must start living the Sacraments and to demonstrate the belief in action. Worshiping God as a duty makes our relationship with God meaningless, routine, mechanic, and plastic. In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah demands loyalty and obedience from the people of Israel. “Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord its God nor take correction. Sincerity is no more, it has vanished from their mouths.” (Jer.7:28). The responsorial Psalm reprimands us, “If today you would listen to his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Ps.94:8). In the Gospel, we are reminded that if we are not for Jesus, we are against Him. It is all about commitment and loyalty to Christ shown in our daily lives no matter who stand with us or against. Sincere and humble heart that seeks purity avoids the indifference towards the Lord. We cannot pretend to love Jesus for a long time. May the Lord help us to be loyal by being faithful in the way we do things for the humanity around. May you have a good day.