Mirroring God with unveiled minds.
It is 15th June 2017. The readings are from 2 Cor. 3:15-4:1, 3-6; and the Gospel from Matthew 5:20-26. St. Paul in the first reading is urging everyone to remove the veil of prejudice, pride, hardness of heart, the stubbornness in accepting Christ and to repent. More we begin to believe in God and being charitable, more we resemble God. In our faith encounters, we begin to grow day by day exposing ourselves to the same spirit of God who sets us free from the prejudices and the evil that does not allow us to see the goodness in others. Mirroring God is possible through the faith we proclaim in the Lord. Our regular listening, understanding and accepting the Word of God removes the veil and allowing us to mirror Christ by deepening the experience of God and Christ in our lives. (Rom.8:29; Phil.3:21). The glory of Christ is revealed through the proclamation of the Word of God without being tinted by our prejudices and resistance to accept the truth. Let us bring out Christ in our word and deed not our personal whims and fancies. The responsorial Psalm praises, “The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.” (Ps.84:10). Jesus unpacks His new teaching by encouraging us to be reconciled with one another as we attempt to meet God. Our resentment and rage must not make us to be far from God. God desires the repented heart and reconciled lives not just the show-off material offertories. Have we settled our accounts with one another before we submit the final account to God? We can never fool God and please God with our materials gifts while our hearts are shambled. Provoking and judging the other person demolishes the finest connections among the people and always struggling to establish the link with God. Let us begin dealing with issues sternly and recognize the goodness in others. Our entrance into the everlasting happiness solely depends on the way we handle the other person who accompany us in our lives. We will never be able to love God when we are filled with resentment, rage and prejudices on others. Our love for God is seen and experienced the way we respond to the others in times of emotional outbursts. We will be judged by God for the refusal to settle down with the others here on earth. “If you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother/sister has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother/sister first, and then come back and present the offering.” (Mt. 5:23,24). May our good works be surplus enough to surpass the evil around us. May you have a good day.