It is 30th October 2016. We celebrate the Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings are from Wisdom 11:22-12:2; the second reading from 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; and Gospel from Luke 19:1-10. The first reading points out that God is still interested to continue God’s love for us no matter how much we have sinned against God. God takes initiatives in saving us always; on our part we must make effort to change and be good. God does not condone our sins and tolerate rather God corrects us little by little and brings us closer to God. Nothing could continue to exist without God. God cares for all of us. The Catechism of the Church teaches us, “It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism that one renounces evil and gains salvation, that is, the forgiveness of all sins and the gift of new life.” (CCC 1427). God wants us to renounce sins and to believe in God. “You overlook people’s sins so that they may repent” (Wis.11:23). God is not tired of correcting our sinful living day by day because of God’s unfathomable love for humanity. The responsorial Psalm prays, “I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.” (Ps.145:1). St. Paul encourages the Thessalonians to have strong faith in Christ Jesus. We are called to become like Christ. It is indeed a painful process. No one can become saint overnight. As we face Christ day by day in all our struggles and pain to be good and to do the right, we must not give up until Christ returns in glory. Until then let us be on guard towards false prophets, the visionaries and the dreamers who mislead us away from Christ. The Gospel teaches us that however sinful one could be in the recent past, there is always a room for conversion with Jesus. Even if the entire world is against us, Jesus wants to enter into our sinful and dysfunctional families. Jesus is not looking for a perfect home with perfect people rather looking for the imperfect to participate in His perfection and holiness. Let us come down like Zacchaeus from the tree of pride, greed, need, weed, bad deeds, cheating and corruption. What will be our reaction and response if Jesus would walk into our hearts, lives and homes? Will we be excited to meet Him or to be embarrassed to accommodate Him? If and when we let in Jesus, the change is inevitable and irresistible. May you have good day? God bless you.

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