It is13th October 2016. The readings are Ephesians 1:1-10; and the Gospel from Luke 11:47-54. For a couple of days, we will be reading from the Ephesians. In his letter to the Ephesians, St Paul says “before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ.”(Eph.1:4). God has the purpose and plan for us all in Christ Jesus. St Paul calls Christ the mystery, and the plan of God revealed. He is the revelation. Jesus is the hidden plan of God for all eternity. Accepting the plan of God is to accept the power of Christ in our lives. Most of us still do not understand the plan of God revealed through Christ. Even if we find it hard to grasp it, we must make effort to accept it. Christ is “the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.” (Col 1:26). Yes indeed, we are all chosen by God. We are chosen by Him, for Him, and through Him. Since we are chosen, we need to live by the call to holiness and truth in love. We all need to aspire to be another Christ in our day today living. The purpose of living a holy life is to love God and to love one another. When we have purity in our hearts, we have nothing to fear and have every reason to love the other like Christ did. We are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. The perfect sacrifice of shedding His own blood for our sake. God took the initiative through Jesus so as to redeem us once and for all. The ultimate freedom is freely given through Jesus by His death on the Cross. Salvation is the free gift in the Lord. It is grace and mercy of God has brought us this far. No evil could be an obstacle to God’s plan. The responsorial Psalm declares, “The Lord has shown His salvation.” (Ps.97:2). In the Gospel, we encounter Jesus who openly criticised the Pharisees for their selfish ways of understanding and explaining the plan of God. They limited God to peripheral customs and the outright refusal to accept the saving power of Jesus Christ. God has a great plan for us even today. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer.29:11). May you have a good day.