It is 13th December 2019. We celebrate the memorial of St Lucy, Virgin and Martyr. The readings are from Isaiah 48:17-19; and the Gospel from Matthew 11:16-19. Our happiness and lasting peace solely depend on the way we relate with and rely on God. The promises made by any other entity or a person is not reliable. But there is a tendency in us to disobey and ignore the paths of happiness set by God for us; we wish to create new roads to happiness and eventually frustrated and depressed. God and God’s words are the source of happiness to the humanity is the message from the first reading. “If only you had been alert to my commandments, your happiness would have been like a river, your integrity like the waves of the sea.” (Is.48:17). People of Israel failed to honour God’s commandments and ended creating their convenient laws and statutes forgetting the liberation and victory God brought for them from the slavery of sin and oppression. Integrity comes by faithfulness to the laws of God. The responsorial Verse intones, “Anyone who follows you, Lord will have the light of life.” (Jn.8:12). The Gospel points out that we are not serious with our spiritual life and some of us behave and relate with God in a superficial and childish way. We want God to dance the tune we play. Let this Advent time help us to examine the way we relate with God and live our lives. We need to address our lukewarm attitude and a selective silence in listening to God’s Word. We need to discern the ways of wisdom. There must be truth in our assessment and evaluation of the others. Out of jealousy, wrangling and hatred we must not criticise and destroy the reputations of the others. Some of us hate some other people for no reason. “Yet wisdom has been proved right by her action.” (Mt.11:19). We are too swift to condemn the other when we have failed to notice the mountain of lies sitting on our lives. Let us be honest with God not hostile to God. We may not like something or someone in the Church that should not cause a mindset to be indifferent to God and God’s commandment. May the Lord bless us to be attuned to God and God’s ways in order to enjoy lasting happiness and peace. Have a good day.