It is 28th March 2019. The readings are from Jeremiah 7:23-28; and the Gospel from Luke 11:14-23. If we do not listen to the voice of the Lord, we fall into the vicious circle of sins over and over. We are haunted by sinful situation and people when we do not value the voice of God and become indifferent and hardened in our perceptions. Who and what is destroying the mystical Body of Christ, the community of believers, the Church? It is none other than ourselves and our indifference, stubbornness, stiff-necked selfish-agenda. It is not those who come to the Church destroy our Church but rather its we have a fake enthusiasm to protect our church such evil underneath of our every voice that is heard against the unity of the Church. Sin repeats in an environment selfishness and indifference to the voice of God. In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah admonishes the Southern Kingdom of Judah if they would not listen to the voice of the Lord, they will have to go through the humiliation with Babylonians as the Northern Kingdom of Israel were annihilated by Assyrians. The status of being God’s children or God’s people is active and alive only when people listen to the voice of the Lord. The moment people have decided to hear the voices of the evil ones, they have already lost the status of being God’s people. Unless we repent, we cannot listen. It is all about believing and surrendering our lives to God by humble submission, and sustainable nourishment of the Word of God. Are we turning our back to God refusing to face God in confessing our sins during this Lent and refusing to pay attention to God’s voice? “You shall say to them: “This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.” (Jer.7: 28). Our prosperity depends solely on the way we listen to the voice of God. As people who hear voices in their heads are psychologically sick, so those who heed the voices of the evil ones are spiritually sick too. Whatever divides within cannot sustain the desired unity. More we harden our hearts, less we listen to the voice of the Lord. Indifference is the expression of a divided mind. The responsorial Psalm intercedes: “If today you would listen to his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Ps.94:8). The Gospel points out that we need to stand by Jesus so as to build the community of the believers. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (Lk.11:23). Whose side, are we standing? Are we on God’s side or the side of Satan? We are all on warfare against the evil. We cannot fight evil by befriending and promoting the ways of evil. We cannot remain friend of God while we dine with the devil secretly. Since Jesus has won the battle against Satan and all its kingdom, why are we joining hands with the satanic and selfish servants of the evil? We have only one choice; either to continue to be the people and children of God or choose to be the slaves of Satan. Our stubbornness and selfishness must not divide the unity of Christ’s Body, the Church. Jesus is enough to deal and dispose any Satanic binding and curse on us for the rest of our lives. (Rev. 20:2). May we make effort in living the values of the Kingdom of God and practicing the virtues of the Gospel in our lives. May we work with, and for Jesus till we meet Him in Heaven personally. May you have a good day. God bless you.