Good morning good people,
May the Lord give you peace, health, and happiness in the Holy Spirit.
It is 30th July 2024.
Are we placing or replacing God?
The readings are from Jeremiah 14:17-22; and the Gospel from Matthew 13:36-43.
The consequences of evil and sin can always be seen in one’s life.
Most of the time, we attribute the sin of society to the causes of human conditions and natural calamities. The impact of evil and sin is noticed but not dealt with sternly in our personal and social lives.
We need to separate, seclude, and sanitize our hearts from evil and sin.
Whether we are aware of or acknowledge, the sowing of evil and sin is done so subtly and meticulously by the evil structure, people, and relationships.
God punishes sins and evil in God’s time.
God pardons those who humble themselves and acknowledge their sins and evil.
In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah reminds people that God would punish their evil things. The severe drought caused by no rain brought sickness in body and spirit among people. People believed that famine, war, and pestilence were the direct outcome of their own sins.
It is the prophet who helped them to go closer to God in prayer and penance. People and the prophet reminded the glory of God and the covenant God made with God’s people.
They acknowledged the power of God by saying that the God of the others cannot bring rain and blessing.
The responsorial Psalm intercedes, “Rescue us, O Lord, for the glory of your name.” (Ps.78:9).
The Gospel teaches that there is a time of God in our lives to judge and reward the things we have done. Let us not replace God in judging everything outrightly and condemning it and destroying it.
God allows the good stronger and healthier even amidst evil. The evil can never suffocate or choke the good because of the amnesty God provides for the good to thrive.
God goes on sowing the seeds of love, peace, justice, and freedom in our hearts to be the persons God wants us to be. Yet, the Evil one also is not tired of sowing the seeds of hatred, division, injustice, violence, and all kinds of selfishness in our hearts.
The time of sowing will end when we have completed life here on earth and face God to see how the evil we have perpetrated by our own indifference, ignorance, arrogance, and pride.
What is growing in our hearts? Darnel or the good seed?
“Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Mt.13:43).
May we just not be aware of what is growing in us but let us make efforts to deal with weed that does not allow us to be the person God wants us to be.
May you have a good day.