Dear People of God,
May the Risen Lord grant you peace and blessings. It is on 28th April 2023. We reflect on Acts 9:1-20 and John 6:52-59.
No human being can be forced to be converted. Conversion is indeed the initiative of God and the humble cooperation of the individual. God does not force any of us but rather convinces us by a confrontation of heart-to-heart dialogue to take a new direction that leads to and ends in Jesus.
We who are baptized are called to be the instruments of love, hope, healing, and peace to the people around us. To be an instrument of God one need not be a saint. But a saint is always an instrument of God in one way or another. To be an instrument one needs to listen to the voice of God. To be an instrument one has to let go of what one has decided to do and be willing to embrace doing what God wishes to do through us. In no circumstance, an instrument can claim to be master.
The conversion of Saul is mentioned in three places including today’s reading. (Acts.22:4-26; 26:12-18). Without conversion, there is no Church. Growing Church has constant conversions. The more we oppose God; the more God is after us to change our hearts.
In our struggle to believe in God, God never abandons us but rather runs to help us. However blunt and picky we could have turned to be in our lives, God can still sharpen us and shape us back to achieve the original plan of God through us.
The responsorial Psalm invites, “Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.” (Mark 16:15).
In the Gospel Jesus summarizes that divine life springs up only by nourishing and assimilating the values of the Good News, the Bread of life. “Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you.” (Jn.6:53). We are all entitled to nourish the Eucharist with worthy preparation and openness to God’s intervention in our life. Our life will remain unfocused and scattered without the Eucharist.
Our relationship with Jesus is paramount and important for believing and nourishing the Flesh and the Blood of the Lord. Jesus is not just a spark in our hearts rather He is the unquenchable flame that offers the divine warmth for our spiritual survival. As God draws us closer to God to lead us to Jesus, the Eucharist mysteriously attracts us to come closer to the person of Jesus. May we be the worthy instruments of God in the hands of Jesus. May you have a good day. God bless you.