THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Tuesday of 16^th week in Ordinary time, 2022

Micah 7:14-15.18-20

Ps 85

Matt12:46-50

He delights in mercy…

Dear friends in Christ, the mercy of God is ever available to all of his creatures. There are times as human beings, when we get tired of forgiving or condoning the other person and for that reason, cut off from him/her or find a way to avoid such a person. God on the other hand, sees the sinfulness of his creatures as an opportunity for grace. Wherever there is sin, he opens the channel of mercy to the sinner. That is however not a blanket cover because the sinner needs to repent.

Today’s first reading (Micah 7:14-15.18-20) is from the concluding part of Micah. It is a prayer of petition and a hymn of hope in the mercy of God. The prophet entreats God to open up his warehouse of blessings and flood his people with an abundant of gifts, as when they just returned from exile in Egypt. “Bashan and Gilead" represent the most fertile of lands, that is where he asks the Lord to bless his people with, like a shepherd looking for the greenest of pastures for his animals. The prophet himself praised the forgiving love of God; he asks,  “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever because he delights in mercy…You will show faithfulness to Jacob and mercy to Abraham…” Some have said that the reason why people, including Christians, go to the shrines to take oaths, is because the Christian God is very slow at punishing; but the idols strike very quickly, when you break your oath. That perhaps is an acknowledgement, that we serve a God of peace and mercy. We must however not take that for granted. God’s judgement will come down heavily upon evil doers who fail to repent and cast them off for all eternity.

While many in the time of the Prophet Micah and his predecessors were separating themselves from God, today’s gospel (Matthew 12:46-50) tells us how to identify with Jesus and become his brothers and sisters. Relationship with him is not dependent on the blood-line or race. He replied the man who came to inform him of the presence of his mother and brethren, “Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?…Here are my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister and mother.” This was not to disrespect the mother but to teach us all a lesson, that we are all welcome into the family of God. Where do you belong? Are you a brother or sister of Jesus? If you are, you will live according to the commands of God. You will act justly, love tenderly and live in humility. Those who are with Jesus must continue to grow in fellowship, as they strive daily to do what is right.

Let us pray: Lord, listen to our prayers. Make us true followers of Jesus by the love we share so that in practicing justice, we will build a better world. Amen. 

+Remain blessed