I WILL BE YOUR GOD AND YOU SHALL BE MY PEOPLE

⏰Thursday of the Third Week of Lent (08 March 2018)

????Jer 7:23-28; Ps 95:1-2, 6-7abc, 7d-9 (R.v.7d-8a); Luke 11:14-23

“I WILL BE YOUR GOD AND YOU SHALL BE MY PEOPLE” (Jer 7:23)

Since the time of creation, it has always been the desire of God to be in unity with his creatures. St. Pope John Paul II, in his Theology of the Body, talked about the Original Unity that existed between God and man, which was not found between God and other creatures. This Original Unity was lost due to the entrance of Original Sin (see Gen 3:8-10).?

However, God did not want man to remain separated from him. So he immediately initiated a process of bringing man back to be with him because apart from him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Listening to the voice of God and following him therefore is what unites us to him (cf. John 10:16).

In this period of Lent, the call keeps ringing out, “Return to me with all your heart for I am gracious and merciful” (Joel 2:13). The psalmist added, “O that today you would listen to his voice, harden not your heart.”

We can answer that call by choosing to do the will of God. The prophet Jeremiah tells us that in doing so, all will be well with us (cf. Jer 7:23).

Unfortunately, most times, we have remained unresponsive to that gracious invitation. Like the Jews (cf. Luke 11:14-23), we have refused to believe in the power of Jesus to save us. Hence, we choose to align ourselves to other things that keep us separated from God.

We pray that God may never get tired of us. May he continue to give us the grace to come back to him and enjoy his paternal protection and provision. Amen.

Have a lovely day in union with God. Peace be with you.