READY TO WELCOME GOD?

Welcoming God, God's Message and God's Messenger

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 Kgs 4: 8-11, 13-16; Rom 6: 3-4, 8-11; Mt 10:37-42

I remember the first days when I heard the hymn, 'Welcome Holy Spirit' - I was amused at those lyrics...I believe it was inspired by Benny Hinn's book Good Morning Holy Spirit (or was it the otherwise)... anyway, the words tickled a smile in my heart those days. Though now we have got used to that hymn, the words are still very homely and down to earth. Infact welcoming God, is a beautiful attitude. 

Welcoming God would mean an entire life style, a totally unique priority list, an entirely unworldly mindset if we can use that phrase! That is what Jesus says. The other day I had a very interesting conversation with one of my friends, who lost his father too, as I did recently. He said, for him it was an obligation to stay home, losing a few prospects of his future to ensure his mother felt safe and secure. I said, I couldn't do that! And that is a matter of fact. With my call and commitment as a Religious, I cannot prioritise the care of my mother. In fact when it comes to giving priority to God and God's call, nothing can claim precedence. This is the message that the Lord wants to communicate. Welcoming God would mean prioritising God over everything and all.

Welcoming God's Message is another daily disposition of welcoming God. It would be hypocritical to say I need God and live as if I dont. I do things that show others that I need God. I speak to others about me and my life giving an idea that I value God. But if that is not translated into my daily life and regular choices, I am failing to live a life that is integral. Accepting God's message is changing my life according to that message; it is dying to sin and being alive for God in Christ. 

Welcoming God's Messengers, is a disposition of openness and humility - being open to God and God's marvellous and mysterious ways of revealing Godself to me - through persons, events and signs. A new person we come across, a poor person we see suffering, a hapless person we exploited...all these are messengers of God! And being humble is to receive God's message from anyone, even those from whom we least expect it! The Shunammitess we come across in the first reading had a special eye for this observation! She spotted the Messenger of God in Elisha and the consequence of it, we know so gladly. 

Today, the readings ask this precious question: Are you ready to Welcome God - it is not that easy to welcome God, to welcome God's message and to welcome God's messengers!