To whom do I belong

WORD 2day: Monday after Epiphany

January 06, 2020: 1 John 3:22 - 4:6; Matthew 4: 12-17, 23-25

The first reading is full of terms like - to remain in God, to belong to God, to be God's children and so on! All these are possible because of the "one who lives in us" (1 Jn 3:24). Hence the first and the most crucial call we have is to accept and realise the presence of the one who lives in us! As John the Baptist wanted to ascertain the presence of the Messiah and so sent his disciples from the prison to Jesus, so are we to make concrete efforts to experience the presence of the Lord - amidst us and within us!

Once we know, accept and realise the One who lives in us...our priorities will be affected, our choices will be influenced by that conviction. Look at John and Jesus in the Gospel today... they were so utterly convinced of the One who was living within them that one did not mind being arrested or executed; and the other did not mind taking over the mandate and continuing, once he came to know that other could not do it anymore! 

The things that we do in life are secondary to what we are, it is very true! But it is also equally true that what we really are would determine what we decide to do, what we choose to embrace. What we are, consists mainly of the question of our 'belonging': where and to whom we belong? If we belong to God, our choices will be godly, come what may! 

Jesus had an ample cue as to what awaits him, with the example of what befell of John the Baptist! But still Jesus chooses to go forth and proclaim the Reign of God - because he knew where and to whom he belonged! I have come to do the will of the one who sent me: that was his conviction. The choice of our actions and our attitudes depends much on, to whom we belong to!