True Christian Love: Resolve to reform hardened hearts

THE WORD IN LENT: Thursday, 3rd week in Lent

March 11, 2021: Jeremiah 7: 23-28; Luke 11: 14-23

 

The world today is living a life of indifference, an inhuman and incredible indifference, so cold and selfish. Nothing matters to anyone until it hurts him or her personally. Be it individuals, groups, institutions or even local churches... we are overwhelmed by concerns of security in the face of increasing injustice in the larger society. We have seen this time and again, in so many types of crisis situations – recently in the pandemic that came as a blow to the world, affecting various parts at a time!

 

The Word today invites us to listen to the Lord speaking, speaking through the cries of the innocent victims - the cries of the poor,  the tears of those who have lost their dear ones to violence, crime, political indifference, economic segregation, social stratification, and cultural inhumanity, the miseries of those who have never understood the meaning of 'sufficient', those who are left to live in the brink of death day in and day out!

 

Let's beware of branding the poor as lazy, citing fate for the miseries of some in stark contrast to the filthy affluence of the others, brushing aside the sufferings of those who are victims of injustice saying we have nothing to do with it. When we do all these, we are closing our eyes, shutting our ears and hardening our hearts against God!  These are the qualities of a hardened heart.

 

With hardened hearts we will only be against God, scattering what God wants to gather. With hardened hearts we will only push God into the dark and the dark forces right unto the fore!

 

Let us resolve to reform our hardened hearts and transform them into hearts truly of flesh, blood and Spirit!