THE WORD IN LENT: Friday, 3rd week in Lent
March 12, 2021: Hosea 14: 2-10; Mark 12: 28-34
The Word shows us today the easiest way of getting nearer to God and to God's Reign. It is through a life that is Shared, thanks to the pastoral courtesy of the Christian call. 'Return' is the call; but to where? To the believing community. The Lord awaits us there – in the community of faith, the communion of hearts, the loving union of persons.
Truly getting nearer to the Reign would mean right relationships and mutual respect. Getting
nearer to the Reign would mean, getting closer to one another and getting more
and more familiar with the One who has called me. Getting nearer to God would
mean the ability to notice the Lord close to me, walking beside me, sharing my
life on a daily basis…in and through my brothers and sisters in the God given
community where I practice my faith.
Being nearer
to the Reign would mean not experimenting but experiencing. Unlike the Israel
who went all around looking for hope and finally with no other options reached
the Lord their God, we are invited to look into ourselves and look at the
experiences we are through, the subtle ways in which we are led by the Almighty
and recognise it all.
Being nearer
to the Reign would mean not making of the other, one of the options but, the very
criterion to decide my course of action; that is, to act keeping the good of
the other, the wellbeing of the other, the happiness of the other as the
criterion to decide what I would do, in any given situation! Getting
nearer to the Reign therefore, would mean to become more God-conscious and
Other-conscious than self-conscious!
Let us
resolve to get ever nearer to the Reign!