To return... but how?

WORD 2day: Saturday, 26th week in Ordinary time

October 7, 2023: Baruch 4: 5-12,27-29; Luke 10: 17-24

'For just as you by your will strayed away from God, return with tenfold zeal to seek him' (Bar 4:28), instructs the first reading today. The key to understand the so-called discrepancy between the Old Testament thinking and the New Testament theology lies here. While we can be surprised at a 'punishing' and a 'revengeful' God that the people of the Old Testament thought of, we understand from the verses like the above that we are responsible for all the calamities that we bring on ourselves, by our priorities and choices, not only individually but also collectively - it is unfortunate that some who are innocent too face the brunt due to the rest! 

It is high time that we realise that 'blessed are those eyes that see what we see, and the ears that hear what we hear'... if only we can take the cue from things that happen around us, we will readily return to the Lord, with tenfold zeal! 

Returning is another theme that repeats itself in the Word today - first returning from places far from God and the second returning from the mission given by God: to which return are we referring to with regard to ourselves - are we far from God to decide to return to the Lord? Or are we on a mission, bearing the name of God and spreading God's mercy and love to return to the Lord for a justful recompense? 

The requirement that is crucial here - is that we see, and that we hear, and that returning to the Lord is possible only in true faith!