Martin Madalai Muthu csc –
Readings: Gen 17: 9-10, 15-22; Mt 8: 1-4
Readings of the day encourage us not to lose hope in God. For God is the author of our life. We need to discern the will of God in our life and have our total surrender to him. We are fragile in nature, and it is easy for us to fall into problems and struggles. Nevertheless, today’s readings remind us that God is faithful in fulfilling his promises. As we meditate upon the readings of the day, we see two became the recipients of divine favour. The first reading presents Abraham, the father of faith while the gospel presents a leper.
Though these two people are different in their personalities, their life changed from the moment they encountered God in their life and submitted their will to his will. Abraham might not have imagined of begetting a child at that old age. The leper might never have thought that he would become healthy as he was suffering from it for a long time and was isolated by his own people.
From the moment of their encounter with God, they were blessed in life and filled with hope. The same hope is demanded from each one of us and we are called to trust in God’s
providence and pray always with faith and hope. God through Jesus assured his blessings and Jesus has promised to give whatever we ask, provided we pray with hope and believe that it will be granted.
Do we approach God with hope like the person in the Gospel? or we do as Jesus mentioned in Mt 15:8 “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”. If we lack hope in God and our hearts are far away from him, today is an opportune time for us to realize the great love of God waiting for us. Ask the Lord to increase our faith in him and to experience newness and divine blessing like Abraham and the leper in the Gospel.