RECOGNIZING OUR THIRSTS FOR GOD - 03/21/22 (Monday of the Third Week of Lent)

Luke 4:24,27-29

24 And He said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in His own country.

27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Eli'sha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Na'aman the Syrian." 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and put Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down headlong.

For the full readings, click here: 

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings

Blessed Monday! In the gospel reading for today, Jesus made reference regarding the Jews who would reject Him, especially in His own native place, Nazareth. This is why He reveals to us that a prophet is not accepted in his own place. Our Lord also speaks of the salvation of the Gentiles as He mentions the healing of Na'aman the Syrian. Because of hearing this, the Jews were filled with anger, and they put Him out of the city. Unfortunately, Jesus was teaching them lessons which would be helpful for their salvation if they reflected on the story of Na'aman. 

Na'aman was a leper, and it's true that he was healed through prophet Elisha. However, prior to being healed, he was angry with the prophet when he was instructed to go to Jordan river to wash himself seven times. He was disappointed because he was expecting to be healed quicker. The Jews were also angry because they had expectations. Perhaps, they were thinking that they were already holy persons, and they were superior to Gentiles. Like them, we can also be angry because of our expectations. Even when we admit to ourselves our sinfulness, we expect that it's not that grave. So, when we listen to comments of other people about our faults or when God reveals them to our conscience, we may also be filled with anger. 

 

But, what led to the healing of Na'aman was his recognition of his sickness. Instead of dwelling in his complaints, he was obedient to the prophet because of his desire to be cured. In the same way, we need to acknowledge our spiritual sickness and weaknesses. To recognize our sinfulness is to recognize our thirst for God. Only His grace and mercy can truly satisfy the desires of our hearts, especially when we behold the face of God in heaven. It is because we can only find eternal happiness in Him. Our Lord Jesus is reminding us of the necessity of our obedience to His will and commandments. By persevering in holiness and avoiding sins, we can be truly healed from our sins. 

Let's reflect upon our feelings when we see our faults in life. Are we angry with others, with ourselves or even with God? Do we think that we are people who do not deserve to be corrected by others? If yes, this is an opportunity to repent and recognize our thirst for God. The reason why God reveals to us our wrong doings is for us to humble ourselves and seek His strength. May we always abandon ourselves to God's will and pray for the grace of obedience to Christ. As long as we are open to the guidance of our Lord, He will lead us to eternal happiness because we cannot be saved without His mercy. 

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic