Everyone wants a peaceful life! Everyone wants a life of security, certainness and positiveness! But, no one has this "coming to them." For we are born into the world as children of our first parents – who upset the apple cart – who chose discord, lack of security, uncertainness and negativity both for themselves and for all their descendants.
But, a way was provided by God to have the peace restored – the security, the certainness and positiveness reestablished: and that is to live the "life of loving" that was modeled after the life of his own Son who came to dwell among us – that was modeled after his own life in himself. But this way must be chosen by us – we must decide to follow the way!
And so, the prophet Isaiah in the first reading, tell us that God asks us to choose to remove oppression against people from our midst, to stop accusing each other of false things, to stop malicious speech of all kinds – to bestow bread on the hungry and help the afflicted in any of his needs: then LIGHT SHALL RISE FOR YOU IN THE DARKNESS – and peace shall reign in your hearts, a life of security, certainness and positiveness will be yours!
In the gospel passage Jesus calls to be a disciple Levi – a tax collector – a person who probably not only extorted money in the regular running of his business – but he did it, most shamefully, against his own people – his fellow Jews! He was a traitor in their eyes! And what happened was that Levi's life was made right, and whole and secure – by the grace of God, distributed by Jesus, in the Holy Spirit – he chose to follow Jesus. He even threw a party for him, he was so happy to be associated with him!
When we turn away from our dubious way of life and follow Jesus – and choose to follow his certain and truthful teachings: they will lead us across the bridge to eternal life: and the road will be a whole lot easier than it would be otherwise.
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth!
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