Today's readings have to do with "openness" to God's saving action! Jesus came into the world to be the agent of our salvation; yet he cannot force this salvation on any one of us! It must be freely sought after and accepted after it is announced to us and presented for our consideration!
The gospel passage today speaks of "leprosy." There are many who suffer from different kinds of "leprosy," that is, many different kinds of diseases, both of the body and of the mind, and to varying degrees and intensity – which distracts everyone involved with it from doing what they have been called by God to do. We each and all are carrying around something that is holding us back from being fully engaged in the life of discipleship that we desire. We are each diseased in some way! The key to healing is openness to the Lord and Savior who can modify or remove the difficulties at his will – if we but simply ask with faith, and await his reply! When we leave the outcome up to him, the outcome and the timing for it are always best.
And so it with "unhardened hearts" that we hear the voice of the Lord today, and we encourage ourselves with the knowledge that we have become partners with Christ and have as our duty to hold on to what we have received firmly until the end!
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts – and you will be healed for the asking, and you will be productive in the vineyard of the Lord!
No comments:
Post a Comment