+ The first reading today talks of the fate of the malefactor; not
only God, but human beings in general have a distaste for those who
deliberately cheat and take advantage of other people; lie, bribe and
misrepresent themselves. And then when they hypocritically want to offer
sacrifice to the God, whom they know in their hearts they are offending, they
actually expect him to be blind to their excesses and sinfulness. But God is
not blind, nor is he ignorant, nor is he to be cajoled into receiving meaningless
animal sacrifices and sin offerings. But God is always merciful, compassionate,
and ready to forgive iniquity, wrong-doing and sin!
And he does his part
constantly by his steadfast love and willingness to reconcile things;
but he does not force anyone to do anything. Someway, somehow each and every
person has to reach a “breaking point” or a “point of illumination” when “ahh”
the only logical next step is to ask God for mercy, forgiveness and help for
the future. Walking in the right path is not half as difficult as it might
seem, for those who receive the power to do it from on high!
In
the gospel passage, Jesus tells us of the radicalness of the
Gospel message. I have come to bring not
peace but the sword. I have come to turn everything and all relationships
right-side up. Since the Fall of Adam – everything has been upside down –
but now I want to right the ship – to
put everyone squarely back on their feet! It is the world that still insists on
being upside down, but the sane and the serious know that this is no real way
to live: and it certainly is not the path to eternal life! The price that you will pay to stay on a righted ship is to let me be
the captain, let me be the guide, let me be the oarsman: then you shall have
nothing to fear – and you will reach the shores that you long for! Take
this message to all the world: an upside
down ship only sinks, a righted spiritual vessel can sail into everlasting
life!
To the
upright I will show the saving power of God.
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