“Allowing the Lord to walk into our ordinary lives and accepting His invitation to be partakers of the Extraordinary and Effervescent Works of the Kingdom!”
(Based on Heb 1:1-6 and Mk 1:14-20 – Monday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle 1)
A story is said of a rich man – much attached to possessions and wealth – who heard a sermon which exhorted to “Let God” work in one’s life.
The example cited was of how, at the creation of the world, God commanded a word and things were created…
… let there be light
… let there be the firmament and the waters
… let there be the living creatures etc
“Letting God” to work would allow miracles to take place in one’s life
Even though this man was not a very practising Catholic, and instead was much attached to his wealth…
… these words “Let God”… “Let God”… kept ringing in his hears.
However, he was not sure, how to “Let God” in his life.
As he sat in the evening with his family, his 6 year old child came to him, telling him, “Pappa, our catechism teacher asked us to write the title of today’s sermon as a homework. Would you kindly check if what I have written is right…?”
And so saying, the little boy handed over the book
The man was surprised to see the title written as “LET GO”
… and there it flashed to him: The way to “Let God” was to “Let Go!”
Yes…
“Letting God” to work in life…
… begins with “Letting Go!”
Have we discovered this fundamental truth of Christian Discipleship?
The Gospel of the Day is this beautiful presentation of the first disciples of Jesus, who “let go”…
… in order to follow Jesus
We have entered into the 1st Week of the New Liturgical Year with the Feast of the Baptism.
The “expectant and hopeful purple colours of Advent” and the “golden and white festive colours of the Christmastide” are now kept aside…
… and its time to live the “sublime and green colours of the ordinary time”
The Gospel presents Jesus entering into the “ordinary situations” of the people…
… and inviting them to be partakers of the “Extraordinary and Effervescent Works of the Kingdom!”
The Gospel says:
“And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.” (Mk 1:16)
“And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.” (Mk 1:19)
Simon, Andrew, James and John – would have begun their day just like any other day…
… hoping for a good catch
… but also wary that they may end up without much to carry back home
But Divine Providence had a special day in store for them
Jesus encounters these people on a “regular and ordinary day”
… only to convert that day to a “very special day of blessing and grace!”
Each of us also most probably begin our day, just like any other regular days…
… with mundane tasks
… regular errands and similar schedules
But if we are open and willing to allow the Lord to enter into our lives…
… each day can become a “very special day of blessing and grace!”
Yes, each day can indeed become “the day that the Lord has made” (Ps 118:24 )…
… if we remain open to God’s Voice and cooperate with His Merciful Grace in our lives!
Simon, Andrew, James and John – the first disciples responded to the call of the Lord
And they would have their lives transformed.
The Lord wishes to work out the same transformation in our lives as well.
But for this, we need to “let go”
Yes, we need to “Let Go” in order “to let God” work beautiful miracles in our lives
“Let go” of our tendencies to be attached to material possessions and giving priorities only to worldly riches…
… instead to focus more on the spiritual and eternal realities of life!“Let go” of our egoistic attitudes…
… instead to accommodate and extend God’s Love to people with the virtues of forgiveness, humility and acceptance!“Let go” of our bad habits and sinful inclinations…
… instead, to put on the vestment of holiness and purity of life!
The Lord wishes to work mightily in our lives
As the Letter to the Hebrews testifies: “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets…
… but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world!” (Heb 1:1-2)
Jesus, the Son – the culmination and fulfilment of all revelation….
… desires to walk into our ordinary lives offers us the invitation to be partakers of the “Extraordinary and Effervescent Works of the Kingdom!”
Shall we “let go”….?
… so that we can “let God….”
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS FAITH
We begin our profession of faith by saying: “I believe” or “We believe”.
Faith is man’s response to God, who reveals himself and gives himself to man…
Reflection Capsules 