By Naresh Namindla csc –
Readings: Gen 17: 9-10, 15-22; Mt 8: 1-4
Today’s readings portray two different men. The first reading portrays Abraham, the father of faith while the gospel portrays a leprosy patient. Though these two people are different in their personalities, their life changed when they encountered God.
Abraham might have never imagined becoming a father to a child at that old age. The leper might have never thought that he would become healthy as he was suffering from it for a long time.
They both had no hope of a better future. Their life almost became useless till the time they encountered God. From the moment of their encounter with God, they were blessed in life and filled with hope. Thus, these readings encourage us as Christians not to lose hope in God. For God is the author of our life. We need to discern the will of God in our life. We are fragile in nature. It is easy for humans to fall into problems and sickness.
The best example is the Coronavirus which has led many people to succumb to death. Nevertheless, today’s readings remind us that God has a covenant with us and is ever faithful to it. Are we grateful to that covenant or have we forgotten about it? If we have forgotten, today is an opportune day for us to realize the great covenant of God to us and ask the Lord to increase our feelings of trust and faith in him and to experience newness and blessing of God like Abraham and the leper.