By Fr Antony Christy, SDB –
THE WORD IN LENT – Monday, Third week
March 04, 2024 – 2 Kings 5: 1-15; Luke 4: 24-30
Through the desert God leads us to freedom… God leads us or at least God offers to lead us! What marks the difference is whether we allow ourselves to be led! We cannot be led unless we allow ourselves to be led. Not allowing ourselves to be led can have some reasons behind it – it could be out of ignorance, obstinacy, pride, prejudice or wickedness! We see the wickedness in act, in the wish to push Jesus down the cliff because he allegedly insulted them, today in the Gospel.
Pride and prejudice blind the eyes of our minds and makes us see only what we decide to see. Even something that is apparent may not be noticed by us because we are so filled with ourselves – our ideas, our desires, our agenda, our plans and our own promotion. Obstinacy blocks us from doing something that is so simple a solution to many a problem, merely because we do not feel like doing it. We wish to hold on to something just for the sake of it, just as Naaman did. He had to be educated to understand his folly. Fortunately, he allowed himself to be educated and thus opened his eyes.
Why was Jesus being so insinuatingly critical towards the people in the synagogue – because they were unable to see the apparent. Their eyes were closed, blocked not so much with ignorance as with obstinacy and pride. Jesus wanted to open their eyes and their hearts and see what the Lord is doing for them, right in front of their eyes; where the Lord wanted to lead them all – to the salvation promised, to freedom. But they were not ready to be prodded!
This is a danger we all run into. The danger of missing the great offer that the Lord has for us – to lead us through the desert to freedom, through the cross to glory! God wishes to lead us and every plan and project is on. All that is needed is our assent to it, that we say an yes! Just as the widow of Zarephath who was open to be led by Elijah although she did not really understand what Elijah meant; just as Naaman who accepted to do what Elisha wanted although he was too proud to carry what he considered a despicable order of someone; are we ready to allow the Lord to lead us on?
The responsorial psalm goes a step ahead and teaches us what sort of an attitude should characterise a child of God: not just allowing God to lead us, but seeking eagerly to be led by God. When we seek to be led by God, when we willingly submit to be led by hand, we shall see the glory of freedom, the glory of the salvation!
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He holds doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.