By Praveen Bandula csc –
Readings: Gal 5: 18-25; Lk 11: 42-46
The readings of the day remind us how precious we are to God and how God shows his love to us through his son Jesus Christ. God wants us to be much closer to him. Though humans went away from him by disobeying, he didn’t leave us in a state of sin but sent his only son who united us with God through his suffering and death.
The first reading reminds us that everything is in subjection to him, for whom and by whom all things exist. In today’s gospel, we see people talk about Jesus’ teaching; they saw him teaching with authority. It is not possible for an unrighteous person to command others with authority and sincerity. We are afraid to correct others’ mistakes because we are afraid of being pointed back by them. And we know well about the consequences of speaking truth concerning wrong deeds of others.
Either we miss the company of that person or become an enemy to him. Jesus was not afraid of any consequence for being truthful and righteous as people found him in today’s gospel. That is why he had the power and authority to condemn anyone who went against the will of God. We also find something interesting: that Jesus did not want the testimony of the unclean spirit about him because our God is not of the dead but of the living as the scripture proclaims. As we are called to follow him, let us bring glory and honour to God who created and called us brothers. So, let us ask him to give us the needed grace to live a worthy life according to the teachings of Christ.