03-21-2014, 10:51 PM
THE MARVELLOUS WISDOM OF GOD’S PLAN IN OUR LIVES
SCRIPTURE READINGS: GN 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28; MT 21:33-43
http://www.universalis.com/20140321/mass.htm
What is the main lesson we can learn from today’s readings? What challenges and hopes can we draw from today’s readings? This is especially important because some of us might feel discouraged that we do not seem to be improving in our spiritual life in spite of the fact that we try to pray more fervently and even engage in performing works of penance, fasting and almsgiving.
The all-important lesson of today’s scripture readings is that God’s plan cannot be wrecked by the sin of man. In His divine wisdom, He is able to take into consideration the freedom and sin of man in bringing about His plan of salvation. God knows too well that the instruments that He chooses for His salvific work might not always be perfect. Nevertheless, He would not be thwarted by man’s sinfulness and weakness. Instead God has and will always use human weakness for good purpose. God somehow writes straight in crooked lines. He shows Himself to be triumphant even in hopeless situations. For this reason, the psalmist praised God for His marvels and wisdom. Yes, God is able to ensure that His plan would succeed in spite of man’s infidelity. How can we be so sure?
This is illustrated firstly in the case of Jacob and Joseph. Indeed, we know that Jacob, now called Israel, cheated Esau of his birthright. It seems that he never learnt from his father Isaac. He should have remembered how he felt when Isaac favoured Esau over him. But as they say, history always repeats itself. This time, Jacob favoured Joseph over the others. He should have known that it would cause jealousy among them. Indeed, we can empathize with the brothers for they must have been incensed by the experience of injustices and the discriminating attitude of their father. What made it worse was that Joseph too had a part to play in his fate, for instead of being humble, he boasted of his privileged position and his dream that one day the brothers would have to serve him.
This is certainly something we experience in our own lives. Isn’t it true that on the personal level, many of us are still broken by our past and still a slave to our bad habits and sins such as selfishness, pride, greed, jealousy, envy, negative and bad thoughts? On the communal level, be it in the parish or family, certainly we are competitive and jealous of each other; more so, when we see discrimination by our superiors, friends or colleagues. In other words, when we feel unloved, unaccepted and unfairly treated, then the ego begins to assert itself. However, we can take consolation that if we experience rejection in our lives, then Jesus too was rejected.
But the rejection of Jesus turned out to be the way that God will establish His kingdom. Through His apparent failure and death, God made Him the cornerstone of our salvation. Quoting from scriptures, which will later be cited also in 1 Peter, Jesus is the stone rejected by the builders but has turned out to be the keystone. Yes, as the gospel said, “It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see” Indeed, just when we thought that with the rejection and death of Jesus, God’s plan would fail, Jesus’ death became the source of salvation vindicated by His resurrection.
Thus, we can therefore take consolation that in the midst of the ambiguities of life, especially the life of sin and grace; weakness and strength; success and failures, we must realize that God is working out our salvation in our lives. This is true on the personal level and even truer on the collective and community level. Truly, it is the living out in the community, with all its sins and failures; and also the moments of grace that we grow in maturity and holiness. So instead of being resigned and defeated, we should, through our differences with each other, our misunderstandings, quarrels, intolerance etc grow in authentic love for each other as we become more sensitive to each other’s needs and failures.
We can be sure that Joseph must have realized his own mistake in making his brothers jealous of him. So too the brothers later realized that they were wrong in selling their brother away. We too must come to realize our mistakes and sinfulness and make amends with the help of His grace.
The tragedy is that we can be like the leaders of Israel. Although it is true that God’s plan will materialize in spite of man’s sins, yet there is always the possibility that we might not be docile to His love and invitation. As a result, we can destroy ourselves unless we are repentant like Joseph and his brothers. By following the example of the religious leaders of Israel who blatantly refused the invitation of God, we too become losers in the end. Indeed, Jesus warned them and us, “I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”
We should therefore take heed and all the more not allow the grace of God to be wasted in our lives. We are so fortunate to have all the means to grow in spiritual life. But have we made full use of them or do we squander them away like the religious leaders? If we do, then certainly, it is a tragedy for us.
So today, let us pray that we will make full use of the Lenten season to grow in holiness and grace. We must struggle over sin with the grace of God. If we have done our best, then even when we fail, we can be confident of God’s mercy and love. Yes, if we have tried our best, God will see us through. But we must cooperate with His grace and rely on Him as our cornerstone. If not, then we will forfeit that opportunity of entering the kingdom.
Yes, let us praise God for His wisdom and love and mercy in allowing us to grow through such ambiguities in life. And this can happen only if we rest on Christ our cornerstone. Building on Christ, His gospel and His grace, we can be hopeful and live in security that God will lead us to the kingdom.
SCRIPTURE READINGS: GN 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28; MT 21:33-43
http://www.universalis.com/20140321/mass.htm
What is the main lesson we can learn from today’s readings? What challenges and hopes can we draw from today’s readings? This is especially important because some of us might feel discouraged that we do not seem to be improving in our spiritual life in spite of the fact that we try to pray more fervently and even engage in performing works of penance, fasting and almsgiving.
The all-important lesson of today’s scripture readings is that God’s plan cannot be wrecked by the sin of man. In His divine wisdom, He is able to take into consideration the freedom and sin of man in bringing about His plan of salvation. God knows too well that the instruments that He chooses for His salvific work might not always be perfect. Nevertheless, He would not be thwarted by man’s sinfulness and weakness. Instead God has and will always use human weakness for good purpose. God somehow writes straight in crooked lines. He shows Himself to be triumphant even in hopeless situations. For this reason, the psalmist praised God for His marvels and wisdom. Yes, God is able to ensure that His plan would succeed in spite of man’s infidelity. How can we be so sure?
This is illustrated firstly in the case of Jacob and Joseph. Indeed, we know that Jacob, now called Israel, cheated Esau of his birthright. It seems that he never learnt from his father Isaac. He should have remembered how he felt when Isaac favoured Esau over him. But as they say, history always repeats itself. This time, Jacob favoured Joseph over the others. He should have known that it would cause jealousy among them. Indeed, we can empathize with the brothers for they must have been incensed by the experience of injustices and the discriminating attitude of their father. What made it worse was that Joseph too had a part to play in his fate, for instead of being humble, he boasted of his privileged position and his dream that one day the brothers would have to serve him.
This is certainly something we experience in our own lives. Isn’t it true that on the personal level, many of us are still broken by our past and still a slave to our bad habits and sins such as selfishness, pride, greed, jealousy, envy, negative and bad thoughts? On the communal level, be it in the parish or family, certainly we are competitive and jealous of each other; more so, when we see discrimination by our superiors, friends or colleagues. In other words, when we feel unloved, unaccepted and unfairly treated, then the ego begins to assert itself. However, we can take consolation that if we experience rejection in our lives, then Jesus too was rejected.
But the rejection of Jesus turned out to be the way that God will establish His kingdom. Through His apparent failure and death, God made Him the cornerstone of our salvation. Quoting from scriptures, which will later be cited also in 1 Peter, Jesus is the stone rejected by the builders but has turned out to be the keystone. Yes, as the gospel said, “It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see” Indeed, just when we thought that with the rejection and death of Jesus, God’s plan would fail, Jesus’ death became the source of salvation vindicated by His resurrection.
Thus, we can therefore take consolation that in the midst of the ambiguities of life, especially the life of sin and grace; weakness and strength; success and failures, we must realize that God is working out our salvation in our lives. This is true on the personal level and even truer on the collective and community level. Truly, it is the living out in the community, with all its sins and failures; and also the moments of grace that we grow in maturity and holiness. So instead of being resigned and defeated, we should, through our differences with each other, our misunderstandings, quarrels, intolerance etc grow in authentic love for each other as we become more sensitive to each other’s needs and failures.
We can be sure that Joseph must have realized his own mistake in making his brothers jealous of him. So too the brothers later realized that they were wrong in selling their brother away. We too must come to realize our mistakes and sinfulness and make amends with the help of His grace.
The tragedy is that we can be like the leaders of Israel. Although it is true that God’s plan will materialize in spite of man’s sins, yet there is always the possibility that we might not be docile to His love and invitation. As a result, we can destroy ourselves unless we are repentant like Joseph and his brothers. By following the example of the religious leaders of Israel who blatantly refused the invitation of God, we too become losers in the end. Indeed, Jesus warned them and us, “I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”
We should therefore take heed and all the more not allow the grace of God to be wasted in our lives. We are so fortunate to have all the means to grow in spiritual life. But have we made full use of them or do we squander them away like the religious leaders? If we do, then certainly, it is a tragedy for us.
So today, let us pray that we will make full use of the Lenten season to grow in holiness and grace. We must struggle over sin with the grace of God. If we have done our best, then even when we fail, we can be confident of God’s mercy and love. Yes, if we have tried our best, God will see us through. But we must cooperate with His grace and rely on Him as our cornerstone. If not, then we will forfeit that opportunity of entering the kingdom.
Yes, let us praise God for His wisdom and love and mercy in allowing us to grow through such ambiguities in life. And this can happen only if we rest on Christ our cornerstone. Building on Christ, His gospel and His grace, we can be hopeful and live in security that God will lead us to the kingdom.