[stephenkhoo]

Scripture Reflections
Friday, 13 July, 2012, 14th Week, Ordinary Time
STRENGTHENING OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE AS THE WAY TO REMAIN IN THE MERCIFUL LOVE OF GOD
SCRIPTURE READINGS: HOSEA 14:2-10; MATTHEW 10:16-23

Indeed, how true are the words of Hosea for all of us when he said, “your iniquity was the cause of your downfall.” Truly, most of our sufferings come from our foolish mistakes and sins which we have committed. Whether it is due to ignorance or deliberate ignorance, when we sin, we always hurt ourselves and those people whom we love. But more than that, sins do not just affect us in the present, but will affect our loved ones in the future. We all are aware of what people call “ancestral sins”, that is the effects of the sins of our forefathers and the effects of our sins upon our present generation and the generations to come, “until the third or fourth generations”, as the bible tells us. This is better understood as the effects of original sin, which is more psychological and emotional than biological, and which can lead us to commit personal sins. However, it must not be interpreted per se as the transmission of personal sins, for such sins cannot be transmitted. Nevertheless, they are still called sins because they bring about our estrangement from God and from others.

But our experience of God’s love for us assures us that we need not live in our past, nor be fearful of the future. We only have to come back to the Lord our God. These are the words of Hosea, “Israel, come back to the Lord your God. Provide yourself with words and come back to the Lord. Say to him, ‘Take all iniquity away so that we may have happiness again and offer you our words of praise.” The only way to break the cycle of sins and the effects of sin is to turn away from sin. This is the first prerequisite for healing of our family tree and our individual healing.

Healing of our brokenness and sinfulness and the effects of sin on our psychological state can only come about if we stop relying on ourselves, our strength, talents, wealth or power but on Him alone. Indeed, Hosea reminds us “Assyria cannot save us. We will not ride horses any more.” In other words, we cannot be healed by human might and ingenuity. We must not think that science and technology, power and wealth can bring us real happiness in life and help us to overcome the self-centeredness and individualistic approach to life today.

Indeed, by giving ourselves to the Lord and surrendering our lives to Him, especially our sins of pride and self-will, we will come to realize that only God can heal our brokenness. And the good news is that God wants to heal us. We only need to pray as the Israelites did, “Our God! To what our own hands have made, for you are the one in whom orphans find compassion.” Truly, we have not only heard but many of us have experienced the healing love of God as Hosea said, “I will heal their disloyalty, I will love them with all my heart, for my anger has turned from them. I will fall like dew onIsrael. He shall bloom like the lily, and thrust out roots like the poplar, his shoots will spread far; he will have the beauty of the olive and the fragrance of Lebanon.”

Having experienced the power and healing love of God, let us not turn back to our past again. Hosea reminds us, “Let the wise man understand these words. Let the intelligent man grasp their meaning. For the ways of the Lord are straight, and virtuous men walk in them, but sinners stumble.” We must now make resolve to walk in the right path and the ways of the Lord. This brings us back to the question of how we can walk in this path so that we can blossom as Hosea tells us.

Yet, we must not be deluded into thinking that living a righteous life is easy in the world. Many have been touched by the Lord at some point in their lives, yet quite often, many do not sustain that love the Lord has poured into their hearts. They do not prepare themselves by growing in the Lord to face the cunning temptations of the Evil One in the world. In seeking to live an upright life, one of honesty and integrity, we will we persecuted as Jesus warned us, “Beware of men: they will hand you over to the Sanhedrin and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans.”

Realizing the challenges ahead of us, let us stand firm. We will share our Master’s fate; no less. Like Him, Jesus forewarned His disciples, “You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved. If they persecute you in one town, take refuge in the next; and if they persecute you in that, take refuge in another.” We must not succumb too easily in our fight against sin and the temptations of the world, not even when under threat.

How can we keep ourselves afloat in the world unless we bear in mind the words of God through Hosea? “They will come back to live in my shade; they will grow corn that flourishes, they will cultivate vines as renowned as the wine of Helbon. What has Ephraim to do with idols any more when it is I who hear his prayer and care for him? I am like a cypress ever green, all your fruitfulness comes from me.“ In other words, we must live in Jesus and be one with Him in Spirit, for Jesus warns us, “Remember, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be cunning as serpents and yet as harmless as doves.”

But in union with Jesus, we can handle all forms of opposition because as Jesus assured us “when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.” Yes, with Jesus in our mind, the Spirit in our heart, and the Father protecting us, we can face the world with courage, clinging to Him who will sustain us until we complete our journey on earth. It will no longer be us against the world but God versus the world. With God and us, we are always more powerful than any forces on earth, seen or unseen.