Lenten message of Pope Francis based on Fratelli Tutti No. 8

By acknowledging the dignity of each human person, we can contribute to fraternity between all men and women.


TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

LISTEN TO HIM (JEREMIAH 7:23)


TODAY'S REFLECTION

In the 1st reading, God, through the prophet Jeremiah, pointed out to the people that they do not listen to His voice, they did not pay attention to His Word, they followed rather the dictates of their evil hearts.


And because they do not listen to God, they have grown stubborn and behaved worse than their ancestors, and neither do they take correction.


God has given us two ears and one mouth. If we love God, then our duty is to listen to Him...

In this morning’s gospel reading, some people completely misunderstand the healing work of Jesus, declaring that he heals by means of Satan’s power.


Instead of acknowledging that God was powerfully at work in the life of Jesus, they declared that Satan was at work in his life. 


It is hard to conceive of a greater misunderstanding of Jesus than that. 


They were calling good evil. In response to their grave misjudgement, Jesus declared that his healing work was done through the finger of God. 


God was at work in Jesus and some of his own contemporaries could not see it. 


We can all be blind to the finger of God, to the working of God among us. We are graced in some way by God and we hardly notice it. 


The Lord blesses us and rather than recognize the blessing and giving thanks for it we focus on what we do not have or what is wrong in our lives. 


We need to keep on praying for the gift to see as Jesus sees, which is the opposite of how people in today’s gospel reading saw. 


Jesus saw the working of God in creation, in the sower, the vineyard, the flowers of the field and birds of the air. 


He saw God’s presence in those whom many people had written off. 


Jesus teaches us to see with generous and hopeful eyes. When we see in this way, then, in the words of Paul, we will be inspired to give thanks in all circumstances.


RESOLUTION

Let us resolve to be with Jesus and with Him we will gather those who want to listen to Him.


THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF ST JOSEPH.

PRAY FOR THE RELEASE OF FR. STAN SWAMY


REPEALING OF THE FARM LAWS