INVESTMENT OF OUR LIFE


MONDAY, TWENTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

1 Thess 4:13-18; Ps 96:1,3-5,11-13; Lk 4:16-30

Giving up life to possess Life

Mortal Life, as we stated yesterday, is the greatest thing or potential we possess as a gift from God, for it is the ground for obtaining other gifts. However, it is only a potential that must be invested in to yield the real life that is ours indeed. The necessity of this investment is taught and demonstrated for us daily in nature. The hindrance to our learning this most important lesson from nature is our lack of attention. We can truly say that the Eternal Wisdom is present in the whole of nature’s operations to teach us this important lesson, for we see the self-investment of every natural thing everywhere in nature. Hence, nature does not just provide us with bodily nourishment, but also spiritual nourishment. Natural things call us to faith in the word of God operative in nature, to hope in divine providence arranging all things for our good and upkeep, and to humble service of others in love and self-giving. So, the Eternal Word of God is present in creation, guiding it and using its operations to teach us about the Father. Our absorption with self keeps us from learning in the school of nature established by God for our education. It also makes us deaf to nature’s instructions, leading us to attempt to redirect nature for our selfish ends.

Our Lord used the scriptures to remind us why he is present among us, in nature and in our human nature. “The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.” These words are applicable to nature, for nature is inspired and guided by the word of God to achieve the will of the Father. We are poor, captives of dark forces, blind, weak, and fallen, because we do not pay attention to nature. Thus, the incarnation of the Eternal Word is not to alter anything nature has been teaching us, but to emphasise and reinforce them. When our Lord had the attention of his people, he went straight to hit at their lack of attention and obstinacy. “There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.” Our lack of faith is the reason we are without anointing in a universe overflowing with the anointing of the Lord. The consequence is that we are imprisoned in the darkness of ignorance, captives of evil forces, blind, weak, and fallen.

The reaction of the people to the solemn words of our Lord proved him right. Instead of repenting of their sins of unbelief, lack of hope, and lack of charity, they rushed to destroy him. Saint Paul urges us not to be like them, but to learn the lesson of nature and understand the mystery of self-transcendent or self-investment through death. Our Christian life is the daily practice of this important lesson of death.  “We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that it will be the same for those who have died in Jesus: God will bring them with him.” The resurrection of the Son of Man is in continuity with the teaching he gives us in nature, for everything sows itself in death and resurrects with new life in conformity with the will of God. We enter the path to enduring life by paying attention to the word of God to understand the nature of the present life. Our natural life is a seed to be sown in order to possess the everlasting life of God. Attention gives birth to the new and spiritual life within us. The whole creation believes, hopes, and loves the word of God. Let us follow suit and sing the praises of God. “O sing a new song to the Lord, sing to the Lord all the earth. Tell among the nations his glory and his wonders among all the peoples.”

Let us pray: God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is good and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you have nurtured. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.        

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