7Th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C, 24/02/2019

The readings this week speak about the compassion, love and mercy of God and our calling to be Christians. They invite us to express the love of God in our thoughts, words and actions.

The first reading tells about the intention of King Saul to kill David and therefore he pursues him. By chance David and his men came upon Saul asleep in a cave. Saul is completely in David’s power although he chooses not to kill him because he is God’s anointed king, instead he removes Saul’s weapon from him. What an action that David makes? It is from this that David makes his righteousness clear to everyone.

 The second reading speaks of our human nature. We are created by God, like Adam was created and in his limited bodily form that lives on this earth. Therefore, it is in Christ Jesus that we find our true eternal being, made in his image. So we are called as Christians to live our lives according to the likeness of him.

The psalm is a song of how God loves and heals us. He does not treat us according to our human failures, but with mercy and compassion. https://youtu.be/uRMwwfbyeo4

The Gospel challenges us to be compassionate as God is. This is what Jesus urges us to be and to give. Jesus’ sayings seem difficult and hard to live, but should not be our discouragement but recognition that we are dependent on him due to our weakness and therefore should cause our joy and effort to love and be compassionate. We cannot live Christian life simply on our own help but by relying on him (Jesus), allowing him to deepen his life and attitude in each one of us.

 What is the learning this week? That I am dependent on Jesus to become a true Christian disciple who want to receive and give love, compassion and mercy. This might be challenging but I must make clear my righteousness to God and others and if not I am just acting/pretending to be a Christian.

 Christian action to take this week: I will offer love, mercy and compassion to someone I have neglected in my small Christian community, my family, my parish community and working place. I will also consider being kind to someone I gossiped about, lied and denied justice by stealing/corruption, loaning some money and not reimbursing the owner and keeping revenge towards others…

Finally, I will consider participating in the sacrament of reconciliation this week to find my true eternal being in Christ Jesus as St Paul reminds me in the second reading today. I will try to be a better human to become a better Christian. Treat others as you would like them to treat you.

Joy and Peace.

https://www.minsccs.org