Of Hardened Hearts
Jesus rebuked the demon and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this? A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
4th SUN ORDINARY TIME B
Our administrator once complained, “Where are the seminarians? I told them to wait here but apparently they moved someplace else.” Then he added, “These hollow blocks are better than any of them because you tell these hollow blocks to stay put and they stay put and do not leave.”
That is so true, human beings are so pigheaded that they hardly obey any order at all. Many pedestrians cross any part of the busy road other than the designated lanes. People eating in public throw litter on the streets. Everywhere public places are dirty even in international airports. Only a few understand the rule “Clean as you go”.
Why do human beings disobey? Is it because they were given free will by God to choose what they like. Besides freedom, they were given intellect to complete the image of God in them. Yet why are the moon and big planets who never leave their orbits better than them in following laws. Isn’t intellect and will making humans like God but why do they use these faculties to further themselves away from God?
In today’s gospel even the demon acknowledged Jesus’ authority that he obeyed albeit unwillingly when Jesus told him to come out of the possessed man.
How well do we use or abuse the image of God in us? To obey someone means to have the same mind and sentiments of the other one. Are we attuned to God’s wisdom so that we do not deviate from the path He traces out for us?
Is the response of the Psalm for us when we answered “If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts”? Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9
In the first reading the Hebrews, afraid of meeting Yahweh face to face, requested that He speak indirectly to them through prophets. But very rightly Yahweh warned Moses that the Hebrews would still not listen to God’s words which the prophet would speak in His name, and He would make them answer for such insolence. Dt 18:15-20
St. Paul to the Corinthians advised adherence to the Lord without distraction to be free from all anxieties. 1 Cor 7:32-35
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