Thursday, March 27, 2014

Thursday of the Third Week of Lent

 (Jeremiah 7:23-28; Luke 11:14-23)

 Hesed is the Hebrew word for steadfast love. It epitomizes God's disposition toward humans and belies human relations with God. Where God is always merciful, ready to forgive human failings, people almost invariably evade completion of God's will. As the Lord tells Jeremiah in the first reading, "Faithfulness has disappeared..."

What is true in Jeremiah's time applies to Jesus' day. In today’s gospel some refuse to accept his message with the excuse that Jesus is in league with the devil. It characterizes as well the position of many today who will not acknowledge that humanity has been spared of sin through the cross of Jesus.  They deny the  reality of sin saying that human actions are not free, or they ignore the cross questioning its efficacy.

We can do better. Formed by Jesus' teaching, we can be faithful to the covenant that he established between us and the Father. Yes, it will entail measurable sacrifice as anything worthwhile does. But it foresees an immeasurable reward because its guarantor is the ever faithful God.