GOD’S CALL & PEOPLE’S FAITH


GOD’S CALL & PEOPLE’S FAITH

Today, the 30th Sunday in ordinary time, the readings invite the faithful to reflect on God’s call and man’s response to that call. In the first reading God is telling the people to rejoice that they are the greatest nation and feel proud for that. He also tells that He would take care of His people with all the necessary things. It is a kind of assure that God gives to the people of Israel. Moving on the second reading, the letter to the Hebrews, we see that the Priests are the representatives from the people to offer gifts and sacrifices for Sins. Here we need to remember what Pope Francis told once as he was addressing a gathering in the Peter’s Square; “Who is Pope Francis? He is a sinner,” said Pope Francis. This is what we find in today’s second reading. The priests and ministers are not thrown from heaven, rather they are chosen from the people as representatives. In no way they are protected or kept away from committing sin. All are weak. The priest offer sacrifices for his sins as well as for the sins of the People. ‘By saving other, he saves himself.’

In the Gospel, the blind man, who after hearing that Jesus is passing by, becomes very eager to meet Him. Though other people in the street compel him to keep quiet, still his eagerness to meet him did not allow him to rest, it instigated him to shout aloud. As a result, he finds Jesus coming towards him and enquires what does he want. The man replies, “Master, let me see again.” Yes, once he was alright and had a good vision but recently, his eyes faded and lost his sight. Now, he wants to see again as he was doing earlier. This attitude from the man makes God to work a miracle – he gets his sight back.

Falling into sin is man’s nature. The nature of God is to come in search of a fallen man. But both these natures have to meet at one point i.e., Man by responding to God’s call and God by accepting man with His mercy for the completion of a salvific process. God always in search of Man, as man always in the situation to err. Falling in to sin is not an end. The fallen man has to come back to God. The coming back is the greatest task. Being and going away once and for all is simple. God does not condemn us for falling, rather for not realizing and getting back to Him. Our eagerness to meet Him again would pull Him towards us. Even the people who are chosen by God are also the same. The priests are human beings to get connected with God. At times they too fall. But, they also need to come back. Because, all of us are human beings.  

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