While we still have time, let's take advantage of it. We'll
never know the time and the hour and not wait before it's too late. Let's not
cram and lose everything. Have you ever experienced cramming for an exam and
trying to read and absorb everything on the night before an exam? I did and the
result was disastrous.
Amos 8:4-6, 9-12
...11 Yes, days are coming”, says the Lord GOD, “when I will
send famine upon the land: Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water, but for
hearing the word of the LORD. 12 Then shall they wander from sea to sea and
rove from the north to the east in search of the word of the LORD, but they
shall not find it.”
The time to act is now. Let us seize every opportunity to
know the Word of God while we still can.
Psalm 119: 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131R: One does not live by
bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.2 Blessed are
they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart...
During our clinical
rotations when I was just a student nurse I have encountered several patients
who are already terminally ill. One of them can no longer tolerate his oral
medicines and just vomit it out. When they tried to give it intravenously the
veins ruptured. No amount of medicine can heal a terminally sick person. Let us
not wait for the time when we are already too sick to respond to God's healing
and end up rejecting it rather than accept it. We all know too well, that God
will never get tired of loving, caring and running after us, for He is a
perfect God but we are imperfect and the
problem lies not on the love of God but on our response to His love. If only
love can be forced then God would have done that to us but He never did and
never will. Love is perfect, patient and kind. Let us respond to this love while
we're still in perfect shape. Jesus has the biggest and most compassionate
heart for sinners especially those who choose to respond to His call and follow
Him. Despite the stigma attached to tax collectors and sinners during His time,
He did not hesitate to call them. We are all being called to live a life with
Him no matter what our situations are. Whatever we may be going through right
now, a problem, difficulty or sin that is preventing us from responding to His
call, we have to always believe that God can overcome all of these if we are
willing to give Him the room to act in our lives. Once we give God the go
signal, He can accomplish almost anything. If we really believe this then it
doesn't matter if we may be experiencing already a life of comfort and ease,
our acceptance and consent to shifting to the unknown will only serve to
emphasize the extraordinary nature of both our unwavering faith and the grace
of God. The grace of God is worth celebrating as it can bring about wonders
that will stretch the ability of our imagination. And we can not deny the fact
that we’ve been privileged to watch this happen not only in the lives of people
on a number of different occasions as in the life of our forefathers like
Abraham, Jacob, Moses, the life of the Blessed Mother but also to us. For He
doesn't only call the qualified but He also qualifies the called. No one is
hopeless and desperate for God. Nothing is beyond His healing love and mercy.
We must not be impatient or judgmental of our brothers and sisters who have
strayed from the Lord. We must keep in mind that He has a special eye for the
sick and the sinners. We have all sinned and fallen ill because of the disease
that sin brings to us. No matter how big and grievous our sins are, God is
always able to heal us. This song which tells us, "He was pierced for our
transgressions, crushed for our iniquities and the punishment that brought us
peace was upon Him for by His wounds we are healed." should inspire us to
reach out to Him more than anyone or anything else. God is indeed an Almighty
God who knows our specific needs be it spiritual, emotional or physical and He
will surely heal every single one of them. He is a God who makes us whole. Amen.
Hallelujah!
Matthew 9:9-13
9 As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at
the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and
sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his
disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He
heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick
do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
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