READINGS:
1 R : Hos 14 : 2 - 10.
Ps 80 : 6c - 8a, 8bc - 9, 10 - 11ab, 14 & 17.
Gos : Mk 12 : 28b - 34.
BOTH THE READINGS TODAY, CALL UPON US TO REFLECT ON THE CENTRALITY OF GOD AND HIS COMMANDMENT.
IF WE CAN THINK IN TERMS OF MECHANICS;
MOST OF THE ENGINES ARE KNOWN TO BE ' CENTRIFUGAL ', IN THE SENSE THAT, THEY ARE RELATED TO THE CENTER FORCE DIRECTLY.
IMAGINE A TURBINE, FAN , MOTOR, GENERATOR, GRINDER OR ANY ENGINE.
EVEN WE KNOW THAT THE EARTH MOVES ON ITS AXIS.
THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS NOT MECHANICAL BUT THEOLOGICAL.
THAT IS, WHEN GOD IS AT THE CENTER OF ONE'S LIFE, LIFE IS IN RIGHT ORDER.
REMEMBER THE FIRST READING:
THROUGH HOSEA, GOD TELLS THEM EVEN THE WORDS WITH WHICH THEY SHOULD RETURN.
" TAKE AWAY ALL INIQUITY; ---- ASSYRIA SHALL NOT SAVE US,..... AND WE WILL SAY NO MORE, ' OUR GOD ' TO THE WORK OF OUR HANDS."
DEFINITELY, BECAUSE THEY WENT ' AWAY ' FROM GOD / ' WITHOUT ' GOD EVIL SURROUNDED THEM.
AND THE MERCIFUL GOD PROMISES THEM,
" I WILL BE AS THE DEW TO ISRAEL, HE SHALL BLOSSOM AS THE LILY, .. STRIKE ROOT AS THE POPLAR; .....FLOURISH AS A GARDEN AND THEIR FRAGRANCE SHALL BE LIKE THE WINE OF LEBANON. "
JUST REFLECT A WHILE ON WHAT THEY WOULD BECOME ' WITH THEIR GOD, WITH THEM'
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS AN IMAGERY OF PLENTY IN TERMS OF AGRICULTURE.
TRANSPOSE IT TO YOUR PRESENT REALITY.
THEREFORE JESUS TELLS THAT TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALL YOUR SOUL, ALL YOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH IS THE FIRST OF ALL THE COMMANDMENTS AND CENTRAL TO HUMAN EXISTENCE.
LOVING THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF IS NOTHING BUT AN EXTENSION OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.
IF OUR LIFE IS OUT OF GEAR, SO TO SAY, THEN IT IS HIGH TIME THAT, WE RETURN TO GOD THIS LENTEN SEASON AND MAKE GOD THE CENTER OF OUR LIFE FROM WHOM FLOW THE LIVING STREAMS OF GRACE.
