Genesis 3:9-15; Ps. 129; 2 Cor. 4:13-5,1; Mk. 3, 20-35.
God of Light, God of Goodness, God of Life
We dream to live a better world where there is peace, harmony and love, but the world filled with darkness; Everywhere there evil; Everywhere there is death. This is definitely the consequence of sin which brings shame, fear and rejection or denial of the truth and God. However, God does not abandon us, He seeks us.
God is searching for us, guilty sinners!
In the first reading, we see a God who is looking out for Adam and Eve after the fall. As he calls Adam in garden of Eden, so is he searching for you in the field of the world today: “Where are you?”. In spite of our guilt and shame, our sins, our wickedness, our finger pointing, our failures and shortcomings, our fears and doubts, the Lord loves us and he is searching for us. We are precious in God’s eyes. He says in Isaiah:
“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”
(Isaiah 49:16).
God of Hope who does not abandon us!
Even though man had sinned, God’s mercy is already shown to them when he promised to put enmity between the serpent and the woman and between the seed of evil and the seed of the Woman, that is Jesus Christ who will triumph over Satan. God does not abandon us. David acknowledge this when he says:
“because you will not abandon
me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.” (Ps. 16:10)
Jesus is searching for you!
God is searching for you. St. John tells us that
“God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish” (John 3:16).
Jesus came to look for you. So, where are you with your life? No matter how red your sins are (Isaiah 1;18), do not run away from God, but run back to God; run back to confession, for in God there is mercy and in Him there fullness of redemption (Cf. Ps 130:7) The message of today’s Gospel is also the confirmation that with Christ, the power of Satan, the power of Belzebul, the prince of demons is coming to an end.
In spite of all evil and darkness in the world today, we must remain faithful and hopeful
because we have Christ Jesus. He is the light of God and He will triumph over darkness.
Remain in the light and be the light of the world (Mt 5:14). God will conquer over evil and life triumphs over death. Jesus is the Light; Jesus is Goodness! Jesus is Life!
Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may the triumph of Christ over evil, darkness and death be ours in the name of Jesus! May we under the guidance of our faith be assured eternal life through Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC
Living the Gospel this Week
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” (Mark 3:33)
Jesus redefines family. We are bound by faith and not by Blood ties. Jesus wants us to transcend ourselves from purely human to always seek the will of God. “Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:34-35)
Let us show respect and love to Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother this week by visiting a grotto, and saying a rosary for the family! (Luke 2:51)
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us in becoming a citizen of the broader family, the Church. We are citizen of the new Kingdom; the kingdom of Christ!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO SAC