Acknowledging our sinfulness is never easy. In the first reading today from Baruch 1, the exiles do just that. They come clean and admit that “we did not heed the voice of the Lord, our God, in all the words of the prophets whom he sent us, but each one of us went off after the devices of his own wicked heart, served other gods, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God.” A healthy understanding of one’s sinfulness is a good thing.
In the Gospel reading from Luke 10, Jesus continues His words to the seventy-two as He sends them out. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” In other words, the people in these towns had witnessed firsthand the powerful works of God. Yet they failed to heed the message of repentance.
God’s mighty hand is always at work. Do you recognize that in your life? If so, does it cause a change in your life? I’m afraid so many people view God as some kind of big vending machine. They push a button and expect God to deliver a miracle at their whim. They see the sign but fail to discern the message. Let’s not fall into that trap. Let’s see the miracles happening every day, and allow them to change us more and more into the people that God desires us to become.
Father, we thank you for your mighty hand at work in the world and in our lives. May we always heed the message of repentance. Amen.
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