Wednesday, July 16, 2014 15th Week in Ordinary Time Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 1st Reading: Is 10:5-7, 13-16 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-27
On one occasion Jesus said, “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise you, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to simple people. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.
“Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE (Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Some people relish sweet revenge over the misfortunes of their enemies. Believing that the gods have taken up their cause against their enemies they cry out in triumph and say, “Sweeter is revenge when served on a platter by a divine waiter”. We do not share this kind of attitude. If ever there indeed is a god serving them that platter of revenge, it surely is not our God, for he is God of mercy and compassion.
As children of God we cannot rejoice at the misfortunes of the wicked, not even when we are their victims. We’d rather view their miseries as lessons to learn rather than the revenge we yearn. Only those who belong to God possess the wisdom to conclude from the woes of others that they too will end similarly unless they part ways with the wicked. This is actually the best stand to take.
Any other conclusion will water down our calling to excel in the practice of love.
To conclude that God has taken up our cause of getting even with them is to drag God down to our level of vindictiveness. But God is never vengeful. If we insist that we deserve God’s patronage while our wicked enemies deserve to perish even more is to give God good reasons to leave us behind and search for the enemies we have branded wicked. As a Good Shepherd, God leaves the 99 in search for the lost one.
To conclude that God has gotten even with our enemies on our behalf is to accuse God of being the author of their woes. But God is good all the time, and nothing bad can come from him. If ever the wicked is suffering, it is probably because of comeuppance. The principle of comeuppance tells us that we only reap what we sow; if we plant bad seeds we reap a bad harvest. We suffer from the consequences of our wrongdoing.
God’s children will see in the misfortunes of others as an occasion to part ways with the wicked and traverse the road of righteousness that leads to heaven. But only in wisdom can they arrive at this. Without wisdom they too will rejoice at the misfortunes of their enemies and will miss God’s invitation to repent. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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