Sunday, July 20, 2014

16th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 21-07-14

Micah 6:1-4, 6-8 / Matthew 12:38-42

People who believe in God would also want to practice goodness in their lives.

Because if they believe that God is love and goodness, then they too would want to reflect these attributes of God.

But such wasn't the case with the people of God that we heard about in the 1st reading.

And we heard God "accusing and pleading against His people": What have I done to you, how have I been a burden to you?

God in His love and goodness rescued His people from slavery in Egypt and sent Moses to lead them.

But in return they were unfaithful and sinned against the Lord and worshipped idols.

Somehow, it seemed that the people had this idea that God was very difficult to please. Would it appease the Lord with holocaust by the thousands and libations by the torrents, the people seemed to be asking.

And then the prophet Micah announced the three requirements that the Lord was asking of His people, and it is only this: To act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with God.

Yes, it is as simple as that: to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with God. But let us not think that what is simple is also easy to do.

The people of God in the past had failed in either one or all of the three. We, the present people of God, will not find it any easier either.

But that is what goodness is all about - simple but not easy. But goodness will be the sign we will give to the world. May we believe in it and act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God.