Theme:
Obedience, Trust in God’s Love – A test of our faith through our daily trials
Many times, our obedience and trust in God is put to the test when we are faced with challenges at home, in school, at our workplace, and even in church while doing our ministerial work. Our faith is challenged while we manoeuvre through the different obstacles placed before us. After 40 days of Lenten observances, we continue 50 days of Eastertide, in joy to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus through to Pentecost (Acts 2:1-31).
In the first reading (Acts 9:26-31), Saul was seen by his peers as someone associated with violence and death, a persecutor of Christians, yet Jesus saw the gifts and talents of Saul. God still chose Saul (later known as Paul) as the man to share and spread the Gospel. How are we honouring the talents God has given to us (Matthew 25:14-30)?
We should look to Saul as an example, in terms of evangelisation. Catholics are called to evangelise and preach the good news of our Lord to everyone (Mark 16:15).
In the second reading (John 3:18-24), we are reminded of God’s steadfast love for us. God has given each of us a free will to decide for ourselves how we want to live our lives and the choice to remain obedient to him. Are we then able to keep his commandments and live the life that he wants us to live even during this difficult period of overcoming COVID-19? Whenever we are troubled, we should turn to the Lord and trust him, “Because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything” (Matthew 19:26). We are called to keep his commandments of “believing in the name of his Son Jesus Christ” and love one another as he loves us. In scripture, God tells us that by keeping his commandments, that he will love us and reveal himself to us. “I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John 14:21). Through obedience and abiding in his love, “he will make our paths straight and guide us in the right paths” (Proverbs 3:6)
Similarly in the Gospel (John 15:4-5), we are again reminded that God should be at the centre of our lives (John 14:6). Like a branch that will wither away without its attachment to the vine, God asks us to remain in his love so that we may bear fruits and draw others to his love. For only in God, are our souls at rest, for He is our salvation (Psalms 62:5-7).
