Man's Wilderness experience

Reflection on Today's Readings, 14th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, Monday 6th July, 2020
Texts: Hos. 2:14-16,19-20; Ps. 145:2-9; Matt. 9:18-26
God's love is eternal and he loves us without reservation. Though God loves us unreservedly, we can still get lost. Inasmuch as we are still in the land of the living, God does not give up on us no matter our status. In today's first reading, God declared his unreserved love for his people thus: "Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. And there she shall answer as in the day of her youth". At this time, the people of Israel had abandoned God, but God, who is always faithful in his love, planned to channel a new course for them; the course by which they would return to him. The wilderness, mentioned by prophet Hosea, reminds us of a lonely land, a place of no distractions. Wilderness is a place where one can hear the subtle voice of God. This wilderness is not the terrestrial form of wilderness, but an encounter that always return us to inward journey. It is an encounter that always makes us to be with none but our God. Such an encounter always makes us to seek God. For the people of Israel, their wilderness experience was the exile. Though their sins would lead them to the exile, God would not abandon them but would show them love in abundance that they would return to him. In this, we see God's love for sinners and how restless he is in working out their salvation. No man could ever love like God, he is never tired of working out our salvation. Some theologians are overwhelmed by this kind of love to the extent that they believe all men will be saved. However, that is not our Lord's teaching.
Today's gospel relates two wilderness experiences of man. The first experience was that of the ruler; it was an encounter with the reality of the death. We cannot say that we have experienced the reality of death until one's loved one is dead. Experience of death of a loved one is a unique one, it comes with experience of nothingness, lack of interest in so many things. Such experience is often devastating. In that kind of situation, only God is the solution. The ruler sought for no one but Jesus Christ. The response of Jesus was so interesting and prompt; it is said, "And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples". His response shows his restlessness to save us and his eagerness to attend to us during our wilderness experience.
Another kind of man's wilderness experience related in the gospel was that of the woman suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years. It was an encounter with the reality of sickness. She had reached the point of deadlock and so she could only hope in God. Anyone who could imagine the situation of the woman would have known that she was going through wilderness experience; a situation whereby she was with none but God. At that moment she could hear the subtle voice: "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well". She did it and she was made well.
Our world is still going through its wilderness experience. COVID19 has thrown us into wilderness experience; it is a moment to come back to God. God is calling us, let us heed his voice. Besides this collective wilderness experience, individuals have theirs. Whatever our individual wilderness experience may be, let us heed the voice of God and come back to him. To some, it is a call to deepen their relationship with him; I mean it could also be a call to higher relationship with God.

Lord our God, we thank you for the love you always shower upon us, may we always realize such love and return to you. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke