Returning to the Ways of the Lord

Reflection on Today's Readings, 14th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, Friday 10th July, 2020
Texts: Hos. 14:1-9; Ps. 51:3-4,8-9,12-14,17; Matt. 10:16-23
Today, God calls us to return to him, to walk in his ways. God runs after us as if his existence depends on us, but this is not true; he is a self-existent being, he is existence himself. God does not need us to exist. His concern about us is a testimony that he is love. Love goes out and also attracts. Love goes out for the sake of the beloved, so also when it attracts. Hence, God says, "I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar, his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon".
Returning to the ways of the Lord requires confession of our sins and his mercy, and making of firm resolution. It is written thus: "Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him,  "Take away all iniquity; accept that which is good and we will render the fruits of our lips. Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses; and we will say no more, 'Our God,' to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy".
The ways of the Lord are right; they are right because they bring sanctification which leads to salvation and eternal life, the desire of every human heart. Hence, only the upright can walk in it; these are the people who are 'wise as serpents and innocent as doves' as Jesus puts it in the gospel. This is because the ways are full of challenges. Walking the ways of the Lord requires dying to oneself, patience and endurance. Jesus says, "And they will hate you for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved".
Transgressors stumble in the way of the Lord. This is because they lack the virtues: patience, endurance, wisdom and abandonment of self to God. The root of their stumbling is either  lack of hope or having false hope. Having no hope or false hope makes one to be concerned with the moment and so deprives one of the virtues of wisdom, courage, patience and endurance needed to walk in the ways of the Lord.

Lord our God, rekindle our hope in you that we may have the virtues needed to walk in your ways. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke