The confusion belongs to us

 

The righteousness belongs to God.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Friday of 26th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, October 6th, 2023
Texts: Baruch 1:15-2; Psalm 79:1-5,8-9; Luke 10:13-16 

                              The confusion belongs to us

Today’s first reading gives rise to the question of how much pain we have cost God. Baruch confesses thus: “From the day when the  Lord brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt until today, we have been disobedient to the  Lord our God, and we have been negligent, in not heeding his voice.” This is disheartened to know that we never give God rest from our offence. However, we see how patience God is and wait for us to return to Him.  

Baruch tells us today that the righteousness belongs to God while the confusion belongs to us. This means God always play His own part to save us from sin. He simply tells us that we are responsible for our misdeeds; they are our choices. Righteousness belongs to God, for He calls us, speaks with us and gives us statutes to follow. Confusion belongs to us, for we disobey Him whenever He calls; we fail to heed His voice when He speaks through His prophet; we also fail to follow His statutes.  

Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida!

We are not acting in ignorance, so God is justified. God has done what it takes to convert us. Hence, in today’s gospel reading, Jesus says, “Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” The mighty works are convincing enough to inspire repentance. This means God gives us saving intervention to repent. He gives us intervention that is capable of inspiring repentance in us. 

We are confused because we follow our own intent and do what is evil. Baruch says, “we have sinned before the  Lord, and have disobeyed him, and have not heeded the voice of the  Lord our God, to walk in the statutes of the  Lord which he set before us.” The solution to our confusion is obedience to God, heeding the voice of God and following His statutes.  

Prayer 

God our Father, we thank You for Your mercy and patience with us; grant that we may obey You, heed Your voice and follow Your statutes. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke