Our Past Does Not Matter To God

 

A true righteousness brings about peaceful co-existence.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Friday of 1st Week of Lent, February 23rd, 2024
Texts: Ezekiel 18:21-28; Psalm 130:1-8; Matthew 5:20-26 

Our past does not matter to God. God does not reckon with the past of anyone, whether sinners or the righteous. He speaks of a sinner thus: "If a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.” 

About the righteous, He says, “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does the same abominable things that the wicked man dies, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered” 

We should make righteousness a virtue

God is concerned with who we are now. Who are we now? Are we righteous now? What God wills is that we should choose good at every moment. If we have chosen good now, it should continue. This means we should make righteousness a virtue, not just an act. It should be a way of life. 

God loves positive change

Another thing that also stands out in the reading is that God loves positive change. This is clear in the words: “Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” 

It is also clear in the first reading that God hates negative change, backsliding. He says, “When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die for it; for the iniquity which he has committed he shall die.” Backsliding could be in term of decrease in zeal and passion for God. It may not be a total turn away from God. No matter the form of the Backsliding, God does not welcome it. Let us brace up. 

We are to maintain peaceful co-existence

Jesus Christ reminds us, today, that if we are righteous, our righteousness should be genuine to be saved. He says, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” A true righteousness brings about peaceful co-existence. We are to maintain peaceful co-existence and do away with what sabotage it. Hence, Jesus asks us to do away with anger and derogatory words and be reconciled with our brothers.  

Prayer  

Grant that your faithful, O Lord, we pray, may be so conformed to the paschal observances, that the bodily discipline now solemnly begun may bear fruit in the souls of all. Amen (Collect) 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke