Walking In Our Own Counsels And Stubbornness

Obey my voice, and I will be your God

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Thursday of 3rd Week of Lent B, March 7th, 2024
Texts: Jeremiah 7:23-28; Psalm 95:1-2,6-9; Luke 11:14-23 

God accuses us, today, of walking in our own counsels and stubbornness. He says, “But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.” Is this not true about me? Is it not true about you? 

Let us do examination of conscience to see if we are guilty of the accusation. Is there any way in which I am walking in my own counsels and stubbornness? It is now time to heed God’s word.  

In the cases we walk in our own counsels and stubbornness we reject God as our God. We also deny our identity as the people of God. The Lord says, “This command I gave my people, 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.” 

This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the  Lord their God

We walk in our own counsels and stubbornness because we lack discipline and reject the truth. God says, “This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the  Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.” We have to embrace discipline and truth to obey the voice of God.  

The denial of truth is present in today’s gospel reading. When Jesus drove out demons, some people denied the truth. They said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons’, while others, to test him, sought from him a sign from heaven.” We should seek the truth and hold on to it when we see it.

Prayer  

We implore your majesty most humbly, O Lord, that, as the feast of our salvation draws ever closer, so we may press forward all the more eagerly towards the worthy celebration of the Paschal Mystery. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke