Today's readings speak to us about the importance of commitment and trust in God. In the first reading from Amos, we hear the Lord speaking through the prophet, warning the people of Israel of the consequences of their disobedience. They have broken God's laws and neglected their relationship with Him, and as a result, they will be crushed like straw under the threshing-sledge.
The Lord reminds them of His past mercies, how He brought them out of slavery in Egypt and led them through the wilderness for 40 years. But despite all this, they have turned away from Him and committed grave sins, such as selling the poor for silver and trampling on the heads of ordinary people.
We are reminded that God's justice is not about punishing us for our sins, but about correcting us and drawing us back to Himself. He wants us to turn away from our wicked ways and return to Him with a contrite heart.
In the Gospel reading, we see Jesus speaking with two different individuals who want to follow Him. The first, a scribe, says he will follow Jesus wherever He goes, but Jesus responds by pointing out that even animals have places to rest their heads - foxes have holes and birds have nests. The Son of Man, Jesus Christ, has nowhere to lay His head. This is a metaphor for His complete surrender to God's will, leaving no room for personal interests or desires. Just as he is showing this individual the cost of discipleship, he is reminding each of us to be ready to count the cost, and choose freely to embrace the narrow path Jesus will set us on.
The second person, one of Jesus' disciples, asks to go bury his father first. Jesus responds by saying that those who are dead should leave the dead to bury them, emphasizing that those who are alive should prioritize following Him. We need to remember, that the dead have gone on, each to reap what his or her actions have merited. What’s important then is not so much the logistics of their funeral, but what we choose to do with our own lives knowing our time will also come. Whether by death or if we be still alive at his coming, we will have to face the inevitability of our lives being scrutinized by God.
In both readings, we are called to examine our own hearts and minds therefore. Are we committed to following God completely, leaving our own desires and interests behind? Or are we holding onto things that are not of God?
As we strive to be faithful followers of Christ, we must remember that true freedom comes from surrendering our lives to Him. We must be willing to let go of our own agendas and desires, just as Jesus did when He left His home in heaven to come to earth.
Saint Francis thought he had it all when he was solely focused on the riches of this world. When God’s grace visited him, and the heart of Francis was transformed, he began to realise that true wealth is the strength and wisdom to do the will of the Father.
May we ask ourselves today: am I willing to surrender my life completely to God? Am I committed to following Him, even when it's hard or uncomfortable? May we pray for the courage and wisdom to leave our own desires behind and follow Jesus Christ, just as He left His own desires behind to come and redeem us. Then and only then, will we be truly free, and our wealth will continue to be amassed, not here, but in heaven, for where our hearts will be, there our true treasure will be found.
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