The Imperative to READ the Signs of Times
Jesus Christ taught us to discover the will of God, the innovative action
of the Spirit, the direction in which we should move and act, the presence of
God and God’s designs for us by reading the signs of the times.
More
than ever we need to sharpen our awareness and our sensitivity, as well as our
sense of responsibility. We need to be like actors and sentinels in this
unfolding story, feeling ourselves implicated in its interpretation, asking
ourselves serious questions. Do not be afraid to look at the opportunities and
face the challenges, the fears and the hurts.
We,
notwithstanding our weaknesses and sins, need to continue to walk with hope,
freeing from within us the creative power of the Holy Spirit and of our faith
in our union with the Risen Lord.
We
are called to stand as witnesses to Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Way, no
matter the cost! Christianity is NEVER a popularity contest or a numbers
game! Just as the people of Israel – the
chosen people of God - became the YEAST of the World, so are we in the New
Covenant made through the BLOOD of Christ.
Quoting
St. Paul in his letter to the Romans:
“What then shall we say to this? If God is
for us, who is against us? He who did
not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not give us all
things in him? Who shall bring charges
against God’s elect? It is God who
justifies; who is to condemn? It is
Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is seated at the
right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?
No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor
life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 8: 31 –
39)
Let us, in
these difficult times when we feel the tempest and the strong wind against us,
HEAR, once again, the re-assuring words of Jesus: “Fear NOT, It is I…”
Fr. Eliseo “Jun”
Mercado, OMI
Badaliyya –
Philippines
January 20,
2019
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