Away with your noisy songs without seeking justice

DAILY SPIRITUAL STRENGTH: Amos 5:14-15.21-24, Mt. 8:28-34. The call for justice was the central focus of Old Testament prophetic ministry. In the contemporary time, the demand of justice is apt even more and should be the focus of modern preachers. Today's first reading gives us a glimpse of God who rises up indignantly through all those who combats injustice in the society. In the midst of sacred ceremonies, carried out by duly consecrated priests and with punctilious care for each rubric, God replies: “I hate, I spurn your feasts,… I take no pleasure in your solemnities. Away with your noisy songs.” In today's Gospel, Jesus shows His anger against the ill-treatment of mentally handicapped people as He shouts to the demons: “Come out of him.”

Jesus brings two demoniacs to a greater fullness of life. It is striking that after doing this, the people of the region implored him to leave the neighbourhood. It might have been expected that they would have wanted Jesus, this man who could bring freedom to the enslaved, to stay among them for some time. Surely there were others in the region who could benefit from the presence of God in Jesus. We also can be tempted to ask Jesus to leave our neighbourhood, to leave our lives especially when truth and honesty threatens our livelihood. We sometimes want to keep God at a distance or remove Him from the affair of our lives because His nearness might be very demanding. He might call us to go out towards those who live on the edge of the community, as He went out towards the two demoniacs who lived among the tombs. Yet, if we welcome the Lord into our lives, rather than keeping Him at a distance, we will discover that He gives us the strength to respond to the challenging call of His presence and in responding to that call we will find a greater fullness of life.

May the Lord make our lives examples of His love and give us the grace to be appreciative of His presence! Amen!! Keep safe and have a pleasant day!!!