March 8, Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Memorial of Saint John of God, religious
Daily Readings: Hosea 14:2-10, Mark 12:28-34.
God Himself teaches the people of Israel what they should tell Him upon their return to Him. They are to implore Him to take away all their guilt. It is in God that they will find mercy. God will surely heal their disloyalty. He will love them freely. Thus, God promises to restore them totally as they return to Him with repentant hearts. God reveals Himself as a restorer and healer. God promises to restore their growth, beauty, strength, value, delight, and abundance.
When God restores Israel, his people will be a blessing to others. To understand and discern things, we need God-given wisdom. God’s ways are right, and only the upright can walk in them. If there is someone who is not able to cope with God’s ways, it simply means that they are transgressors. They have something to hide. They have to listen to God’s voice and bring about transformation in their lives.
A scribe's question unearths a treasure from Jesus' mouth. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and Leviticus 19:18. The love of God goes hand in hand with the love of a neighbor. One without the other is incomplete and meaningless. When one can put all of this into practice, it becomes more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
According to St. Mark, the young scribe replied well, and Jesus appreciated him for his wisdom and recognized that he was very close to God's kingdom. Unless and until one can truly love God and love one’s neighbor, one cannot courageously answer like this young man. A certain amount of honesty is required! The young man was honest enough.
Call to Action for Catholic Living: Our God does not want to destroy any of his creatures. He plans their restoration and recreation. What is required of us is to be honest and faithful in all our dealings. What is our response? Transparency is indeed a great value in our time!
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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