Tuesday of week 7 in Ordinary Time
Ecclesiasticus 2:1-11
Ps. 36(37):3-4,18-19,27-28,39-40
Mark 9:30-37
As Jesus attempts to prepare his disciples for his impending suffering and death, they engage in disputes over status and importance, highlighting a tendency towards competition and the desire for dominance prevalent in human nature.
Today, we find ourselves called to place our trust in the Divine and to emulate Christ’s path.
How can we authentically follow Christ to attain true liberation as children of God? Henri Nouwen posits, “When we can disengage from the external compulsions that bind us and allow the Holy Spirit—God’s love—to be our sole guiding force, we can then cultivate a genuinely liberated interior and spiritual life.”
This applies universally, whether one is a diligent student, a devoted spouse, a sanitation worker, a parent, a factory employee, a scholar, a healthcare provider, a teacher, clergy, a pope, a homeless individual, or a retiree enjoying the blessings of life.
We must allow the past to fade from our consciousness, releasing nostalgia and regrets, and not be overly concerned with the hypothetical obstacles and risks of the future. Instead, we focus on God’s providence in the present moment, where we find our security, rest, and freedom. At every critical juncture in life, when decisions are to be made, we can be assured that the Spirit will provide guidance.
Engaging in reflective practices and prayer centered on this truth can facilitate a profound transformation, enabling us to shift from being driven by transient distractions to a life firmly anchored in God. This, Jesus asserts, constitutes true and enduring freedom. Is there anyone prepared to embrace this journey?
Fr Joseph Osho
