Sunday Reflections

When we reach the ripe old age of turning two years old, we often start rebelling the directives and disciplines of our parents. “No” becomes one of our favourite words. That sense continues to well into our teenage years as we struggle to figure out who we are and come to a personal identity.  Rules, restrictions, and commandments are things that are to be resisted.  The ancient Israelites, however, did not necessarily interpret commandments in the same light as we often do.  They were more likely to say, “Imagine that!  We have a God who loves us so much that he has given a set of rules to bring us to happiness, peace, and fulfilment.”   Admittedly, it’s not as if they didn’t champ at the bit and violate the commandments that God gave them. They fashioned golden calves to worship and gave their allegiance to other gods, but God never gave up on them.  Again and again, God would send people like Moses and the prophets to call them back to the center, to God’s love.

And this is where we find ourselves: God has sent us the Spirit, embodied in the Church, the assembly of believers, to help us find our way home to the Father.  In the Spirit, we are joined to Jesus in walking the way to heaven. And so, we are not abandoned or orphaned; we know the way. Our readings this Sunday invite us to take comfort in the love that God surrounds us with and, in the midst of the darkness of the world, to follow the light provided.

As we continue to bask in the glow of Easter and the resurrection, let us pray to be fully open to the Holy Spirit given to us and to follow the commandment and guideposts that have been given to us in love to make us a holy nation, a people set apart, a people that belong to God and God alone.  Alleluia!