Sr. Dr. Bincy Thumpanathu CMC
READING: “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.” (Deut 30:15-16)
REFLECTION: The contemporary world offers endless opportunities for man, presenting all as valid and good, and, therefore, making the right choices has become truly difficult. Moses exhorts the Israelites to choose wisely between life and death, and between success and catastrophe. He appeals to them to love God and to follow Him, assuring them that by doing so they will live. This message still has relevance in today’s world, and is arguably very challenging now more than ever. Today, terms such as convenience, instant and high-speed have become all too familiar. In fact for many choices made out of convenience, which bring temporary comfort and satisfaction, have become the order of the day. Unfortunately, very often, the resultant misery and sadness, though not always immediately apparent, can be long-lasting; and hence the relevance of this passage from the Old Testament. We are asked to stop and reflect before we rush into doing something which we may later regret. Self-interest and egoism should be set aside and decision making should be based on need rather than convenience, and be done responsibly. Discerning God’s will in life is a beautiful art and is, in fact, a matter of spirituality as well. It is a way of life for those who are not satisfied to just do good and to avoid evil. It is a desire to know what is pleasing to God and allows one to respond to God’s promptings. It involves making an honest assessment of one’s thoughts, feelings/emotions, liberty, memories/grievances, desires and the direction in which one is moving.
Scripture presents numerous accounts of characters that chose the way of the Lord. Abraham chose to do God’s will when God asked him to sacrifice his only son who was given to him in his old age to fulfil a promise made to him. Noah who was deemed blameless among the people of his time, walked faithfully with God. Moses who discerned the will of God was transformed into a new person and led the Israelites. Samuel recognized his biases and finally anointed Jesse’s youngest son David. Mary and Joseph were the supreme examples of those who walked in the Lord’s ways. From his experience on the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul comes to discern his call and mission for Christ and His Gospel.
How do I live and on what basis do I make my choices? Which do I favour – life or death, good or evil? These questions demand a genuine examination of conscience: what does it benefit a Christian who wins the whole world, but loses his life? As Christians it is important to know which path we are on. It is worth repeating the words of Moses: love the Lord your God, give obedience to him, keep his commandments, decrees and laws, and you will live.
PRAYER: Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory/thoughts, my understanding and my entire will, all I am and all I own. You have given them all to me. Give me your grace to choose wisely what is good and acceptable to you.
Contemplation: Sit before the Lord with eyes closed and heart opened. Recite Ps 119:105, “your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Examine your daily life and see which path you are taking. Ask yourself: what are my preferences in life? Do I need to renounce egoistic tendencies? Am I genuinely following God’s ways? With hope in our heart, let us ask the Lord for renewed minds, which seek to do only what is right and pleasing to Him.
ACTION: In my daily life, I will make only those choices that are in accordance with God’s will.
