A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

Word of God Rehabilitates Your Life

The 19th and 20th centuries take credit of advancement in science and technology. It brought easy and quicker communication, certain facts are at your finger tips etc. It also has given some ills to the society such as psychological, ethical, moral, and social. People have become addicted to gambling, drugs and/or alcohol, with eating disorders, with other compulsive behaviors, etc. Pornography continues to rob the life of young and old ones and creates disorders in moral and social lives. Cohabitation seems to be an accepted phenomenon in the society.

The impact of these ills has fallen on religion and faith matters. People are drifting away from God and church. To some, attending church on Sundays is not in their weekly calendar. When the parents are not keen to keep up the Sunday obligation the kids just follow them. To some extent, Covid-19 is to be blamed. In this way, some have become immune to church’s teaching. Many of our elderly population, to whom the church and church matters were more important than other things, are not all happy over the present situation.

What could be done to better this sad situation? We know that a handicapped or incapacitated person is restored to mainstream of life through education and therapy. When a person is suffering from emotional and other psychological disorders he/she is healed through behavioral therapy. When spouses suffer, they meet a marriage counselor or a priest for guidance in order to return normal happy life. In all such things, a method of rehabilitation is needed. Yes, it’s only through methods of rehabilitation that one gets reinstated back to normal life.

We see such kind of rehabilitation in today’s liturgical readings. In the first reading Ezra and Jesus in the Gospel, both invite a gathered assembly to rehabilitate themselves through the power of the word of God. When the people came back from their exile and saw their ruined Temple and city, they decided to rebuild it. As a part of rebuilding it, Ezra, the priest led the people a “Covenant renewal” ceremony. He read and interpreted the Law from early in the morning till mid-day. The Torah, God’s laws became a living Word of power, grace and forgiveness for these exiles. It evoked from them a dramatic response. They came to realize the many ways in which they have failed to keep God’s Commandments in their lives. Hence, with tears of repentance in their eyes and joy in their hearts, the people responded with a great "Amen!" 

As they were rehabilitated in their lives through the word of God, today, the society, particularly the Catholics who are drifting away from the church, will have to rehabilitate their lives by the power of the word of God. So take up the word of God in your hands; make time to read a passage; create a thirst to read the Bible. The word of God will stimulate you to turn your life towards God. This is the only and best way that the life could get better, because it brings God’s blessings abundantly. Are you ready to rehabilitate yourself by the power of the word of God?