First Reading - Isaiah 58:9-14
Gospel - Luke 5:27-32
The first reading speaks about the reward of the repentance from God. The prophet exhorts people to overcome the yoke to experience generous mercy of God. The 'yoke' symbolises law but it can also mean slavery in terms of insensitivity to others and failure to honour God.The reading is a continuation of yesterday’s reading, but gives the positive side, the rewards of true fasting and repentance, the answering gifts which God will give to true repentance. However, the prophet demands two qualities to avail oneself of the generosity of God. The first quality that is demanded in this reading is the sensitivity to those in need: no clenched fist or malicious word, but awareness of the needs of the needy. The second quality includes honour for the Sabbath and refraining from work; the importance of this lies in giving time to the Lord and making space for the appreciation of the Lord’s gifts, rather than a determination to work feverishly for one’s own purposes, so the achievement of a leisure in which God can approach us and mould us as he wills.
The gospel passage demonstrates the fulfillment of the promise of the prophecy of Isaiah as is laid down in the first reading. Jesus enacts the prophecy of Isaiah, the reward for repentance, by calling Levi to join the close circle of discipleship and dining with so-called sinners who showed repentant heart to return to God. The quibble of the Pharisees and scribes meets an occasion for Jesus to clarify his mission among the lost ones of Israel who needed God's mercy most. The answer of Jesus beautifully sinks with the generous nature of God, as Isaiah demonstrates in the first reading, who is ever ready to show mercy to those who turn to Him in repentance.
Dear friends, the invitation to repentance is a recurrent theme in the Bible. The repentance on the part of human being always coincides with a positive response of generous mercy on the part of God. Jesus demonstrates generous mercy or love of God for the humanity if he/she turns to God in mercy. God calls everyone to Himself just as Jesus called Levi to his discipleship. Every person is called to respond to His invitation in readiness like Levi, leaving behind the sinful past, for a new beginning.
God lavishes his generous mercy on us and this is also to be reciprocated in our relationship with one another. Isaiah, in the first reading, demands a generous and sensitive heart from everyone in order to experience the same generous mercy from God. This reminds us that we need to become sensitive to the needs of the needy fellow brothers and sisters by giving material help (if possible), spiritual assistance, moral support, generous time, and generous company to those who are lonely. It's by becoming generous, we also participate in the generosity of God.
Isaiah also reminds us that we need to spare time for the Lord. This is another side of generosity which is required on our part. We seem to be so busy that we have hardly any time for God and His sacred days or hours. It's by spending quality time in the presence of God generously, we can certainly experience mercy of God in our lives.
Let's pray that we may be able to procure generosity of God by being disposed to Him and by becoming generous with one another.
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