In the first reading Prophet Isaiah speaks of God’s sovereignty. God our loving Father who created us declares as associated with the first com¬mandment in the Decalogue, “I am the Lord thy God, there is no other God beside me” (Exodus 20:2-4). Thus our prime calling and duty is to give Him priority and the due place he deserves in our lives. How often have we failed or fallen short of this duty? Have there been occasions where we have blindly turned for instant relief or may be hero worshiped people or places when we should be rendering our worship to God and God only? Do we realise the danger and the errors we can possibly make when money, power, prestige or any other factor overpower this freedom in our lives to worship God only? Thus when we do not take this word seriously we tend to compromise, bow down or worship other idols sometimes even without our knowledge. Wisely if we uproot such pressures and occasions in our life we could respond to our prime calling. Interest¬ingly, even when we serve the Lord, in our communities and society we respect our elders and seniors, yet does that superiority or hier¬archical structure make one more or less important? For we are all one in the Lord (John 17:21) and also gain equal status regardless of seniority or superiority. It is only God who should be given the prominent and rightful place in our lives over everything and every¬one else. For God’s attributes – truth, justice, righteousness, glory, victory and strength alone can be in Him only, thus let us render true and proper worship to Him alone.

In the Gospel proclamation, our Lord Jesus clearly affirms that he is the Messiah who is the expected anointed one of God. Hence we come across evidence in a world of sceptical theories relating even to the world of today, when the lame walk, lepers are made clean, deaf hear, dead raised and poor given the good news in the mighty name of Jesus. Yet, the hardened hearts opposing God’s laws can easily be confronted in their own struggle. Yet, ( John 3:16) reminds us that the Messiah came not to judge but to save. Hence it is a prudent choice we make simply to repent and return to Him trusting.

Prayer: Abba Father, give us hope in our hearts to return to your merciful love every moment of our lives. Amen