Dear people of God,

Good morning to you. I wish and pray that you be healthy and happy with the grace of our mighty God. On this fourth Sunday of ordinary time, the liturgy of word of God reminds us the privilege we have to participate in God’s mission by virtue of our baptism in Christ.

In today’s first reading, through Prophet Jeremiah, our God gives us a call to proclaim the good news to all nations. This call is a privilege. It is also, a command that we must obey: “Stand up and tell them all that I command you.” The good news is that, God Himself is with us in this mission: “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you.”(Jer 1:19) It is important to note is that God did not call us by accident. Rather, our call was a deliberate action from God who knows us personally. Hence, He calls us by our personal names and reminds us: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I consecrated you; I have appointed you as the prophet of the nations” (Jer 1:5). So, we are not strangers to God.

In today’s gospel, through his gracious words, Christ demonstrated his love for his people. Hence: He won the approval of all and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.” Without these gracious words motivated by love for the salvation of the people, all His efforts would have been in vain.

Today’s gospel also reminds us that life is not always easy for a true prophet or Christian in general. He /she faces oppositions, persecutions rejections, and even threats to his life. In spite of all these, Christ did not relent. Instead, he continued to cherish God’s call. With Christ as our model, we must continue to love and cherish God’s people, while remaining faithful to God who called us. Also, difficulties must not stop us from carrying out God’s mission. We must always remember that our call as Christians is a privilege to proclaim the good news through words, and through our deeds .

Stay Warm, Safe and Happy! Have a great Sunday!

Yours in Jesus Christ,
Fr. Doss

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