Ephesians 1: 1- 10,
Psalm 98: 1.2-3ab.3cd-4.5-6 (R. 2a),
Luke 11:47-54 Full Readings
Saint Teresa of AvilaConsequences of Rejecting God's Love
In today's Gospel, Jesus gives the Pharisees other two woes; those who build tombs for the prophets, meaning those who kill the prophets and another woe to those who have taken the key of knowledge and didn't enter themselves as well as stopping others from entering in. Jesus tells them that they have to answer for this.
This warning brethren is also for us today. The Jews had all the chances at hand of accepting the love of God and being saved but they misused all the chances by killing the prophets, misinterpreting the law and putting much burden on others, while they don't even lay a finger on those burdens. For us we might not have reached the extent of killing the prophets but in many ways we reject the love of God which he offers to us daily in our lives. We shall surely answer to God why we overlook his love.
The love of God comes to us through many ways; in his word, through our religious leaders, through our friends, through our parents and when we resist the word of God, when we don't heed to the message of our religious leaders, when we don't obey and receive love from our parents and friends, we are indeed rejecting God's love for us of which we are answerable. Therefore, brethren, we need to have a positive response towards the love that God offers and our duty is that when we receive this love we have to show it to others too.
Jesus is the key of knowledge that opens God's kingdom for us. What does Jesus mean when he says they have taken away the key of knowledge? The religious lawyers and scribes held the "office of the keys" since they were the official interpreters of the scriptures. unfortunately their interpretation of the scriptures became so distorted and difficult to understand that others were "shut off" to the scriptures. they not only shut themselves to heaven - they also hindered others from understanding god's word. Through pride and envy, they rejected not only the prophets of old, but God's final prophet and son, the Lord Jesus christ. Jesus is the "key of David" (see Isaiah 22:22; revelations 3:7) who opens heaven for those who accept him as lord and savior. He is the "wisdom of god" and source of everlasting life.
Today, there are many cases of the abuse of the Scripture and even the law. Many people have used the scripture for their own benefit gains and others use specific verses to manipulate people. Others know what should be done but leave it and do what's not pleasing to God. In this way we become like Pharisees and scribes who had the key to knowledge but didn't enter in and also hindered others from entering.
Today let us examine and evaluate our lives and see whether we have responded to the love of God appropriately and also to see whether we are using scripture for our selfish gains or for it's real purpose.
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, help me always to respond to the love of God with much zeal and enthusiasm and may your love also be shown to others through me. Amen
Be blessed. May St Teresa of child Jesus pray for us.
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