Rooted in Christ, the Incarnate Word

     

Nurturing Authentic Faith: Insights from Luke 8, 4-15. 

The opening of today’s Gospel paints a vivid picture:  people from various towns and places were running towards Jesus. Some may have been curious to see the face of the Messiah for the first time, while others had likely heard him speak on numerous occasions. Faced with this crowd, Jesus changed his method of preaching; he spoke to them in parables. By addressing the crowd in parables, Jesus invites all who are listening to pay attention and consider how they receive the Word of God. At the conclusion of the parable, Jesus emphasizes: “whoever has ears to hear ought to hear!”.

Conversion begins in the heart : In light of this parable, Jesus highlights a fundamental truth: being a Christian, a disciple of Jesus, is about allowing the Word of God to take root deep in our hearts, not just reside in our heads. This is the reason why it is written : “Today, if you will listen to His voice, harden not your hearts.”, (Hebrews 3, 15). Conversion begins in the heart, therefore, it is crucial to understand what we read and listen to. This is where biblical studies come into play. Catholics are often criticized for not having sufficient knowledge of the Bible. It is important to note that knowledge of the Bible goes beyond mere familiarity with biblical quotations. The Word has to take root in our hearts. It is in hearts that are good and generous that fruit is borne through perseverance.

Standing firms in the face of storms of life: Our lives as Christians inevitably encounter different storms. The thorns of life and temptations, such as health challenges, anxieties, the excessive pursuit of wealth, and the pleasures of life, can challenge our faith. They are capable of suffocating us and hinder the Word of God from maturing within us. Some Christians wonder why they sometimes transition from enthusiasm and joy to moments of sadness, confusion, and discouragement. It is obvious that without a strong bond with the Word of God, we cannot withstand the storms of evils and sins blowing all over the world.

We are saved by the Incarnate-Word: Jesus is telling us clearly that what satan and his agents are looking and working for day and nights is to prevent as many souls as possible from knowing the truth and be saved.  The enemy is afraid of the word of God, that is the reason why it will bring all sorts of directions to prevent souls from embracing the word of God. The word of God is not mere Scripture; it is Christ Himself, the Word Incarnate. He is the Word through which all things were made (1 Jn 1, 1-5), the Word by which were are sanctified ( Jn 17, 17). Jesus left us with this truth: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

        Mary: Model of a heart that embraced the Word: Mother Mary is the not only the mother of Jesus; she is also His first disciples. She learnt from Jesus how to embrace the Word of God with generous and good heart, as well as how to persevere in bearing good fruits that last forever.  She too faced tests of her faith: the prophecy of Simeon at the presentation of Child Jesus, the misunderstanding with Joseph, the flight into Egypt, the loss of Jesus for three days, journeying with Jesus on the way to the Calvary, seeing Jesus being Crucified, taken down from the Cross, laid to the tomb. Challenges and difficulties are part of life, what makes the difference is how we live them.

        Conclusion.

 So, when we are faced with various difficulties, trials, persecutions, let us remember Mary’s          experience and invoke her maternal assistance. She was given to us at the feet of the Cross when Jesus said: “Woman, behold your son”. She persevered as Mother and disciples of Jesus until the end. Building deep, resilient faith is crucial to perseverance especially in challenging moment in our lives. It is only in God that  our hearts can find lasting peace, joy and fulfillment.  For God has created us for Himself and our hearts are restless until it finds rest in God”!  We experience this peace of heart when Jesus abides in us through His Word. May God bless us as we abide by His Word! Amen!