Romans 7:18-25 / Luke 12:54-59 (2015)
Just imagine this, a person is all alone at home and in bed.
In the middle of the night, suddenly there is the smell of smoke and the fire alarm goes off.
But instead of getting up from bed, that person buries his/her head under the pillow and refuses to do anything.
This may sound ridiculous, but that was what Jesus was saying about the people of His time.
They know how to interpret the signs of nature. But somehow they just ignore or refuse to heed the signs of the kingdom of God.
Jesus had said that the kingdom of God is within us.
That was why He asked the all-important question : Why not judge for yourselves what is right?
In the 1st reading, St. Paul made a good assessment of himself when he said that though the will to do what is good is in him, he acts against his will because of sin.
So instead of doing the good he wanted to do, he ended up doing something evil.
Despite this self-judgment, he also acknowledged who can save him from this wretched state.
Only Jesus Christ. He is THE sign of God. Let us heed this sign and act on it, and do what is good and right.