Friday, January 17, 2014

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 19-01-14

1 Sam 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 / Mark 2:13-17

Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.  If we think that sounds rather familiar, it is a line taken from a song and which in turn was taken from a quote.

The trouble is most of us don’t realize this except in retrospect and then life has already happened, be it for better or for worse.

In the 1st reading, Saul was sent by his father on a mundane task of searching for donkeys that had strayed.

The reading even took the trouble to tell us that they went everywhere looking for the donkeys but still couldn't find them.

Then Saul ran into Samuel, and then whatever plans that Saul had made about his future had to give way to God's plan that will now happen in his life.

Similarly with Levi, the son of Alphaeus, who was sitting at the customs house, doing his job as a tax-collector, and having his own plans about his future.

Then Jesus came along, called out to him, and then whatever plans that he made just gave way to what God's happening in his life.

Yes, we may say that God is a "happening" God. But when God "happens" in our life, then we certainly lose stability and security because our plans will be thrown into jeopardy.

But when we let God happen in our life, then let us believe that it is a good happening. Because when God wants to intervene and happen in our life, it is for our good.