Isaiah 49:8-15 / John 5:17-30
One of the emotional afflictions that people suffer from and yet will not want to admit it is this feeling of loneliness.
They may be the life of the party but when the party is over and when they are left all alone, they feel like a used paper bag.
And when the feeling of loneliness and emptiness is too much to bear, they may want to numb the feeling by resorting to other forms of entertainment or excitement like chatting with strangers over the internet or other means of social media.
The longing for companionship and love in the emptiness of loneliness can make a person do something quite questionable and adverse.
The question is that in times of loneliness, where do we look for companionship and love, and who do we look for it.
In the 1st reading, the Lord spoke in these words - Does a woman forget her baby at her breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you.
This is one of the most endearing and tender expressions of the love of God for us.
Moreover Jesus said in the gospel - My Father goes on working, and so do I.
It means that God labours on to be with us and pours His love into us so that we won't look for love in the wrong places.
And if we look at God for love and companionship, we can never say that we are lonely.