Romans 11:29-36 / Luke 14:12-14
We have heard it said that “With great power comes great responsibility”. The meaning is that if we have the ability to do something, then we have the responsibility to do it for the good of others.
Similarly, it can be said that with a great gift comes responsibility and accountability.
So when parents give their children the great gift of freedom and independence, then the children must make the responsible decisions that they have to be accountable for.
In the 1st reading, we heard that God never takes back His gifts or revokes His choice.
When we think about what is the great gift that we have received from God, it is none other than the gift of freedom to use our intellect and will in obedience to His laws and help others do follow God's ways.
But when we sin, then we abuse the gift of freedom and God can take back that gift of freedom and we become like animals.
But He won't take back His gifts, just as parents won't chain up their children and lock them up just because they make a mistake by abusing their freedom.
Yes, God won't take back His gifts because it is through those gifts that we can also come back to Him through conversion and repentance.
But let us also not take God's gifts and mercy for granted. Because the time will come for us to be accountable and we will have to take the responsibility of how we have used our intellect and will to obey God and to do good for others.