3 February 2017

The Lord is my light and my salvation. ( Ps 27:1)

     Part of the great reward of honoring God with one’s whole mind, is that in the end, you have a clear vision of the hope you have in spite of difficulties or threats. John the Baptist wanted to serve with his whole being the Lord whom he knew. John understood that honoring God meant not being silent when he saw public figures such as King Herod spurning God’s commandments. The Lord who enlightened John with an understanding of what to do and when to rebuke is the same Lord who promised salvation to John when he would suffer persecution for his preaching.

     We, too, are called to honor God by learning what it is that He requires of us, for example the works of charity mentioned today in the letter to the Hebrews: welcome the stranger, visit those in prison, love one’s spouse, etc. These good deeds do not have an expiration date. They are commanded by Christ and are to be lived out by His followers as long as Christ is to be followed, i.e. forever! ( Heb 13:8) Let us then attend to God’s Will as John did, so that we may be filled as he was with hope from that same God.