It is funny how those who call Jesus “teacher” are still the ones who would not listen to him. They call him teacher only when they have some questions with selfish motives to ask.
Today In the gospel reading, Jesus falls out with the Pharisees. He doesn’t only reprimand them for their obstinacy, but he also tells them about the consequences therein. They have refused to listen to Jesus, hence they would die in their sins.
Dear friends, Jesus often presents to us everyday of our lives the opportunity to experience him. Like the Pharisees, we often refuse to listen to him. We turn against him and walk away. We create philosophies and ideologies that support our selfish claims. Like the Pharisees, if we do not make use of the opportunity, we may have the consequences to deal with.
Obstinacy against the teachings of Jesus is cancerous. Before the final consequences, it has a lot of implications that are unreal to the Christian life. It deprives the Christian of the grace to bear fruits. It deprives the Christian the grace to experience light. It brings about spiritual illness.
In the first reading of today, all those who were obstinate got bitten by the serpent. Scriptures told us that they turned away from God. Each time we become obstinate with God, we are not more than the Pharisees and those bitten by the serpent.
Dear friends in Christ, we have another opportunity today not just to look to Christ and be saved like those who were in the wilderness, we also have the opportunity to listen to him and hear him speak the message of eternal life to us. O that today you would listen to his voice, harden not your heart.
May the Lord bless His words in our hearts. Amen.
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