Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Father Bernard Collera SVD – Catholic Trade Manila
Wednesday 24th Week in Ordinary Time
Experience teaches us a simple truth: “Pag gusto, may paraan; pag ayaw, may dahilan.” Roughly translated, this means: “If there is a will, there is a way; if there is no will, there is always an excuse.”
In today’s Gospel, Jesus points to the Pharisees and the lawyers who refused both the preaching of John the Baptist and His own message. As St. Luke observes, “The Pharisees and the scholars of the law rejected the plan of God for themselves” (Luke 7:30). Their problem was not lack of evidence, intelligence, or opportunity. Rather, their hearts were closed to God’s action in their midst.
John the Baptist came living an austere life, fasting and calling people to repentance. They dismissed him, saying, “He is possessed by a demon” (Luke 7:33). Then Jesus came eating and drinking with people, showing God’s mercy to sinners, and they criticized Him as “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34). Nothing pleased them because they had already decided not to believe. They found reasons to reject both messengers.
Their hearts had become hardened. Occupied with their own authority and interpretations, they forgot the God who had given them the Law and the Prophets. They had become so attached to their own judgments that they failed to recognize the living God standing before them. As Isaiah had foretold: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13; cf. Matthew 15:8).
The Gospel challenges us to ask ourselves: What keeps us from allowing God to change us?
Sometimes we resist conversion because it demands adjustments in our way of life. Habits can be difficult to break. At other times, we fear the unknown. The familiar, even when imperfect, feels safe and comfortable. Conversion can also be humbling. It forces us to admit that we do not know everything and that we need God’s grace. Like Naaman, who initially resisted Elisha’s simple instruction, we often prefer our own ways until humility opens our hearts to God’s wisdom (cf. 2 Kings 5:11-14).
Yet every genuine conversion is an invitation to a fuller life. God never asks us to change merely for the sake of change. He asks us to change so that we can become the persons He created us to be. As St. Paul reminds us: “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
When we place our lives in the Lord’s hands, we discover that He can make something new of us. He leads us beyond our fears into growth, freedom, and holiness. Following Christ often requires us to learn new ways of thinking, loving, and living, but His grace always precedes us.
If we truly love the Lord, we can trust His promise. As St. Paul assures us:
“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
God’s love never leads us away from what is good for us. The Father who gave us His Son will also provide the grace needed for every step of our conversion. Every sacrifice, every adjustment, and every act of surrender ultimately leads to a richer, fuller, and more enduring life.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, free my heart from stubbornness and fear. Help me to recognize Your presence and Your call to conversion. Give me the humility to change, the courage to trust You, and the faith to believe that Your plans are always for my good. May Your grace transform my life and lead me to the fullness of joy in Your Kingdom. Amen.
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