Sixth Sunday of the Great Fast

Genesis 19:1-7,9-26

Joshua 21:43-22:9

Romans 14:13-23

John 9:39-10:21

Quite often, we find it difficult to understand the message and meaning of natural calamities. Disasters and Catastrophes are always eye-openers for the human beings. These days we have first hand experience of tsunami, Flood, Volcano, Earthquake etc. God is not in favour of those are completely going against a divine order. Sexual aberrations are always against divine plan.

Condemnation and destruction of Sodom is described in the first reading. In the modern world, one of the greatest aftereffect of Sexual Aberrations is AIDS. Even a non-believer can understand the effect of AIDS and keep away from the misuse of sexual power.  Lot was dear to Yahweh. Hence He protects him in the midst of a massive destruction. God is mindful of His faithful always. Hence being faithful to Him is the only vow we need to have and the rest is assured. He will prepare a Zoar for His beloved ones.

The sum total of all a believer need to do is there in the words of Joshua: “love Yahweh your God, follow His paths always, keep His commandments, be faithful to Him and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.” To believers who stick to the above advice of Joshua, Yahweh gives them peace throughout their land and not one of their enemies would be able to stand against them. Faithfulness to God is highly rewarded.

A true believer is a person with convictions. Faith itself is the greatest conviction. The convictions should lead one in one’s life. It is not in what others do that convictions and actions of one are to be based but in one’s own belief. Food habits, Languages, Complexion, Family, Culture etc. are always matters of dispute in people’s life. A true Christian should be able to celebrate the differences because Paul says:”nothing is unclean in itself, it is only unclean for those who consider it unclean.” Celebrating the differences also leads to understanding the other as an individual and hence avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

Jesus declares in no uncertain terms that He is the Way. Jesus is the Way through which everyone needs to reach God. The sight of a person is judged by his seeing of this Way. If somebody fails to see the Way, he is blind. Jesus gives us the gift of sight to see the Way and to enter through the Way. If one has found this true Way, he would abstain from Sexual Aberrations, he would keep the commandments of Yahweh and love Him above everythingelse and do not cause scandals to his brethren. The Great Fast is a time for introspection to check whether we are in the Way.