“YOU KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE APPEARANCE OF THE EARTH AND THE SKY; WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE PRESENT TIME?”
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In our gospel reading today, our Lord chided the Scribes and Pharisees: “You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” (Lk 12:54-59). They were unable to read the signs of the times.
Pope John XXIII popularized the phrase ‘reading the signs of the time’ in his encyclical Mater et Magister. In it, he called the Church to a renewal of her own life and that of her involvement with the world. He espoused three processes involved – See, Judge and Act. As Christians, we are enjoined to see things through the prism of the Word of God, the Tradition and Teachings of the Magisterium; we then make an informed judgment of the situation and finally engage in actions which will positively impact on our lives, that of others and the society at large.
As we face God this morning, I pray that you will be filled with the sound knowledge of the Word of God (Ps 119) so that you can overcome our natural inclination to sin (Rom 7:18-25). May all your actions today conform to the good will of God.
Have a positively active day.
Rev. Fr. Prof. Walter Ihejirika writes from University of Port Harcourt
