Hear the call

Luke 5 : 27 - 32

Yesterday during my visit to my aunt's place, I was introduced to some of the cultural traditions connected with the lunar new year. Apparently, the old cucumber is a 'no no' during this auspicious occasion. And my aunt, not knowing better had bought some to boil soup. She was advised to avoid it by one of the other relatives, but my cousin, who is a Christian told her mother not to be worried and in the end they had old cucumber soup on the first day.

I was also informed by those relatives who believe in 'feng shui' that this year, it would be better to avoid the bedrooms in one's house that face south. Not easy to do if you happen to stay in a small compact home with no spare rooms! And apparently, there are Chinese zodiac signs that 'clash' with the year of the rat. People belonging to those categories are likely to have a difficult and even trouble filled year ahead.

As I thought about these things, I am not too surprised that human beings have a need to find out about the future....in order to attempt to control or at least alter it. We would all be pretty fearful if we believed that difficulties lay ahead and had no one greater than ourselves to call upon.

But the basis of the 'gospel' of our Lord is the fact that we don't have to be fearful. Jesus has come. He came to free us from such fears. He came to call us to himself, to follow him, even along the way to the Cross. Several times Jesus predicted his passion - and there is really nothing worse than to suffer crucifixion as an innocent victim. The wealthy tax collector Matthew heard Jesus' call. Despite his 'prosperity', he somehow knew that he would find something even better than wealth in following the person of Jesus Christ. As Jesus approached him, he may have looked into Jesus' eyes and seen there a reflection of himself, the real self he was created to be.

During this season of Lent, we hear the reassurance that Jesus came not for the righteous but for sinners. All human persons know deep down that they have a need for something greater than themselves. In fact, that something is a Someone. Being human, we know only too well our frailty and our weaknesses. Each time we fall, we realize how much better we could be. But the 'bad' news about our human condition is not the last word. For indeed, the healer and reconciler of human hearts has come to call each individual to a life of security that does not depend on external circumstances. Perhaps this auspicious occasion of the lunar new year would be a good time to hear and attend to that call, whether for the first time or for those of us who are already Christians, in order to deepen our commitment to our Lord.