Today's Gospel Reflection

"Do not neglect the things of God".

This text from the Prophet Joel may seem terrible to us, very harsh. We see an implacable God, unleashing all his wrath Why? Because in the Temple offerings and drink offerings are missing, that is to say: his things, his worship, have been neglected.

We have to take into account the time in which the prophet writes and the direct and threatening language was commonplace. Joel warns the people that they cannot relax in what concerns the Lord, they cannot turn their backs on God.

In the Old Testament the main form of divine worship was performed in the Temple of Jerusalem by the priests on behalf of the people, that is why it was so important that they fulfill their duty. The prophet warns that laxity in this matter attracts the wrath of God.

Often today we forget "offerings and drink offerings", we slack in prayer, we neglect charity, we do not frequent the Sacraments as much as we should, we are too busy with other things and we forget God.

The God of the New Testament is Father above all, and forgives the errors of his children, but let us not forget that he is infinitely just. As children we are obliged by love for Our Father in Heaven to "attend to his things" as Jesus said to Mary as a child in the passage of his loss in the temple. We cannot abandon ourselves to comfort and routine. We must be mindful of the things of the soul.

"With Christ, always with Christ."Once again we witness a debate between Jesus and the Jews who try to "catch" Him and refute His teachings and works. On this occasion they confront Him over the healing of a possessed man.

In the course of the discussion, and dealing with the issue of who gives Christ power against evil spirits, Jesus will launch the well-known phrase of.... "he who is not with me is against me" in the context that whoever does not guard himself against evil and abandons his house and his possessions to the lurking enemy has much to lose.

Our strength, our weapons against the enemies of the soul, is the Risen Christ himself. If we are on his side, with him, we have nothing to fear. Through the Holy Spirit we receive the Grace that cares and protects.

With Jesus we are safe from the evil that lurks, because we must not forget that the evil one does not rest and we must be alert. I have said it many times: prayer, the reading of the Scriptures, the practice of piety and the Eucharist are the keys to our life, the pillars of our house, the sustenance of the Christian's soul. And being with Jesus and not against Him leads us on the path to Salvation.

The choice is very simple: either to gather with Christ or to scatter without Him. In this we must be radical, as Christ was with us until death, until the supreme sacrifice for love of the world on the wood of the Cross.