Friday October 6, 2017
Both readings complain about failure in listening to God. Baruch laments that everyone has failed in listening to God and following God’s commandments. He accuses God’s people of following the sinful inclinations of their hearts, worshipping false gods, and doing what displeases the one true God. Jesus laments the failure of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum in listening to the Gospel: of repentance and redemption.
Blaise Pascal once wrote: “Heart has its reason which reason does not know.” These days we are swarmed by philosophies that encourage us to follow every reason of the heart. However, not all movements of the heart are good for the soul. Some of them may lead us to eternal death. Hence it is necessary to discern the inclinations of the heart in the light of God’s Word, and choose wisely. If not, we may find Jesus weeping over us as he did over the sinful cities.