Have you granted Jesus free access to all areas of your life? If not, what areas are still off-limits to Him? What keeps you from opening the door to Him? - Daily Reflections March 28,2015

ALIENATING JESUS?   On this day just before the Holy Week commences, we can imagine the curtains slowly rising above the stage. The plot to kill Jesus has thickened: “From that day on they planned to kill him.” As a result, “Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews.” In fact, He had to flee to (actually, to hide in) the town of Ephraim. His attendance at the Passover in Jerusalem became the object of intrigue and speculation.          We don’t go to the terrible extent of conspiring against Jesus. But is it possible that our society at large can edge out or alienate Jesus, preventing Him from entering our communal lives?          It is sad when the clash of values results in isolation or even a total obliteration of the spiritual and moral. Secularism, hedonism and postmodernism, for instance, seem to gain the upper hand in some sectors of society. But at the same time, we cannot help but wonder when the corporate world opens itself up to spiritual paradigms, if not to actual practices themselves, as evidenced by First Friday Masses, Bible study sessions and prayer groups in offices. So, which side is exactly winning?          Perhaps this question is like the conclusion of our Gospel passage, speculating on whether Jesus will come to the feast or not — a useless query, really. What is instead more important is, for example, to ask ourselves: how much space does Jesus still have in our society, in our lives? Does He enjoy free access and presence in our workplaces and offices, in our government and institutions, in our leisure and recreation? Or is He limited to the churches and convents?          We can take consolation from our First Reading. Through the prophet Ezekiel, we are assured of God’s enduring mercy and kindness, in spite of our guilt and sinfulness. God maintains His most fundamental and central affirmation: “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” We, for our part, will definitely hold on to this with firm conviction. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB   REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Have you granted Jesus free access to all areas of your life? If not, what areas are still off-limits to Him? What keeps you from opening the door to Him?   Grant me the courage to open all areas of my life to You, Lord. Let me not hide anything from Your light.