GOD AND MAN: HOPING IN EACH OTHER

Monday in the 9th Week in Ordinary Time
Mk 12:1-12

We hope in God. God hopes in us.

In our need, in our confusion, in our uncertainties, in our pain, and in our death, God is our hope. We trust in Him and He is ever faithful. He never fails us and we take risks because of Him. He is strong and so we rely on Him.

In His self-sufficiency, in His certainty and clarity, in His glory, and in His immortality, God still puts His hope in us. We are unfaithful but God trusts us. We fail Him and yet God does not mind the risking on us. We are weak but still He counts on us.

Even when we deny God, He continues considering us as His very own. We forget Him but He always remembers. No matter how much we hurt Him, God forgives us. Cold we may have become to Him, He is ever warm to us. His offer of salvation remains no matter what and His love for us is steadfast.

This is what the Gospel today reminds us. Indeed, the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone. Denial of God does not erase God. Rejecting Him does not and cannot frustrate His loving plan of salvation. God is God no matter what. And thanks be to Him!

God is our sure refuge. Can we give refuge to Him? God satisfies our needs. Can we fulfill His expectations on us? God never fails us; let us not fail Him.

Of course, it is quite impossible for us, frail creatures that we are, not to fail God. For indeed, we are bound to fail if we rely on our selves alone. We must always put our trust in Him who also hopes in us. In Him and through Him, the keystone that once was rejected is always a wonderful thing to behold because it is His work.