4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) : 31st January 2021

“O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts,” (Ps. 94:8).

The Psalmist invites the community to come joyfully and gratefully into the Lord’s presence, full of confidence that they are God’s people.

Then, however, the Psalmist assumes a prophet’s role, speaking in place of God: “Your fathers put me to the test.”

God does not reject the joy of the community, their thanksgiving or their praise. The Psalmist, however, sets such celebration in the broader context of Israel’s total relationship with God. To sum it up, the celebration of all God’s great gifts bring with it certain obligations, especially, as this Psalm suggests, the obligation to learn from history.

We now realise that it is not enough to understand history; we must change history. This is true at both the community and individual levels. A community like the Church, which has lived through such painful experiences in the last several years, must continually reflect on its own history and learn to be a more faithful servant of the Gospel. One of St Ignatius’ great legacies to the Church is the consciousness examen, a daily reflection on the quality of one’s spirituality to teach us how to progress in the way of the Lord.

Lord Jesus, grant that our hearts may always be open to the truth You have revealed for our salvation.