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by Jose Kurian Puliyeril
Reading: From the Gospel according to St. John 10: 22-38
It is needless to say that this Sunday has been named by our Church Fathers as ‘Hoodos Etho’ Sunday. The term Hoodos Etho literally means dedication. The Holy Church sanctified on the last Sunday is supposed to be dedicated to God Almighty’s cent percent disposal. We are obliged to examine ourselves to find out whether we could dedicate ourselves to His cent percent disposal every year. Or we do observe the day of Hoodos Etho for the name sake? It is a truth that often we get satisfied by simple naming of the day. Let us find means to correct us.
The Jews used to observe the feast of Dedication every year. The incidents mentioned in today’s reading took place on such a day of the feast of Dedication. (Verse 22) Then only the Jews faced our Lord with their doubt to trouble Him. They wanted to have a proof to believe in the promised one. They asked our Lord “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.” I don’t think any one of us would ask such a question, “How long does thou make us to doubt” as we don’t have doubt. If we do not have doubt, our faith must be strong and staunch. We have to examine ourselves to see the strength of our faith.
God alone knows how many of us have the true faith about Him, who is Christ our Lord and Savior. Our Lord’s explanation was so simple. He said His works in the name of the Father is the proof. We too enjoy a number of blessings done by our Lord in the name of His Father in heaven. Are we recognizing them as the works done by our Lord and Savior?
In verse 26 and 27 we read, “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Will our Lord tell us “you are not my sheep”? Let us make sure that we do hear His voice and know Him and follow Him. We will have to spend few seconds to listen Him and realize Him. In our busy schedules we don’t find time to listen Him and to know Him. It is a great pity. Let us set apart a few seconds from our 24 hours of the day to listen Him and to know Him as our Lord, Savior and true Shepherd. In verse 28 we listen, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.”
We too know about the eternal life and usually we are not bothered to do something to reserve our share of the eternal life. How long we could go ahead like this. Let us think well and make a decision to spend little time for the life after life, which must be eternal.
May God bless us all.
See Also:
Dedicating Our Lives
Reflections on Hoodosh Etho Sunday
by Rev. Fr. T. George
Jesus' kingdom transcends this
world
by HG Yuhanon Mor Meletius
Dedication of Body, Mind and Spirit
by Fr. John Samuel, London
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