Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the third week of Lent, March 24, 2025

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. 2 Kings 5: 1-15a; Rs psalm 42: 2.3; 43: 3.4; Luke 4: 24-30MISSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SALVATION The theme for our meditation today is: MissingOpportunities for Salvation. The opportunity for salvation through acts ofpenance and repentance is always present in our lives. Our basic conviction isthat God chooses to live with us. His presence and involvement in our lives isthe precious opportunity for us to gain salvation. The problem is that we humans are not aware of thepresence of God. We in our daily circumstances and busyness do not takeadvantage of this opportunity. There are two examples of missing opportunitiesfor salvation. The first is as told in the first reading, which is the secondbook of Kings. The Israelites ignored God's commands and will through theprophet Elisha in order to obtain salvation. It was Naaman, a stranger and anunbeliever, who got the opportunity and he was healed. The second example is what proclaimed by the Gospel ofLuke, where the prophet Elijah brought salvation to a widow and her family inZarephath, not to the widows of Israel and all the believers in the land Israel.That opportunity existed when God spoke and acted through His prophet, Elijah,but his countrymen paid no attention and even turned against him. That is whatJesus reaffirmed that a prophet is not accepted in his place of origin orrejected and hated by his countrymen.  We as individuals and together in various situationshave experienced the loss of opportunities for salvation. For example, duringthis Lent, there are people who said that the practice of fasting andabstinence has been abandoned. They no longer obeyed the commitment to fast andabstinence that they had set since Ash Wednesday. In fact, the practice offasting and abstinence is an opportunity to experience renewal of both body andsoul. But that opportunity is gone. They regretted it and was no longer useful. The Church provides all kinds of means and ways for usto use in order to gain salvation. If her people have already lost one or moreopportunities for it, the Church remains faithful to provide. The Churchremains a mother who facilitates. Every year when Lent arrives, thoseopportunities are wide open. It is hoped that all the people of God can use itseriously. One thing to remember very strongly is that everymember of the Church is not stubborn, not hardening the heart, and not arrogantwhen it comes to underestimating every opportunity. He should consider it aspecial moment that should not be missed out or allowed to pass away without anytrace left.Let us pray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord Jesus,strengthen our faith so that we can make the most of the moments of Yourpresence in our midst. Hail Mary full of grace... In the name of the Father ...