Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Wednesday of the third week in ordinary time, January 28th, 2026, Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Delivered by Vici from the Parish of Saint John the Baptist in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. 2 Samuel 7: 4-17; Rs psalm 89: 4-5.27-28.29-30; Mark 4: 1-20. THE DWELLINGPLACE OF THE LORD The title for our meditation today is: The DwellingPlace of the Lord. In a religion class, a 5th grade student askedhis teacher: "Where is God?" The student got two answers, which forhim is the satisfactory answers. The first answer is that God dwells in heavenand the second is in every one's heart. In every place we are and at any given time, fromheaven above God sees our every move and situation. God dwells in our heartsfrom which he whispers and awakens us in our consciences. The fruits of ourhealthy and positive minds show God’s actions in every human person. We accept allthis as the truth of our faith. Saint Thomas Aquinas, the leading theologian inour Church, says that the Lord God dwells in the hearts of men and womenthrough His grace and we experience His presence through faith and love. Graceis His blessing to us that produces faith and love. Perhaps people who do not know and believe in God feelthat there is no God in their hearts. But the truth speaks differently, thatGod really exists in them, and yet they reject Him. So the presence of God everywhere and in thehearts of people is something so evident, for example when God wanted to affirmto King David not to build a tent or a house to be a proper dwelling place for God.God had accompanied David everywhere in every war, it would be an illusion ifGod is confined to a specific house or tent. We shall encounter and experience God as He comes intoour hearts and in our homes, families, or communities. When His word comes toeach one of us, it spreads and is planted there, then growing and bearing fruits.We as individuals, families, groups, and the Church, in addition to being God'sdwelling place from the moment of baptism are also fertile ground for thegrowth and fruitfulness of God's word. This is a miracle that no one has everdone except Jesus Christ. He chooses to enter into each of His followers tomake them grow, live according to His will, and bear fruits of love. We surely realize until this moment, that the word ofGod calls and touches us, and then we follow it then it grows and to make a believerconvinced of his own calling. He tries to fulfill his calling and bears fruits,namely to become a person with a religious vocation or a lay person in general.Every one of us, in prayer and personal reflection, needs to constantly ponder onhow God's call for a purpose is not a wrong act. To this moment, He still wishesus to grow and bear fruits His words. We need to always be aware of it and believein it in joy. Let us pray. In the name of the Father... O Lord Almighty,speak to us always and we as Your servants are listening faithfully. May Yourword grow and bear fruits for our sake. Our Father who art in heaven... In thename of the Father ...