The first reading from the book of Hebrews 3:7-14
The Holy Spirit says: Oh, that today you would hear his voice, "Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert, where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my works for forty years. Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said, 'They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter into my rest.'" Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still "today," so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end.
Reflection:
Our Lord never hardened His heart when He was going through a tough time. Even when He was crucified, His heart was not hardened since He allowed someone beneath Him to pierce His sacred heart. So, He doesn't ask you to do something that He wouldn’t do for you.
Why would you want to harden your heart? It would only lead to heartbreak. In order to get to a precious gem inside a rock, the only way is to break it!
When the leper asked to be healed by Jesus, He touched the leper. Did He really need to touch the leper? By just saying the word would suffice. Perhaps He just wanted to put His hand on the leper to give the leper comfort and assurance that he is alright.
When encumbered by many trials in your own personal "desert,”will you allow Him to touch your heart?
