Have you ever said to yourself: ‘If only I knew what God expects from me!’
The 1st reading of this Sunday (5th of Year A – Is.58:7-10) answers this desire.

The very first line says :
“It is the Lord who speaks…”
The prophet Isaiah, God’s messenger, reveals to us what God wants from us:

“Share your bread with the hungry,
and shelter the homeless poor,
clothe the man you see to be naked,
and give relief to the oppressed.”

It is clear and simple, but very demanding indeed!
Not to try and escape, not to do as if I had not seen, not to pretend I have not noticed.

The temptation is always there: to mind my own business, not to meddle with what concerns other people.

And if ‘what concerns other people’ – their needs, their situation of want, their lack of this or that – should become ‘my own business’!…
This is exactly what these words of the Lord demand of me.

We are inclined to protest: “There are so many people in need, they are always there… “
Their presence annoys us sometimes, their persistence irritates us.

‘We can’t help everybody!’ – ‘No, for sure…’
‘Impossible to come to the aid of everyone!’ – ‘Obviously!… But perhaps… one at a time…’

And beyond the material assistance, there is the understanding look, the attentive listening, the comforting reply…

And the word of the Lord asking that we do something,
this demanding word which exacts what we hesitate to give,
this word bears a promise:

“Cry, and the Lord will answer;
call, and he will say : ‘I am here’!”

Source: Images: colourbox; Daily Mail