25 February, Friday — Yes/No

Friday of Week 7 in Ordinary Time

Jas 5:9-12
Mk 10:1-12

If you mean ‘yes’, you must say ‘yes’; if you mean ‘no’, say ‘no’.

Our world is so dependent on ‘yes’ and ‘no’. The fundamentals of computer language are based on a yes/no logic. With a combination of yes and no, we have achieved so much technological progress. And this is why you can read this article over the Internet. Isn’t it amazing? What we thought of as something complex really has its basics in something so simple — a choice between only two options.

I think God wanted to make it simple for us as well. There are really only two choices when it comes to being with God. Either we say, ‘Yes, Lord, I want to be with you,’ or ‘No.’ Anything else that’s not a ‘Yes,’ is simply a ‘No’.  

I was reflecting why God wants it to be that way. So when I thought of why computers operate on a yes/no logic, it made the ‘decision-making’ faster. Once you know if it’s a yes or a no, you can move forward with what needs to be done. If not, we’ll be stuck.

Maybe we can think about this in a situation where we are struggling against a temptation. We have to make a decision whether we want to overcome it, or not. Sometimes, our answer is, ‘Yes, but…’ And this makes our answer a ‘no’. As a result, God cannot move us forward to the next process.

Which brings me to the next point — when we know where we stand, we get a clearer picture of what is the next thing to do. If we say ‘yes’ to God, he is able to shower us with all the necessary graces. If we say ‘no’, he knows that he will probably have to send someone to minister to us, or allow us to suffer the consequences so that we’ll go back to him.  

Just like a computer, once we are able to move forward with the process, and we know what needs to be done, God will be able to accomplish things we never thought would be easily achievable. God will be able to accomplish things in us for the greater glory.

Saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is meant to be really fundamental but we’ve made it so complicated in our time. I think that’s why some of us are stuck. To end this reflection, maybe we can take this time to ask God what he wants us to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to, and ask him to give us the strength.

Sometimes, he also asks us to wait. And even in waiting, we have to say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

(Today’s OXYGEN by Stephanie Villa)

Prayer: Dear Lord, I’m saying (yes/no*) to what you are asking of me today. *choose accordingly   

Thanksgiving: Thank you, Lord, for making things really simple for us.