Hearing the message

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary illustration the difference in the action of people who actually hear the message the Lord is giving them through the intimate relationship to which they are invited. Hagar is a personage of great interest in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. She is one who hears the message of God and moves from desperate circumstances to being the mother of many descendants from her union with Abram. The message becomes the will of god through her action. The Gospel of Matthew calls the followers of Jesus to attend to discernment and action about the will of God. Words and ideas are not the level of involvement that the intimate relationship with Jesus requests.