In today's first reading and in the responsorial psalm we have a lovely image of God gathering His people from all the places where they have been scattered - from the land of the rising sun to the land of the setting sun. Our God is a jealous God who watches over all His people. The prophet Zechariah tells us that God shall once more dwell in the middle of Jerusalem where the young and the old shall be gathered together and the sounds of children will again be heard playing in the streets. Jerusalem shall again be called the Faithful City and God shall again renew the covenant he made with His people "They shall be my people and I shall be their God."

This reading offers consolation to us. Many people in today's world are scattered, drawn away from their own centre by the stresses and stains of life and the demands made onthem. Because of this people often feel distant from their families and even distant from themselves. But God is always inviting us back to Himself to our own centre. Through our baptism God has made His home in us and dwells in us. We are the ones who forget this and search for our happiness in other places. But when we have searched in vain God is always waiting for us, waiting for our return, waiting to renew His covenant of love with us.