31 March 2012
I shall take the Israelites from the nations where they have gone.
It isn't geography that the LORD is concerned with here. We have harmful entanglements with the world and he wants to free us of from them. This is necessary for him to cleanse us from the foul idols and horrors with which we defile ourselves. Only together under one shepherd can we hope to follow his judgments and respect his laws.
For Yahweh has ransomed Jacob, rescued him from a hand stronger than his own.
We don't fully appreciate what we are up against in our daily lives. We don't fully appreciate the little ways in which we bow to the world in compromise. We are not strong enough to break free on our own so the LORD comes to our aid. We unite around his sanctuary among us. We unite around Jesus, the son of David, the prince of peace, who reigns forever.
Jesus makes this possible by cleansing of us of our idols and reversing the divisions between us in his own flesh. He takes our own sins to the cross and puts them to death. These sins and idols kept us imprisoned within ourselves. Jesus frees us to be a people united in him and uniquely his own.
[A]s high priest of that year he was prophesying that Jesus was to die for the nation-and not for the nation only, but also to gather together into one the scattered children of God.
Division and sin our synonymous. Fortunately God himself offers the solution. The veil seperating us from God was also sepearting us from one another. Jesus tore both assunder in his own body. Let us not return to the nations from which he has gathered us. Let us remember that nothing there could satisfy the deepest longings of our heart.
I shall change their mourning into gladness, comfort them, give them joy after their troubles
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
30 March 2012
30 March 2012
"But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph."
Do we realize that the LORD is greater than our circumstances? Do we realize what it means for God to be God. Even though we feel like Jeremiah and it seems that the whole world is out to get us we have to remember that the LORD is bigger than the world. Perhaps we don't understand this right away because our human minds compare One with the many circumstances that conspire against us and we foolishly assume that circumstances are greater. He is the One from whom all things are. We can safely entrust our cause to him because he is greater than all the darkness of the world combined.
The LORD allows circumstances that seem overwhelming to teach us to call upon him and trust him. We learn faith in that the One whom we cannot see is greater than the summation of all the oppressive circumstances that we can see. Particularly if we know that our hearts don't fully accept this we need to proclaim our faith in the LORD's protection.
"My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies."
Such words will help us to recognize more fully the power of our omnipotent God in our lives. Recognizing it we will trust him. Trusting him we will call out to him in distress. He will hear us and keep us safe from our enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Jesus saves us from our enemies, it is true. But it is more important to acknowledge that he saves us for life with him. He wants us to know that he is in the Father and that the Father is in him. We can only know this by having "the mind of Christ" and by being caught up into divine life with him. He speaks his words and does mighty deeds that we might come to trust him. He is consecrated and sent by the Father into the world so that we may realize and understand the truth of who God is and to somehow be made a part of that dynamic and everlasting love.
We know we aren't there yet. We know our hearts still shy away from admitting not just with a thought but with our whole lives that Jesus is the Son of God. We know that our lives would look different if we acknowledged that fact with our whole being. In him we would see the Father's limitless love poured out and we wouldn't fear the "cords of the nether world" or the "snares of death". In him we would be able to offer our lives back to the Father without compromise.
"Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor"
"But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph."
Do we realize that the LORD is greater than our circumstances? Do we realize what it means for God to be God. Even though we feel like Jeremiah and it seems that the whole world is out to get us we have to remember that the LORD is bigger than the world. Perhaps we don't understand this right away because our human minds compare One with the many circumstances that conspire against us and we foolishly assume that circumstances are greater. He is the One from whom all things are. We can safely entrust our cause to him because he is greater than all the darkness of the world combined.
The LORD allows circumstances that seem overwhelming to teach us to call upon him and trust him. We learn faith in that the One whom we cannot see is greater than the summation of all the oppressive circumstances that we can see. Particularly if we know that our hearts don't fully accept this we need to proclaim our faith in the LORD's protection.
"My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies."
Such words will help us to recognize more fully the power of our omnipotent God in our lives. Recognizing it we will trust him. Trusting him we will call out to him in distress. He will hear us and keep us safe from our enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Jesus saves us from our enemies, it is true. But it is more important to acknowledge that he saves us for life with him. He wants us to know that he is in the Father and that the Father is in him. We can only know this by having "the mind of Christ" and by being caught up into divine life with him. He speaks his words and does mighty deeds that we might come to trust him. He is consecrated and sent by the Father into the world so that we may realize and understand the truth of who God is and to somehow be made a part of that dynamic and everlasting love.
We know we aren't there yet. We know our hearts still shy away from admitting not just with a thought but with our whole lives that Jesus is the Son of God. We know that our lives would look different if we acknowledged that fact with our whole being. In him we would see the Father's limitless love poured out and we wouldn't fear the "cords of the nether world" or the "snares of death". In him we would be able to offer our lives back to the Father without compromise.
"Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor"
Thursday, March 29, 2012
29 March 2012
29 March 2012
"The Lord remembers his covenant for ever."
His ultimate plan and desire is to unite all of mankind in one family with he himself as Father over all. That is why we should not be apathetic when we see God binding himself to Abraham. We should think often on the blessings the LORD poured out upon him because they are the same blessings we share in through faith in Jesus. As St. Paul says in Galatians: "Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith."
It isn't that the LORD tried one thing with Abraham, another with Moses, another with David, and so on. He has always been working to fulfill the same plan he has always had since the fall in the garden. He is working to erase the divisions caused by sin. He does it first through the Jewish people. Then, through faith in Jesus, he gives the blessings of the covenant par excellence and extends them to the whole world. This is why today's psalm tells us that he "remembers forever his covenant".
Yet the covenant with Abraham is still incomplete until Jesus comes. In Abraham we learn faith and hope and we receive blessings from God. Yet divisions of sin remain. Abraham is still imperfect and can't overcome them on his own. Even he can't fully realize the blessings God has for us because of the sin which binds him. Therefore he rejoiced to see Jesus's day. Abraham can see from his vantage point that Jesus truly is "I AM." He knows that because of that truth he is the one and only man who can set right the division between God and man and therefore between man and his neighbor. This division is already being reversed in the incarnation as the divine joins the human. It is finalized with the new covenant on the cross as Jesus puts sin to death in his flesh. Thus is the veil in the temple torn from top to bottom.
Let us share in the faith of Abraham so that we can rejoice to see the day of the LORD. Let
us look to the LORD in his strength, displayed most profoundly on the cross, and recall the
wondrous deeds by which he sets us free.
"The Lord remembers his covenant for ever."
His ultimate plan and desire is to unite all of mankind in one family with he himself as Father over all. That is why we should not be apathetic when we see God binding himself to Abraham. We should think often on the blessings the LORD poured out upon him because they are the same blessings we share in through faith in Jesus. As St. Paul says in Galatians: "Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith."
It isn't that the LORD tried one thing with Abraham, another with Moses, another with David, and so on. He has always been working to fulfill the same plan he has always had since the fall in the garden. He is working to erase the divisions caused by sin. He does it first through the Jewish people. Then, through faith in Jesus, he gives the blessings of the covenant par excellence and extends them to the whole world. This is why today's psalm tells us that he "remembers forever his covenant".
Yet the covenant with Abraham is still incomplete until Jesus comes. In Abraham we learn faith and hope and we receive blessings from God. Yet divisions of sin remain. Abraham is still imperfect and can't overcome them on his own. Even he can't fully realize the blessings God has for us because of the sin which binds him. Therefore he rejoiced to see Jesus's day. Abraham can see from his vantage point that Jesus truly is "I AM." He knows that because of that truth he is the one and only man who can set right the division between God and man and therefore between man and his neighbor. This division is already being reversed in the incarnation as the divine joins the human. It is finalized with the new covenant on the cross as Jesus puts sin to death in his flesh. Thus is the veil in the temple torn from top to bottom.
Let us share in the faith of Abraham so that we can rejoice to see the day of the LORD. Let
us look to the LORD in his strength, displayed most profoundly on the cross, and recall the
wondrous deeds by which he sets us free.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
28 March 2012
28 March 2012
"But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god"
We need to have faith like this. We need to have faith that the LORD has the power to overcome any obstacle. Yet we must acknowledge that he sometimes chooses not to do so. His ways are not our ways. We must therefore have our priorities straight. We must not make God earn the trust we give him by catering to our wills. Even if he does not do so we must still not then turn to the idols in our lives. Only by trusting in God completely can we hope for salvation. We don't want to be thrown in the fire in the first place. Yet he may allow us to be thrown in but prevent us from being burned because we trust him. This may result in conversions as it did for King Nebuchadnezzar. May many more say "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego".
Even though we see ourselves as disciples of Jesus we must still guard against the temptation to idolatry. We are still slaves to sin to some degree. We must listen to the word of Jesus. We must abide in that word.
"If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
It is only if we abide in his word that we can be truly free. Otherwise, when push comes to shove and it comes down to worshipping idols or getting thrown in the fire we will choose the idols. We will rationalize. We will make excuses. His word will keep us on track. His word will let us face down the fire and kings of nations and yet hold fast to him. His word is his life. It is a word of praise to the Father. Let us join with him, saying "Glory and praise forever."
"But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god"
We need to have faith like this. We need to have faith that the LORD has the power to overcome any obstacle. Yet we must acknowledge that he sometimes chooses not to do so. His ways are not our ways. We must therefore have our priorities straight. We must not make God earn the trust we give him by catering to our wills. Even if he does not do so we must still not then turn to the idols in our lives. Only by trusting in God completely can we hope for salvation. We don't want to be thrown in the fire in the first place. Yet he may allow us to be thrown in but prevent us from being burned because we trust him. This may result in conversions as it did for King Nebuchadnezzar. May many more say "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego".
Even though we see ourselves as disciples of Jesus we must still guard against the temptation to idolatry. We are still slaves to sin to some degree. We must listen to the word of Jesus. We must abide in that word.
"If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
It is only if we abide in his word that we can be truly free. Otherwise, when push comes to shove and it comes down to worshipping idols or getting thrown in the fire we will choose the idols. We will rationalize. We will make excuses. His word will keep us on track. His word will let us face down the fire and kings of nations and yet hold fast to him. His word is his life. It is a word of praise to the Father. Let us join with him, saying "Glory and praise forever."
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
27 March 2012
27 March 2012
"But with their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?""
Even though the LORD is providing us with miraculous food and water we still complain as if we are left to starve. It's true that we are surrounded by desert. It is true that the journey is long. Yet will we really say "We are disgusted with this wretched food"? When he gives us all we need. We are not left to thirst when we drink the living water. It isn't the mana from heaven or the living water which leave us worn out. It is focusing on the desert instead of the one who leads us through it.
It is then that the ravages of the desert can truly get to us. It is then the the serpents of sin and vice can bite us and cause death in our spirits. Yet in the desert we see the shortcomings of our own resources and cry out to God. If we cry out to him he is merciful. If we pray to him we can be confident that he will hear us. He loves us so much that he can't look away or hide his face when we're in trouble.
"The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die."
It may be that mounting a bronze serpant on a pole symbolically represents taking power over the serpants. For a time the Israelites are protected from serpants and yet venomous serpants continue to afflict the world. When Jesus becomes sin for us and is lifted up he takes power over sin and kills it in his own flesh for all times. That is why we must look to him being lifted up and recognize in him the LORD of all. We should see not just power over sin but the definitive victory of the LORD over sin for all times. It is this victory alone which overcomes death.
"For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins."
Precisely in his filling this role in which he is lifted up on the cross he allows us to come to understand who he is.
"When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me."
He reveals the love he has for us. Love so strong and constant can only be divine. We can finally understand that he is God and that he has come forth from the Father. Let us therefore not shun his gifts the greatest of which is the Eucharist. We can trust that he will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. Let us listen to the way he speaks and so come to believe.
"But with their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?""
Even though the LORD is providing us with miraculous food and water we still complain as if we are left to starve. It's true that we are surrounded by desert. It is true that the journey is long. Yet will we really say "We are disgusted with this wretched food"? When he gives us all we need. We are not left to thirst when we drink the living water. It isn't the mana from heaven or the living water which leave us worn out. It is focusing on the desert instead of the one who leads us through it.
It is then that the ravages of the desert can truly get to us. It is then the the serpents of sin and vice can bite us and cause death in our spirits. Yet in the desert we see the shortcomings of our own resources and cry out to God. If we cry out to him he is merciful. If we pray to him we can be confident that he will hear us. He loves us so much that he can't look away or hide his face when we're in trouble.
"The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die."
It may be that mounting a bronze serpant on a pole symbolically represents taking power over the serpants. For a time the Israelites are protected from serpants and yet venomous serpants continue to afflict the world. When Jesus becomes sin for us and is lifted up he takes power over sin and kills it in his own flesh for all times. That is why we must look to him being lifted up and recognize in him the LORD of all. We should see not just power over sin but the definitive victory of the LORD over sin for all times. It is this victory alone which overcomes death.
"For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins."
Precisely in his filling this role in which he is lifted up on the cross he allows us to come to understand who he is.
"When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me."
He reveals the love he has for us. Love so strong and constant can only be divine. We can finally understand that he is God and that he has come forth from the Father. Let us therefore not shun his gifts the greatest of which is the Eucharist. We can trust that he will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. Let us listen to the way he speaks and so come to believe.
Monday, March 26, 2012
26 March 2012
26 March 2012
"Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
We can see in the obedience of Mary the dawn of what salvation truly means. She is simple. She does no great things. She is even afraid. And yet perfect obedience is first manifest in her. Throughout the rest of history we clung to the externals of law and sacrifice because we could focus on them and ignore the fact that we couldn't get our hearts right. We could
never find the words we most wanted to say:
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
We refused to ask the LORD for a sign when he wanted us to ask and yet insisted on it when we desired it as superfluous entertainment. Even so, the LORD brings forth the sign of signs. The virgin conceives and gives birth to Emmanuel, God with us.
Both Mary and Jesus together say: "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will."
Jesus and Mary give the entirety of their very selves since they know that all that they have is from the Father. We approach oblations and sin-offerings as if they are things of value to God. We treat them like bargaining chips which he is bound to acknowledge. In fact he gives them to us because they are of value to us. But if his will is not first in our hearts they will never do in our hearts what they are intended to do.
We need his law to be in our hearts. We need his obedience in our hearts. We need his "I come to do your will" in our hearts:
"By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all."
The LORD wants to overshadow all of his people and to fill us all with his Spirit and thereby unite us to the one offering which truly pleases him. He wants us to be brought in fully to the kingdom which shall not end. Let us not restrain our lips from praising him. Let us make
no secret of the kindness and truth which have come to set all things right. Finally we will be able to say these words with all sincerity:
"To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
"Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
We can see in the obedience of Mary the dawn of what salvation truly means. She is simple. She does no great things. She is even afraid. And yet perfect obedience is first manifest in her. Throughout the rest of history we clung to the externals of law and sacrifice because we could focus on them and ignore the fact that we couldn't get our hearts right. We could
never find the words we most wanted to say:
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
We refused to ask the LORD for a sign when he wanted us to ask and yet insisted on it when we desired it as superfluous entertainment. Even so, the LORD brings forth the sign of signs. The virgin conceives and gives birth to Emmanuel, God with us.
Both Mary and Jesus together say: "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will."
Jesus and Mary give the entirety of their very selves since they know that all that they have is from the Father. We approach oblations and sin-offerings as if they are things of value to God. We treat them like bargaining chips which he is bound to acknowledge. In fact he gives them to us because they are of value to us. But if his will is not first in our hearts they will never do in our hearts what they are intended to do.
We need his law to be in our hearts. We need his obedience in our hearts. We need his "I come to do your will" in our hearts:
"By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all."
The LORD wants to overshadow all of his people and to fill us all with his Spirit and thereby unite us to the one offering which truly pleases him. He wants us to be brought in fully to the kingdom which shall not end. Let us not restrain our lips from praising him. Let us make
no secret of the kindness and truth which have come to set all things right. Finally we will be able to say these words with all sincerity:
"To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
Sunday, March 25, 2012
25 March 2012
25 March 2012
"Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him."
How is it that Jesus learned obedience? Since he is God he is omniscient and therefore knows all. Yet he gained an experential knowledge of obedience as he surrendered his own human will to that of his father. That is why it can be said that he was made perfect even though he was perfect in one sense from all eternity. The incarnation and sacrifice of Jesus made him perfectly fitting to be the source of salvation to us who believe. Now he is able to sympathize with us because he has been similarly tested. Because he remains sinless in spite of that testing he can make his obedience manifest in us.
"I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
These two necessarily coincide. He wants a relationship with us and that can only happen when the law is fulfilled. The law prohibits only and exactly having false gods. It says that these temporary things, to which we attach undue importance, are fading and cannot satisfy. They cannot be our Father, our elder brother, or the Spirit within us. The law calls us to love and so mere things and pleasures must give way to persons and to God in particular.
"All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more."
That is why when our sin is remembered no more we will truly be able to know him. There will be nothing more to stand in our way. Let us pray that he will create a clean heart in us that we may experience the joy of our salvation anew.
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour?'"
See in this one who can sympathize with us in our weakness. See his obedience as he is made perfect. See in his saying "Father, glory your name" him becoming the source of eternal salvation. The Father responds to such obedience immediately with thunderous approval.
"And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
Most perfectly he draws all to himself when he does away with the sin that stands between us. This lifting up is not just unto the cross but unto the throne of heaven. Free from sin our hearts will finally be able to perceive the full extent of his glorious kingship and his reign over all creation.
"Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him."
How is it that Jesus learned obedience? Since he is God he is omniscient and therefore knows all. Yet he gained an experential knowledge of obedience as he surrendered his own human will to that of his father. That is why it can be said that he was made perfect even though he was perfect in one sense from all eternity. The incarnation and sacrifice of Jesus made him perfectly fitting to be the source of salvation to us who believe. Now he is able to sympathize with us because he has been similarly tested. Because he remains sinless in spite of that testing he can make his obedience manifest in us.
"I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
These two necessarily coincide. He wants a relationship with us and that can only happen when the law is fulfilled. The law prohibits only and exactly having false gods. It says that these temporary things, to which we attach undue importance, are fading and cannot satisfy. They cannot be our Father, our elder brother, or the Spirit within us. The law calls us to love and so mere things and pleasures must give way to persons and to God in particular.
"All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more."
That is why when our sin is remembered no more we will truly be able to know him. There will be nothing more to stand in our way. Let us pray that he will create a clean heart in us that we may experience the joy of our salvation anew.
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour?'"
See in this one who can sympathize with us in our weakness. See his obedience as he is made perfect. See in his saying "Father, glory your name" him becoming the source of eternal salvation. The Father responds to such obedience immediately with thunderous approval.
"And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
Most perfectly he draws all to himself when he does away with the sin that stands between us. This lifting up is not just unto the cross but unto the throne of heaven. Free from sin our hearts will finally be able to perceive the full extent of his glorious kingship and his reign over all creation.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
24 March 2012
24 March 2012
"O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge."
We see such contrast between those who take refuge in the LORD and those who do not. At times, the LORD informs those who trust in him about circumstances which conspire against them. But even when we don't realize the plots hatched against us by the world the LORD will still defend those who place their trust in him.
"A shield before me is God,
who saves the upright of heart"
We shy away because we know our hearts are not upright, at least, not to the degree they should be. Yet the upright of heart are only thus because of the words of the one whose heart is perfectly upright and obedient.
"Never before has anyone spoken like this man."
It is precisely the words of this man which bring the humble to repentance and justice. It is these words which further harden the hearts of the unrepentant. Like Nicodemus, let us at least hear him out and see what he is doing. Then we will be able to realize, like some in the crowd, that "[t]his is the Christ.". He is the one who searches hearts. Let us entrust our cause to him.
"O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge."
We see such contrast between those who take refuge in the LORD and those who do not. At times, the LORD informs those who trust in him about circumstances which conspire against them. But even when we don't realize the plots hatched against us by the world the LORD will still defend those who place their trust in him.
"A shield before me is God,
who saves the upright of heart"
We shy away because we know our hearts are not upright, at least, not to the degree they should be. Yet the upright of heart are only thus because of the words of the one whose heart is perfectly upright and obedient.
"Never before has anyone spoken like this man."
It is precisely the words of this man which bring the humble to repentance and justice. It is these words which further harden the hearts of the unrepentant. Like Nicodemus, let us at least hear him out and see what he is doing. Then we will be able to realize, like some in the crowd, that "[t]his is the Christ.". He is the one who searches hearts. Let us entrust our cause to him.
Friday, March 23, 2012
23 March 2012
23 March 2012
"These were their thoughts, but they erred;
for their wickedness blinded them,
and they knew not the hidden counsels of God;"
Wickedness always blinds in one way or another. It makes the truth about justice hard to see. The just one becomes a censure to our thoughts. We may even try to dominate him so that we don't have to hear his message or see him hold aloof from the impure paths we walk. This is the case with the authorities of Jerusalem, to whom Jesus says"
"Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
So they tried to arrest him,"
What should our attitude be, then?
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves."
Why brokenhearted? Why crushed in spirit? Because we recognize our own wickedness and corresponding blindness. We realize that we are trapped and can't see the way to righteousness and salvation. This is appropriate whenever it is true and to whatever degree it is true. Yet it is not the LORD's ultimate intention for our lives here.
"Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him."
He wants to deliver us from our blindness. That is why Jesus will go to the places where people are trying to kill him and yet speak openly to the masses. It is not his own human will, which would be to preserve his life, but it is his divine will informed by his mission from the Father to bring salvation. Jesus alone knows the hidden counsels of the Father. He alone can count on a recompense of holiness and the innocent souls' reward. Blessed be God that he has come to share those rewards with us and to make them our inheritance as part of his family.
"The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him."
"These were their thoughts, but they erred;
for their wickedness blinded them,
and they knew not the hidden counsels of God;"
Wickedness always blinds in one way or another. It makes the truth about justice hard to see. The just one becomes a censure to our thoughts. We may even try to dominate him so that we don't have to hear his message or see him hold aloof from the impure paths we walk. This is the case with the authorities of Jerusalem, to whom Jesus says"
"Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
So they tried to arrest him,"
What should our attitude be, then?
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves."
Why brokenhearted? Why crushed in spirit? Because we recognize our own wickedness and corresponding blindness. We realize that we are trapped and can't see the way to righteousness and salvation. This is appropriate whenever it is true and to whatever degree it is true. Yet it is not the LORD's ultimate intention for our lives here.
"Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him."
He wants to deliver us from our blindness. That is why Jesus will go to the places where people are trying to kill him and yet speak openly to the masses. It is not his own human will, which would be to preserve his life, but it is his divine will informed by his mission from the Father to bring salvation. Jesus alone knows the hidden counsels of the Father. He alone can count on a recompense of holiness and the innocent souls' reward. Blessed be God that he has come to share those rewards with us and to make them our inheritance as part of his family.
"The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him."
Thursday, March 22, 2012
22 March 2012
22 March 2012
"Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people."
The LORD certainly does not forget us. Yet in his wisdom he often waits for us to remind him of the promises he made in the past. He waits until we remind him of his own kindness, compassion, and mercy.
"Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel,
and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,
'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;
and all this land that I promised,
I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.'"
It isn't as though he's forgotten. Yet this causes the people to be spared. Moses reminds the LORD how he swore by his own self. He reminds him how he took the initiative fully upon himself to see the promise through.
"Then he spoke of exterminating them,
but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath."
It must mean that he wants our hearts to be willing to plead for his people even when they don't seem to deserve it. Ultimately he wants us to have a heart like him that can love regardless of circumstance. That is why we remind him of his mercy and love as we seek it from him. He may withhold it directly so that it can be manifest in and through us as we plead with him.
Moses himself is ultimately pointing toward Jesus. Moses standing in the breach for his people is an imperfect image of what Jesus does for us. Yet neither one "comes in his own name" and seeking his own glory. This makes them harder to accept because they aren't simply our equals. We expose ourselves and make ourselves vulnerable when we accept their words. Mercy and compassion can't come from our own efforts. They can't come from a simply trade with an equal party. They are in God alone, but we do not want to come to him to have life.
Let us trust in Jesus. Let us rejoice in his light and hear the testimony his Father gives.
Let us search the Scriptures and hear them when they speak of him. Then his word will
remain in us and we will not forget the God who saves.
"Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people."
The LORD certainly does not forget us. Yet in his wisdom he often waits for us to remind him of the promises he made in the past. He waits until we remind him of his own kindness, compassion, and mercy.
"Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel,
and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,
'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;
and all this land that I promised,
I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.'"
It isn't as though he's forgotten. Yet this causes the people to be spared. Moses reminds the LORD how he swore by his own self. He reminds him how he took the initiative fully upon himself to see the promise through.
"Then he spoke of exterminating them,
but Moses, his chosen one,
Withstood him in the breach
to turn back his destructive wrath."
It must mean that he wants our hearts to be willing to plead for his people even when they don't seem to deserve it. Ultimately he wants us to have a heart like him that can love regardless of circumstance. That is why we remind him of his mercy and love as we seek it from him. He may withhold it directly so that it can be manifest in and through us as we plead with him.
Moses himself is ultimately pointing toward Jesus. Moses standing in the breach for his people is an imperfect image of what Jesus does for us. Yet neither one "comes in his own name" and seeking his own glory. This makes them harder to accept because they aren't simply our equals. We expose ourselves and make ourselves vulnerable when we accept their words. Mercy and compassion can't come from our own efforts. They can't come from a simply trade with an equal party. They are in God alone, but we do not want to come to him to have life.
Let us trust in Jesus. Let us rejoice in his light and hear the testimony his Father gives.
Let us search the Scriptures and hear them when they speak of him. Then his word will
remain in us and we will not forget the God who saves.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
21 March 2012
21 March 2012
"But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me."
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you."
We may feel forsaken at times. Circumstances may be dire. We must learn to remember that the LORD is near. The infant must learn that its mother still exists even when she cannot be seen. We must learn that the LORD has not forsaken us even when we cannot see his workings.
"In a time of favor I answer you,
on the day of salvation I help you"
He meets all of our needs in Jesus. That is why St Paul reminds us that the day of salvation is now. He says that now is a time of great favor. He is "near to all who call upon him," whether they see him or not. He stands ready to lift up all who are bowed down.
"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes."
Our problem is not that we can't find life. Our problem is that we prefer passing things to life. We wander in deserts and trudge up mountains when the LORD has cut a clear and well-watered path to life, with pasture along the way. We don't see the LORD standing ready to help because we are so fixated on the things of the world.
Our own will is flawed and does not pursue life. But Jesus is our example of a will totally surrendered to the Father. From the Father and through this surrender he has life in himself. He seeks the will of the one who sent him. If we surrender our will to Jesus he will give us his perfectly surrendered will and enable us to seek life along the smooth path he has prepared for us, the path we would never find following our own desires.
"Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,
break forth into song, you mountains.
For the LORD comforts his people
and shows mercy to his afflicted."
"But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me."
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you."
We may feel forsaken at times. Circumstances may be dire. We must learn to remember that the LORD is near. The infant must learn that its mother still exists even when she cannot be seen. We must learn that the LORD has not forsaken us even when we cannot see his workings.
"In a time of favor I answer you,
on the day of salvation I help you"
He meets all of our needs in Jesus. That is why St Paul reminds us that the day of salvation is now. He says that now is a time of great favor. He is "near to all who call upon him," whether they see him or not. He stands ready to lift up all who are bowed down.
"For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes."
Our problem is not that we can't find life. Our problem is that we prefer passing things to life. We wander in deserts and trudge up mountains when the LORD has cut a clear and well-watered path to life, with pasture along the way. We don't see the LORD standing ready to help because we are so fixated on the things of the world.
Our own will is flawed and does not pursue life. But Jesus is our example of a will totally surrendered to the Father. From the Father and through this surrender he has life in himself. He seeks the will of the one who sent him. If we surrender our will to Jesus he will give us his perfectly surrendered will and enable us to seek life along the smooth path he has prepared for us, the path we would never find following our own desires.
"Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,
break forth into song, you mountains.
For the LORD comforts his people
and shows mercy to his afflicted."
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
20 March 2012
20 March 2012
"Do you want to be well?"
Jesus knew the man had been suffering for a long time. He saw the longing in his eyes for the healing pool which he could never quite reach in time. He knew that his own efforts where never going to get him to that pool. On his own he could never make it to a place where he could be healed. But Jesus is the water of life, of which that pool was only a dim reflection, and so he said "[r]ise, take up your mat, and walk." The water of life finally came to the man after years of not being able to get to it in time on his own. This water is the only true source of our own life.
"There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High."
There is no other stream like this that can gladden and give life. We look to many different sources to quench our thirst and yet the LORD sets before us the one river which can truly meet our needs.
"Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail."
Jesus is the source of our life. He makes our waters fresh and gives growth to our fruit and leaves. This fruit is superabundant, growing monthly rather than seasonally. Even more importantly, this fruit is used to make the medicine that the world desparately needs. It may
seem incongruous that a river can be so important to the city of God but it is not. The river is there precisely because "God is in its midst" and therefore "it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn."
Let us remember that the porticos were normal means, not for natural healing, but supernatural. Even so they were not the LORD's chosen instrument for everyone. Rather than clinging to how we expect him to work in our lives let us cling to he himself.
"The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob."
"Do you want to be well?"
Jesus knew the man had been suffering for a long time. He saw the longing in his eyes for the healing pool which he could never quite reach in time. He knew that his own efforts where never going to get him to that pool. On his own he could never make it to a place where he could be healed. But Jesus is the water of life, of which that pool was only a dim reflection, and so he said "[r]ise, take up your mat, and walk." The water of life finally came to the man after years of not being able to get to it in time on his own. This water is the only true source of our own life.
"There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High."
There is no other stream like this that can gladden and give life. We look to many different sources to quench our thirst and yet the LORD sets before us the one river which can truly meet our needs.
"Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail."
Jesus is the source of our life. He makes our waters fresh and gives growth to our fruit and leaves. This fruit is superabundant, growing monthly rather than seasonally. Even more importantly, this fruit is used to make the medicine that the world desparately needs. It may
seem incongruous that a river can be so important to the city of God but it is not. The river is there precisely because "God is in its midst" and therefore "it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn."
Let us remember that the porticos were normal means, not for natural healing, but supernatural. Even so they were not the LORD's chosen instrument for everyone. Rather than clinging to how we expect him to work in our lives let us cling to he himself.
"The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob."
Monday, March 19, 2012
19 March 2012
19 March 2012
"The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness"
We know that the LORD has made promises to us. It seems like we always assume they are for mankind in general and not for us in particular. We see these promises about posterity to Abraham and an heir to King David and we note them as interesting historical anecdotes. We forget that in these
promises the LORD is establishing a life line to each one of us individually.
In spite of the infidelities upon infidelties of which our history tells, the LORD desires to make all peoples his family. "It was not through the law" and could not be. Such a gift can never be earned. If it is left to our abilities we fall short. Yet in the absence of the law of God's household how can we truly be his family? That is why he continues to make his promise throughout the ages. He raises up men like Abraham and David who strive to follow him. Even they fall short but the they realize that all blessings rest on the initiative of God's promise.
"It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith."
Faith allows us to receive the promises of God as a gift while still making the efforts in our lives that love demands. We won't be trying to earn our salvation. We will be secure since we know that we are God's family.
"I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever."
We will have the confidence of Joseph who was obedient to the angel's words. Did he thereby earn his place in the Holy Family? No, but the trust he had in God was part of the path by which that family was realized. In our daily lives the permanence of the God's kingdom can be a firm foundation for us.
Let us also say: "You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior." He does not establish his
throne as a historical novelty. He establishes it to bless us. From it he welcomes us into his
family and, by his promises, gives us the confidence to live and abide in him. We will know that his "kindness is established forever".
"The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness"
We know that the LORD has made promises to us. It seems like we always assume they are for mankind in general and not for us in particular. We see these promises about posterity to Abraham and an heir to King David and we note them as interesting historical anecdotes. We forget that in these
promises the LORD is establishing a life line to each one of us individually.
In spite of the infidelities upon infidelties of which our history tells, the LORD desires to make all peoples his family. "It was not through the law" and could not be. Such a gift can never be earned. If it is left to our abilities we fall short. Yet in the absence of the law of God's household how can we truly be his family? That is why he continues to make his promise throughout the ages. He raises up men like Abraham and David who strive to follow him. Even they fall short but the they realize that all blessings rest on the initiative of God's promise.
"It was not through the law
that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants
that he would inherit the world,
but through the righteousness that comes from faith."
Faith allows us to receive the promises of God as a gift while still making the efforts in our lives that love demands. We won't be trying to earn our salvation. We will be secure since we know that we are God's family.
"I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever."
We will have the confidence of Joseph who was obedient to the angel's words. Did he thereby earn his place in the Holy Family? No, but the trust he had in God was part of the path by which that family was realized. In our daily lives the permanence of the God's kingdom can be a firm foundation for us.
Let us also say: "You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior." He does not establish his
throne as a historical novelty. He establishes it to bless us. From it he welcomes us into his
family and, by his promises, gives us the confidence to live and abide in him. We will know that his "kindness is established forever".
Sunday, March 18, 2012
18 March 2012
18 March 2012
"But they mocked the messengers of God,
despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets,
until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed
that there was no remedy."
It sounds like this would have been a good time to give up. They he been given a fair chance and they had ignored it. Now there was no remedy and the world they knew was crumbling around them. But the LORD's desire is always to save even when things are hopeless from a human perspective. Even, or perhaps especially, in Babylon we can learn to place Jerusalem ahead of our own joy. In so doing is the only way we will know that joy which we seek and not ruin it with infidelities.
It was hopeless for us as well. We were "dead in our transgressions". The palaces, walls, temples, and precious objects of our past lives could provide no surety without the LORD. Even so, just as God sent Cyrus to rebuild his house for a purified people so too did he send his Son Jesus not just to rebuild our past lives but to raise us up that we might be "seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus".
With Cyrus he fulfilled the words of Jeremiah and we can see that he had always had this plan to restore his people. In Jesus we can see that the plan goes back even further.
"For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works
that God has prepared in advance,
that we should live in them."
He has always had such great plans for us. He knew from the beginning that we would rebel and yet his plans remained unchanged. As we come to know his steadfast love for us let us come to trust in his plan for our lives. God delights to save us. He didn't send his son grudgingly but because he "so loved the world".
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him."
"But they mocked the messengers of God,
despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets,
until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed
that there was no remedy."
It sounds like this would have been a good time to give up. They he been given a fair chance and they had ignored it. Now there was no remedy and the world they knew was crumbling around them. But the LORD's desire is always to save even when things are hopeless from a human perspective. Even, or perhaps especially, in Babylon we can learn to place Jerusalem ahead of our own joy. In so doing is the only way we will know that joy which we seek and not ruin it with infidelities.
It was hopeless for us as well. We were "dead in our transgressions". The palaces, walls, temples, and precious objects of our past lives could provide no surety without the LORD. Even so, just as God sent Cyrus to rebuild his house for a purified people so too did he send his Son Jesus not just to rebuild our past lives but to raise us up that we might be "seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus".
With Cyrus he fulfilled the words of Jeremiah and we can see that he had always had this plan to restore his people. In Jesus we can see that the plan goes back even further.
"For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works
that God has prepared in advance,
that we should live in them."
He has always had such great plans for us. He knew from the beginning that we would rebel and yet his plans remained unchanged. As we come to know his steadfast love for us let us come to trust in his plan for our lives. God delights to save us. He didn't send his son grudgingly but because he "so loved the world".
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him."
Amen. Save us, LORD!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
17 March 2012
"Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else."
They took so much pride in being correct in their ways that they had no room in their hearts for others. If their own efforts, being supposedly so perfect, were of such value then how could they do anything but despise everyone else. That is why humility is more important than sacrifice.
"For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."
The externals not only don't help when our hearts aren't right, they can actually be a hinderance if they become a source of pride. Often he will let us come to grips with our own weakness, but only so he can save us.
"He will revive us after two days;
on the third day he will raise us up,
to live in his presence."
Let us ask him: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner" because "a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn." Once our offenses are wiped out and we've been washed of our guilt we can once again see the meaning that the externals were meant to have because "the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
"Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices,
burnt offerings and holocausts."
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else."
They took so much pride in being correct in their ways that they had no room in their hearts for others. If their own efforts, being supposedly so perfect, were of such value then how could they do anything but despise everyone else. That is why humility is more important than sacrifice.
"For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,
and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."
The externals not only don't help when our hearts aren't right, they can actually be a hinderance if they become a source of pride. Often he will let us come to grips with our own weakness, but only so he can save us.
"He will revive us after two days;
on the third day he will raise us up,
to live in his presence."
Let us ask him: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner" because "a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn." Once our offenses are wiped out and we've been washed of our guilt we can once again see the meaning that the externals were meant to have because "the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
"Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices,
burnt offerings and holocausts."
Friday, March 16, 2012
16 March 2012
16 March 2012
"We shall say no more, 'Our god,'
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion."
"We shall say no more, 'Our god,'
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion."
We do this so much though it is seldom explicit. The things we work at and put effort into often take the place in our lives that should be the LORD's. We so worry about the outcomes of circumstances that we prove that the LORD does not yet hold first place in our hearts. We think that we can ensure our efforts bear fruit just by willing it. We think that the fruit of our efforts is really our own to spend on our passions. May the LORD remind us: "Because of me you bear fruit!" The compassion which the orphan receives, who has nothing to offer of his own, calls us to humility. In humility we can recognize the source of our life. Fortunately the LORD is waiting to heal our defection. He wants to be the dew that gives us life as we blossom into all he intends us to be.
He did all that was necessary to set us free before we could even recognize his voice. Let us remember the freedom he already gave us and let us ask him for the freedom we do not yet have. As long as we are still carrying burdens we aren't meant to carry in our own Egypts he will continue to offer us rescue.
Let the LORD be first in our lives. May he be the only one we worship. Then we too will not be far from the kingdom. He wants to feed us with the best wheat and honey from the rock. Then, finally, we will come to know and understand his promise to love us freely.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
15 March 2012
15 March 2012
"Listen to my voice;
then I will be your God and you shall be my people.
Walk in all the ways that I command you,
so that you may prosper."
"Listen to my voice;
then I will be your God and you shall be my people.
Walk in all the ways that I command you,
so that you may prosper."
We have these blessings set before us. Why are we so quick to harden our hearts when we see the LORD speaking and working. Those around us open their mouths to praise God who were formerly mute to him. Are we amazed or are we instead resentful of the one who has been set free?
Even though we see God's works we forget that they are his. We go so far as to attribute them to Beelzebub when they aren't those for which we'd hoped. Why do we demand a sign even after he has just given us signs? Why does the LORD have to speek words to us when he knows we won't listen?
The LORD gives us blessings which we protect by recalling them in praise and thanksgiving. The Enemy steals these and along with them our joy and trust in him. This happens when we forget to be thankful and recall the work of the LORD in our lives. The Enemy then takes those treasures from us. He causes us to envy that work in the lives of others.
It becomes as if "word itself is banished from their speech".
But there is one who is stronger and he "he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils." If we cling to his word and "come into his presence with thanksgiving" then we will be safe from the Enemy's snares.
Then we will know that "it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons" and that the Kingdom of God has come upon us.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
14 March 2012
14 March 2012
Imagine our observance of the law making us the envy of our neighbors.
"'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.'"
If we follow his ways we will not only "live, and ... enter in and take possession of the land" but we will have something different about us which makes other people also want to draw near to the LORD. I think I'm not the only one who doesn't usually relate to the law in this way. I am not often counting my knowledge of the law as a blessing at all. But it is.
"He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them."
And the reason I discount such a great gift is that I allow my relationship with the LORD to become impersonal. This is what Moses warns against:
Imagine our observance of the law making us the envy of our neighbors.
"'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.'"
If we follow his ways we will not only "live, and ... enter in and take possession of the land" but we will have something different about us which makes other people also want to draw near to the LORD. I think I'm not the only one who doesn't usually relate to the law in this way. I am not often counting my knowledge of the law as a blessing at all. But it is.
"He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them."
And the reason I discount such a great gift is that I allow my relationship with the LORD to become impersonal. This is what Moses warns against:
"However, take care and be earnestly on your guard
not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,
nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,
but teach them to your children and to your children's children."
not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen,
nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live,
but teach them to your children and to your children's children."
If we remember that God is not distant and that he cares about and intervenes in the specifics of our lives we will be able to trust his laws are a blessing. We will remember that they have been for us in the past. We will know that they aren't just abstract but are designed to bring joy to the specific circumstances in our lives. The LORD uses the law to make room for himself in us.
"Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place."
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place."
We think that nothing which is so generally applicable as the law could apply to us personally but it does. The same is true of God's word. Without Jesus all of this can be obscured. Without the human face of God's love made manifest it is a little easier to doubt that the law is personal. Without gazing into the eyes of the eternal made flesh it seems burdensome and abstract. Without the grace Jesus brings to "fulfill the law" being manifest in us we remain trapped in sin. The law definitely seems still more burdensome then when we can't fulfill it. But even then it is not truly a burden. It is personal and teaches us of our need for him and prepares us for his grace.
Since we have the law and Jesus who fulfills it let us not complain or be sluggish in obedience. Instead let us rejoice!
"Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you."
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you."
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
13 March 2012
13 March 2012
"[H]e found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
'Pay back what you owe.'"
for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame."
"[H]e found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
'Pay back what you owe.'"
This man was unwilling to live at the mercy and generosity of another. He had to be self-sufficient. He was desperate not to be indebted to his master. He didn't just demand the smaller amount he was owed. He resorted to violence to get it, not realizing that it would never be enough to pay his master back. Even when his fellow servant begged him for mercy in words which should have been familiar he was unsympathetic. He hurt his fellow servant and took away his freedom all for the pretense of owing nothing to anyone.
We owe the LORD more than any analogy can convey. We have to be watchful that we stay close to the LORD in a personal way. If we do not then the mercy we have received will just seem like something we owe which we will have to try to earn. Our relationship will have changed from one of family to one of transaction and business. This may lead us to hurtful desperation since we can never earn the mercy of God. At the very least it presumes that we would have any standing to negotiate with the LORD (as if we were equals) but how could we?
An attitude of trying to square our debt to God can render our sacrifices ineffective. They will just be trying to pay back what can never be repaid instead of being grateful for his mercy. That is why we should ask him to receive us with "contrite heart and humble spirit". That is why such a heart can mean more than "burnt offerings of rams and bullocks or thousands of fat lambs".
"He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way."
he teaches the humble his way."
Humility is the antidote to delusions of self-sufficiency. We remember that we are creatures for whom every breath is a gift. We ask the LORD to remember his mercies. At the same time we resolve to walk in his ways and to follow the path he sets before us. Even though we are stubborn and often try to go our own way we can be confident of his mercy. We know that if he tells us to forgive 77 times it is because it is in his heart to forgive infinitely more.
"So let our sacrifice be in your presence today
as we follow you unreservedly;for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame."
Monday, March 12, 2012
12 March 2012
12 March 2012
"Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place."
and would move his hand over the spot,
and thus cure the leprosy."
"Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place."
Not being from Israel are we off the hook? They rejected him because they thought they knew him. They had certain expectations which he didn't meet. They thought that he had no right to impose his expectations on them because they had been near each other for so long before that. How could it be that one of their own should be elevated in this way and not they themselves? Maybe, they thought, if someone showed up suddenly out of the blue with might and glory they would listen. More probably they wanted the exultation themselves so that they could be untroubled by the expectations of one who sees the heart in all its depths. Naaman had a problem with expectations as well:
"I thought that he would surely come out and stand there
to invoke the LORD his God,"I thought that he would surely come out and stand there
and would move his hand over the spot,
and thus cure the leprosy."
It is fortunate that Naaman was humble enough to listen to the voice of his servants who convinced him to heed the prophet. He wasn't from the prophets native place but his expectations almost got the best of him anyway. His humility was the crack in the armor of his set expectations that let the LORD shine his light into his life.
"Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on"
We have the blessing of having more appropriate expectations of Jesus. Yet we face the danger that our expectations are probably far more fixed. We must be on guard to be humble so that we can take the LORD at his word. If we do then we too can be made once more like little children. Our expectations can lead us to a prideful anger when our problems aren't solved in our way. If we can only forget these expectations and discern our true longing. We want the LORD as the hind wants running waters. We want the cleansing waters of the Jordan. We want the power of baptism unleashed in our lives. We want to know what Naaman came to know from his heart.
"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth,
except in Israel."
except in Israel."
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