14 July 2015 - mighty deeds

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.

Interesting, isn't it, that the LORD bothers doing mighty deeds in these places even when they don't repent? To repent or not to repent is their choice but for his part Jesus does everything he can to inspire repentance in them. This means that we do not get off the hook even if someone seems really unlikely to repent. Even if we know for sure that they won't, we still owe them the invitation.

And what about us? We who follow the LORD hear of and experience mighty deeds regularly. Do we treat them as mere entertainment and then continue with business as usual? Or do we let them impel us onward to deeper holiness?

Baptism is far more impressive than the story of Moses being saved by being put into the river in a basket. The Church says of each of her children, "I drew him out of the water" of sin and death to a life that is both royal and prophetic.

And after all, the mightiest deed we ought ever hope to see is the Eucharist. The sacraments are all miraculous and mighty. Do we just watch as mere observers or do we let ourselves be changed? Do we acknowledge these mighty deeds? Or do we let their frequent occurance dull us to their importance?

Moses does not let the mighty deed that saves him go to waste. He doesn't let life in the royal court of pagans distract him, either. He knows that his loyalty must be to the Hebrew people. He must protect them as best he can and help them to live in harmony.

We have been saved for the sake of the people of God just as Moses was saved for the Hebrews. The Hebrews were a nation but the people of God transcends nations. All peoples are called to its membership. May we not let our lives in the royal courts of modern paganism distract us from our duty to this people. The same zeal that caused Moses to kill the Egyptian that struck a Hebrew should now motivate us to invite our contemporaries to join the people of God. The same zeal which caused him to try to moderate a dispute between his fellow Hebrews should motivate us to strengthen our relationships with our Christian brothers and sisters.

Just as Moses could not be useful to Egypt without the miraculous help of God so too must we rely on him. His mighty deeds are not only our initial motivation but also make possible our entire journey.

See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.