The prophet Jeremiah is in a difficult situation. Designated to be a prophet by God before God knew him in the womb, appointed a prophet to the nations, Jeremiah will meet with turmoil and rejection; he will feel crushed, but will not in fact be so: Be not crushed on their account, God tells him, for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, to deliver you. Jeremiah’s is not a happy lot, but the Lord will support him and will not abandon him. Psalm 71 similarly recognizes that our salvation rests in the Lord: In your justice rescue me and deliver me, the psalmist sings, reminding himself of all the times the Lord has been his strength, from his mother’s womb.
When Jesus speaks in the synagogue in Nazareth in Luke's Gospel, he is rejected by the townspeople whose amazement in his teaching is diminished because they know his lineage: Isn’t this the son of Joseph? they ask. When, in their fury, they lead him to the brow of the hill, to hurl him down headlong, Jesus passes through midst of them and goes away. His truth runs contrary to the truth they hold; they have already defined him and ultimately, they disparage him for the words for which they had previously praised him. The hand of God is at work among them, but they don’t seem to realize it, and they lose their chance to recognize the strength of God touching their lives, God’s very presence among them, in the synagogue.
God knows us from birth and gives us the capacity to do the extraordinary, but this is only possible if love is behind our faith, driving it. None of the Corinthians’ gifts matter, Paul tells them, if love does not drive their actions, love emanating from the depths of who they are. Paul himself has not perfected such love; he is still on the journey, too. But he knows that his actions come from the heart, where God dwells. One day, God willing, he shall know fully, as he is fully known, and so shall we. In the meantime, we must constantly remind ourselves, as Paul does, that Christ is alive in us, embodied in a love that is patient and kind and bears all things. So let us gird our loins, knowing that our Lord is our strength, our rock and our fortress, and, ultimately, our salvation.
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
No comments:
Post a Comment