We switch now from the prophet Jonah, in our first reading at Mass, to the prophet Malachi. What is new in this account is that the wicked are not those who are necessarily outside and against the people of Israel, but all who do not fear God - those both inside and outside of the people of Israel.
What God is saying though the prophet is that any who fear me and turn to me for mercy will get compassion from me! Even the wicked are eligible for God’s graciousness. The just ones - the ones who serve God fearfully and faithfully can count on his blessings and mercy - but since God can do what he wants - fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of wisdom but also the key that unlocks God’s compassion, mercy and forgiveness.
But of course, the fear of the Lord, has to be genuine, and the turning towards him sincere, and the promise to live a changed life given.
The Lord promises in this reading that there will indeed come a day when the wicked-who-seem-to-prosper will get what is their due! There will be a day of fire that will destroy the root and the branch! And on that same day the sun of justice with is healing rays will rise on those who fear God’s name!
And so we have every reason to hope!
In the gospel passage Jesus gives us a very important tool to use in maintaining our sense of proportion, our sense of humility, our sense of fear of the Lord: when he gives us the true secret of the prayer of petition! Yes! You can go ahead and ask, seek, knock - it will be given to you! Every single time! But just as a father among us knows who not to give his son - which might hurt him in the short or long run - so too our heavenly Father knows exactly what to give us which will take care of all our needs: and that gift is the Holy Spirit! If we ask for the Holy Spirit in any and every petition then we can be sure that we will be heard, and our prayer will be responded to - in God’s way and God’s time!
There is always a catch, isn’t there?
God’s will cannot not be done! Once we get that idea firmly rooted in our souls - then we know how to use the gift of the Holy Spirit!
The Spirit can only teach us that which is God’s will! And we should not even want to know anything else.
Therefore to remain God-fearing, and candidates for the healing rays of the sun of justice - we need to pray first always: Come, Holy Spirit! Then we will know what else to pray…
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