+ Once again today we have remarkably timely readings for mass. The incredible
love of God’s Heart for the erratic, fickle and disobedient family-in-formation
is demonstrated in both readings. The first from the book of the Prophet
Jeremiah tells of how God appreciates the situation: “O my people, my beloved,
“incurable is your wound, grievous your bruise; there is none to plead your
cause, no remedy for your running sore, no healing for you. Because of your
great guilt, your numerous sins, I have done this to you.”
But then a few paragraphs
later – being true to his nature of Loving Father, Healing Physician, Author of
Justice, Truth and Mercy – he devises a way to restore and heal his people: he
is a GOD OF SECOND CHANCES THROUGH AND THROUGH! He knows that these people, and
all people are slow, mentally incapacitated to some degree due to original sin,
erratic, fickle, disobedient and downright stupid on many fronts – but his love
never fails and he is always faithful to all his covenants and contracts of
mutual commitment that he enters into: it is us who can’t and in many cases
just won’t keep up our end of the bargains.
And so, God delights that dwellings shall be built for them, and a
city on a hill will be built and palaces restored as they were – and from
them all shall resound songs of praise,
and the laughter of happy people.
He offers us the same response
to us, so long as we turn from ourselves and to him wholeheartedly.
In the gospel passage, a
similar scene is related: where at great storm at sea at night summons Jesus to
the aid of his intimate friends who are being tossed and turned by the forces
of nature, the forces of fallen human nature – and Jesus comes by walking on
the water and he appeared to them as a ghost – but he said to them: “No I am
not a ghost, it’s me, Jesus!” Peter says, “if it’s you let me walk on the water
and come to you!” So Jesus said: “Sure, come on!” So Peter gets out of the boat
and starts walking: Jesus most likely says: “Now Peter just keep looking a me,
focus on me and you will be fine.” But, Peter, being human, and on a new
untried adventure, let’s his focus momentarily relocate to the turbulent sea
beneath him, and he immediately begins to sink. “Lord, save me,” he cries out,
and Jesus does. WHY DID YOU FALTER! WHY DID YOU TAKE YOUR FOCUS OFF ME! WHAT IS
THE CONDITION OF YOUR FAITH, PETER?
The same dynamic is found here
as in the first reading: the people of Israel kept taking their focus and their
eyes of faith off of Jesus, and they ended up in oppressive situations, being
in fact punished by God – Peter did the same thing, but did not get as far as
the punishment stage – but what about us? we must keep our eyes on Jesus, his
Cross, his Resurrection, his Ascension, the formation of his Mystical Body the
Church, his Reigning in glory and our invitation to his Wedding at the End of
Time – in a heaven we must begin to at least imagine now, or the entire course
of our lives may indeed by disoriented, unfulfilling and even sinful, and we
will not end up where we wish to be at the very end of the road.
We are all participants in a
great great drama of our own salvation – and we are pivotal players in each
other’s victory and peaceful rest!
The Lord will build up Zion
again, and appear in all his glory: and we will be there, we will be there!
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment