-Readings for this coming Sunday are at usccb.org ->
-I am preaching at 5:30pm, 8:00 and 9:30am Masses
Be effective!
I am thinking that the prophecy from Isaiah 55 tells us something about our call to be not only honest, true, loving - but effective. God's Word has "mission" and "Purpose". The Word is put forth or brought out in order to accomplish something.
The experts tell us that this Isaiah passage concludes what is called "Second Isaiah" and it carries the theme of the Exodus. The Exodus event is a "coming out" of bondage event. In the Exodus event Israel was set free from bondage (like shackles), discovered their identity, and understood their mission.
The Word can be held captive within us, within the Church, within the world if its purpose is not accomplished. The purpose of the Word is to be effective - God said...it was. God's Word effects reality.
What is God's Word for you, the church, and the world today? Is it in bondage or is it brought out into effective freedom? What is keeping the Word of God bound?
I think our lack of faith is the answer. Just a guess... What do you think?
4 comments:
I think you're right. Lack of faith equals lack of trust. We stay comfortable in speaking the Word and then stop short of living it fully because it *costs* us something. We are afraid and don't trust the Lord to carry us through it. We know from the Scriptures, lives of the saints, etc. that living the Word means sacrifice; and that sometimes that discomfort/pain of our crosses does not end in this life. God asks us to look at our Cross knowing what it means to carry it... and pick it up anyway. So, yeah, I think you're right on, Padre. Preach it! :)
At a Saturday evening mass, just a few years ago, Monsignor repeated in his homily, (if I recall all correctly) that which was the opening prayer that day.., “I believe your Word is the Truth, consecrate me in this Truth.” He asked the congregation to repeat the words out loud. Those words settled deep in my heart. I have prayed them every day, sometimes many times a day, since that day that he made us repeat them out loud back to him. I will admit that I still haven’t quite come to full and complete understanding of what they mean… but, that’s okay, because I believe someday, in His time, He will reveal it to me. Until then - I wait.
So, what do I think? I think …
“I believe your Word is the Truth, consecrate me in this Truth.”
Well, I think… this is for every one of us.
I think it's a good outline. Like it, on point, but my conclusion is not that we lack faith but that we lack love. What is keeping the Word of God bound? Lack of love.
An example from family life? It's my spouse's job to empty the trash. And he drags his heels on it always. And it can really bug me and grind on me when he lets it go way high cuz then I'm forced to do it when I'm cooking. I need greater love. And effective love would have me talk to him and share my concern and work at resolving it... or just take the garbage out, considering he works hard also and make it a sweet act of love.
We're so accustomed to hearing certain things -- especially lack of faith -- that we would never consider having a lack of faith cuz we're good, we're here in the pew, we're doing what we're supposed to be doing.
What makes for an effective follower of Christ? I think love. And love gives and gives and gives.
Faith gets us in the door off of Wallings Road into Church. Love is what makes us smile and greet one another and reach beyond ourselves.
The Matador’s writing is encouraging me to recognize the Word as gift in our lives. As with all of creation which God has entrusted to us, this great gift of His Word is meant to be cherished, nurtured, and shared, so that it eventually returns to God bringing all things with it. Many times the cherishing and nurturing part of tending to gifts is the easier part – while the sharing and allowing for their return may go against our human weakness. We may be tempted to keep the gift for ourselves and we are fooled into thinking this is the best thing to do. But it’s in the sharing that the gift grows and works productively as part of the Kingdom – building up what God has intended. It’s in the sharing, really, that any gift has the greatest opportunity to be effective. I think that is part of the story of the Paschal Mystery – yes, our faith is the answer!
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