Lament and Life

The people of Israel are seen to be in a state of shame and dissolution in the passage from the Book of Daniel which begins the Liturgy of the Word in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today. This Book is presented by scholars as essential to an understanding of the religious significance of the humiliation of Judah and Israel by the Assyrian and Babylonian empires prior to 500 BCE. The lost of the vision of the Will of God for the people through the failure to hear the prophets and princes is at the core of the lament in the text today. The psalmist reflects this grief at the loss of the communion between God and the people in the verses which declare the lowly state of the people, faith that God will restore His favour and a note that God may not want to be seen as the destroyer of His people by other tribes for whom Israel is meant to be an example. The Gospel of Luke follows the account of Jesus Sermon on the Mount, the blessings and woes of the Beatitudes, with wisdom sayings about mercy, forgiveness and openness of heart. FriarJude Winkler advises that we not attribute wrong to evil people but understand that people are God’s children who make bad choices.The journey to holiness is an evolution to being merciful, forgiving others and giving generously not only because it is commanded or expected by Jesus, but that in living by His Way we move to greater openness that hears the Word of Life more clearly and experiences a Spirit of openness in our heart which sees others more with the eyes of God and has more capability to listen, appreciate and be thankful for the privilege of being.