A Path for Desperate Situations

The text in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today from the Prophet Isaiah outlines the intimate relationship between the Divine and the seeking person who is making selfless efforts to struggle towards living the will of God in desperate situations. Certainly we know that millions of humans daily struggle in the stress of existence. The people experiencing the effects of the earthquake in Japan are added to those contending with war in Africa and persecution in every corner of the globe. The psalmist proclaims the poverty and neediness that too often is the human experience. The psalm is a petition to God to gladden his heart. Between the lines we perceive that the prayer of supplication is and will be answered in the ongoing support of God for his life. Levy, in Luke’s Gospel, struggles as one cut off from his community by the work he does. Jesus sees beyond the image of tax collector and collaborator which the authorities see and invites Levy to join Him. The struggle to survive is greatly reduced for Levy and Jesus joins the liberation celebration to continue to draw the oppressed and marginalized to the intimate relationship of life.