The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary resonate with our sense of living in victory over our difficulties and how this connects to our trust in God during the storms in our lives.
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| Victory from storms |
The reading from the Prophet Isaiah is Judah’s song of victory and praise and prayer for deliverance.
* [26:1–19] This text is a mixture of praise for the salvation that will take place, a confession of Judah’s inability to achieve deliverance on its own, and earnest prayer that God may quickly bring about the longed-for salvation.1
A song of victory is a theme of Psalm 118.
* [Psalm 118] A thanksgiving liturgy accompanying a procession of the king and the people into the Temple precincts. After an invocation in the form of a litany (Ps 118:1–4), the psalmist (very likely speaking in the name of the community) describes how the people confidently implored God’s help (Ps 118:5–9) when hostile peoples threatened its life (Ps 118:10–14); vividly God’s rescue is recounted (Ps 118:15–18). Then follows a possible dialogue at the Temple gates between the priests and the psalmist as the latter enters to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice (Ps 118:19–25). Finally, the priests impart their blessing (Ps 118:26–27), and the psalmist sings in gratitude (Ps 118:28–29).2
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus warns against self-deception.
* [7:13–28] The final section of the discourse is composed of a series of antitheses, contrasting two kinds of life within the Christian community, that of those who obey the words of Jesus and that of those who do not. Most of the sayings are from Q and are found also in Luke.3
The True Disciple hears and does.
Mike Cherney is lead to consider the various ways Jesus’ message could be understood rather than a literal acceptance of the text. He does not enjoy the ambiguity that this creates or relish the extra effort that it requires.
He sees the foundation in today’s Gospel as corresponding to one’s character. Jesus is asking, “How does one respond to challenges and difficulties?”. Does one respond with grit and resilience or is one willing to give up when faced with unpleasant demands or adversity?
I recall the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They seem well matched to such an understanding of today’s Gospel
My prayer today is for a resilience in my commitment in service to the Gospel.4
Don Schwager quotes “Turn your vision to the Savior,” by Verecundus (died 552 AD).
"When Hezekiah, the king of Judah and son of Ahaz, was gravely ill and had learned of his coming death by the prophecy of Isaiah, he turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly (2 Kings 20:1-3). Immediately the Lord in his mercy not only averted the destruction of imminent death but also added fifteen years to the man's life. Then, at last, Hezekiah sang this song (Isaiah 38:10-20). Hezekiah, a holy man who reigned at that time over all of Israel, displayed the Lord's form: clearly he had every movement of body, soul and mind in subjection to himself, and he accepted the consequences of his infirmity and weakness. He knew without doubt through the prophetic message that the end of his life was approaching. For the longer we seem to live, the more indubitably is our future death foreknown to us. And if we turn our face to the wall when struck by the fear of death, that is, if we direct the vision of our hearts to the Savior, who is here represented by the wall because he is elsewhere called 'a wall,' we will be saved, inasmuch as he saves the faithful who dwell within him from a great many attacks. 'In the city of our strength,' says Isaiah, 'is the Savior established as a wall and a fortress' (Isaiah 26:1). Behold, the Savior is said to be a wall." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE CANTICLE OF EZEKIEL 5.1-2) [Verecundus was an African Christian writer and bishop in the 6th century AD.5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27 urges that today and every day we look for signs of God’s goodness and mercy and salvation. And thank him. Then watch our hearts expand.
Everything he does is good. He never makes a mistake, never forgets a detail, never acts spitefully. Thank him for that! He never wakes up in a bad mood or has a bad day. Thank him for that unfailing goodness. Thank him for knowing you and thinking of you before you were born. Give thanks because he has always had nothing but tender love for you. If you have experienced any goodness or blessing from God, give thanks!6
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the universal approach of the author of Isaiah chapters 24-27. God cannot force Love upon us. We need to turn toward His invitation. Friar Jude reminds that turning to God in trust strengthens us for difficult times.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares the writing of a modern mystic, Dr. Diana L. Hayes. She is an author and professor Emerita of systematic theology at Georgetown University. He appreciates how her writing integrates her intellectual knowledge with her deeply embodied life experience. Hayes’ words are a testament to the deeper “knowing” that comes about through bleak times of suffering.
I wrestled with God on my bed of pain as I do still today . . . I argue and shout and listen and pray and question and doubt and finally acquiesce, only to move further down the path to another fork in the road where the struggle begins yet anew. . . .
I believe I have learned, because of my own struggles, how to see, hear, and feel the struggles of others, voiced and unvoiced. This has led me to explore theology . . . a new and challenging way—from the bottom up. I know what it is like to be poor, to be discriminated against because of my poverty, my race, my gender, and my disabilities. These many years of struggle and pain [physical, mental, and spiritual] . . . have forged me in the fiery furnace of God’s love. . . .
My life, a seeming paradox of contradictions and odd twists and turns, has truly been one where troubles of many different forms have always been in my way. Yet I know now, deep within me, that “trouble don’t always last.” God is not through with me yet.7
The victory we experience over difficulties is a consequence of our trust in God.
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