Monday, January 15, 2018

God as God; God as Bridegroom

My meditation this afternoon began with the phrase "My Face is shining upon you, beaming out Peace that transcends understanding," from "Jesus Calling"  by Sarah Young.  I was regretting some of my behaviors and attitudes that I consider sinful and the Lord said to me: "Your sins are as far from me as the East is from the West.  I see you cleansed of sin by the blood of the cross, when, as I was dying, I poured my purifying blood over you!  I see you in that light day after day, night after night!  You are cleansed, made whole, healed, though you do not yet experience your healing or purification in its entirety. That will only happen when, believing in Me and repenting of your sins,  you enter eternity as my beloved daughter redeemed in my blood and accepting this free gift from a God who loves you and everyone else unconditionally.  As you journey through this vale of tears where Satan roams seeking souls to devour focus on Me, strive to do good every day empowered by My graces and you will be safe, as Sarah Young says in the mediation she offers in Jesus Calling on this date."

In the liturgical readings for today, the second week in Ordinary Time, we encounter a  just God, one who demands that His will be followed, that we do what God asks of us. In 1 Samuel 15:16-23, we are informed of Saul's disobedience when the men of his army, following the defeat of the Amalekites,  took the "best of what had been banned, to sacrifice to the Lord there God in Gilgal."  Samuel says to Saul: "Does the Lord so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the Lord?  Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. For a sin like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry. Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he, too, has rejected you as ruler."  Notice the words:  "rejected you as ruler."  Saul does not say that the Lord has rejected Saul as a person.  Saul as ruler was replaced, as we learn later in the Scriptures.

In today's Gospel, Mark 2: 18-22, Jesus shows us another face of God, one who celebrates life with us.  The Pharisees are troubled by this and asks the disciples of Jesus: "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"  Jesus answers: "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?"  We see a God who joins us in our celebrations, is intimate with us, dances with us when we celebrate, rejoices with us when we are rejoicing, and honors us with His presence.  This is the side of a caring, loving, generous God, a God who is not rigid and demanding.

Yes, God wants our obedience to His commands. He wants us to recognize that God alone is God and we are persons wondrously made by our God:  God's masterpieces but not God Him/Herself.  Unlike Adam and Eve, who wanted to be God and followed their wills that were contrary to the will of God, we are to be submissive to the desires of our Creator God!  God leads; we follow!  Adam and Eve failed in that, as did Saul and so many others.  You and I, at times, also fail in being faithful to the directions God sends us each day. The "sacrifice" God asks of us is the submission of our wills, praise and thanksgiving from our lips,  and love from our hearts.

Help me, God, recognize you as God and myself as your daughter/son, as your servant or handmaiden, as Mary and Joseph, whom we just celebrated this Christ season, did!




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