The Promises of the Lord God

In today's first reading, Amos 9:11-15, the  Lord says to the people of Israel and to us, through the prophet Amos:  "I will raise up the fallen hut of David [and the fallen hut of this world]; I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old....I, the Lord, will do this.  Yes, the days are coming, says the Lord, when....I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel [of the people of the entire world]; they [the Israelites and the people of the entire world] shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink wine, set out gardens and eat fruits. I will plant them [everyone] upon their own ground; never again shall they be plucked from the land I have given them, say I, the Lord your God."

The psalmist, in today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 85, confirms this message, saying: "...[H]ear what  God proclaims; ...peace to his people [to us]. Near indeed, the psalmist says, is his salvation to those who fear [reverence] him...Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.....Justice shall walk  before him [God], and salvation, along the way of his steps."

God is doing and will do all of this and He also uses each one of us to bring these promises to fruition!  What am I doing, what are you doing,  to restore justice, to rebuild ruined relationships, to see to it that "kindness and truth" shall meet because you and I were involved in a conflictual situation?  What are you, what am I doing, so that people have "a ground" that they can call their own and thrive, able to set out "gardens," literal one and virtual ones, and "eat fruit," literally, spiritually, socially, civilly?

God's Favoring Hand Is Upon Me

Today is the feast of our Guardian Angels.  Imagine or put your arms around this fact, if you can, that 24/7 God has assigned an angel to guard and protect us from evil, to guide us to the path that is right for us and equip us with the strength we need to make right choices.  Those of us raised Catholic probably can recall holy cards with the guardian angel walking behind us with his/her wings enfolding us.  That is our God's benevolent protection and loving care! 

We see God's benevolent protection of the prophet Nehemiah in today's first reading, Nehemiah 1: 1-8 and the role that Nehemiah takes in realizing God's protection.   Nehemiah approaches  the king, who is concerned that he seems so sad.  "How can I not be sad," Nehemiah says to the king, "when 'the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire'"?    Nehemiah requests to be allowed to go to Judah to rebuild his ancestor's graves and that the king provide letters  that he can show to "the governors   of  West-of-Euphrates" for his safe passing  and for "Asaph, the keeper of the royal park," so that he can get wood for "timbering the gates of the temple-citadel and for the city wall and the house that I shall occupy." Nehemiah knows that God's "favoring hand" is upon him, so he neither couches from this formidable task or from approaching the king for his protection.

What am I feeling today and what is the source of that feeling?  Is there something today that I need to rebuild? And if so, whose support do I need and what do I need in order to be prepared and protected to accomplish that task?  Do I, like Nehemiah, realize that God's "favoring hand" is upon me?

Greater Will Be the Future Glory of this House

In today's first reading, Haggai 2: 1-9, Haggai asked the returning Israelites what they see as they look upon the ruins of the Temple built by Solomon.  "Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory?' he asks. He then challenges them to take courage, to get to "work". He reminds them that God is in their midst.   "One moment yet, a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.  I will shake all the nations, and the treasures of all the nations will come in.  And I  will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts."  Do we believe that the Temple of the Lord will be rebuilt in our midst? that every nation, the world, our churches, our families, our religious communities will be returned  to their original glory? Returning closer to home, do I believe that I will, once again, be filled with my first love--if married, to the love I first felt for my spouse; if in religious life, to the first love I had for my religious community and its mission; do I believe that God is returning me to my first love when nothing was too much to grow in intimacy with the Lord? If I have fallen away from my faith, my trust, my deep love for the Lord and those with whom I share life and ministry, work and play, do believe that God will restore "this house in its former glory," if I am willing to cooperate with Him in doing so? Do I believe in the Lord's promise by the prophet Haggai, that "greater will be the future glory of this house,"  including the future glory of "this house" in eternity when I am clothed with immortality?