In today's first reading,. Elisha encounters Elisha as he is plowing a field with twelve oxen. He throws his cloak over him. Immediately, Elisha leaves the oxen and runs after Elijah, saying to him: "'Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.' Elijah answered him, 'Go back! Have I done anything to you?'" Elisha left him and went back. He slaughtered the twelve oxen and made a meal for his parents before saying goodbye and, following the prophet, became Elijah's attendant.
In the responsorial psalm, Psalm 16, we say to the Lord: "'You are my inheritance, O Lord...my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. [You, O] Lord, counsel me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set [You,] Lord ever before me; with [You] at my right hand I shall not be disturbed; therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.'"
With that confidence in the Lord, Elisha leaves everything and follows the prophet Elijah. With that confidence, Jesus leaves the glory of heaven to come to earth and, later, leaves his mother Mary and sets out on his ministry to the poor and needy and shows us the way to the Father. That same confidence in His Father reveals itself in how Jesus responds to the scribes and pharisees and leaders of His people who turn against Him, hating Him to the point of seeking His life. With that same confidence, Jesus carries His cross to Calvary and is put to death by the leaders of Israel. Jesus trusts His Father through His life and death and God, His Father, in turn, grants Him victory over death. He raises Him from the dead and is glorifies Him at the His right hand forever. Death has no more power over Him, our inheritance!
"You are my inheritance, O Lord!" That is as true for you and me, as for Elisha and for Jesus and for Mary and all of the saints who have gone before us! Do I live in that knowledge? Do I live believing that God "holds fast my lot," that God is "my allotted portion and my cup," that God is always ready to "counsel me"? Do I live with the knowledge that God "is ever before me," that God is with me, walking beside me, taking me "by my right hand"? Do I face the end of my life joyfully, confidently, as Jesus did, believing that I will not suffer corruption but will we taken up into heaven, to an imperishable inheritance, as was Jesus, Mary and all the holy ones before me--those made holy by the body and blood of Jesus?
May it be so, in Jesus' name!
Showing posts with label Rejoicing in the Lord. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rejoicing in the Lord. Show all posts
Saturday, June 13, 2020
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Rejoicing in the Lord
"Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord." These are the words of the Israelites through King David in Psalm 122, today's responsorial psalm.. Today's first reading recounts the rebuilding of the Temple of the Lord by the Israelites returning from exile. In exile, they suffered greatly because they were separated from their homeland and from the Temple. May you and I pine for the Courts of the Lord, as did the Israelites. Throughout the world today we have families pining for the opportunity to return home, not knowing even whether there is a home to which they can return because of floods, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes, wars or what have you.
Like those pining to return to their earthly homes, all of us, hopefully, are also longing to return to the home from which we came when sent to earth to fulfill a mission. That home is eternal. We return to it through death's door, through which we enter eternal life. We leave the "womb" of this earth and return to God, who gave us an earthly life. For a time we here on earth are exiled from God, separated from seeing God face to face.
Are we eager to return to our eternal home, to the Living Presence of our God? Even if we pine for eternal life, we do not need to wait until we die for encountering the Lord, sitting at His feet, rejoicing in His presence. God, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Creator of all that is good, the Maker of our Universe and all that is in it, companions us every moment of every day. He walks beside us, counseling us, encouraging us, challenging us, comforting us, strengthening us. For this incredible privilege of having God at our side day and night, let us rejoice and give praise, rejoice and give thanks, by the way we live life here on earth, loving others and ourselves, serving and helping others along the way to eternal life! And may you and I grow in this awareness every day!
Like those pining to return to their earthly homes, all of us, hopefully, are also longing to return to the home from which we came when sent to earth to fulfill a mission. That home is eternal. We return to it through death's door, through which we enter eternal life. We leave the "womb" of this earth and return to God, who gave us an earthly life. For a time we here on earth are exiled from God, separated from seeing God face to face.
Are we eager to return to our eternal home, to the Living Presence of our God? Even if we pine for eternal life, we do not need to wait until we die for encountering the Lord, sitting at His feet, rejoicing in His presence. God, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Creator of all that is good, the Maker of our Universe and all that is in it, companions us every moment of every day. He walks beside us, counseling us, encouraging us, challenging us, comforting us, strengthening us. For this incredible privilege of having God at our side day and night, let us rejoice and give praise, rejoice and give thanks, by the way we live life here on earth, loving others and ourselves, serving and helping others along the way to eternal life! And may you and I grow in this awareness every day!
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