Mercy Uplifts Misery
Homily on Friday, 26th Week in OT, 6 Oct 2023, FSpIF Convent
What if at this moment, Jesus stands before us and looks at each one of us one by one? And as he looks straight in our eyes, he says the same words we heard in today’s gospel: “Woe to you, (mention your name) who have sinned and have not repented! It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment day than for you.” I’m sure we will all be frightened and scared.
For the past two weeks now we have been reading from the books of the minor biblical prophets who wrote about the events that happened after the Jewish exile in Babylon. We began with the book of the prophet Haggai two weeks ago, then we heard from the book of the prophet Zechariah. Then today we heard a passage from the book of the prophet Baruch.
Yesterday I was particularly struck by the passage we read from the book of Nehemiah. It presented to us the dramatic story of how the Israelites, on the seventh month of their return from Babylon, celebrated God’s Word for the first time after many, many years of exile. Ezra the priest-scribe gathered the people and, standing on an improvised platform, read the book of the Law of Moses before the men, the women and children old enough to understand. From daybreak until noontime he read the law and gave explanations for the whole assembly to understand. At the end the people’s response was very positive. They raised their hands to acclaim God’s Word saying “Amen” and they all bowed down to worship God, whom they realized has never abandoned them.
Today the passage we heard from the book of the prophet Baruch presents to us a deep reflection on what the Jews actually experienced when they were exiled in Babylon. All the while they thought that God must have abandoned them already or that the gods of the Babylonians were more powerful than their own God. However, after the benevolent King of Persia defeated their enemies and surprisingly allowed them to return to their own land in Judah, they realized that all the terribly bad things that happened to them were caused by none other than their own sins. They have disobeyed God and have been unfaithful to their covenant with Him, despite the frequent reminders from prophets whom God had sent.
The good news, however, is that the Israelites never lost hope. They kept praying to God saying “For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.” Very soon God heard their prayer. He sent the King of Persia to deliver his people from their bondage and brought them back to their own land flowing with milk and honey. And in yesterday’s first reading we witnessed the solemn celebration of God’s fidelity despite their infidelity. God’s mercy is indeed more powerful than our misery. In Israel’s history we see divine mercy embracing and uplifting human misery.
Today on this first Friday of October as we give thanks to the Lord through this Eucharistic celebration, we pray that we may be inspired to realize how God has always been faithful to us despite our many sins. His Sacred Heart shows that his flaming love for us can burn away our sins and make our hearts like him again, pure, humble and faithful. Like Israel of old, may we too experience God’s mercy embracing and uplifting us from our misery. GiGsss!
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