Tues Mar 8, 2022
Today's
readings speak to me about trusting God. The first reading from
Isaiah 55 (Is 55:10-11) tells us that God's word always achieves its
purpose: “It shall not return to
me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent
it.” Simply put, God does what He
says He is going to do. We see this fully revealed in Jesus, the Word
of God made flesh. Sent by the Father to redeem humanity from sin.
Nothing prevented Him from going to the cross to accomplish this, and
nothing could prevent Him from rising; nothing could stop His Spirit
from descending on the early Church and spreading like wildfire
through the centuries, though many have unsuccessfully tried.
David composed the psalms about three hundred years before Isaiah began to prophesy. His words also acknowledge the triumph of God's word and will. Psalm 34 thus begins with a call to praise God for His faithfulness: “Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name.” David then describes How God has kept His promises to him and will do so for his people: “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” God heard his cries, saved him in his distress; He hears the cries of the just, destroys evil, is “close to the brokenhearted” and the “crushed in spirit.” David, who suffered so much persecution and humiliation at the hands of Saul, now proclaims God's triumph and calls on us to, “Look to Him and be radiant.” David trusted God in great suffering and loss, and was not disappointed.
Today's Gospel (Mt 6:7-15) tells we don't need to placate God with elaborate prayers: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them.” Jesus reassures us that the Father has a personal interest in each of us and knows our needs: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Jesus then gives us His gift of the Our Father, our most perfect prayer. As God's word, the Our Father is rich with meaning that will never be exhausted. We can see this prayer as having two parts: The first is praise, and the second is petition. We praise God first: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus is telling us to believe what Isaiah 55 says: God's will is sovereign in heaven and on earth; each time we proclaim these words is our “Yes” to the triumph of God's sovereign word – not just in heaven and on earth, but in our lives. In light of this, we can confidently ask God for what we need – sustenance, forgiveness, preservation from temptation and evil. “Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
David composed the psalms about three hundred years before Isaiah began to prophesy. His words also acknowledge the triumph of God's word and will. Psalm 34 thus begins with a call to praise God for His faithfulness: “Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name.” David then describes How God has kept His promises to him and will do so for his people: “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” God heard his cries, saved him in his distress; He hears the cries of the just, destroys evil, is “close to the brokenhearted” and the “crushed in spirit.” David, who suffered so much persecution and humiliation at the hands of Saul, now proclaims God's triumph and calls on us to, “Look to Him and be radiant.” David trusted God in great suffering and loss, and was not disappointed.
Today's Gospel (Mt 6:7-15) tells we don't need to placate God with elaborate prayers: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them.” Jesus reassures us that the Father has a personal interest in each of us and knows our needs: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Jesus then gives us His gift of the Our Father, our most perfect prayer. As God's word, the Our Father is rich with meaning that will never be exhausted. We can see this prayer as having two parts: The first is praise, and the second is petition. We praise God first: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus is telling us to believe what Isaiah 55 says: God's will is sovereign in heaven and on earth; each time we proclaim these words is our “Yes” to the triumph of God's sovereign word – not just in heaven and on earth, but in our lives. In light of this, we can confidently ask God for what we need – sustenance, forgiveness, preservation from temptation and evil. “Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
For
me, the message of today's readings is simple: Trust God. He is
faithful, His word will bear fruit in our lives; His promises are
true. David knew this and could not hold back from proclaiming, “Look
to Him and be radiant.” God is near. He is our Radiance, not
somewhere far-off, but shining in each of our hearts, at work in our
lives, moving us to work for the good of His Kingdom, helping us
through life's struggles. He is worthy of all our trust and
praise.
Link to Readings:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030822.cfm
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