A CLOSE BOND WITH US
God does not
stand above us giving orders. Through the Incarnation, God stands beside us and
works to reveal His love in us.
The period of the
Babylonian captivity was a difficult time for the Jews. Living conditions
apparently were not as bad as in the previous Egyptian captivity, but the
devout Jews missed worshiping in the Temple in Jerusalem, and in a strange
land, they eventually felt abandoned by God. They were somewhat like a child
who, while playing with friends, has wandered a little too far from home. As it
begins to get dark the child suddenly realizes that he is lost and his only
thought through all his fears and anxieties is to get back home. Then he looks
up and sees his father coming toward him. He rushes gratefully into his open
arms, and hand in hand the two make their way home.
In the first
reading we hear God, the Father of His people in exile, say to them, "I am
the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear
not, I will help you'" (Is 41:13). And God says the very same thing to us
today: "For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to
come" (Heb 13:14). In this life, we are exiled from the Lord, therefore,
we should not be surprised if at times our world appears to be dark and we
experience a sense of being lost, of being all alone. The world is good and
people are good overall, but God is our Father and heaven is our home. All
human groping for happiness is ultimately a search for God and as St. Augustine
said, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in God."
Today's
Responsorial Psalm assures us of God's love for us: "The Lord is gracious
and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all and
compassionate toward all His works... [God's] Kingdom is a Kingdom for all
ages, and [His] dominion endures through all generations" (Ps 145:8-9,
13). One generation instructs the other; they hand down beliefs and practices;
praying together, uniting young and old. They shape the minds of the young with
the guidance of God hands, creating a chorus of unity in a world of discord. We
enter deeper into our history as People of God and learn to communicate our
history to those who come after us. We share a bond of unity with God!
God made a close
bond with us, for He sent His Son, our Redeemer, to come to our assistance.
This is how our God is connected to us. God's response to human needs is not
merely in words but in actions: water in dry places and trees in the desert.
God's ultimate response to human need is the culmination of our Advent
watching: the gift of Jesus Christ, God's Word made Flesh. God does not stand
above us giving orders. Through the Incarnation, God stands beside us and works
to reveal His love in us.
He did all this for
us. Why? Because He wants to lead us into His fullness; lead us home. Through
all the dark times and lonely days of life that we might face, we need to pray
for faith; a faith that will open our ears to hear the consoling words of our
heavenly Father, "I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; it
is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'"