STRENGTH FOR THE WEARY
In the earlier days
of movies, a cartoon was a regular part of the program in every theatre. I
remember seeing a cartoon in which a bear, before settling down for his
hibernation, wound up and set an alarm clock. The winter went by and the
selection time. When the alarm sounded, the clock went haywire, with hands and
screws and springs flying wildly about. Through it all the bear continued to
sleep soundly.
Some people seem to
picture God to be like the bear in the cartoon, as if He created the world, wound
it up and lets it run all by itself. Now the world is indeed beginning to go
haywire and some think that, despite the alarms sounding all around us, God is
still asleep and completely unconcerned. Their only hope is that God will at
last awaken and finally "intervene in human history" to set things
right through a brilliant Second Coming of His Son.
Today's reading
gives us a completely different picture of God. The Jewish exiles in Babylon,
to whom the lesson today is addressed, feel as if they have been abandoned by
God. The prophet assures them that God, by His great might and the strength of
His power, is always active in the world; that He never grows faint or weary
and is aware of everything that is going on. The truth is that God's act of creation
is continuous, and without His constant, Almighty power, the entire universe
would lapse into nothingness.
We speak today of
"compassion fatigue", meaning that through our swift media we can be
aware almost instantly of floods, starvation, hurricanes, slaughters, or any
other sort of devastation that's happening anywhere in the world. As a result,
we can become sort of callous to new requests for help. We may feel a bit
tired, possibly even bored by the news, or the temptation may be to self-pity,
too. We wonder, "Why do I do all this when there seems so to be so little
appreciation at times and when I see no good coming out of it?"
In both of the
readings today, we again hear the promise of some refreshment, a renewal of
strength. We can't suddenly get very fervent and continuous in prayer and
expect instant rest and refreshment. Jesus says, "Take My yoke upon your
shoulders and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your soul
will find rest, for My yoke is easy and My burden light" (Mt 11:29-30).
No, God is not
asleep. He is with us! The final coming of His Son will not be a sudden
"intervention," for God is without interruption and is actively in
control of His creation. He's gently and wisely directing it to the goal of
perfection in preparation for the Second Coming of His Son, a plan He has had
in mind all along. So do not grow weary, the Lord will renew our strength so
that we too will soar as eagles' wings.