 |
| Saint Anthony with Flame and Book |
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
A wife married in youth and then cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back.
In an outburst of wrath, for a moment
I hid my face from you;
But with enduring love I take pity on you,
says the Lord, your redeemer.
Marriage might begin with the ecstasy of a wedding amid beautiful dresses and tuxedos, with festive food and drink, with music, dancing and merriment. But it will demand courage and persistence amid its many difficulties. Should our marriage with God be any different?
Marriage is the model for our covenant with God precisely because it is so difficult. Both relationships require far more courage than anyone can imagine of himself or herself. Even the battle-hardened warrior will be astonished at how much courage it takes to follow up a beautiful wedding. Likewise Theophilus and Theophila (theo=god; phila=lover) who desire with all their hearts to love God face a life of daunting challenges.
Not least of them is the feeling of abandonment. If Jesus could scream from his cross, “Why have you abandoned me?” we can expect similar moments of desolation.
Abandonment feels like betrayal; they go hand in hand. I need, want and expect love, happiness and comfort; I am given disappointment, loneliness and distress. Why would I not feel betrayed?The covenant with God must take us far beyond anything we expect of love relationships. That is why we keep the cross before us. It points the way to an unimaginably intense union with God.
Fully God and fully human, the son of God and the son of Mary, Jesus is the covenant made flesh. He is the marriage of God and humanity. Within himself he contains all the contradictions of our human nature. He is innocent of all sin, yet bears the guilt of all sin. He is Emmanuel, God with us, and yet he cries with us, “Where is God?” He enjoys a perfect communion with God and yet he dies alone on the cross, despised by the earth and ignored by the heavens.
As Christmas approaches we hear this lovely passage from the Prophet Isaiah: “with enduring love I take pity on you, says the Lord, your redeemer.” Our relationship with God is troubled, of course. We’re troublesome people! But the Lord never gives up on us, nor do we, when all’s said and done, give up on God.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.