Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Cousins!

R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

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.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Summertime, and the living is easy. For the industrialized world, summer is a season of rest and renewal, a honeymoon of happiness for families, neighbors and congregations. We forget about our overcoats and overshoes. It’s the season for outings, picnics and idle days at the cottage or camp. Those who don't hibernate through June, July and August in climate-controlled homes often move their meals to the shelter of a porch or tree to enjoy the evening breeze. 

In midsummer the Church celebrates the picnic the Lord sponsored for his followers in the wilderness. His feeding the hungry crowd recalled the halcyon days of Hebrew freedom  when they followed the pillar of fire by night and the column of cloud by day.

Hosea would recall that idyllic moment as he led his beloved Gomer into the wilderness:

Therefore, I will now persuade her,
   and bring her into the wilderness,
   and speak tenderly to her. 

The Song of Songs also rhapsodizes the sensual experience of eating outdoors and midsummer love:

I come to my garden, my sister, my bride;
   I gather my myrrh with my spice,
   I eat my honeycomb with my honey,
   I drink my wine with my milk. 

Eat, friends, drink,
   and be drunk with love.

In today’s first reading God represents himself as a loving husband calling his faithful wife and beautiful children:

All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what fails to satisfy?

Amid our summer cookouts, barbecues and picnics we feel secure in contentment and regret only that all the world does not enjoy the same luxury. The saints tell us, “During the hard times, remember the good times; and during the good times, remember the hard times.”

They teach us gratitude for the Providence of God who has not forgotten his promises to us. They remind us to renew our promises to God during these good times for the hard times will surely follow, and we will need these memories to sustain us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We can afford now to be “drunk with love;” and grateful.