Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time



Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail…

In the spiritual life nothing good comes of fear. The scriptures and the witness of the saints teach us to remain tranquil in the face of trouble.
For all the talk and news commentary on television, radio and the Internet I rarely hear anyone remark on this irony: the most powerful nation on earth is terrified. In the ways of the world that doesn’t make much sense. How is it that a nation that spends more on national defense than all the nations of the world combined can be so frightened? Even the suggestion from one party or the other that we should cut back on military spending is met with howls of outrage.

Saint Francis, of course, understood this fear perfectly. In the middle of the war-torn Italian peninsula, scavenged continually by starving thieves, gangs of brigands and armed warriors, he chose to live in the open country with neither roof nor walls. Owning nothing he had nothing to defend. Each morning he asked the Lord to protect him from harm -- if it be God’s will. He was attacked only once and he laughed for joy when they stripped him naked and threw him into a snow-filled ditch. “That’s just how they treated my Savior!” he cried. For Francis, there could be no greater privilege than to be abused as the Lord had been abused.

Today’s first reading from Isaiah recounts the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. Everyone from the king on down was understandably frightened. Assyrian soldiers made today’s terrorists look like peaceniks. But Isaiah counseled tranquility. As her father Atticus said to Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, “Don't worry, Scout, it ain't time to worry yet," Shortly after Isaiah’s prophetic message, the Assyrian army was stricken by an angel (or a plague) and retreated. They would never harass Jerusalem again.

Most of our worries never materialize; and most of those that do are never as bad as we expected. Even when the wrong candidate wins the election – as he probably will -- it’s not an unmitigated catastrophe. Tranquility is still the best approach to life, whether it be driving on the highways, consulting a doctor, or facing mortal enemies.

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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.