Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
T he Prophet Isaiah insistently urged King Ahaz to trust in the Lord rather than Jerusalem's Egyptian allies against the Assyrian invaders. The African empire served only itself whereas the Lord was ready to serve His people.
The King piously -- hypocritically -- refused and so Isaiah promised a sign deeper than the nether world and far higher than the sky. He promised that a virgin would conceive and bear a child. "When you see this," he might have said, "you will believe in God."
But the King would not ask; nor would he believe the sign, its meaning, or its importance. His anxiety, pusillanimity, and religious indifference did not permit him to see any further than his fears. He also gives us a perfect example of how not to manage our lives. As it turned out, Ahaz's son Hezekiah pleaded with God who sent a devastating plague against the invaders and the Assyrians failed to capture Jerusalem.
But the Lord used his cowardice to open the way to God's promise and the wonderful sign of the Virgin Mother of God. Although it seems to involve only one woman and one child, our faith sees this pregnancy as more wonderful than an army's retreat from a defenseless city, or all the horses and soldiers of Pharaoh's army drowned in the Red Sea. If all the world's industries simultaneously turned off their poisonous smoke stacks and all the world's vehicles converted to non-polluting fuels, they would not be more wonderful, hopeful, or inspiring signs.
Daily and many times a day we thank Mary for her eager, gracious response to the Angel. Although she wondered how this could happen, she did not hesitate. If she was startled, she was not afraid; if she could not foresee the future, she had no doubt that God would sustain her. She knew the Lord and would not fear for herself.
As the United States transitions to a new administration and the hegemony of one party's control of the White House, with a majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, many Americans are fearful while others are optimistic. But optimism is not hope, and fear is never a reliable counselor. As we face the future, we remember the Lord still leads those ready to follow. He can neither deceive nor be deceived. And, like Mary, we are not afraid.
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.