O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge;save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,
Lest I become like the lion's prey,
to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me.
As I write this post the air is thick with humidity; a thunderstorm is somewhere nearby. I'm told it passed here an hour ago and is now looming over the counties east of Louisville. But the air, the stillness and the darkness remain ominous. There may be more trouble ahead.
Our readings of today's Mass are also ominous. The Prophet Jeremiah, whose life was "interrupted" by a premature death, complained of the dark glances, the public ostracism and the muttered threats that left him feeling vulnerable and frightened. As God's prophet he could say only what the Lord directed him to say; he could only warn his fellow citizens of doom. Because he was a professional prophet the people would not kill him outright, but they despised his message and his presence.
Today's Gospel also records the threats against Jesus. Temple authorities sent their guards to bring him in. And they would have done so, but they were cowed by his singular majesty. His "time had not yet come." But it was coming and Jesus knew that as well as anyone.
Secular time is linear. It moves from the past to the future through the present moment. It promises good times ahead, and no more trouble. In that glorious future there will be no need for sacrifice. Having studied our past and examined the present we forecast a rosy future. The Communists expected a future of proletarian rule. True die-hard communists -- if there were any left in 1990 -- never saw the collapse of their movement coming until it fell upon them. Nazis also expected to dominate the world until their defeat in 1945.
Religious time is cyclic. We don't expect history to advance from bad to good to better; we see violence in every age. Wisdom sees not only the light at the end of the tunnel; it also sees the tunnel at the end of the light. And so we follow Jesus to Jerusalem and to Golgotha, praying all the while, "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil."
The storm broke furiously over Mount Saint Francis a little while ago, and has passed. The morning will be glorious.
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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.