My heart is overwhelmed,
my pity is stirred.
I will not give vent to my blazing anger,
I will not destroy Ephraim again;
For I am God and not man,
the Holy One present among you;
I will not let the flames consume you.
Today's passage from Hosea might well be used for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, (although the Lord is certainly a man.) The prophet speaks of God's passionate love for Israel from his own painful experience of marriage. His wife Gomer became a temple prostitute, and seemed to prefer that dreadful career to Hosea's quiet, respectful love. He treated her kindly and yet she fled back to the pagan temple and its sordid practices. The young man, left to raise their children, found it maddening.
And, in a moment of brilliant insight, he understood God's frustrated love for Israel. If the Lord acted as Hosea felt, he would certainly "destroy Ephraim again." We have only to pore over the second and third pages of a local newspaper to read stories of jealousy, rage, revenge, and murder among young couples; it's not even news.
But God's grace works powerfully in Hosea as he remembers his devotion to Gomer and God's love for Israel. "I am God and not a man, the Holy One!" The same Holy Spirit moves Hosea to compassion and tenderness.
Do the Israelites repent of their sins after hearing the prophets' warnings? No, not really. Threats and violence don't help a marriage, neither do they serve God's purposes. Mercy works like a mechanic's penetrating oil, finding its way into the frozen, immobile valves of our heart, restoring suppleness, and releasing a flow of redeeming grace. It takes time, persistence, and great patience. Many young couples today, having never seen a graceful marriage, give up too soon. But the Lord does not give up on us.
Be warned, however! Children often take their parents for granted; and many take God's unconditional love for granted. They suppose God is a principle, a universal force, a supernatural law that works as reliably as a car engine. All it needs is routine maintenance and an ignition key.
Historians point out that the paradigm of a motor is fairly recent. When farmers plowed with mules and the wealthy kept stables of horses for transportation, they knew that brute nature has its moods; animals need more than routine maintenance. We should deal compassionately with animals, spouses, children, and God. Nor can we allow our bodies to settle like the extra car in our garage; they want exercise, flexing, leisure, and challenge. Failure to do so can lead to violence.
Rabbi Heschl, in his book, The Prophets, speaks defensively of the Bible's violent language. I can't quote him precisely but it was something like, "What is God supposed to do with such an arrogant, stubborn, intransigent people?" When they only suppose that God must act with kindness, understanding, and compassion; and go on about their evil, stupid ways despite their foreseeable consequences, what is the Lord supposed to do?
We have been warned about pollution, poverty, exploitation, and greed. These things must have their consequences. Can anyone pretend surprise when we're punished with epidemics, climate change, drug abuse, gun violence, and a plague of suicide among school children? Did they think aborted children would never be avenged?
Clearly, we are well past the time when disaster could have been avoided. We must now show compassion to the billions fleeing the uninhabitable tropic zones of our planet. No barriers will stop them; no weapons will dissuade them. They're coming.
Sheep hate sheepdogs, but the wolves' descendants serve only the Shepherd. If we cannot learn from God's mercy, perhaps we'll learn from his justice.
Interesting point about the consequences of our actions. God wants to show mercy. But will we accept it.
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