Do not take away your mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,
To whom you promised to multiply their offspring
like the stars of heaven,
or the sand on the shore of the sea.
For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day
because of our sins.
"Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good," Liesl sang with her young lover. If her logic is built on an unsound foundation, it's a nice sentiment. We often hear that God, or karma, or luck rewards good deeds, and punishes bad deeds. So our good fortune is a reward for past behavior, and our good deeds should pay off someday. There's even a mythical scorecard of good and bad deeds kept somewhere in eternity, heaven, or the North Pole.
But our religious tradition gives us another story. God has a fondness for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Almost four millennia after the Patriarch, you'd think he may have forgotten that; especially given the persistent infidelity of those peoples, both physical and spiritual. Haven't his innumerable descendants forgotten it by now? But his word is everlasting, and continues to raise up a faithful people to make known his holiness -- even from these very stones, if that's what it takes.
Because God is merciful we can be reduced beyond any other nation, and brought low everywhere in the world because of our sins. There is no reason that should not happen. If prosperity, security, and comfort do not spawn in us a grateful awareness of God's sovereign right to our love and worship, then perhaps the memory of former blessings with the recollection of ancient promises can bring us around.
We might say that we once knew a God who favored our ancestors because they loved and worshiped the Lord through the worst of times. Because we too face hardship with little hope of relief, we might also turn to the Lord of our Forebears and seek his mercy. Is it possible that, despite our gimcrack technological wizardry, they knew some things we should never have forgotten?
Many people today study their genetic history, finding their roots in foreign lands; and some of them research these ancient stories, often beginning with their own parents and grandparents. They find faith amid hardship. They learn how their kin of recent centuries suffered segregation because of their nationality. They knew violence, insanity, sickness, and poverty and were sustained only by an unsophisticated faith in God. Their ancestors prayed to patron saints and guardian angels even as they contributed hard-earned pennies to build monumental churches, cathedrals, and basilicas. They took pride in these sanctuaries rather than in their own homes, automobiles, or horse drawn carriages. They knew the worth of a dollar and the majesty of their religion.
Meeting our ancestors we remember their sins and their faith, and we return with them to the Lord.
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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.