I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those who know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
“This man was born there.”
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD.”
R. All you nations, praise the Lord.
To celebrate the importance of Easter the Lectionary offers seven weeks of readings from the Acts of the Apostles, which is primarily concerned with the Lord's mission to announce the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Word must spread from person to person, transforming lives as it goes, even as its impact scales the heights of government and business, and penetrates the darkest place of the Internet.
As they studied the Hebrew scriptures they found ample evidence of the Lord's ultimate purpose, "All you nations, praise the Lord!"
We must often be reminded that, "your god is too small;" and our God infinitely surpasses even the boundless horizons of human imagination. As Jesus says in today's gospel, "My God is greater than all!"
The Lord's opponents want to know if he is, or claims to be, the Messiah. "Tell us plainly!" they say. Whether they mean warrior/king/messiah or priest/messiah, their definition of messiah is far too small to fit his mission. And for that reason, they cannot read the many signs he presents. His healing of all those who approach him, his wonderful works of feeding five thousand and changing water to wine, his wisdom and perception, his sheer presence: as marvelous as they are, none fit their expectation of messiah! As Mary Hume said, he was "almost perfect, but not quite."
To see the Lord we must allow our expectations to wither like worms on a dry sidewalk. We should wait without expectation, For hope would be hope for the wrong thing. We love but must be instructed in what and how to love; and dare not think "about God" lest we think ourselves into a godless life.
Many people suppose the Lord's mission is to save "one soul at a time" and complain when preaching evangelists make judicious statements about government, business, or entertainment. They should also "stay out of the bedroom," as if the Lord's eyes are blinded by darkness. Like the anti-gentile party in the church in Jerusalem, they suppose that the Gospel cannot be bothered with, or heard by, undesirables.
But we learn to be surprised like the disciples on Pentecost. Despite all their training, they learned to welcome the gentile converts who needed, wanted, and asked for the privilege of praising the Lord of all nations.
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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.