But some of the country’s poor, Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard,
left behind as vinedressers and farmers.
Yesterday and today the Church read passages from 2 Kings about the destruction of God's holy city, Jerusalem. Yesterday we heard,
"None were left among the people of the land except the poor."
What is left after an army has kidnapped every capable person, burned every building, pillaged every home, killed the livestock, and ravaged the fields? The poor have nothing but breathing space and hope that the armies will march somewhere else and not return.
But they also have the Lord's Promise and the vitality of the earth. New life is never far away. I have watched grass sprout through sidewalks, and vines cling to walls. The ground shifts beneath the sidewalks, seeds invade the crack, and life returns. Meanwhile, vine tendrils patiently remove the mortar from brick walls, which eventually collapse. Untended water grows algae, weeds, and mosquitoes. Rain and sun erode stone walls; wind carries moisture into ravaged lands while birds plant them with seeds.
We do not forget the rape of Jerusalem. It has suffered through many cycles of building and rebuilding, devastation and abandonment, war and peace, like every major city in the world.
But the Word of the Lord endures forever. And because we obey the Lord's command, "Do this in memory of me!" we also survive every catastrophe.
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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.