Daily Retreat 05/30/07
2007 May 30 Wed
Sir 36: 1. 4-5a. 10-17/ Ps 78(79): 8. 9. 11 and 13/ Mk 10: 32-45
From today's readings: "Come to our aid, O God of the universe.... Show us, O Lord, the light of Your kindness.... For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
Expectations of God
The men and women of faith in both the Old and the New Testaments clearly expected God to live up to His Name and His promises - to "give new signs, and work new wonders.... Fill Zion with Your majesty, Your temple with Your glory. Give evidence of Your deeds of old; fulfill the prophecies spoken in Your name, Reward those who have hoped in You, and let Your prophets be proved true. Hear the prayer of Your servants, for You are ever gracious to Your people; and lead us in the way of justice...." In a word, they expected God to be GOD in their lives!
In modern times, however, some men and women, even while professing their belief in God as He revealed Himself in biblical times, really have too few expectations about God being active in their own lives and times - almost as if they assumed that God had now settled down to a state of semi-retirement, having earned that much from His great work and faithfulness in biblical times.
The saints of our age (and every age!), however, have not lowered their expectations of God; rather, they call upon God to be God - to fulfill His promises, to bless the people of this time and place with as much bountiful grace as was given in the past. Such an attitude is not "putting God to the test" - it's simply taking Him at His word! So we should never ask God to back off - rather, we pray: God almighty, help all of us to experience and recognize You in every way, and "thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth that You are the eternal God!"
Sir 36: 1. 4-5a. 10-17/ Ps 78(79): 8. 9. 11 and 13/ Mk 10: 32-45
From today's readings: "Come to our aid, O God of the universe.... Show us, O Lord, the light of Your kindness.... For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
Expectations of God
The men and women of faith in both the Old and the New Testaments clearly expected God to live up to His Name and His promises - to "give new signs, and work new wonders.... Fill Zion with Your majesty, Your temple with Your glory. Give evidence of Your deeds of old; fulfill the prophecies spoken in Your name, Reward those who have hoped in You, and let Your prophets be proved true. Hear the prayer of Your servants, for You are ever gracious to Your people; and lead us in the way of justice...." In a word, they expected God to be GOD in their lives!
In modern times, however, some men and women, even while professing their belief in God as He revealed Himself in biblical times, really have too few expectations about God being active in their own lives and times - almost as if they assumed that God had now settled down to a state of semi-retirement, having earned that much from His great work and faithfulness in biblical times.
The saints of our age (and every age!), however, have not lowered their expectations of God; rather, they call upon God to be God - to fulfill His promises, to bless the people of this time and place with as much bountiful grace as was given in the past. Such an attitude is not "putting God to the test" - it's simply taking Him at His word! So we should never ask God to back off - rather, we pray: God almighty, help all of us to experience and recognize You in every way, and "thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth that You are the eternal God!"
posted by FrPitstick | 5/29/2007
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