Daily Retreat 09/27/07
2007 Sep 27 Thu: Vincent de Paul, p, rf M
Hg 1: 1-8/ Ps 149: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Lk 9: 7-9
From today’s readings: “Now thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!... The Lord takes delight in His people.... Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
Who was Haggai?
In the year 520BC, the prophet Haggai appeared on the scene in Judah (he was mentioned by name in Tuesday’s reading)- he too, like Ezra, strove to focus the Jewish people’s attention on the re-building of the Temple. Haggai had a blunt way of helping people realize the folly of putting anything else ahead of commitment to God:
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it!
People have long sought a direct correlation between piety and material wealth (this idea is even seen in many Old Testament readings). Faith would be such an easy thing if every time we chose God, we received a positive monetary reinforcement, and every time we turned away from God, we felt it in our pocketbooks.
But God does not bribe us to believe in Him! On the other hand though, Haggai points out one of the foundational paradoxes of faith: those who relentlessly pursue wealth will never be satisfied, whereas those who relentlessly pursue God will find Him, and all they need!
Hg 1: 1-8/ Ps 149: 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6a and 9b/ Lk 9: 7-9
From today’s readings: “Now thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!... The Lord takes delight in His people.... Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
Who was Haggai?
In the year 520BC, the prophet Haggai appeared on the scene in Judah (he was mentioned by name in Tuesday’s reading)- he too, like Ezra, strove to focus the Jewish people’s attention on the re-building of the Temple. Haggai had a blunt way of helping people realize the folly of putting anything else ahead of commitment to God:
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it!
People have long sought a direct correlation between piety and material wealth (this idea is even seen in many Old Testament readings). Faith would be such an easy thing if every time we chose God, we received a positive monetary reinforcement, and every time we turned away from God, we felt it in our pocketbooks.
But God does not bribe us to believe in Him! On the other hand though, Haggai points out one of the foundational paradoxes of faith: those who relentlessly pursue wealth will never be satisfied, whereas those who relentlessly pursue God will find Him, and all they need!
posted by FrPitstick | 9/25/2007
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