Scores Don’t Always Add Up
TUESDAY, Easter week six: May 3,
2016
Also (May 3) Feast of Saints
Philip and James, Apostles
(1Corinthians 15:1-8, Psalm 19; John 14:6-14)
From a
basis of experience the Responsorial Psalm declares a basis for hope: “Your right hand has saved me, O Lord” (Psalm 138).
The
earthquake in Acts 16: 22-34 that
opened the prison doors was a minor revelation of God’s power. The conversion
of the jailer was a major revelation. God reveals his power when he uses it to
accomplish his own purpose, which is the conversion of the human race.
In every
age, people’s failure to believe in Christ or to continue as active members of
the Church tempts us to discouragement and doubt. Sometimes the statistics make
Christ appear to be a loser. That is when we have to look at a broader picture.
In any
particular time or place the faith can flourish or decline, influenced by many
factors. Human circumstances — wars, disasters, poverty, or sickness — can make
some people more receptive to the Good News of salvation. And the same
circumstances can incline others to disbelieve the Good News or reject God.
Human circumstances do play a part, but in the whole picture of things they
play a minor part.
People
might go the church or “profess the faith” because it is something their
culture, family or friends take for granted; or because they are scared or
unhappy and seek comfort from God. And they might stop going to church for the
same reasons: because their friends don’t go, or they don’t find the comfort or
help they were looking for. Either way, it is relatively unimportant, because
anything they do for human reasons is outside
of their relationship with Jesus Christ. If they go to church for human
reasons this is not a sign of graced interaction with him. And if they stop
going, this could mean they had faith and gave it up, but more probably it
simply says they never did have a faith that was personal, conscious and real.
God has neither won nor lost; the game just wasn’t being played on his field.
His is the field where grace is at
play.
In John 16: 5-11 Jesus tells us it is the
manifestation of the Spirit, not
judgment passed on human evidence, that shows whether God has won or lost.
Humans judged Jesus guilty of sin and condemned him. By human standards his
execution made God appear to fail in bringing about justice. But when the
Spirit brought the Church to life and empowered her witness, we saw Christ’s
condemnation reversed by a higher court, and justice being done on the only
level that ultimately counts: God’s level. Action that is inexplicable without grace bears witness to the Spirit and only
this lets us say unambiguously, “Your
right hand has saved me, O Lord.” This is what we rejoice in.
Initiative: Be a prophet. Live
unambiguously by
Christian faith, hope and love.
This is comforting. I am in pain and am discouraged right now. But I am sticking by God and trusting Him. That is inexplicable except by Grace, so the reflection helps me realize that God is actually close to me ... even in my sadness and pain.
ReplyDelete