I woke up this morning not really in the mood for all I need to do today. I then checked my voicemail and e-mail at work and thought, "Woe is me. Why do all these things have to happen to me when I have so much to do. How am I ever going to do it all. It's much too difficult for little old me."The angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth in Ophrah
that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite.
While his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press
to save it from the Midianites,
the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said,
"The LORD is with you, O champion!"
Gideon said to him, "My Lord, if the Lord is with us,
why has all this happened to us?
Where are his wondrous deeds of which our fathers
told us when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?'
For now the LORD has abandoned us and has delivered us into the power of Midian."
The LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have
and save Israel from the power of Midian.
It is I who send you."
But Gideon answered him, "Please, my lord, how can I save Israel?
My family is the lowliest in Manasseh,
and I am the most insignificant in my father's house."
"I shall be with you," the LORD said to him,
"and you will cut down Midian to the last man."
(Judges 6)
Then I sat in my chair and read today's readings. Now, often times I'll admit the older testament readings pass me by. Or just rub me the wrong way in their war mongering ways. Other times I can see past those cultural elements to the real message. This morning was one of those mornings. I felt myself mirrored in Gideon's whining, "If God is with us, then why is this happening." I too felt mirrored when Gideon said, "How can I save Israel? I'm so insignificant." And I knew what the answer would be, "I shall be with you." Not that I'm interested in cutting anyone down to the last man, but I can see past the war mongering part for the message of faith and trust and God's presence. Add to that the favorite line in today's Gospel, "but for God all things are possible," and I felt more able to face the day. With God. We'll see, anyway. But isn't it amazing how sometimes the word of God truly does seem to be, well, the living word of God? Makes you realize there is something to this whole business after all…. And good to know in our whining to God we are following in a long tradition!
1 comment:
One of the things I love about praying the Liturgy of the Hours is exactly what you said -- it is the LIVING word of God. So often I read a line in a Psalm that I could swear has never been there before, or certainly has never spoken to me in quite the same way.
It's also so good to see other people whining and crying. Not that I want others to have problems (or to have had them in history). But it makes me feel better when I see lines that basically come down to "Why did you let this happen to me?" It's a reminder that we're not the only ones to feel that way.
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