Luke 21: 5-19 The Day Is ComingWhen the Lord came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to the custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”...he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to let the oppressed go free. (cf. Luke 4:7-10) He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” All were amazed!
As Christians, we believe the Messiah has already come; that the greatest questions have been answered; that the Savior of the world is only one, Jesus the Lord! The Kingdom of God is among us! So why do I continue looking for another Savior or placing too much hope in another?
We work so hard constantly seeking to build secure areas, safety nets, and comfort zones. We want things done the right way; that is, my way. We look for safety in family, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends. But the Lord tells us today, do not look there. It is not them. Do not follow them. The Lord loves to foil our plans, cross our boundaries, break down our walls and rattle our cage! And we resist!!! But what he is actually doing is breaking open our tomb and coming to our rescue. He alone is our one true brother, companion and friend. He alone is my Lord and Savior.
We look for too many "saviors" among our peers: doctors, lawyers, journalists, politicians and even engineers! But none are among us. Only Christ and his beautiful bride is mans best Savior. The rest fall and fail miserably short. They are destined too for they are only human. I am reminded of a humble acknowledgement made by a secular Jew and brilliant scientist, Albert Einstein, in 1940. He said,
“Being a lover of freedom, when the revolution came in Germany, I looked to the universities to defend it, knowing that they had always boasted of their devotion to the cause of truth; but, no, the universities immediately were silenced. Then I looked to the great editors of the newspapers whose flaming editorials in days gone by had proclaimed their love of freedom; but they, like the universities, were silenced in a few short weeks…Only the Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler’s campaign for suppressing truth. I never had any special interest in the Church before, but now I feel a great affection and admiration because the Church alone has had the courage and persistence to stand for intellectual truth and moral freedom. I am forced thus to confess that what I once despised I now praise unreservedly.” (Albert Einstein, December 23rd, 1940, Time Magazine)
“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” Stand firm in the Lord. Stand up for the Truth. Today, the Church alone stands up to the enemies of life, liberty and happiness. America’s Declaration of Independence is nothing more than Christ’s declaration of Isaiah’s prophecy. Let us never forget where truth, life and liberty are found. Let us never place our unconditional and unilateral trust in human institutions for “the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Rather, let us go and work as servants of the Master’s vineyard, helping to build, one soul at a time, a civilization of life, love and liberty. “The day is coming” (Mal 3:19-20a).
Excellent Meditation Father!
ReplyDeleteI have been reflecting deeply on this all morning...going over and over in my head of all the times I have experienced tremendous sorrow in my life. Probably more than most my age.
Who have I always turned to? Who was there to hear my crys, wipe my tears, heal my broken heart? No man, but God the Father. He has been the only one who has scooped me up, held me close, unconditionally loved and healed me. He might not rescue me from a situation in life, but He will give me the grace to get through it. I think I am on my way to breaking down the wall I have created around my heart and giving my heart back to Him.
God Bless Father!