Sunday, May 18, 2008

In Our Company

May 18, 2008

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own." Exodus 34:9

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

Piety

Take from me, Father, all that keeps me from You.
Give to me, Son, all that leads me to You.
Set me free, Holy Spirit,, and let me give myself to You.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/051808.shtml

Who do you want along for your journey? If you were going to set out on a trip tomorrow, who would you want to come along?

At first glance, Moses and the Lord do not seem like ideal companions on the journey.

First, the Lord includes in his declarations a promise to punish the “children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers' wickedness!" Ouch! How loving and kind is that?

But Moses matches that with a veritable, “No worries, mate.” If you think that’s tough, be prepared for a “stiff-necked” people filled with “wickedness and sin.”

Yet the Lord and Moses make a deal. In return for protection, Moses and his people must follow these laws.

Now if you don’t think there is a radical difference in the relationship of the Lord and his people, between the Hebrew Bible and the Good News, turn to John 3.

There is no quid pro quo in the relationship that Jesus describes to Nicodemus. God loves the world so he sent his son to come along on our journey. There are no commandments to follow…he just asks for faith. Just faith. There is no condemnation for generations. Just hope. No judgment. Just charity.

God wants to go along on our journey so much that he joined up with Moses in that deadly trek through the dessert. And Larry Gillick, S.J. from Creighton University reminds us that “God so loved and does now love the world, that God sent and continues sending Love to this world, even if this world is stiff-necked, stiff-hearted and stiff-upper-lipped when it doesn’t feel lovable.”

Action

The stiff-necked and stiff-hearted Senate is poised to take action on the National Housing Trust – the first time in DECADES that the Federal government would be providing bricks and mortar funds. The measure passed the House last fall with a resounding majority. This item is very important, as over time, thousands of units will be produced.

Deacon Gene Betit reminds us: “Neither Senator Warner nor Webb are on the Banking Committee which will take up the measure. Please contact their offices and ask them to contact Senators Dodd or Shelby to keep Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac funding in the bill. Please do take action, as there are several hundred state and local housing trust funds what will benefit (Virginia, alas, thanks to former Governor Gilmore no longer has a trust fund, something for future action).”

Warner, John- (R - VA)

225 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510

(202) 224-2023

Web Form: warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

Webb, Jim- (D - VA)

144 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510

(202) 224-4024

Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact/

For more information on this bill, check out the details from the National Low Income Housing Coalition at this site.

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