Sympathize With Our Weaknesses

Sympathize With Our Weaknesses

January 19, 2013

Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.  Hebrews 4:14-15

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.  I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”  Mark 2:15

Piety

There's a prayer on my lips that the world cannot hear.
     Lord, hear our prayer.
There's a prayer in my mind that my lips cannot speak.
     Lord, hear our prayer.
There's a prayer in my heart that my mind cannot form.
     Lord, hear our prayer.

You, who know our hearts' deepest longing,
You, who lit the flame of love within us,
You, who long to share of yourself.
     Lord, hear our prayer.

(From CRS Weekly Prayers -- See this link for the rest of this prayer:  http://crs.org/weekly-prayers/)

Study

In Jesus, we have a person in the Trinity who sympathizes with our weakness.  How might salvation history have been different if God in the Garden also sympathized with the weakness of Adam and Eve?  Rather than tossing them out to fend for themselves and the generations who lived before Jesus, what if God decided then and there to stay with the sinners? 

Maybe it was tough love.  Maybe we had lessons to learn.  Maybe we had prophets to hear.  Maybe we will never know.But God sympathized with our weakness to eventually send his only Son to our aid.

Action

What makes us sick?  As the flu bug has turned our attention to the many coughs and sneezes around us, others around the world face much greater threats this winter.  Once you get your flu shot, take a minute to join in the writing campaign sponsored by Pax Christi International to aid the people and refugees from the Syrian crisis/civil war who face far more serious illness and death this winter.  Sympathize with their plight and suffering as the Lord sympathizes with ours.

Please write to USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah (pinquiries@usaid.gov) expressing concern about harsh winter conditions adding to hardships for more than 600,000 Syrian refugees and urging that:   

1. The U.S. pressure Syrian authorities to give external humanitarian aid agencies permission to access the civilian population;
2. Humanitarian aid be increased and diversified;
3. Efforts to deliver aid include areas no longer under control of the Syrian government;
4. The U.S. find ways to support the aid efforts of local Syrian activists and groups  not always officially registered; and, 
5. The diplomatic efforts of H.E. Lakhdar Brahimi, the Special Representative for Syria of the United Nations and the Arab League, be strengthened.

Pray that the lives of all Syrian citizens be respected and that the hostilities come promptly to an end.