Do the Right
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment, the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here.” Matthew 12:41-42
Piety
Study
If you want to deal with the Lord on your terms, today’s readings point out how fruitless that endeavor will be. Sometimes, retreats and religious ed teachers and homilists will pose the question: “If you were accused of being Christian, will there be enough evidence to convict you?”
The prophet Micah sets up a kind of moot court to explore this question. “Arise, plead your case before the mountains!” However, the prosecution starts with a litany of what the Lord has done for the people. “Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s case.” What has the Lord done for them lately?
“For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery I released you; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.”
So, what have they done in return? The consider Old Testament solutions. Before we get to the resolution with one of the most famous passages in the Hebrew Bible (quoted above), the prophet is trying to see what the best option is to get on the Lord’s “good side.” In essence, what can we do to be convicted? Mothers taught us not to go anywhere “empty-handed.” Alas. God who made everything needs nothing. Not our burnt offerings of year old calves. Not thousands of rams. Not myriad streams of oil. Not even (Abraham-like) our first-born child. God wants our lives lived in friendship and service. “Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” As C.S. Lewis called it – “mere” Christianity.
Matthew reinforces the same message. People want a sign from God but they will not get it. They don’t need a “mere sign.” They have the real thing -- living proof in the body of Jesus of Nazareth. Something Greater! By Jesus willingly going into the “belly” of the beast for three days, he will atone for us so we do not have to worry about signs, burnt offerings or anything like that. But in return, we are expected to return the favor to others. “Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Action
How will Micah and Matthew test you today?
No comments:
Post a Comment