Isaiah’s Punch

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abstinence, fasting, homeless, hunger, Isaiah, Lent, oppressed, poor, response, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

In a contest of people who “tell it like it is,” the Prophet Isaiah would always (it seems to me) win hands down! The words “fast and abstinence” had great meaning when I was a child who always knew that there were rules about eating during Lent. We understood that our two smaller meals – usually breakfast and lunch – could not equal, or at least not be larger when put together, than our main meal and we worked hard at making sure of that. And there was also the question of dessert…when to have it and when to pass it up. This was serious business and whether we knew Isaiah or not, we knew that God meant business.

I doubt we ever heard the scathing criticism in Chapter 58 of Isaiah’s prophecy that we read today. He speaks for God in his estimation of the people’s fasting, saying: Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits and drive all your laborers. Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw. …Is this the manner of fasting I wish? Had we been truly awake when we heard the next part, we might have wondered if God was speaking to us or if it was some mean taskmaster! But listen and see if you can find yourself in this kind of attitude and action. Did we ever wonder whether the practice of controlling our eating had anything to do with our consciousness during the rest the rest of our day?

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own…

Things seem much more dire now when there are so many hungry and poor people in our midst, more homeless and oppressed people…What do we do for them? Do we notice? How do we help? How is it that our light can shine in response to such great need? All God asks is our best. What is that for you?

The Cry of the Poor

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Come O God, deep wellspring of love, homeless, joy, poor, psalm 34, refugees, rescue us O God, the Lord hears the cry of the poor, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unemployed, weather disasters

The Psalm response for today’s Liturgy of the Word sings out from Psalm 34: “The Lord hears the cry of the poor…” Upon hearing that, I am reminded of all the materially poor in the world and refugees who have nothing but what they can carry, those who may now have the safety of resettlement but are still bereft of any familiarity with place or persons with whom they had shared life. I think of those who have recently been victim of weather disasters in my own country who have suffered the loss of home and, sometimes, of family. I think of the homeless and those who are unemployed or under-employed. And then I think of the mentally and spiritually poor, those who struggle to find meaning in life. It is for all these people and more that today I pray this psalm of hope with trust in a God who will come to heal all ills, a God who hears the call: Come, O God, and do not delay!

My soul fills up and overflows with joy; all humble-hearted ones know this, they too are glad. O you who hear and know this inner state of joy, praise God with me, join strength to strength, your praise with mine…And even in the midst of troubles sore, look long and never be ashamed. See, it is God who hears and saves your life. Know too that heaven surrounds you with angelic forms, those messengers sent out by God to guard and guide you through the many storms of life…Indeed God hears the voice of all who cry in pain, drawing near to them with tender loving care. God comes so close to those who live with brokenness, to heal those with the deepest inner wounds. God is the healer of our shattered hearts. Yes, it is true, the troubles that plague humanity are vast and deep. But it is God who frees us from them all…So rescue us, O God, from all our ravaged ways, to live unending in the deep wellspring of your love. (Ps. 34: 2-3, 6-7, 17-19, 23)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather Report

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Anna, cold, homeless, Lectionary, Presentation of Jesus, Simeon, snowstorm, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, think locally

As I clicked on the lectionary readings for this feast of the Presentation of the child Jesus in the temple, I could not stay there even though the stories of Simeon and Anna always give me a warm feeling about elderly people who have kept the faith all their lives and await the reward of their labors.

The wind is my distraction as it whips the snow around outside my window. I love all the seasons and would find it difficult to live anywhere other than the Northeast but this morning I can’t help thinking of the downside of the power of nature and the beauty of snow. I know there are people everywhere in big cities and even in my town, hovering in doorways or under bridges trying to keep warm. While I sit looking out I feel powerless to effect change on any large scale. Today, then, I will once again try to “think locally” about new possibilities for joining with others to alleviate the hardships of people who are outside looking in.