Homily for Thursday, 17 July 2014– Ferial

Thursday of the 15th week in Ordinary Time

Readings of the day: Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19; Psalm 102:13-14ab, 15, 16-18, 19-21; Matthew 11:28-30

When we think of God, do we think of a God who is up in heaven; who rules over us and all creation from afar; who is powerful, or do we think primarily of a God who is with us; who cares for us; who is merciful toward us, especially in times of need?

In a beautiful way, our readings today speak of our God who is both powerful creator and ruler over creation (and over us) and who cares for and is with us always.

Both our first reading, from Isaiah, and our Psalm today take the form of laments, or complaints. Old Testament laments often begin with the reasons why God is to be trusted to deliver the people from whatever afflicts them. In the case of Isaiah, the prophet has prophesied that the people of Israel will be exiled from their homeland. Israel will be reprimanded for having made alliances with more powerful nations around it in an attempt to ward off invasion and exile, and therefore not having trusted first in God to deliver and to sustain Israel.

And so Isaiah prays the hymn we hear today; a lament in which Isaiah recognizes that God is at once powerful‒ God will allow Israel to suffer exile for its trust in neighboring nations over God, but also has power to bring Israel back from exile after a time‒ and as caring; merciful; ever-present to the people. Isaiah’s hymn, his lament to God, on the one hand speaks of God the ruler; the judge over creation: “When your judgment dawns upon the earth, the world’s inhabitants learn justice.” On the other hand, Isaiah appeals to the merciful; ever-present God. Isaiah describes God in maternal images. By God’s mercy, when we are at our most powerless, even “the land of shades gives birth.”

On the one hand, God is like a mother to us, who in the words of our Psalm “will arise and have mercy on” us, God’s people. The merciful; present; caring God hears “the prayer of the destitute,” while on the other hand the same God abides over us “forever”; looks “down from his holy height” with power and majesty.

In our Gospel reading, Jesus also takes up the image of God as both powerful and merciful; majestic ruler from afar and ever-present to lift our burdens. Jesus’ image of God is that of yoked oxen. We are invited to become yoked with Jesus who, as divine and human, lends us God’s strength (compared to that of oxen) and yet is “meek and humble of heart”; merciful; with us always; like us in all but sin.

When we think of God, then, is God more the strong, majestic ruler and judge from on high or the God who is intimately with us; the God of mercy? In truth, our God in whom we trust and to whom we pray is both the powerful ruler and judge from on high and the merciful God who is with us always.