Wednesday of the Third Week of AdventIn the first reading today, we hear the prophet Isaiah share a message of God’s power and might. We are reminded several times that God is the source of all creation and God is the path to justice. As I read these words, I found myself paradoxically feeling both inspired and uplifted by this message as well as a little bit afraid in contemplating God’s authority. On the one hand, I take great comfort in knowing that the world is in God’s hands. On the other hand, if everything is in God’s hands, that includes me too, and that means I better get in line with what God desires. Regardless of how I feel about them, these words offer some important lessons for those of us who are engaged in the social ministry of the church. First, they teach us that when we are feeling overcome by the challenges of the world, by the suffering and pain and trauma that people experience, we can rest assured that God is here and God is in charge: “Turn to me and be safe, all the ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other.” This takes the pressure off of me for solving the world’s problems. The second important lesson I take from this passage is that the work I am doing is not my work but God’s: “Only in the Lord are just deeds and power.” This truth reminds me that I need to get myself in line with what God is doing, not expect God to bend to my desires. I need to be an instrument of God’s will to truly bring justice, healing, and peace to our world. Ultimately, both of these lessons are empowering and awe-inspiring. We have the opportunity to co-labor with God to bring justice to our world. May we never take this opportunity for granted and may we always remember that God is in charge. Peter Weiss has been the Living Justice Advocate with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay in 2017. Peter’s role is to promote justice and Catholic Social Teaching throughout the Diocese of Green Bay. |
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