YAHWEH's Maternal Love For HIS People

 "This is what YAHWEH says:

'At a favorable time, I have answered you, on the day of salvation I have been your help; I have formed you and made you to be MY Covenant with the people.

You will restore the land and allot its abandoned farms.  You will say to the captives: Come out; and to those in darkness: Show yourselves.

They will feed along the road; they will find pasture on barren hills.  They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the scorching wind or the sun beat upon them; for HE who has mercy on them will guide them and lead them to springs of water.

I will turn all MY mountains into roads and raise up MY highways.

See, they come from afar, some from the north and west, others from the land of Sinim.'

Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth;

break forth into song, O mountains:

for YAHWEH has comforted HIS people

and taken pity on those who are afflicted.

But Zion said: 'YAHWEH has forsaken me,

my LORD has forgotten me.'

Can a woman forget the baby at her breast

and have no compassion on the child of her womb?

Yet though she forget, I will never forget you."

 - Isaiah 49:8-15

(YAHWEH's maternal love for HIS people.

HE saves them from despair and from being despised, rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering those who were dispersed.  HE invites all the nations to come and recognize the true city.

Here GOD again addresses the more conscious minorities of Israel, those who held onto their hope at a time they seemed to be lost amidst the pagan inhabitants of the materialistic Babylon.  They would lift up their nation and become the light of the world.)   

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The River That Flows From The Temple

 "The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple and I saw water coming out from the threshold of the temple and flowing eastward.  The temple faced the east and the water flowed from the south side of the altar.  He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside, to the other gate facing the east; and there I saw the stream coming from the south side.

The man had a measuring cord in his hand.  As he went towards the east, he measured off a thousand cubits; and led me across the water which was up to my ankles.  He measured off another thousand cubits and made me across the water, which came to my knees.  He measured off another thousand cubits and we crossed the water, which was up to my waist.  When he had again measured a thousand cubits, I could not cross the torrent, for it had swollen to a depth which was impossible to cross without swimming.

The man then said to me, 'Son of man, did you see?'  He led me on further and then brought me back to the bank of the river.  There I saw a number of trees on both sides of the river.  He said to me, 'This water goes to the east, down to the Arabah, and when it flows into the sea of foul-smelling water, the water will become wholesome.  Wherever the river flows, swarms of creatures will live in it; fish will be plentiful; and the seawater will become fresh.  Wherever it flows, life will abound.

Near the river on both banks, there will be all kinds of fruit trees, with foliage that will not wither; and fruit that will never fail; each month they will bear a fresh crop, because the water comes from the temple.  The fruit will be good to eat and the leaves will be used for healing.'" - Ezekiel 47:1-9. 12 

(Note the vision of the river which makes the land fruitful and starts from the place where GOD is present.  The invisible GOD manifests HIMSELF in the life which HE gives to people.  The Holy Spirit, imaged in the stream of living water [see John 7:38], makes all the seeds of life blossom again in the world.

The stream flows to the Salt Sea or the Dead Sea.  [Its waters are so salty that there are no fish.  No plants can grow on the shores.]  This serves as an image of the healing that GOD brings to a world, sterile because of its sins.  The fruit will be good to eat, and the leaves will be used for healing.)

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Faith Is Found In Every Religion, But For Christians Faith Is Everything

 "If GOD promised Abraham, or rather his descendants, that the world would belong to him, this was not because of his obeying the law, but because he was just, and a friend of GOD, through faith.

For that reason, faith is the way, and all is given, by grace; and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants, not only for his children according to the law, but, also, for all the others, who have believed.

Abraham is the father of all of us, as it is written: I will make you the father of many nations.  He is our father, in the eyes of HIM, who gives life to the dead, and calls into existence, what does not yet exist, for this is the GOD in whom he believed.

Abraham believed, and hoped against all expectation, thus, becoming the father of many nations, as he had been told: See how many will be your descendants.

This was taken into account, for him to attain righteousness." - Romans 4:13. 16-18. 22 

(Here Paul points out something that many times we fail to see.  To believe in GOD who rewards good and obedience to HIS laws is already faith [Hebrews 11:6].  This faith, however, consisting in respect and awareness of justice remains very far from Abraham's confidence in GOD's promise.  Faith is found in every religion, but for Christians faith is everything.)

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To Imitate GOD Who Loves Everyone, The Good And The Bad

 "You were once darkness, but now, you are light, in the LORD.  Behave as children of light; the fruits of light are kindness, justice and truth, in every form.

You, yourselves, search out what pleases the LORD, and take no part in works of darkness, that are of no benefit; expose them instead.  Indeed, it is a shame even to speak of what those people do in secret, but as soon as it is exposed to the light, everything becomes clear; and what is unmasked, becomes clear through light.  Therefore, it is said:

'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, that the light of CHRIST may shine on you.'" - Ephesians 5:8-14 

(To imitate GOD [Romans 5:6-11] who loves everyone, the good and the bad [Matthew 5:48].  In a more tangible way, we have a model in CHRIST, the Son of GOD, who gave HIMSELF out of love for us, as the way, the light and life.

Reject all that is shameful and that can only be done in the dark.  It is true that much that was shameful has become normal today for many people: will it be so for a person who often seeks light and looks for it in the face of CHRIST?  The witness of one Christian who lives in light [and still more of a community] is enough to condemn what has been taken as normal.)

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Come, Let Us Return To YAHWEH!

 "Come, let us return to YAHWEH.

HE who shattered us to pieces, will heal us as well;

HE has struck us down, but HE will bind up our wounds.

Two days later HE will bring us back to life;

on the third day, HE will raise us up,

and we shall live in HIS presence.

Let us strive to know YAHWEH.

HIS coming is as certain as the dawn;

HIS judgment will burst forth like the light;

HE will come to us as showers come,

like spring rain that waters the earth.

O Ephraim, what shall I do with you?

O Judah, how shall I deal with you?

This love of yours is like morning mist

like morning dew that quickly disappears.

This is why I smote you through the prophets,

and have slain you by the words of my mouth.

For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice;

it is knowledge of GOD, not burnt offerings."

- Hosea 6:1-6

(People regret their errors, but they are not so sincere as to abandon their sins.  They think they will please GOD by offering a few sacrifices but are far from real love which manifests itself in obedience; they prefer to offer the costly sacrifices which they choose rather than to do what GOD asks of them.

It is love that I desire not sacrifice.  On several occasions JESUS refuted the Pharisees by quoting this saying [see Matthew 9:13].)

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The Greatest Commandment

 "A teacher of the law had been listening to this discussion and admired how JESUS answered them.  So, he came up and asked HIM, 'Which commandment is the first of all?'

JESUS answered, 'The first is: Hear, Israel!  The LORD, our GOD, is One LORD; and you shall love the LORD, your GOD, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.  And after this comes a second commandment: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than these two.'" - Mark 12:28-31

(You shall love the LORD, with all your heart.  You shall love HIM more than you love your loved ones.  You shall long for HIM, you shall forget yourself so that, in everything, you search for what HE wants most from you.

You shall love the LORD, with all your mind.  You shall devote the best of your intelligence to knowing HIM.  Looking into your own life, you shall understand how much HE has guided you.  You shall try to understand how the kingdom of GOD is coming through world and daily events.  Praying and reading the Scriptures regularly, you shall ask GOD to give you HIS own Spirit so that you may understand HIM better.

You shall love the LORD, with all your strength.  Since you are very weak in this, you shall ask for HIS help and strive to unite with the true servants of GOD, using the means that the Church makes available to you.

The commandment to love your neighbor as you love yourself comes second, because it cannot be understood or fulfilled without love of GOD.  For GOD asks for more than solidarity with one's neighbor, or concern for those who are suffering.  We should make an effort to look at our brothers and sisters in the same way that the FATHER does.  We should give them what the FATHER wants for them.  Among so many good things we could do for our neighbor, we should select those that the Holy Spirit inspires us to do.  All this requires that we first know and love GOD.) 

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True Religion

 "One thing I did command them: Listen to MY voice and I will be your GOD and you will be MY people.  Walk in the way I command you and all will be well with you.  But they did not listen and paid no attention.  They followed the bad habits of their stubborn heart and turned away from ME.

From the time I brought their ancestors out of Egypt until this day I have continually sent them MY servants, the prophets; but this stiff-necked people did not listen.  They paid no attention and were worse than their ancestors.

You may say all these things to them but they will not listen.  You will call them but they will not answer.  This is a nation that did not obey YAHWEH and refused to be disciplined.  Truth has perished and is no longer heard from their lips." - Jeremiah 7:23-28 

(Jeremiah repeats the warnings of Deuteronomy.  The book had just been discovered [2 Kings 22].  The chosen people will have peace if they listen to the word of their GOD.  In the same way we also must go beyond our religious practices and listen to the LORD.) 

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More Perfect Law

 "Do not think that I have come to annul the law and the prophets.  I have not come to annul them, but to fulfill them.  I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or dot in the law will change, until all is fulfilled.

So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be the least in the kingdom of heaven.  On the other hand, whoever obeys them, and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:17-19 

(Here begins the presentation of the new Law.  It is far from what is often sought in a religion: practices to observe, fasts, prayers, good works with which one wins salvation.  JESUS says little about this because Scripture has dealt at length with this subject, and the study of Scripture itself shows that these laws and practices are always linked to a certain culture and have to be adapted to the times.)

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Forgiveness Must Replace The Thirst For Revenge

 "Then Peter asked HIM, 'LORD, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? Seven times?'  JESUS answered. 'No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." - Matthew 18:21-22 

(Seventy-seven times.  Compare with Genesis 4:24.  Forgiveness must replace the thirst for revenge.  This is about the forgiveness of one who returns repentant: see Luke 17:1.)

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Why The People Of Nazareth Rejected JESUS?

 "JESUS added. 'No prophet is honored in his own country.  Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land.  Yet, Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon.  There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet; and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian.'

On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant.  They rose up and brought HIM out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw HIM down the cliff.  But HE passed through their midst and went HIS way." - Luke 4:24-30 

(Luke explains why the people of Nazareth rejected JESUS:

- Firstly, because of their pride: a stranger easily dazzles us, but we fiercely deny that one of us could stand out or be our teacher: who is this but Joseph's Son?  

- Secondly, because of their selfishness: they do not agree that GOD's benefits should be shared with others.  So, JESUS reminds them that the prophets of old did not limit their favors to their compatriots alone [see 1 Kings 17:7 and 2 Kings 5].)

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