“Stand ready . . .”
“Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen.”

The readings of today’s liturgy rely on one of the most powerful genres of the oral tradition – the ancestral narrative. In a nation which gradually learned to discern the hand of God in its history, and for which the reading of the Hebrew Scriptures played a pivotal role in the Temple liturgy, it is difficult to overestimate the value of the lives of the Patriarchs in the development of the “spirituality” of Israel.

And especially in a society in which there was no printing press. No wonder Jesus himself taught by means of stories.  Remember the story – remember the message!

The reading from the Book of Wisdom alludes to the mighty deeds of Yahweh among the Israelites in Egypt – and particularly the events of the Tenth Plague (Ex 11:1-9).  In her distress, Israel cries out to Yahweh who remembers her, and arranges to deliver her. 

The reading also recalls the Passover meal, the Exodus event and the establishment of the Sinai covenant by which Yahweh made Israel His people. The vanquishing of the Egyptians, the journey out of Egypt, the Passover and the Covenant are all seen, by faith, as acts which,“made us glorious by calling us to you.”

The Letter to the Hebrews and Luke’s gospel are addressed in part, to communities which are also experiencing persecution, dejection, and internal discord. Since the latter two conditions militate against effective witness, the exhortation is to a remembrance of Him in whom we have believed.

The Book of Wisdom refers to the kind of oaths (covenants) they had put their trust in – “the expectation of your people . . . the saving of the virtuous.” Hebrews enjoins on the community the faith of the Fathers.

Just as the OT covenants served as a basis for the trust of the Israelites, so must the New Covenant in the Blood of Christ serve as a “guarantee of the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen.” 

The faith experiences of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob, all of whom “died in faith before receiving any of the things that had been promised” are presented as a model for the Church. But more importantly, the faith of the Church must be rooted in the fact that the author of the New Covenant – Christ – is greater than Moses; that the works of Christ are greater than the works of the Aaronic priests; that the New Covenant is written in the blood of the Son of God and not in the blood of bulls and goats.  And so, “there is no need to be afraid . . . for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.”

The People of Israel grew into an understanding of themselves as the Elect – the Chosen People of God. Their post-exilic experiences showed that only by trust in God and fidelity to Him would they truly be able to experience this election as realised in their lives. The psalmist says today: “Happy the people the Lord has chosen as His own.”

The Church, in similar fashion, needs to remember that God is our Father – He says He has given us the kingdom. There is therefore no need for avarice, no need for anxiety.

You are a child of the King!  There are amazing privileges associated with that lineage – not the least of which is the right to pray in the name of Jesus the Christ.  But there are also responsibilities which attend the child of God. 

One of these is a certain vigilance. We are to “stand ready.” The kingdom is here but it is not yet fully realised. Just as Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob relied on the faithfulness of the One who made the promise, so too must the Church rely on the promises of Jesus; must rely on the “evidence of things unseen”; must “stand ready,” because we do not know the hour when the king will come again. 

The Catholic Church has traditionally advised that we not be anxious about the Second Coming, but that we live as though He can come for each of us at any time. 

So, stand ready! As the Church in T&T continues to reflect on its own contemporary situation and prepares for Synod 2008, it is useful to remember that the lessons of the Patriarchs are as valid today as they ever were. 

In spite of the crime, violence and social malaise which pervade our society, THE KINGDOM OF PEACE, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND JUSTICE IS ALREADY HERE AMONG US – Can you see it?  Happy those servants whom the Master finds awake when He comes! Let us stand ready in faith!

Lord, we give you thanks for our fathers and mothers in faith,those who taught us the value of prayer and who instilled in us a love for the things of God.

We thank you especially for choosing us to share in the treasures of the Catholic faith, and we pray that we may be faithful witnesses all the days of our lives. 

Remember those who are persecuted for their faith. Give them the courage to persevere and to truly believe that there is no need to be afraid. And bring us all to your kingdom of love, joy and peace.  Amen.

Gospel Meditations for August are by Kenneth and Bernadette Phillips, catechists of St Joseph’s parish, Scarborough.