Unpacking the Word

The life of Solomon is a cautionary tale. The Lord will never force you to do anything. Catholicism, the sacraments, prayer, and grace, these things are not magic that do what they are supposed to do simply by doing them. They require my willing participation, my ongoing assent, to be effective.

The Spirit is reminding us of the character of God while shining a light on our clandestine attempts to usurp his role as God. God is not overpowered by his own strength. He is strong enough, self-controlled enough, to be gentle. Unlike you and me who far too often act out of passions that we do not control well, God does not have a knee jerk reaction to our sins to lash out at us.

The Word of the Lord that inspired the prophet, the very same Word of the Lord that we hear proclaimed at Mass, is living and effective (see Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word is every bit as effective as the rain. Just as the rain cannot help but nurture the earth when it falls, God’s Word cannot help but bring about what he says.

Jesus rides humbly into our daily lives in ways that we can easily miss, not astride a war horse but in your spouse and your kids, in your coworkers and in a chance meeting with a stranger. Let us remember the lesson of Holy Week and not crucify the Lord when he shows up in a way different from what we want.