Sunday January 13th 1st Sunday Ordinary Time
(Cycle C)
Strong and Gentle
The tie in between today’s readings:
Meekness
Psalm 29 opens with the Lord in His
strength and glory. With a word of His mouth the creation shakes, quakes, and
breaks. He can rip, strip, and flip anything He wishes without breaking a
sweat. When it comes to judgment, WATCH OUT! Our God is consuming fire. Yet, in
verse 11, the Psalmist shows the Almighty as tender and nurturing. Surprising
contradiction? Not if you understand meekness.
Meekness is a wild mustang under bridle, the linebacker holding his
position while aching to blitz, and the bug you put outside instead of crushing
it with your shoe. In ancient times, it was a desired attribute of a king and
so it is with our Sovereign God because meekness is power under control.
Today, we usually think of a meek person
as a wimp. Nobody would call a guy who could fast for forty days in a desert,
eject the money changers from the temple (twice), or go toe to toe with the
authorities of His day a sissy. But meek is exactly how Jesus described
Himself. You cannot be meek unless you are strong. Meekness is the active and
deliberate acceptance of undesirable circumstances by an individual for the
sake of the bigger picture. If we use Isaiah 42 as a guide, it is a subtle mix
of wisdom, humility, and self control. Bravo for Jesus the meek and mighty, but
how does it apply to ordinary me?
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We are to be like Him. Meekness is a
characteristic of the Holy Spirit acting in a person’s life. A meek person can
lead as well as gladly serve. Forgive his trespasser (debtor) as well as be
forgiven. Step in with boldness when the situation calls for it and be teachably
humble also. Quick to hear, but measured to give an opinion. Slow to anger, but
rushes to defend the oppressed. Not quarrelsome, but firm in purpose. Those are
pretty good qualities for the future inheritors of the earth.
We can use John the Baptist in our reading
in Luke today as an example of meekness in action. John was bold in his mission
as the messenger, but kept his perspective that he was in the employ of a
greater One. He served at the pleasure of the Master of whom he was not worthy
to untie His sandal. He described the pinnacle of his ministry as a friend of
the bridegroom. “He must increase while I must decrease “(John 3:28-30). He did
decrease. Thrown in jail and meaninglessly executed Jesus the bridegroom
praised him as the greatest of the prophets. Jesus calls upon us to the “take up your cross”
challenge of meekness:
28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest. 29TakeMy yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle (meek) and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy
and My burden is light.”…Matt 11:28-30.
Strive for
meekness. That’s where the real strength is.
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