Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
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June 12, 2020Where is God? Where do we encounter Him?
We tend to think it is in big things and big events, but God often is in the small events. Therefore, we can miss Him speaking to us. We miss Him directing us.
In the first reading we hear of the cave where Elijah was, and God was passing. Elijah, like all of us looked for Him in the mighty wind, earthquake, and fire. Of course, this is normal, to look for God there, because He is Mighty and a Mighty God. We look for Him in the big things, and mighty things as if they define His character. But He was in the whisper.
Today we hear the teaching from Jesus in how to live the commandments. It is a parallel to the first reading. We think honoring God is by not doing the bad things. By not committing adultery, or by not killing as the examples Jesus is using in the passage before this one. Adultery is a big sin, and staying pure is the way to keep that commandment. Killing is a big sin, and preserving life is the way to keep that commandment.
But look at what Jesus says. Do not lust, do not fantasize, do not divorce, these are equal to adultery.
Do not gossip, do not use negative language about others, this is equal to killing. Yet we do not put the amount of emphases on our lusts, fantasies, divorce, and we do not put the amount of emphasis on our gossips and negative talks and treatment of others.
Like the whisper, of course God does not want us to commit adultery or kill, but even more He desires much much more that we do not gossip, talk negatively of others nor lust or divorce. Why does He desire this? Because that is everyday life. The killing and adultery do not happen as often as the gossip or lusting.
God was in the whisper. God is in the everyday life with us and God the Father has sent Jesus to show us how to live in everyday life. God was in the whisper with Elijah.
Jesus is in the whisper of how to live everyday life. Listen to the whisper!