On a recent Sunday, we prayed with this opening prayer. “O God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously hear our pleas, and, since without you mortal frailty can do nothing, grant us always the help of your grace.” We are mortal beings. We will die. The great works that we think are so lasting will crumble into dust. This reality helps us to understand the prophet Ezekiel, who speaks of tears off a tender shoot from a lofty cedar and planting it in Israel. (Ez 17:22-24). The Babylonian Empire destroyed what seemed to be a lofty cedar, the nation of the Israelites. Yet God would take a tender shoot from the House of David, and long after the high tree of the Babylonian Empire was itself past history, that shoot will be Jesus and He will bear fruit that will span the ages.
We are part of that fruit. Many nations and peoples have found rest in our Christian faith over these 2,000 years. Who would have thought that this new way, made illegal by the Roman Empire and rejected by most in the leadership of the Jews, would ever flourish? God not only thought this, but has accomplished it. God is faithful.
When I was young and still in school in the 1950s and 1960s, many predicted that Christianity was dying. After all, wasn’t a third of the world under Communist rule, an atheistic, materialistic system? And during the Enlightenment hundreds of years ago, many also predicted that religion would die out, for science would answer every question. Back in the 10th century, it seemed clear to many that Islam would rule the world, as the borders of Christianity continued to shrink. But time and again the words of Psalm 92 have proved true that God is faithful “throughout the night.”
Thus we are called to take heart when in Second Corinthians St. Paul reflects on the rejection and persecution that he suffered in his ministry. He tells us, “We are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith and not be sight” (5:7).
Faith does not disappoint us – even in times of trial – for we know that Jesus will not abandon us. Jesus suffered, and through that suffering He teaches us that we are never alone. He is able to be compassionate to us in our weakness.
In fact, this is one of the things that St. Ignatius knew from his own experience and he incorporated it into the Spiritual Exercises. In the First Week of the Exercises we encounter our sin and the sin of the world. We do this not to stir up feelings of guilt, but to help us to recognize both our need for God’s help and the love of Christ who came to save us. This is also the great gift of Alcoholics Anonymous. It teaches that without God’s help, one’s life easily gets out of control – not just with addiction, but with enslavement to pride, power, materialism, a sense of worthlessness, a political ideology, or something or someone else. Only God can free us and make us whole.
The process is often a slow one. A mustard seed of faith takes root in us and begins to grow. Often it begins with external rules. Often prayer is first speaking prayers at God and slowly they become prayers to God. Then we learn to speak with God, pouring out our hearts and learning to listen to His response. In our moral growth, at first we try to do good and avoid evil because we fear punishment. Then we work to please God because we know that He loves us. At some point, we come to realize that Christ Jesus has called each one of us to work with Him for the salvation of the world. We become disciples. Slowly we become branches on the vine of Christ where others can rest and find shade.
God is faithful, and He hears our plea. So let us be courageous and ask God to help us to grow in trust and in love. Then we will become branches on the vine of Christ. We will help others to find rest and hope. Let us pray: “O God, strength of those who hope in you, graciously hear our pleas. Grant us always your love and your grace that we might become a resting place for those on the margins and those who mourn. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Jesuit Father John Michalowski is the parochial vicar of St. Peter Church in Charlotte.