An Extraordinary Message For Our Ordinary Time
We often read in Scripture that the Lord called out to people in the dark of night while still in a deep sleep, or provided heavenly care for their desperate pleas in prayer. The Old Testament prophets Isaiah and Samuel are two great examples. The Lord cried out to them in the night, and their obedience and courage followed. Their submissive manner was done willingly and with love. We are in Ordinary Time according to the Liturgical Calendar, and the daily Mass readings are from Isaiah and Samuel; but their experiences are anything but ordinary. I encourage you to read the stories in these Old Testament Books.
The Prophet Isaiah lived in Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. The Book of Isaiah is also known as the Book of Salvation, and these gifted writings from Isaiah are filled with sarcasm and metaphors. The first 39 chapters contain very strong messages of judgment against Judah and a call to repentance and holiness. God used Isaiah to warn the people to come clean and purify themselves, but they ignored his message. Isaiah predicted the fall and captivity of Judah, but he also comforted them with the hope that God promised to provide a Redeemer.
The next 27 chapters of Isaiah contain God's message of forgiveness. God speaks through Isaiah, revealing his plan of blessing and salvation with the coming Messiah. Isaiah's life was full of great personal sacrifice. But his reward was unparalleled because he walked so closely with the Lord, that God would share with him his heart and speak through his mouth. How beautiful it would be to build that kind of relationship with God in our own lives!
In the Old Testament, the First Book of Samuel begins with a desperate plea from Samuel’s mother, Hannah. She was barren for years and promised to dedicate a son to God if it be His will. This is certainly proof of the love and power in a Mother’s prayers for her children, alive or unborn.
The Lord called Samuel at a very young age to be a prophet and judge of Israel. He restored law and ordered regular religious worship in the land. The Second Book of Samuel contains the details of David’s reign as King of Judah and eventually of all Israel. The writings describe the loss of David’s spiritual strength because of his sins and rebellion in his own family, and finally his attempts to reconcile with the Lord.
Do any of these Old Testament stories of trials and sacrifice remind you of your family members and friends? Are you courageous enough to be a voice for God in the busy world you live in? Would you hear God calling to you in the night?
There are challenges when you take time to strengthen your spiritual development, and obstacles may be thrown in your path. Don’t let the distractions keep you from your good intentions. Just be prepared for the bumpy road to holiness and build on your relationship with God. He will give you the courage. “Those who believe in Jesus are ‘living stones’ built as a spiritual house.” 1 Peter 2:5
St. Theresa of Avila in her treatise, “The Way of Perfection,” said that the words to the prayer of the “Our Father” lead us to the fount of living waters. She is describing how the soul feels when God satisfies us with living water and takes away the thirst for earthly things. Christ brings all revelation to perfection because God has spoken to us through his Son, Who came to liberate us from sin. God in His love and mercy responds to our needs. Approach Him with complete trust, seek His kingdom first, and He will take care of you.
We have so many examples of holiness and divine fellowship in the lives of the prophets and saints because they learned to listen to the Holy Spirit. We can ask God to form and train us too, but we must submit! I believe it was Mother Angelica, founder of EWTN, who once said, “Unless we are willing to do the ridiculous, God cannot do the miraculous!” It may be a bumpy road, but if we learn how to come into the Presence of God; we may just hear Him calling in the night! Amen!
