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Great Hope in Dark times found in… the tithe? (huh????)
Thoughts to encourage us to cling to Jesus… and adore Him.
24 “Now when the LORD your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honored might be too far for you to bring the tithe. 25 If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the LORD your God has chosen. 26 When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the LORD your God and celebrate with your household. 27 And do not neglect the Levites in your town, for they will receive no allotment of land among you.
28 “At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town. 29 Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the LORD your God will bless you in all your work. Deut. 14:24-29 NLT
What grief and despair did Lazarus feel in his last hours, knowing that Jesus could have come and did not come? This divine action challenges our idea of God, our idea of Jesus Christ, our idea of the spiritual life. Surrender to the unknown marks the great transitions of the spiritual journey. On the brink of each new breakthrough there is a crisis of trust and of love.
This mornings devotional readings seemed. all over the place. As is my preference, I try to put together what I read into one thought. into one concept, that I can apply to what I will encounter that day. Today,
This morning’s devotional readings seemed. all over the place. As is my preference, I try to put together what I read into one thought. into one concept, that I can apply to what I will encounter that day. Today, finding that message seemed challenging, none of the readings, from scripture, and from the sections of devotional reading came close.
My heart resonated with Keating’s words about suffering, about what went through the heart of Lazarus as he waited in vain for Jesus to come. We read it an know Lazarus will rise from the grave, but he did not, for neither did his sisters. How dark that road must have seemed! How lonely and forsaken. So our days, our roads seem at times, as we suffer, as our hearts cry out… and there is no answer.
I think then of the tithe, something we don’t understand all that well. At least the tithe Moses describes. Imagine working hard, separating out the tithes, and then realizing you must leave everything behind, and journey over steep mountains to get to a place – to present the tithe. It takes faith to leave home and flocks and fields behind. It takes trusting God to make the rugged journey as well.
But then, the reason for this tithe (there were several) was to throw a party, to celebrate in the presence of the Lord! To use all that was to be sacrificed, but the sacrifice was to celebrate what God had provided (and was taking care of in your absence!) Is this a forerunner of the feast in Heaven? Perhaps… no probably.
Amid feelings to the contrary, in the midst of pain, grief, sorrow, and even depression, the idea of that tithe is powerful. That God wants this celebration – all the best food, the best drink, reminds us that the journey is not the destination. That the suffering and darkness will give way to light, and a life of great joy. That even the power of sin will be silenced, and the guilt, shame and resentment it causes is erased. For we will be in the presence of God…. God who loves us.
The answer to our darkness and despair always comes as we find ourselves being moved to the celebration, to the feast, to the moment where everything else is left behind to know He is God.
Soon my friends, the party will begin, and from the blessings God has poured out on us, we will bring to celebrate with Him. Invite the stranger, the alien, the pastor to, for together, we share in the love and glory of God. Till then, one step in front of the other, and think of the promised feast at the end of the journey.
Keating, Thomas. 2009. The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living: Excerpts from the Works of Father Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O., Sacred Scripture, and Other Spiritual Writings. Edited by S. Stephanie Iachetta. New York; London; New Delhi; Sydney: Bloomsbury.
Discouraged? Well then….
Devotional Thought of the Day
4 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! 5 Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! 6 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 7 Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:4-7 (MSG)
660 If you’re an apostle you should never feel discouraged. There is no obstacle that you cannot overcome. Then why are you sad?
Every once in a while, when I read St Josemaria’s little notes, I have an urge to argue with him.
This is one of those times.
I want to remind him of Paul describes himself to the church in 2 Corinthians 6 and in other places. Surely he felt downcast a time or two, as he poured out his life into the lives of others. Even in those situations, despite the exhaustion the pain, the hunger, the lies, the trying of his patience, he noted,
10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. 2 Corinthians 6:10 (NLT)
We should never feel discourages. Sometimes, I will be honest, I feel very discouraged. I can weary and question whether ministry is worth it. That’s when I come across passages like Phil 4. “Rejoice in the Lord always” other translations say. That one hits me like the law; maybe I am not a good Christian because I struggle to rejoice at times.
The Message shows the gospel a little clearer – Celebrate God! That’s the point! It is in His presence we rejoice. Not that we have to celebrate, like a court jester before a king, but that we can celebrate because He is here! We are here, with Him. He wants us in His presence, He wants to be part of our lives, He loves us!
That’s why we celebrate – and knowing we aren’t alone, knowing the work He has commissioned in and through our lives isn’t dependent upon us, those are the reasons we shouldn’t get discouraged.
God Is with us.
Therefore nothing can stop His plan that all works for good.
So if you feel discouraged, go to a place where you can focus on God’s presence. Meditate on the promises of your baptism, or contemplate the gift given you, and know the assurance of the Lord’s Supper Find a sanctuary to pray in, even go to confession and hear that your sins are forgiven!
The more you think about His love, the more you will know He is with you!
That will cause the discouragement to evaporate like a rain drop in the desert. St Josemaria was right – we shouldn’t be discouraged, the Lord is with us!
Cry our Lord have mercy… and realize He is close enough you could have whispered it.
Escriva, Josemaria (2010-11-02). The Way (Kindle Locations 1542-1543). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
