Our whole religious life is anchored on the belief and conviction that God takes deep interested in us, and in our affairs. Without such belief, human life would become a matter of survival of the fittest. The conviction that God cares for us gives us courage and hope to continue striving even when things go badly. Psalm 149, the responsorial psalm of today, sings that God takes delight in His people (149:4). The consciousness that we are not alone is greatly empowering. It gives us the impetus to turn to God at all times convinced that He would attend to us. It gives us the assurance of His abiding presence and the trust in his promises for the future. The conviction that God delights in us gives us the confidence to attribute all good things to Him and to ask Him for more. The readings of this day help us to understand the effects of God’s presence among His people and His care for them. We are encouraged never to cut ourselves from Him.
Consequences of Alienation from God
The great St. Augustine of Hippo says to God in his work, The Confessions: “You were with me, and I was not with you.” In this catchy statement, Augustine expresses a basic reality of the God-human relationship. God is ever with us, but we often keep ourselves away from him. It is at such times we feel as if He were absent. Moments of self-alienation from God are tragic moments, as we grope in darkness, ignorant of the great power in our midst. At such terrible moments, we never find real rest.
This is akin to what the prophet Haggai speaks of in the first reading of today (Hag 1:1-8), as he rebukes the people for their lethargy in rebuilding the temple, which is the special place of encounter between God and his people. The prophetic book of Haggai is set within the events of the early post-exilic period in Judah when the people were confronted with the challenge of rebuilding the ruined temple. The prophet saw the rebuilding of the temple as the condition for future development of the people, as the temple is the center of encounter between God and His people.
Because the people, in pursuit of their own welfare, have relegated the affairs of God to the background, they have continued to suffer the loss of that material welfare for which they crave. So, they suffer many deprivations. The prophet tells them: “You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes” (Hag 1:6). Haggai is actually inviting the people to a spiritual reorientation. In life we need to set our priorities right and give God the pride of place due to Him. The Gospel principle is to seek first the kingdom of God, and every other thing will be added on (cf. Matt 6:33). In a society where people abandon true religion and run riot with material things, the consequence is always moral decadence, violence, and confused living.
Effects of God’s Presence
God’s presence is not limited to the place of worship or a religious building. God is ever present among His people. This is visibly expressed in the person of Jesus. In his time, He went about doing many wonderful things, as we read in today’s Gospel (Lk 9:7-9). The charm of his presence drew many to Him and many more desired to encounter Him. The identity of Jesus was an enigma to them, as some thought He was John the Baptist come back to life or even Elijah. One thing is clear: in Him they saw the effects of God’s presence among His people. Herod Antipas heard of the great works of Jesus and remained confused about his relationship with John the Baptist, whom he had killed. In his curiosity, he longed to encounter Jesus. God’s presence usually brings the eagerness of encounter to simple hearts and turbulence to those immersed in guilt.
Human Response to God’s Care
When the psalmist of today says that God takes delight in His people, he means that He is interested in all their affairs and never abandons them. The desired response of the people is to rejoice in their maker and always surrender their lives to Him. This is what true religion is all about. We are called to genuine relationship with God expressed in care and love towards all His creatures. Rebuilding the temple of God today should not be limited to building physical structures but, more importantly, it involves seeing the human community as God’s dwelling place, mending broken relationships, coming to the help of all in need and working for peace and concord among all, as much as we can.
May the Spirit of God accompany us as we work with God to renew the face of the earth!
