OT Reading of this Mass: Isaiah 55:6-9 Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving Remember, My Thoughts are higher than your thoughts, My Ways higher than yours, O man.
Homily
God’s thoughts really are pretty much out of reach for us. It makes it really hard, then, to play god. Some people do try to do so, though (try to play god), and God’s Word in Isaiah 55 calls them out as scoundrels and in the category of the wicked. A scoundrel is an old term meaning a bad immoral trickster, a pretender with low principles, who is driven by sin and evil motives. God has strong words versus his rivals, doesn’t He? He calls them out.
God has an enemy, the devil, whom He calls wicked. (And the term is applied to all who acts as tools of his wickedness.) For once an archangel dared to challenge God, now we know the consequences of that—that he is bound to be separated forever from God—as well as all his minions. To be in the lowest place for eternal judgment. And he thought he was so smart and better….
Yet we’ve been given this knowledge of this unholy trickster and his minions and of their case for eternal judgment; God teaches us of it as for an alarm and a lesson. We are told by God of how the fallen angel Lucifer is an enemy out to trip up the human race, out for all of us since the time of Adam and Eve. Has he duped you? Is he trying right now in your life to do so? Know this: He needs to prick your pride so as to deceive you.
So—a question for you: Is pride a problem for you?
I call your attention to Isaiah 55 today. God says that so-called human wisdom falls terribly of what God knows and of the realm of how He acts. God asks us to drop our pride, and seek Him as He may be found. God says turn to Me humbly for mercy; and I can forgive that pride. But know this, says the Lord. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways… As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.” Just let that sink in…
Many in humanity greatly overthink their status as being masters of their own life and fate, and as claiming an independence from God. We call that an obtuse spirit. Mark 7:21-23 teaches it. Catholic theology names it as moral anesthesia—a conscience so hardened by repeated vice that it can no longer perceive the gravity of sin, the promptings of the Holy Spirit, or the reality of divine judgment.
I keep getting reminded that I don’t really know diddly-squat in the area of human wisdom. I am helped to that fact when I try to play the TV game show of Jeopardy. And this is just human wisdom, not God’s wisdom we are talking about.
Sometimes I do better in using the pause button of my remote control to come up with a right response, since I tape each weeknight show. Yet here are some questions I missed this past week. See if you know all the answers to them.
Answer clue #1/ This cheese was created in 1892 by Emil Frey & named for a New York singing society whose members loved the cheese. [5-4-3-2-1] The response: What is Liederkranz? (Lieder means songs in German, but who’d know it except a German speaker who either eats or cuts lots of cheese?) # 2/ Name one of the 2 years in US history in which 3 men served in it as president of the United States. The response: What is 1841 and 1881? Did you instantly know it, players? In 1841 Van Buren finished, got replaced by Harrison who died soon after with a cold, and then came Tyler. Then in 1881 President Hayes served, was replaced by Garfield who soon died in assassination, and then Arthur became president.. #3/ The science of determining a tree’s age by looking at its growth rings. (In other words—named this science, doing it in a question. What is dendrochronology? Correct. It would have helped if you took Ancient Greek and knew Dendron was “tree,” then you might have got it. But I took some Ancient Greek and missed it! #4./ Aubergine caviar is another name for this smoky Mediterranean spread made with roasted eggplant. Response: The right response, in a question: What is baba ghanoush? If you are a regular caviar eater, not of the Russian version, but of this other type using sesame tahini for a creamy texture, and cumin and coriander, but absent the carrots, peppers or tomatoes, then you would be a smartie in the Food category like Gordon Ramsey. I confess that I missed all of this trivial things.
The thing is—all those questions were still of human knowledge—and not God’s knowledge level—so you have not yet started playing the game of knowing God’s thoughts. God would like you to comprehend that you are no match for His wisdom—and reach the conclusion that Isaiah 55 wants for you to make.
In last Monday’s Bible study held over at Riderwood Chapel, we looked at the book of Job and of when God gave a pop quiz to his servant Job, as given in chapter 38: God asked him: “Can you describe to me the laying down of earth’s foundations? And of all its calculated dimensions and math? Can you tell me what the angels sang when I, God, strung the morning stars together? Can you sing that tune of theirs for me? Now, do you know how to tell the ocean waves of how far to lap in and out? Have you examined the ocean’s deep recesses? Or do you know the laws of the starry heavens above, or where Light truly comes from?” Precisely, you don’t.
In our Monday bible study, we saw how Job did not admit to knowing any of that. But at least he knew one thing and testified to it in his prayer, which I paraphrase: “O God, despite this world’s fallen state, I believe You’ve got it all in control. I trust in You alone.”
Job was a godly man. He let God be God, and Job be Job.
So how about you?
Or would you be swayed to the pride of man thinking you’re really something all on your own? Hear the Word of the Lord. He says: My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. (What would be our difference?) “It’s as high as the heavens are above the earth, (with you being on the ground), so high are My ways above your ways and My thoughts above your thoughts.” ‘Got that?! In other words, will you let God be God, and you be you, and to just trust in Him? It would be good you do so. Amen.