ALL the earth should sing praise to God because of His marvelous deeds and because He rules by His might forever, yet refuses not His kindness to one who calls on Him (Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20). Discipleship does not depend on equipment, but on personal witnessing, courage and perseverance in the love and mercy of God (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20).
How awesome are your deeds!
THIS psalm of thanksgiving begins with a threefold summons to praise God. All the earth is summoned to acclaim God, then to sing the glory of the divine name, God’s very essence and thirdly to proclaim His glorious praise, a weighty, important task. And the first reason for giving such praise to God is God’s own wondrous deeds, especially the works accomplished in the history of Israel. It is as though all people should praise Israel’s God for not letting His people perish. Recalling, the psalmist cites the changing of the sea into dry land in the exodus from slavery in Egypt, with its distinct creation dimension in the subduing of chaotic waters. The exodus dimension of passage finds conclusion in the crossing of the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
The psalmist moves from the communal, all those who fear God, into a more personal focus: his own individual experience of the divine power and kindness in his time of trial. This is the other reason for singing praise to God. God may rule all the earth with might forever, but it is the divine mercy and kindness (hesed) personally sought and received that moves the psalmist to bless God. His prayers have been heard, and God’s kindness and faithful care not turned away from him. So, others are invited to be one with him in similar grateful praise to God.
Rejoice, your names are written in heaven
THE mission of the 72 disciples is symbolic of the ultimate mission of Christ’s followers to all the nations. Jesus uses two metaphors to illustrate this mission: harvest and lambs among wolves. Connoting the readiness of the world for the ministry of his missionaries, harvest also suggests that planting and growing have already been accomplished by somebody else, and that the 72 are simply to gather up the fruits of the work of others. The second metaphor is sobering that the harvesting itself is a dangerous work because the missionaries are vulnerable in a world that can be very hostile.
The disciples are told to go with only the bare essentials, trusting in God and on the hospitality of people, not seeking better accommodations for themselves, but making do with what is available. And the task is urgent; no time for social niceties. The peace they bring to people is synonymous with messianic salvation and determines the future of peoples, for those who are open to it will be blessed, while those who reject it will have their very dust shaken from the feet of the missionaries in a mutual rejection. And more wonderful than the miracles performed by the disciples and reported by them is the fact that their names have been inscribed in heaven.
Alálaong bagá, God’s saving love for sinful humanity is brought to us by Jesus Christ, and it is made available to all peoples through the ministry of his disciples sent out as laborers for the harvest. Indeed, the reign of God is at hand for all and peace is now possible anywhere people make room for it. And we know that there will always be workers sent for God’s reign and for peace among peoples. These brave and generous followers are blessed and can truly rejoice because their own names are inscribed in the heavenly book of God’s intimate friends. It is all the victory of divine mercy and kindness.
Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, 5 to 6 a.m. on dwIZ 882, or by audio-streaming on www.dwiz882.com.
