Relating to God

Isaiah, for instance, prophecies to a war-weary community (Is 11: 1-10). The Assyrian army constantly threatens the country, creating a sense of insecurity and helplessness for its people.

Since they're governed by Davidic kings, Isaiah sculpts an image of an idyllic descendent of David's father, Jesse, ruling over an idyllic period of history. This is how the prophet conceives of Yahweh setting foot in his specific history.

Ideals

Yahweh eventually sums up the changes by promising, "There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh as water covers the sea."

In the Semitic mind, "knowledge" is more than just an intellectual tie-in with someone or something. It presumes one has actually experienced the person or thing one knows. In the case of men and women, "knowing" implies they're been sexually intimate, as when Mary asks the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know man?" In the case of our relationship with God, it implies we're aware of His presence in our midst.

Isaiah believes if and when Jewish kings "know" Yahweh, the whole country will be secure, no matter what happens to its inhabitants.

Matthew's John the Baptizer revolves his message of salvation around that same presence of God (Mt 3: 1-12). "Reform your lives!" he proclaims. "The reign of God is at hand." In other words, "If you change the way you experience reality, you can actually put out your hand and touch God working around you."

But to reach such a life-giving insight, we have to let faith develop into the most important element of our lives. Aware that people often substitute an experience of religion for an experience of God, John warns, "Do not pride yourselves on the claim, `Abraham is our faith.'" No matter how good or "true" our religion, if it doesn't help us cross over into a reforming faith, it's nothing but the "chaff" of our lives.

Harmony

Following Paul's advice to Rome's Christian community, our life's work is "to live in perfect harmony with one another according to the spirit of Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and voice we may glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Practically speaking, that means we must "accept one another as Christ accepted us, for the glory of God." We must become the servants of people as diverse as Jews were from Gentiles. We're only truly serious about forming a relationship with God when we become serious about forming relationships with individuals completely different from us.

Followers of God do lots of waiting. But in two of Sunday's three readings, they're not waiting for God to start doing something. They're waiting for us to recognize what God's already accomplishing in our lives.

How long will it take to develop the relationships which make that a reality?

(Editor's note: Father Karban's latest pamphlet on discipleship, "People of Faith," has just been published. Write to Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity, PO Box 31, Belleville, IL 62222. Including postage and handling, the cost is $2.50 per copy.)

(12-06-01)