April 2, 2025 at 9:57 a.m.
A way forward
How often does the way forward seem like a way that leads backward? Take for example the situation of the people of Israel in the First Reading on the Fifth Sunday of Lent from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Is.43:16-21).
Isaiah tells the people of Israel, who are in exile in Babylon, that God will not only give them a way forward out of a difficult period of suffering in their lives, but God will also give them a way forward that will come as a direct result of their exile. God will not only restore Israel again as a nation, but God will do something new that will surpass the mighty deeds when God freed the Israelites from slavery and death in Egypt. Now, God will show them a way forward from the bondage of exile in Babylon. Toward the end of the Babylonian exile, Isaiah looked forward by first looking backward with a message of hope to the people of Israel. “See I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Is. 43:19) The exile was a way forward as was the slavery and bondage of the Israelites in Egypt was a way forward. The people of Israel were to be restored back to the land. This way forward was experienced by the people of Israel in exile as suffering and pain. It was as if they were going backward. They lost the land; they lost the temple, and they thought they had lost their God. But in actuality, it was always close and God would give them an even greater way forward than they could ever imagine.
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 3:14
The post-Resurrection and Pentecost Church read this passage with greater insight, this promise that God had given to the Prophet Isaiah to give hope to Israel in exile. “Thus says the Lord, who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters.” (Is. 43:16) The way forward is the promised Messiah, the shepherd who will lead captive Israel back to the Promised Land and re-establish the glory of God’s kingdom. The Messiah will suffer and die to bring this about: “remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” (Is. 43:18) This new way forward Isaiah speaks of is not simply a way for them to deal with the suffering that comes from the injustice and unforgiveness of the world, but rather this new way forward will bring about a new kingdom founded on justice and forgiveness.
True justice and righteousness as St. Paul speaks about that is a direct way forward comes not from keeping the commands of God’s law as an external precept. True righteousness comes from loving Jesus Christ and giving ourselves completely over to Christ.
After all it was Jesus who bent down to lift up the adulterous woman and show her and all humanity a new way forward. Jesus first looked backward when the adulterous woman was laying in the dirt as the crowd was readying to stone her to death. “Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let the one among you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her.’ ” (Jn. 8:1-11) The law provided the right to stone those who were caught in the act of adultery, both males and females alike. That was the look backward to enable them to see a new way forward. “Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She replied, ‘No one, sir.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.’ ” Jesus condemns sin and offers forgiveness to the sinner. The way forward was for the woman to not to sin any more.
Psalm 126 invites us to sing out in celebration that the Lord Jesus Christ has shown us a new way forward. “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” (Ps. 126) The mighty deeds of our God are seen in the cross of Jesus Christ, it is through the cross and Resurrection that we find the new and lasting way forward.
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