Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
The prophecy of Isaiah which we hear today contains one of the most beautiful image of the Lord’s justice which descends like rain from above, which fulfills the original life-giving intention of our Creator, and which confirms the sovereignty of the Lord in whom alone “are just deeds and power.” (Is 45:24) Yet, the same prophecy also begins with one of the most troubling lines of Scripture: “I make well-being and create woe; I, the Lord, do all these things.” (Is 45:7) Upon a superficial reading, this verse seems to be insisting on a caprice that we know is utterly foreign to the God of Justice who is speaking. Yet, what are we to make of these words?
St. Ignatius in the first two rules he composed to aid others in discerning the interior spiritual movements they sense taught that the just movements of God may feel completely opposite, depending upon the state in which we find ourselves. The more we accustom ourselves to actions which are indeed harmful to ourselves and our relationships with God and others (ie sin), the more the Lord tries to work on our reason and our conscience to make us sensitive to the pain sin causes and so teach us to turn away from such actions. However, the more we become accustomed to what truly builds up those relationships with God and others and makes us actually good, the more the Lord gives strength and inspiration and ease on His paths. In fact, in both instances, the God of justice is simply acting so that we get a sense of justice. However, depending on where we are at, we will sense it as “well-being” or as “woe”.
Take for example as well the different reactions to Jesus’ ministry of healing. Many saw that ministry as the true display of “just deeds and power” that it was, yet there were others who saw it as a threat to either the religious establishment or worse. Jesus very directly proclaims that real happiness only comes with recognizing Him and His works for what they are: “blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” (Lk 7:23) Let us pray for the healing that Christ brings when He comes, and let us pray that His healing might reach every aspect of our body and soul and so lead us to cooperate with Him in His just deeds and power which lead to true and lasting life.