A Father Who Dialogues
by Fr. David M. Knight
February 27, 2024
Tuesday (Week II of Lent)
Lectionary No. 231
Isaiah 1:10-20; Psalm 50; Matthew 23:1-12
"Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord…" Isaiah 1:18
Our Father is not a God who simply lives in the remoteness of his infinite Truth, leaving us to obey him blindly. No, he gets “down and dirty” with us in dialogue. He confronts us in the concrete details of our life, tells us what he thinks of them, and what we can expect of him.
In today’s readings he pulls no punches. He gets explicit about false religion, especially that of the scribes and Pharisees. But at the same time he tells us through Isaiah: “Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow.” With Jesus, and with our Father, we know where we stand, where he stands, and how to bridge any gap between us. Our Father is down on ground level with us. His arms are always open. We simply have to deal with him as a person.
But he will not accept us unless we also deal with others as persons. He insists: “Stop mouthing my rules and professing your faith in rote phrases. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. The greatest among you must be your servant. Show it in action.”
ACTION: Get real. In Confession, talk about how you live out Christ’s New Law. (See the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew, chapters 5-7).
PRAYER: “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.”
Reflections brought to you by the Immersed in Christ Ministry
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