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In Whom do We Trust?

Writer's picture: Immersed in ChristImmersed in Christ

by Fr. David M. Knight


July 16, 2024

Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time  

Our Lady of Mount Carmel 

Lectionary 390 

Is 7:1-9/Mt 11:20-24  

 

In Isaiah 7:1-9 the point of the whole reading is: “Unless your faith is firm, you shall not be firm.” Two kings were ganging up to invade Judah, and Ahab was panicking. God sent Isaiah to tell him, “Do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps.” But Ahab didn’t trust God. He asked Assyria for help. 

 

Assyria offered much to trust in. Assyria, named for the god Ashur, has the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and the city of Nineveh (modern Mosul). The Assyrians gave us locks and keys, the sexagesimal time system, the first paved roads and aqueducts, the first arch, postal system, the first use of iron, magnifying glasses, libraries, plumbing and flush toilets, electric batteries, guitars, the first university in the world (the School of Nisibis), and the fundamental administrative model of territories with local governors who report to a central authority, the king.  

 

Because the Arameans brought in a new way of writing, on parchment, leather, or papyrus, that replaced the cuneiform writing system on clay tablets, Aramaic became the second official language of the Assyrian empire in 752 B.C. Later, the Assyrian language, which had been the lingua franca of the Middle East until 900 A.D., was completely supplanted by Arabic (except amongst the Assyrians). Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Galen were translated into Assyrian, then into Arabic. Moors brought the translations into Spain. When the Spaniards translated them into Latin, they spread throughout Europe. Christian Assyrians include the Syrian Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, and the Catholic Chaldean Rite.  

 

Ahab had reason to be impressed. But his allies first ruled, then ravaged Judah. He should have believed Isaiah who said, “Do not put your trust in princes.... Happy those... whose hope is in the LORD.” 

 

In spite of its glory, Assyria is no more. It is divided between Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq (ancient Babylon). Sic transit gloria mundi

 

Matthew 11:20-24 seems to say “pagans” were more open to Jesus than his own people were. But see the context: Jesus has just been attacked three times by the Pharisees. They will attack him three more times in the next chapter. The “crowd” has laughed at him, and he knows the authorities will persecute those he sends. He says “this generation” won’t respond, no matter how he presents himself. It is obviously not enough to “belong” to the “right religion.” We must have true love for God and others to be saved. 

 

Our ministry must lead people to trust in God, not in laws (legalism), in ecclesiastical approval (clericalism) or in the impressive structures and appearance of our Church (triumphalism). We must form people to “major” in the divine and “minor” in the human.  Authenticity can be a matter of emphasis. 

 

Initiative: Examine your focus. Do you look more to laws, key people or God?

 

Reflections brought to you by the Immersed in Christ Ministry




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