Making the Path Smooth for the Lord

Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

Is 26: 7-9, 12, 16-19; Mt 11: 28-30

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

Listen to Isaiah’s message today.  First He says:  “The way of the just is smooth”.  Yes, indeed, the way of the most just God is smooth.  But it involves “the path of the just you make level”.  And there is the rub because making the path of the just level can seem difficult and painful, especially in the short term; and so prosperous societies avoid it.  They like comfort and the path of least resistance instead.  We resist making the path of the just level because it means we have to step out of our comfort zones to maintain the level path for the just.   

Perhaps an example would help.  Over and over again the Israelis became prosperous  following the Exodus. But as they did, they turned their backs on the Mosaic Law.  They became lenient with others who worshiped false Gods; they believed they had the power to make alliances for practical reasons even though that compromised their own faith; and they became obsessed with things of the world and worldly success.   Doesn’t that sound familiar?   

And so what happened to them?  Things would turn sour for them; and they would experience very difficult times.  In some cases many generations were deposed from their homes and exiled, all because a prosperous couple of generations walked away from the Lord and his commands by being complacent; by being tolerant of evil; and by not doing God’s will.   

And so, Isaiah’s later words applied:  “O Lord, oppressed by your punishment, we cried out in anguish under your chastising”.  Indeed, Isaiah is lamenting the punishment his own people were experiencing because of their failure to maintain justice and keep the laws of God.   

It could well happen to us, you know.  We have experienced many generations of prosperity in this country.  And for many of those generations, we were a society that heralded God’s justice.  We were a society that was generous, faith-filled, adhering to Judeo Christian morality, and quick to help others in need.  We were righteous in our quest to avoid and suppress evil; a society that made the path of the just level.   

But how about now, in today’s time, have we lost our way in making the path of the just straight?  Let me make it clear- I am talking about “we” or our society.  You see, our society reflects its moral values in the media and government we have today.  Our legacy is “Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”.  But today we see that sex outside of marriage is not only tolerated, but the people that flaunt it are accepted, even celebrated; that much of our society believes that women’s “reproductive rights” are more important than the right to life.  And we see Church attendance and participation is way down because golf, boating, and sleeping in are more comfortable.   

The answer to all of this is renewal by the people of God.  You and I can make the difference.  We can recognize that the way of the just needs to be made level.  We do that by our example; by the way we deal with our own families; by the way our parish as a whole reflects itself to the larger community.  And we can all take a stand and not support the secular values of today’s society by withholding our support of the media and by voting our convictions when we vote.   

All of us need to do as Jesus says in today’s Gospel.  “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest”.  That may seem more difficult in the short term- making more time for God; trusting is His will for us; and taking a stand against today’s secular norms, but we have Jesus word that it is the truly easy way. 

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