God is often thought of or portrayed as a hands off CEO who created the world and then left it to figure everything out on its own. I have heard this used as a defense for why evil exists, because God doesn’t care what happens on earth. He only had to create us. He leaves the rest to us and we choose to sin. This apathetic God is often justified in people’s minds by phrases like, “Well I prayed once and it didn’t work so God doesn’t care” or “If God really cared he would not let evil happen.” Of course, we as Christians know that God not only cares, but he wants a personal relationship with each of us. It becomes our job then to show people who struggle with evil, the personal God of today’s First Reading and Gospel.
In the First Reading the people of Israel are comforted by the words of the Lord. They are told that they will no longer weep, that they will be given food and security, and that their needs will be answered by the Lord. The Old Testament often gets a bad wrap where people think God is just vengeful and wants to smite everything, but here, God is wanting to help his people. I immediately think of what God said to Moses, “I have heard my people cry.”
Fast forward to the Gospel today and we hear that Jesus was going around to every town and village, preaching the good news and curing every illness and disease. He witnesses sheep without a shepherd and so he commissions the Twelve with his very own power to go out and help his people. These examples don’t sound like God is uninterested. He is very interested. He is interested in you and me.
I have often thought about the fact that because God is the ultimate Creator, he holds everything in existence. Through his power we are alive, and through his power we could cease to exist. This is the easiest way to answer the question of whether or not God cares for you personally. If you are still breathing, then God is actively thinking about you. He is holding you in existence. And what could be more loving than creating you for his love and holding you in existence so you can experience his personal love?
We may have a marketing problem with God these days. If he is portrayed as an indifferent ruler who loves smiting his underlings and stays in heaven so he doesn’t have to interact with us, then we have to change the narrative. An evangelist is essentially an expert in marketing, but an expert in marketing a Person rather than a product. Imagine your life is a billboard showing people who God is. What does your life show about God? What does mine? Let’s pray during this Advent season that our lives will be a beacon that shows people Jesus was born on Christmas in order to love us personally, not that he created us and leaves us all on our own.
From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!
Daily Reading
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Reading I Mi 5:1-4a Thus says the LORD: You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for…
Saint of the Day
Blessed Jacopone da Todi
Jacopone da Todi, “Crazy Jim,” transformed from a worldly man to a devoted Franciscan, known for “Stabat Mater” hymn and spiritual courage.
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