The people of Israel had just returned from 50 years of exile in Babylon for which they blamed themselves. Their former life before the exile was only a dim memory. Many of the laws, rituals, and customs were either misunderstood or had fallen into disuse.
Ezra, Nehemiah, and others were attempting not only to rebuild the nation, but also the spiritual awareness of the people. The Law in its entirety was read to the people, who began to weep. They felt keenly the gap between what God had asked and what they had been living. Perhaps they wondered if they could ever be in God’s graces again.
The words of Nehemiah were right to the point, and still pertain today. He asked them to stop looking to the past and condemning themselves. This was not an occasion for sadness. The mere fact that they had been led back to the correct path and been instructed in the Law of God was positive proof of God’s favour. They should rejoice in God’s goodness and kindness and move forward from that day.
New beginnings are always a gift from God, even if they are preceded by failure and suffering. Negative experiences are often indicators or messages on the journey to steer us in the right direction. Revisiting the tradition and studying the divine principles in Scripture can be a good remedy for spiritual malaise and a lack of purpose.
With the polarization and negativity present in our society and Church, it would be a good time to revisit the Law of Jesus concerning love, forgiveness, and kindness, especially towards those we consider adversaries.
Matthew 25 is an excellent lens through which to view our response to refugees, the poor and those who are different in any way.
Paul was of a similar mind. He used the image of the body to bring his fractious community in Corinth together, reminding them that we thrive in interdependence and unity rather than isolation and fragmentation. This is an expression of divine Law. No one can be a lone ranger and expect to be truly happy or spiritually rooted.
Societies, nations, churches, families, and individuals begin to disintegrate when people choose the path of self-advancement at the expense of others. We cannot thrive — and in the 21st century, we could even say survive — without being in proper relation to one another and to creation. We are each unique but not separate.
In his first proclamation in the synagogue of his hometown, Jesus offered the people a new beginning. Many dreaded the visitation of God, believing that it would be all about judgment and punishment. Reading from Isaiah 61, Jesus spoke of healing, good news and freedom — a far cry from wrath and punishment. God’s visitation would be characterized by mercy and grace.
In the Old Testament tradition of the jubilee, he proclaimed a year of God’s favour — a cancelation of debts and a fresh start. He even suggested that their understanding of God was too narrow, pointing out a couple of instances in Israel’s history when God showed special favour to non- Israelites. They reacted in the same way that people react now when their religious ideas are challenged — they lashed out in hatred and anger.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus continually exercised the boundary-crossing mercy of God. He reached out to the poor and marginalized, to public sinners and tax collectors, and to all whom others would shun. His message was one of mercy, forgiveness, and hope. There were those who found this very threatening, just as many do today.
Fear can be a numbing and lethal prison for the heart and soul. Jesus struggled to establish right relationships between people and to invite them into the most rewarding relationship of all — with God.