Zephaniah 1: De-Creation – Part I
Monday, April 8, 2024
For a week, we have traveled the road to Emmaus, Jesus at our side as we look for joy. Like the disciples, we may be immersed in our sorrow, and we may not know that joy walks with us. Today the prophet Zephaniah tells us that we must de-create before we can renew the image of God we bring to the world. In this Eastertide, we pledge to remain faithful to Christ who guides us. We persist in stepping into the world embodying the love the Spirit nurtures in us. And we promise to remain in Christ as the hope-filled remnant of God.
At that time I will explore Jerusalem with lamps . . .
The prophet Zephaniah lived in a time when many Jews had returned to polytheism. Here we have a description of how Yahweh will undo his beautiful creation which has been profaned. He will even take a lamp and search the nooks and crannies of Jerusalem’s streets in order to find the last of the unfaithful. Thank goodness we hear at the end of this prophecy that a remnant of the faithful will remain, but in this first chapter, there is nothing happy to hear.
How painful it must be for God to watch as we de-construct what is given to us in love. Not only do we abuse the wondrous gift of Nature and Mother Earth, but we abuse one another and ourselves as well. What do we do when we discover that we are in relationships that pollute our thinking and our hearts?
At that time I will explore Jerusalem with lamps . . .
First, we turn to the one who created us and who knows us so well. We turn and return to God. Then, we pray and we act. We pray for the personal strength to see us through the trials that lie in our path. We pray for those who wreck damage on themselves and others. We ask for forgiveness, both personal and communal. We practice justice and compassion as best we can, wherever we can. And we ask for the gift of forgiveness and healing for the world.
On this day, let us follow the steps of the Master Teacher; and let us be Remnant for God.
Image from: https://www.mercyhome.org/blog/sunday-mass/6-ways-to-weave-palms-from-palm-sunday/
Adapted from a Favorite written on Palm Sunday, March 16, 2008.
The Noontimes 