Saturday, November 28, 2020
The Rule of Emmanuel
Wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord . . .
The closing line of the Meditation in today’s MAGNIFICAT is from St. John of the Cross: A man must advance to union with God’s wisdom by unknowing rather than by knowing.
It is always about inversion. We see when we are blind. We hear when we are deaf. We are doing our best work when we feel most afflicted. We heal when are wounded. Wisdom comes in union with God, after emptying self.
Not by appearance shall he judge . . .
Our deeds tell us who we are.
Not by hearsay shall he judge . . .
Our words and our thoughts are our expression of God.
He shall judge the poor with justice . . .
Our gestures bring God’s hope.
The lamb, the leopard, the kid, the calf, the lion, the cow, the bear, the ox, the cobra . . . and the child . . . all will be neighbors.
What do we gain if we seek wisdom and power and might within ourselves and not seek God?
What do we gain by taking God’s counsel and doing as he asks?
What do we learn when we wade into our problems with God’s understanding rather than our own?
What do we enact when we gently rebuke with God’s compassion rather than deny, ignore or seek revenge?
Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness upon his hips.
What do we gain by not running away and hiding? What do we gain by abiding and remaining in covenant – through and despite the turmoil? We find God’s faithful serenity. We find Christ’s hopeful peace. We find the Holy Spirit’s abiding love. We find the holy mountain.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea. Amen.
Visit the Israel Museum in Jerusalem at: https://www.imj.org.il/en
Image from: http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/dss_video
Adapted from a Favorite written on December 14, 2007.
Cameron, Peter John, Rev., ed. “Mini-Reflection.” MAGNIFICAT. 14 December 2007. Print.
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