THE LORD

BE WITH YOU

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 20^th Tuesday is, “The Lord Be With You!”

It’s the old, “Dominus vobiscum.”

JUDGES 6 AND LUKE 1

When we were studying scriptures in the seminary one of the biggest lessons I learned was parallel texts. Our teacher would run us through an Old Testament text - and then show us a New Testament text that was following the same pattern - the same matrix. That’s why I love The Jerusalem Bible. It has along the sides of a text - references to other texts of the Bible that sound the same - and might be referring to the other. Neat.

Comparisons can crush. Comparisons can also be very helpful.

So today’s first reading from Judges 6:11-24 has a perfect Gospel text that follows it’s flow.  It’s Luke 1: 26-38, It’s the Annunciation account.

Both Annunciation texts begin with an Angel appearing and greeting someone. In today’s first reading it’s Gideon. In Luke in the Annunciation account, it’s Mary.

Both have the greeting, “The Lord is with you!”

Both then question the angel. Gideon asks, “How can I deliver Israel. I am the weakest and least known person in my family." Mary asks a similar question. She said,  “How can I bring forth a baby? I am a virgin." Then both say “Yes” and with God with them, they help save their people. 

Even though the Gideon scene is more complicated, he formula and the format are basically the same.

There is an announcement.  A Message. A problem. There is the questioning. Then there is the saying "Okay" to God. Then the solution - the working together - because the Lord is with us. 

Looking at today's gospel from Mathew  19: 23-30, Christ can help us deal with life's problems and situations. Christ can help us fit through the small eye of the needle - and get to the other side of things. Christ can help us stretch and be stretched. The more wider and open we become the more we can love and serve others.

PRAYER

Prayer obviously is the same scene. Prayer is all about annunciation moments.  God sends his messages and his messengers to us in prayer and we go from there. It’s our choice. It’s our move.

ST. BERNARD

Today is the feast of St. Bernard - August 20^th.

In a homily on the Annunciation account that is in the Gospel of Luke, St. Bernard preached on the theme that, “The Whole World awaits Mary's reply: ….” [1]

In this homily St. Bernard says that Adam, Eve, Abraham, David, and so many others are all waiting - for Mary’s response. 

In this same homily St. Bernard says that the angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him.

In this homily, St. Berneard also says we too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

I couldn’t find a sermon by St. Bernard on the Annunciation moment with Gideon - but I would assume he would say that the whole of Israel was waiting on Gideon to say “Yes” to walking with God and becoming a champion to save Israel.

CONCLUSION: CHOICE

Each day we have the same story - the same announcements - from all kinds of messengers.

Picture the people who are waiting for us to say “Yes” and help save the other’s day.

The call is not to go it alone - but to go confidently because “The Lord with us….”

The Lord is with us. We are then called to bring Christ’s light and love and life to each other - to our world.

Each day we can say, “No” or “Yes”.

Today’s readings challenge us to be like Gideon - and like Mary - and realizing “The Lord is With Us” - we work with the Lord to bring new life to our world.

NOTES:

[1] From the Homily “In Praise of the Virgin Mary” by St. Bernard, (Homily 4, 8-9: Opera omnia Edit. Cistere. 4 [1966] 53-54). Here is the text I found on line: From the Homily In Praise of the Virgin Mary by St. Bernard, abbot (Hom. 4, 8-9: Opera omnia Edit. Cistere. 4 [1966] 53-54).

The Whole World awaits Mary's reply:

You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it was not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the Eternal Word of Word we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life.

Tearful Adam with his sorrowing family begs this of you, O loving Virgin, in their exile from Paradise. Abraham begs it, David begs it. All the other holy patriarchs, your ancestors, ask it of you, as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet. It is right in doing so, for your own words depends comfort for the wretched, ransom for the captive, freedom for the condemned, indeed, salvation for all sons of Adam, the whole of your race.

Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word.

Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations, is at your door, knocking to enter. If he should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow you would begin to seek him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving. Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word.