Micah turns away from the sacrifices suggested in the second part, the general sort of thing prescribed by the Law, to a relationship with God which is spiritual and very personal, which demands the sacrifice of self ("walk humbly with God").

Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Micah 6:1-4, 6-8

Psalm 50:5-6, 8-9, 16bc-17, 21+23

M atthew 12:38-42 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." (39) But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet  Jonah. (40) For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of  the earth. (41) The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. (42) The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Meditation by Chas Kestermeier, S.J.

We might break the passage from the prophet Micah down into three parts: God questions His people, asking what good He might have done for them that He hasn't done, and then the people answers with the question "How can we respond to the Lord appropriately?"  In a third movement God answers with the simple "you have been told what the Lord requires of you, only to do the right and to love goodness and to walk humbly with your God."

Two things strike me about this.  I think that most of us would answer God's question with quite a list of the areas where we think that God has not loved us enough: the loss of a loved one, our current health, not getting a job --- all sorts of things.  While there is certainly some reason to feel that way, it should not be an incitement for us to doubt God as much as it is for us to consider what true love is and whether we are mistaking the idea of a pain-free life for what we think that an all-powerful God "owes" us.  His idea of love, I suspect, has little to do with that . . .

The other aspect of this passage that stands out to me is that Micah turns away from the sacrifices suggested in the second part, the general sort of thing prescribed by the Law, to a relationship with God which is spiritual and very personal, which demands the sacrifice of self ("walk humbly with God").  This is in itself a very solid solution to this problem of how God loves us . . .

Supplementary Reading

The Great Reward

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! - Hebrews 10:35

W hat are you believing God for today? Promotion? Healing? Stronger relationships? Freedom from addiction? God has promised all these things to you in His Word. He wants you to live in blessing and wholeness all the days of your life. But in order to experience His promises, we have to do our part. We have to keep believing and trusting in Him. That's what today's verse is saying: if we will stay in faith, if we will keep believing, keep hoping, keep doing the right thing, God promises there will be a reward. I like how one translation puts it, "Don't get discouraged. Payday is coming!"

When you're tempted to get down, when things aren't going your way, just say to yourself, "This may be hard. It may be taking a long time, but I know God is a faithful God. I'm going to keep believing because my reward is coming."

Friend, as you trust Him and stand in faith, as you boldly declare His promises, you are positioning yourself to receive His blessing. No matter what your circumstances look like, remember payday is on its way—and you will experience the blessing and reward He's promised all the days of your life!

Father in heaven, thank You for Your good and precious promises. I choose to trust that my reward is coming. I choose to follow Your commands because they lead to blessing and life. Give me a heart that is fixed on You and fill me with Your peace. I patiently wait on You. In Jesus' Name. Amen. (Joel and Victoria Osteen)

GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.

For past gospel meditations, you may visit the following:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216458741502#!/home.php?sk=mynotes

http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com