Longing and hope.

Today’s reading reflects the hope for wholeness and restoration that the exiled Jewish people hoped and longed for.  

Israel had been devastated, subjugated and brutally separated from its homeland by an invading conqueror. Jerusalem had been destroyed and inhabited by foreigners, its people were at their mercy. Like chaff in the wind they had been scattered, forced out of their land, cities and homes. A storm of devastation ruined fields, destroyed vegetation and even their temple. The conquerors had left them few choices: assimilation, enslavement, exile.  Many had been forced marched away from their home by the conqueror, as stateless persons, exiles in a foreign and enemy land. Had God forgotten them?

But the Lord God is saying through the prophet Isaiah that Israel has not been forgotten, “I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand…” and will fulfill Israel’s longing for wholeness, freedom and reintegration. God is there to support and God provides the tools. The prophecy announces to the people that they will be like threshing sledge, that is, like a tool a farmer uses to clean, smooth out and prepare a field for planting. With their right hand in God’s, the people will find the strength, the wherewithal, to overcome whatever obstacles are in their way because like there threshing sledge these obstacles will be scattered like chaff or dust in the wind. God knows the suffering, hears the longing provides the means and the support to fulfill those desires.

But oh…the waiting! Oh the longing and desire to be in that place relief, plenty and wholeness. Neither the prophet nor Jesus in today’s gospel from Matthew imply that the fulfillment of our longing for integrity and wholeness happens magically or without some of our effort.  For me the Isaiah shines a light on this difficult passage in Matthew in today’s gospel. John the Baptist has been killed and people asking Jesus about him. He tells them that although John was great, the least in the Kingdom is greater. Why? Because in order to “know” or “see” the Kingdom, to experience the Kingdom one has to also trust in the what the prophets have taught, allow God to take us by the right hand and participate in God’s creative work of wholeness, restitution and being active instruments of God’s grace in the world. Despite what appears lost, dead, destroyed, despite the senseless violence and callousness around us, with God’s grace and as God’s grace to the world, there will be flourishing, there will be renewal and restitution. That’s the hope of our longing! That is being even least in the Kingdom!

May we all have the grace of open eyes, ears and hearts so we can see our place in the Kingdom and that not even the violent can take it away the hope and longing from us. The wait is over when we become aware that with our right hand in God’s all things are indeed possible.