disobedience

Romans 11:29-36; Ps 69 Lord, in your great love answer me; Luke 14:12-14

We have been reading from the letter of Romans over the past few days and even weeks.

In chapters 9-11, St. Paul is presenting a case for the Jews who have not believed in Christ. His argument is quite a spin job.

"In respect to the gospel, the JEws are enemies of God for your sake; in respect to the election, they are beloved by him because of the patriarchs. God's gifts are irrevocable."

"Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their (jews) disobedience, so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all."

It kind of makes your head hurt just reading it. Sounds like a theological spin cycle to me.

But the last part of today's reading really sums it all up.

"Oh the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! HOw inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!...For from him and through him and for him are all things. To God be glory forever."

IT may seem a bit confusing to our weak and feeble minds. It may be down right overwhelming.

But in the end, it is the inscrutable judgments and unsearchable ways of God that ultimately become the ground of our hope and source of our strength and the cause that urges us on.


Now for the gospel.

The words of Jesus ring true especially as we look toward thanksgiving. "When you hold a dinner, do not invite your friends or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have your repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the blind, the lame, the crippled' blessed will you be for their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

How many of us do this?

How often do we want to be repaid immediately for what we have done? Perhaps we should check ourselves against this gospel and discover the freedom to give and not desire repayment.