Everlasting joy on their faces

Sometime our religiosity may prompt us to find fault with God’s graciousness. We may find that God is following a wrong methodology or liturgy. God wills to make the streams of grace flow even in places which our understanding of holiness may not expect. According to the law and holiness code the paralytic in the Gospel was suffering for his sins. He deserved it. But for Jesus he deserved love and mercy.

Jesus forgave and healed. Both the paralytic and the people praised God. The return of the remnant of Israel from Babylon also is expressed as coming to Zion “shouting for joy, everlasting joy on their faces.” Prophet Isiah keeps the hope strong that the people taken in captivity are returning. When they return there will be significant changes as God is alive in their midst. So the prophet tells them to take courage, and god’s salvation brings strength to the weak hands and supports the faint hearts. The blind sees, the deaf hears, the lame walks, and the dumb speaks, and people in bondages are set free. Their way will be secure. So there will be songs of joy as they come. We must imagine this vision “for water gushes in the desert, streams in the wasteland, the scorched earth becomes a lake, the parched land springs of water,” for the remnant returning, the paralytic, and for ourselves.

Do we have something to do in all these flowing streams through the life of people and the life of nature? We practiced religion and learned to expect God to do magic and make everything beautiful and open the eyes of the blind and heal the paralytic. But we wouldn’t let the wounds and burdens be eased. We will teach God what sacrifices must please him. Did God ask for atonement and heaviness of reparations? We found shelter in our making of God and his holiness. There we have lost songs when we have stopped listening to the voice of gladness within our neighbours, and in flowers, leaves and birds. Where are our songs of joy and gladness? How did we adamantly attach ourselves to the spiritualities of the desert, the wasteland and the scorched earth. Where are the streams, gushing waters, and springs in us? Where are the songs of rejoicing?

Grace and salvation do not work as magic. They are like streams in dry land. It is already flowing in us.

2nd Mon Adv 2021 Isaiah 35:1-10 Luke 5:17-26