[stephenkhoo]

Scripture Reflections
Tuesday, 26 June, 2012, 12th Week, Ordinary Time
STANDING FIRM IN THE LORD WHEN UNDER SIEGE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: 2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36; Matthew 7:6.12-14

We all know how it feels when we are oppressed on all sides. As they often say, misfortunes and suffering never come singly but in a barrage. That was the situation of King Hezekiah. His country was under siege by the powerful nation King of Assyria. He received an ultimatum to surrender. Assyria would grant them peace on condition that the citizens were deported to Assyria. But this would mean the eventual destruction of the political and religious systems in Judah. The dynasty of David would be terminated. Most of the all, the glory of God would be compromised and God would no longer be the God of Israel.

Humanly speaking the temptation to compromise was so persuasive. Judah was a tiny nation as the Northern Kingdom was already conquered by Assyria in 722 B.C. Hence, it was simply impossible to withstand the onslaught of the army of Assyria.

In the face of opposition we too, often bend to our opponents, even when their demands are not only unreasonable but immoral. We make all kinds of compromises in order to retain our position or privileges. Young people today face all kinds of ridicule with regard to their moral positions, especially on sex and faith. At the office, we have to deal with office politics as we jostle with our fellow workers for promotion, recognition and power. Sometimes we are under pressure by our superiors to engage in illegal activities. In business, often we are under pressure to sacrifice our moral values in order to please our clients or even cheat our consumers by exaggerating or misrepresenting our products. Yes, quite often good leaders, because of their unpopular but good policies, are booted out of office or lose favour with the populace or those affected by their righteousness.

What must we do in the face of such a situation? The exhortation of Jesus is clear, “Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” What is this narrow gate? Faith! Yes, we are called to trust in the Lord and His Fidelity to us. Like the psalmist we must believe and declare with confidence that “God upholds his city for ever….God is with her castles; renowned is he as a stronghold.”

Of course, to have the faith of Hezekiah calls for great sacrifice and total surrender to the power of God. The faith that is asked of us involves firstly a total submission to God’s holy and divine will. Like Hezekiah, we must be ready to accept God’s Will and abide by it, regardless of whatever outcome, trusting that His will is His wisdom and will be good for us. So long as we are not fighting with His Divine Will and willing to allow God to take over our lives, then we have defeated the root cause of our anxieties, namely, fear!

Secondly, our faith must be focused on God as our First Truth and Supreme Good in life. If God is the Ultimate in our lives, then faith requires us to do everything within our means to protect God’s Holy Name, which is what we say every time in the Lord’s prayer, “Holy be your Name.” This means that we will not allow anything by our actions or words to discredit the Name of God, which is to compromise His Glory and His Power. If Hezekiah was insistent in not giving in to Sennacherib’s demands, it was because of his faith in God and his refusal to allow his God to be defeated by the pagans. This would only confirm their mockery of Yahweh.

Isn’t this what Jesus told us as well? “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.” Regrettably, many Catholics behave in this manner. Some even speak disparagingly of their own faith and doctrines. We have received the gift of faith. We have been imparted the gospel and the love of God. But instead of placing our faith in Him and giving Him glory in our lives, we do not give due reverence and appreciation of the faith that has been handed down to us. Not only have we been irresponsible with our faith, but also the talents, opportunities and resources the Lord has blessed us with, whether it is position of leadership and influence; wealth or talent. Instead of using such blessings from God for His service and of humanity, we use them only for our own selfish benefits, sometimes even for the destruction of our competitors.

Thirdly, if our faith in God is real, it must not just be a thought but an existential experience expressed in practice. Catholics and Christians proclaim the fundamental Christian faith in God who loves us and has given His life for us in His Son through His passion, death and resurrection, and finally in the sending of the Holy Spirit. If this assent of faith is not merely a doctrine, then it must be demonstrated by our love, charity and compassion towards our fellowmen. Jesus summed up this truth when He said, “So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” If we say that God is love and that He has loved us and we have experienced that love, then we must act accordingly with regard to our relationship with others. We would correspondingly treat them the way God has treated Christ Jesus who gave up His life for us. When we do not extend the same love we have received from God, then we have failed to appreciate the true meaning of the Law and the Prophets and the gospel message! In the final analysis, we not only do not love Jesus but discredit His Holy Name.

So what must we do to increase our faith in God? Well, what did Hezekiah do when he was under pressure? He fell down on his knees, even though he was a king, and then prostrated himself before the Lord in prayer and self-surrender with all humility. But not only did he pray, he solicited the help of others, especially holy men like the prophets to intercede with God. To pray is more than just telling God what we need, but more importantly to listen to His Will. And so through the Prophet Isaiah, Hezekiah was reassured that God would protect the City and that the Assyrian army will not enter the city: “by the road that he came on he will return.”

And we read that the impossible became possible because of divine intervention. “That same night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib struck camp and left; he returned home and stayed in Nineveh.” Truly, God intervenes in ways beyond our imagination. I have heard many testimonies of how God worked in such astounding ways in the lives of our people and in my own life as well. Whether it is dealing with an unreasonable boss, a difficult issue, an illness, a hopeless situation or a financial crisis, those who surrender their problems to God have encountered the power of God working in extraordinary and astonishing ways. Let us trust in the Lord and with the faith of Hezekiah, commend everything to Him because He alone is God and Lord of all the earth.