[stephenkhoo]

Scripture Reflections
Monday, 12 December, 2011, 3rd Week of Advent
ARE YOU RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD AND FROM YOURSELF?
SCRIPTURE READINGS: NUM 24:2-7, 15-17; MT 21:23-27

Right from the beginning of creation, men and women have always wanted to do things their way. The book of Genesis tells us how Adam and Eve insisted on their way of “becoming God” so that they have knowledge and life. Instead of listening to God, they listened to their own voice, prompted and encouraged by the seducer, Satan himself. We are not very different from our forefathers. Like them, we try to change God’s plan for us. We do not like the script that God has for us and hence we want to script the way we want our lives to pan out. And so we make decisions based on our desires and preferences instead of consulting God on what He wants us to do. This is true not only in secular work or in daily decisions in life, but also in serving God and His people. Many Catholics join Church organizations and ministry based on what they enjoy doing rather than what the Lord is asking of them to do. How many Catholics consult the Lord before they commit themselves to Church ministries or non-governmental voluntary organizations?

The truth is that we want to run away from facing the Lord and our real selves. We are not honest with ourselves, with who we are, the talents we have, the constraints we live with and our selfish desires. We want our will, and not God’s, to be done. At the same time, we are not ready to accept God’s will for us, our place in life and in His plan of creation. We find excuses and justification to pursue our dreams and happiness in our own ways. We do not want to seek God’s wisdom. We trust in ourselves more than we trust Him. We want to play God. What is worse is when we even find all ways, even unscrupulous means, to achieve our goals, such as cheating, manipulating and politicking. Some get involved in astrology, charms and magic to obtain what they desire. Little do they realize that they are handing themselves to the power of evil! We do not realize how foolish our actions are until we face the consequences of our bad decisions. Even then, when we are reaping the consequences of our foolishness, we continue to deny that we are the cause of our own miseries and that of our loved ones. We continue to live in self-denial and blame others for our sufferings. Never our faults but others, we say!

This was the same escapist attitude of Balak, the King of Moab. When the Israelites gathered near their borders, he was afraid that they would eventually overwhelm them. Instead of coming to terms with the situation, he sought the help of a sorcerer from Midian to pronounce curses on Israel so that they would lose the battle with them. He wanted to use magic to destroy his enemies. Initially, Balaam the pagan prophet was also of the same mind. He knew that he had to proclaim what God tells him, but he too thought God would allow him to cast curses on Israel, for when Balak’s men came to see him, he told them, “You remain here as the others did, so that I may learn what more the Lord may say to me.” (Num 22:19) He was hoping that the Lord would change His mind.

Similarly, in the gospel, we have the religious leaders who refused to submit to John the Baptist and of course to Christ. They too were living in self-denial. They were afraid that their status quo and standing before the people would be compromised. They wanted to hold on to power at all costs. Yet they knew deep within them that John the Baptist was recognized by all the people, and that he was a prophet of God. Clearly, they knew that the people believed John the Baptist had divine authority. Yet, they pretended that they did not know this when questioned by Jesus. If they were to affirm so, then it would also mean that they have to accept Jesus as having divine authority to teach and to work miracles since John the Baptist always spoke of himself as the precursor of the Messiah.

The truth is that we cannot find happiness unless we do the will of God, speak His Word and live the portion of the life He has allotted to us. Instead of desiring to fulfill our own plans, we must seek to align our will with His. Obedience is the key to happiness in the final analysis. This is what Balaam learned. He knew that happiness cannot be bought with money. Twice he said in reply to Balak’s envoys, “’Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go against the order of Yahweh my God in anything, great or small. Now please stay the night here yourselves, and I will learn what else Yahweh has to tell me.’” (Num 22:18-19; 24:13) He also said, “How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?” (Num 23:8) Indeed, we attain happiness in life only when we truly follow God’s plan. Gold and riches will not bring us lasting joy and peace.

Secondly, Balaam teaches us that God is faithful to His plan. God does not change His mind. Nothing we do prevents His plan from unfolding. In his second oracle, he said, “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Num 23:19) St Paul also says, “if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. (2 Tim 2:13). In the letter to the Romans, St Paul wrote, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” (Rom 11:29) Hence, Balaam in the third oracle prophesied the coming of a great king. “A hero arises from their stock, he reigns over countless peoples. His king is greater than Agag, his majesty is exalted.’” (Num 24:7) And in the final oracle, he specified this king to be from Israel when he said, “I see him – but not in the present, I behold him – but not at close hand: a star from Jacob takes the leadership, a sceptre arises from Israel.”(Num 24:17)

Thirdly, Balaam tells us that God sees our future, and not our past. He sees what we could become, not what we were. He chose Israel to be a great nation in spite of their humble beginnings. Similarly, John the Baptist lived in abject poverty in the desert and Jesus too was only the son of a carpenter. God chooses ordinary people, such as the twelve apostles, without much standing in society or even in holiness to become His leaders and ambassadors to the world. In other words, God is the one who is at work in us and God can accomplish great things beyond our imagination. He has more confidence in us than we have in ourselves. This is so because we lack confidence in Him!

Fourthly, God also uses pagans to do His work. He used the services of a soothsayer to carry out His divine plan and proclaim blessings for His people. He sent a donkey to teach Balaam the necessity of obedience to His word and of not compromising the truth. When Balaam insisted on his own way and the donkey refused to follow him, he was beaten three times. And God made the donkey speak out against Balaam saying, “‘Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?’ ‘No,’ he said.” (Num 22:30) In other words, if the donkey has been so obedient to him, why was Balaam not obedient to God? Are we ready to listen to His voice that comes to us through not only from the Church and priests, but also fellow Christians, loved ones or even ordinary people and even strangers! Or are we too proud like the religious leaders and Balak?

As we prepare for the coming of Christ to fulfill His plan in us, we must therefore pray today for the same Holy Spirit that inspired Balaam to say and to do the right thing. “Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem.” (Num 24:2) Unless we are obedient to the Lord as Jesus and Mary were, God cannot fulfill His plan for us. By hindering His ways, we only bring destruction to ourselves and forfeit the fullness of life He wants to give us.

Hence, we must make time for the Lord and to seek direction from Him. We need to pray like the psalmist for wisdom and understanding. Yes, we must say, “Teach me your ways, O Lord. Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior.” However, God can only teach us His ways if we are humble and live upright lives in obedience to Him. “Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way.” If we are not humble and sincere in seeking the truth about ourselves and God, then Jesus will say the same thing to us, “Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.”