Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The peace descends from the faith
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; Exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! For thus says the Lord: I will spread prosperity over her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you; in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort. When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bodies flourish like the grass. Is 66,10-14b
Today Jerusalem is divided in three parts, which correspond to the three monotheistic religions: the Christian, the Hebrew and the Muslim zones. These are three different cities which do not communicate among them, if not because of some terrorist attempt or sabotage, which sometimes take place. In Ebron, the town where Abram is buried, the three religions are still fighting because of his tomb. Considering this real situation which is still there after so many centuries, we enter in the Isaiah passage: “rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; Exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! For thus says the Lord:I will spread prosperity over her like a river”. What did it happen? Did something go wrong in the history of the salvation? When Isaiah announced this universal peace, Israel was experiencing a period of religious and moral decay, which risked to drag it out from the path of its alliance with God. This prophecy, however, is not based over the fidelity of Israel, but over the fidelity of God, who cannot be unfaithful, because he would negate himself. The vision of this today passage is more credible because Jesus Christ, to create the prerequisites for it, died on the cross and he resurrected. Also our time is experiencing a decay of the faith and of the moral, in a confusion of religions, of cultures and of languages, which reminds the not mutual understanding of the men who built the tower of Babel. Nevertheless Jesus Christ, when we are together in the prayer in his name, addresses to us the same welcome words which he addressed to the apostles: “Peace be with you” (Jn 20,19). Our peace descends from the prayer, but mostly from the faith of God and, depending upon the mode under which we accept it, we become builders of peace in the world. Give us, Lord, the faith to believe that as of today, as on the beginning of the times, you spirit maker of order and peace is over the chaos which we perceive every day: “the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters” (Gn 1,2).