November 22, 2022

Hosea 2:16,17,21-22

I decided to go with the reading of the Feast of St. Cecilia today because I think we need to transition. I like the eschatological theme we have been having but I think we get it, life ends focus on what does not end. Pivot!!!

The first line from Hosea says “The Lord says this:

I am going to lead her out into the wilderness

and speak to her heart.” I remember as a young passionist brother we used to have “desert days.” Usually on Fridays we were encouraged to go find a quiet place, be alone and quiet enough to hear the voice of God. Here is the deal … that is luxury. I mean I am not knocking quiet days but as I have been plunged into the real, crazy, screaming, petty fights world I know it is luxury to go find a quiet place and let God speak. The desert wasn’t luxury though. The Jewish people almost quit in the desert. They had to rearrange their lives, deal with snakes, deal with the fighting Amorites, don’t forget the thirst and no fried chicken. They said to Moses “it would have been better for us to die as slaves than be in this freaking place.” I once met a woman who asked me to pray for her and she said “father, just one minute of peace would be nice.”

So what does this all mean? Leading me into the desert to speak to me? Life is a desert experience. Here we have to figure things out, here we have to readjust again and again. The desert can be a tough place to hear God. But the Jewish people did hear the voice of Yahweh amidst that tough rough place. I said two weeks ago at church that there isn’t an experience you are having now which someone in this church has not had. So I pray that you find the right person to talk to about your crazy, loving, hurting, healing family and life. You can do this!!!