June 13th - Reflection

Joel 2:18-29 (NRSV)
The promised spirit of God
Then the Lord became jealous for his land,
and had pity on his people.
In response to his people the Lord said:
I am sending you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a mockery among the nations.

I will remove the northern army far from you,
and drive it into a parched and desolate land,
its front into the eastern sea,
and its rear into the western sea;
its stench and foul smell will rise up.
Surely he has done great things!

Do not fear, O soil;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
Do not fear, you animals of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit,
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
O children of Zion, be glad
and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the later rain, as before.
The threshing floors shall be full of grain,
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.


I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent against you.

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other.
And my people shall never again
be put to shame.

Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
Reflection
This thought of a jealous God always puzzled me in catechism. But when I found out that the translation also included the emotion of zealous, it all began to make sense. God is zealous for us in a jealous way. God's love is personal and direct. God's love is the love of a living God, both zealous and jealous. There are times when I need to be punished. But God punishes me in a loving way. A way that draws me out from myself and closer to God. God punishes me as a loving father would punish his children. God loves me in a close and fatherly or motherly way. And God's jealous or zealous love flows even more so with blessing and reward. God provides all that I need, food, family, friends, and all needs for daily bread. Yes, God is a jealous God that acts out his love in a zealous way towards his children.

In this love, God chose to pour out his Spirit upon his children. In the Old Testament, it seems as if the Spirit is given to certain special people. But this passage refers to a future time when God's Spirit would be poured out in abundance. This came true in the passage of Acts chapter 2 and is true today. God has poured out his Spirit on the church. We are called, empowered, gifted with the Spirit and sent into the world to act in jealous ways towards those God gives to us in our daily lives. We are sent to love and point to that love God has shown us. We are sent to be active for the poor and oppressed, the hungry, the ill and those who don't know that a jealous-zealous God is alive and active today. All in that jealous-zealous love! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I hear the call, I'm aware of the blessings, I know of the gifts you have given. You have poured out your Spirit and empowered your people. As this day progresses, may I with jealous zeal proclaim the love you have given and act out that love in service to those you give to me this day. --- Amen