Thursday, January 13, 2022

who has fear of the Lord?

 Homily
Thursday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time C2
St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas
AMDG +mj

Who is fearful of the Lord?

I hope you realize I mean a holy fear, not a slavish one.  I speak of true reverence for the holiness of God.  Who has that fear?

It turns out in today's reading from Samuel that the Philistines do, moreso than the Israelites.  After a defeat, the Israelites go grab the ark of the covenant, to use as a prop in battle.  Their bravado, instead of real fear, backfires as it reminds their enemy the Philistines of the great battles the Lord has won for Israel.

So the Philistines fight more bravely in response.  Their fear exposes the fear of the Israelites as a sham.

It's a reminder to not fake my fear of the Lord, nor use it as a prop.

Do I truly fear the Lord?


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