Nearly 30 years ago, Fr. John Foley, S.J., of the St. Louis Jesuits
group, published a song in their "Gentle Night" Advent
and Christmas album entitled "Patience, People" (based
on James 5: 7 - 9). Its verses go: "See the farmer await the
yield of the soil / He watches it in winter and in spring rain;
You have seen the purpose of the Lord / You know of His compassion
and His mercy; Steady your hearts for the Lord is close at hand
/ And do not grumble, one against the other." Then the antiphon:
"Patience, people, for the Lord is coming."
Somehow, the words of this wonderful Advent song came to mind as
I read today's Gospel, and I thought about the enormous extent of
God's patience with us and with all of creation, as well as the
crying need for us to await patiently the fulfilment of God's promises.
Like a farmer or anyone planting a garden, we patiently await as
the mysterious process of growth from seed to sprout occurs, and
we must pay careful attention to the tender development of those
first shoots that suddenly appear on the surface of the earth. Our
grower's heart leaps with joy when we see them, for we know we will
have a garden!
Creation and Redemption, the work of God, is so mysterious, so enormous,
so full of promise that it comes to fulfilment only after much time,
much suffering, much rain, much sunlight -- both darkness and enlightenment.
Patient waiting is absolutely essential, similar to the divine patience
of the One who planted the seeds of salvation in the dark, damp
earth of our human condition. The story of David and Bathsheba reminds
us of how dark and damp is the soil God works with. (And isn't it
telling that the two stories best known about David -- the love
affair with Bathsheba and the duel with Goliath-- are the two favorite
themes of our entertainment: sex and violence?) All of God's great
plans, the vision of a king "after His own heart," seem
dashed by David's lust and treachery! To the sin of adultery is
added the sin of murder, as David tries to cover up his sinfulness.
Yet, God is not defeated by human sinfulness and misery; the one
through whom God's promises will be fulfilled is Bathsheba and her
future son, Solomon!
What an opportunity this is for us to reflect on our own lives,
as well as on our Church! See how God continues to bring forth good,
to foster growth, to teach us love through our very mistakes, our
sins, our excesses, our revolts, our losses! This examination of
how God's tenderly forgiving love seeps into the dark, dampness
of our earthiness and our sinfulness and brings forth new life and
love should take us to our knees to pray today's response, Psalm
51, perhaps the most beautiful psalm (attributed to David) ever
written (the "miserere"):
"Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
In the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me...
"Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice."