The Book of Haggai was written after the return from the Babylonian exile. Haggai wrote this prophecy to help the Jews from defeatism and lethargy because of certain obstacles that presented themselves after their return. They were trying to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and nothing was working . The population was demoralized.
Is there defeatism or lethargy in your life?
I must admit that it has sometimes crept into my life. I also think it did with the Apostles. Jesus told them, “the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised”. The Apostles must have felt similar to the Jews of Haggai’s time. There was so much the Apostles didn’t understand even though the understood that He was the Christ. The same is true for us.
I made a mess in the kitchen recently. I broke a full container of powdered sugar. What a mess! Fine sugar was everywhere and it took a great deal of effort and we are still finding some escape piles. Sometimes it is hard to get started on the right road and especially when roadblocks step in the way and we feel defeated.
Haggai writes, Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the Lord of Hosts; and in this place I will give you peace, says the Lord of hosts!” Greater? Yes! Jesus is telling us how to arrive at the greater Glory and achieve peace.
Our Gospel begins ,”Once when Jesus was praying in solitude…” We need to shutout the noise from our life from cell phones, Facebook, work, children and worry. We have to insist for 5 minutes to shut out the noise and focus on the glory. Last Sunday in Church , I was sitting in the pew listening to a short organ solo when I noticed a woman at the Statue of the Blessed Virgin in deep prayer. I shut out all the other noise of people chattering as they left Church and focused on the woman praying. Her back was to me and I never saw who she was but, kneeling in prayer, she had cut out the noise in her life. I felt so compelled to join her in prayer. ” Where two or more”.
So the message of Haggai and Luke are simple. Overcome defeatism by removing at least for a while the noise in our lives. Spending time before the Blessed Sacrament is my go to solution. Simple prayer at home is my alternative. The Psalm for today says, “Then will I go into the altar of God”.
Look at the picture of the Blessed Sacrament above and cut out the noise for a few moments right now. We cannot see God’s glory or put an end to roadblocks in our life with out a renewed spirit. Peace is attainable. God’s glory can be seen even in the midst of the noise around us.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please pray for Bill, Paul, Kathryn, Anna and all the others with Cancer.
Picture Credit: “Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament” by Elmar Eye is marked with CC PDM 1.0
