January 12, 2025: God is for You
GOD IS FOR YOU
There was once a man who came to the priest’s house with his dog. He said, “Father I want to have my dog baptized.” The priest said, “Oh, we don’t baptize animals.” “But please Father, I really want him to go to heaven and he’s been such a good companion, and I tried the other churches down the street, the Lutherans and the Methodists . . . and I have a check for $500 dollars for the person who will baptize him. “Oh,” said the priest, “Did you say it was a Catholic dog?” It's a joke. We don’t baptize dogs.
I have a question for you, which do you choose: that the universe is against us, the universe if for us, or the universe is neutral? Choice one. Now hang onto that thought. Oftentimes how we look at the universe directly correlates to our view of God.
If we think that the universe is neutral, it could be translated into an indifference. That is, a feeling that the universe is neither for us nor against us. And so there is no God for us or against us. That basically we are on our own in the universe. This can lead to an attitude that there probably is a God and God might even be just and good, but this God is not actively involved in my life. That is, in thinking that nothing is going to happen unless I make it happen. There is no active trust in the presence of God, or the reality of God, or that God makes any real difference.
This can lead someone to go through all the rites and sacraments, even attend Church weekly but the grace of God hasn’t touched them, and so all the notions about God stay in their head with no conversion or excitement. If anything, God is something far off in the distance.
If people stay in this indifference, it could lead them to that second worldview . . . that the universe is against them. That reality is hostile, destructive or judgmental. Hence God is not only NOT involved, but God must be appeased. That God is somehow against us: watching us, judging us, critiquing us, certainly not on our side, but making sure we jump through the hoops, making sure that somehow we win God’s favor.
This explains why a lot of people no longer want to go to church, or believe in God. For God is angry and judging them all the time. Hence people get afraid of God. St Alphonsus Liguori (founder of the Redemptorist Order in the 1700's) wrote, “If God wanted us to be afraid of him, he would have come as an emperor with a mighty army, instead God came as a baby.”
The third alternative comes from the gospel today. This is the message that God spoke to Jesus and is the same message God has been trying to tell you. God says, “You are my beloved son, my beloved daughter. With you, I am well pleased.”
For this group, the universe is not against you, nor is just sitting around indifferent to your needs. Somehow, the universe is on your side. Reality can be trusted. You don’t need to pull the right strings or push all the right buttons . . . grace is everywhere. It’s good to be here. Life is perhaps difficult, but it is still good and trustworthy at its core.
Are there bad things that happen? Of course. Will there be setbacks and disappointments? You bet, but at the core of our existence is that we are loved by God. And this love can be trusted. And the universe isn’t against you or even mediocre about you . . . but that your life is meant for the big “ah-ah.” That you are meant for a fullness of life. St Paul tells us that there are three things that really matter: faith, hope and love.
If you find yourself anxious and worried all the time, perhaps you need a start-over, a re-do, an awakening like Jesus received from John. Or as the second reading said, we get this not by our doing but because of God’s mercy. It’s a gift.
So you can stay angry at the universe (or God), or you can be “aun?” about life. But try this, this week expect to see goodness. Expect to encounter joy . . . and you will! If you only expect badness, you’ll be right. But . . . expect that the situation you are so worried about WILL work out. NOT because of your doing or your wisdom, but because of God.
At the end of my prayer time each day, I usually end with thinking about my day and what I have going on, then I ask, ‘I wonder how you will surprise me today, God.” Try it this week. As God says, “You are my beloved. I am pleased with you. I have great things in store for you.” Trust that. Start believing it. This could be your year!
