Psalm Reflection: The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

“Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.” - Psalm 33

Does God play favorites?

It always amuses me when I hear people praying about their sports teams winning, or even hearing a reference in a homily seeking divine intervention for the priests favorite team. 

Does God not care about the other team? 

Does He really want anyone to lose? 

Does He really even care about the sport in the first place?

The reality is that all of us are God’s favorite. The table in Heaven is not a long one with positions of honor seated closest to God at the head of the table. No, the table in Heaven is round, with the Triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit—at the center facing each one of us. Every seat is a seat of honor.

From the very beginning of humankind, God made a covenant with Adam and Eve, the firstborn of creation so that they, and all of us after them, would be in relationship with Him. However, we all know how the story goes: sin entered the world and separated us from God.

Despite humanity being unfaithful, God remained faithful and continued to choose us, to reach out to us, to desire relationship with us, and to try and help us overcome our sin. 

You are a people holy to the LORD, your God; the LORD, your God, has chosen you from all the peoples on the face of the earth to be a people specially his own. - Deuteronomy 14:12

God continued to seek out a faithful remnant among the entire world, first through Noah and then through Abraham. So, when Scripture talks about the “other nations” or makes it seems as those the chosen people are a select few, that does not mean God rejected the rest. Scripture is pointing out that the rest of the world were chosen too, but they rejected God and turned away from Him. They left behind their chosen-ness.

If you look at all of the major nations and enemies of the Jewish people in Scripture, they are all descendants of Noah and Abraham.

From Noah’s sons come

the Medes and the Greeks (Genesis 10:2, see footnote), 

the Canannites (Genesis 10:6), 

the Babylonians (Genesis 10:10), 

the Assyrians (Genesis 10:11), 

the Philistines (Genesis 10:14), 

the Jebusites and the Amorites (Genesis 10:16), 

the Egyptians (Genesis 10:6, 14, 19, see footnotes),

the Arameans (Genesis 10:22), 

and a host of other foreign nations.

From Abraham’s nephew, Lot, come the Moabites and the Ammonites (Genesis 19:30-38)

From Abrahams grandson, Esau, come the Edomites (Genesis 25:30).

Every enemy of the Jewish people in Scripture was once part of the chosen family, but chose to turn away from God. Everyone was created and called to be in the family of God. Every person you meet is chosen by God for a purpose, even if you cannot see it.

Jesus reminds us of this when he says:

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. - John 15:16

Jesus is telling those He has chosen to go bear fruit that will remain, fruit that will help those who have fallen away. What sin has torn apart and fractured, Jesus desires to make whole again.

Do you realize your role in that plan? 

Do you see yourself as chosen by God for a divine purpose?

Do you recognize in everyone you know and encounter a divine purpose?

Unfortunately, religion can easily have an insider-outsider dynamic. In reality, every single human being who has ever walked the face of this earth, including those alive today and those who will in the future, is chosen by God and is considered an insider in the kingdom of God. Our job, is to use our gifts and relationships to invite and welcome people back home where they belong so they will know the truth of who they were created to be. Then, they will be inspired to use their own gifts relationships and do the same.

This week, think of one person in your life who would probably consider themselves an outsider when it comes to faith, religion, or God. Find some way to communicate to them that they are loved by God and that He has an incredible plan for their life. Share your own story of how you once felt like an outsider before Jesus changed your life. Invite them to something disarming and welcoming like a social, a parish festival, or a program for those curious about faith like Catholicism 101 or Alpha. Have a conversation with them with zero judgment and open, honest dialogue about their views and beliefs about God.

At the wedding feast of the lamb, every seat is equal, but will every seat be filled? The answer to that question is up to us. Go and do what you can to fill one of those seats this week by sharing the love of God with someone who does not feel like they belong yet. 

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt