Psalm Reflection: The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A

“I love you, Lord, my strength.” - Psalms 18

Who or what represents strength to you?

A person? 

A feat of strength?

Perhaps a force of nature, like a hurricane or a volcano erupting?

What about a majestic mountain, or a massive redwood tree?

I cannot help but think of the powerful lion, but not just any lion: a very particular lion named Aslan.

In the Chronicles of Narnia novel, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, author C.S. Lewis uses allegory to tell the story of Jesus, who is symbolized by the lion Aslan. When some children find their way into Narnia, they eventually meet a pair of talking beavers who describe Aslan to them:

Mr. Beaver tells one of the young girls, Susan: “He is King of the wood and the son of the great emperor-beyond-the-sea. Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great lion.”

Susan expresses concern and asks, “Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

Mrs. Beaver replies “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

This prompts the youngest child, Lucy to ask, “Then he isn’t safe?” 

Mr. Beaver replies, “Safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

When we call the Lord our strength, we are recognizing both His goodness and His power. We can accidentally lose this when we hear God’s love described, or the very fact that He is love itself (1 John 4:8), because we tend equate love with soft, timid, gentle and romantic qualities. 

That is not real love, and that is not what we mean when we say that God is love.

Real love is sacrificial.

Real love willingly bears the burdens of others.

Real love is not self-seeking, but serves.

Real love is something people fight for.

Real love is a choice, a concrete action.

Real love is not safe, but it is good.

I recently came across a reflection by Peter Kreeft, where He writes from God’s perspective about the relationship between His love and His justice. A single line leapt off of the page when I read it:

I am wild, not tame.

Real love is dangerous, risky, wild, and passionate. This does not mean that God is somehow chaotic or out of control, but He is not timid either. When we approach Him in love and simply look for the warm, fuzzy feeling in return, we are not really looking for God; we are looking for an experience.

God does not want His love to be some experience you have in your life. 

God wants His love to change and transform your entire life.

God, however, is a gentleman and will not go where He is not invited, or where there is no openness. He respects our free will, because without the ability to choose we cannot freely love.

We must invite His wild, dangerous love into our lives.

We must let go of our small, limited understanding of God and let Him surprise us.

Let God overwhelm you with His love this week.

Invite Him to show off in your life.

It might be scary, but I guarantee it will be good.

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

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, October 29th, 2023, which is The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A: Psalms 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51.