God’s ‘wrath’ and ‘jealousy’ cries out for something much more deeper

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

“Looking Ahead” is a reflection on the Sunday readings by Father Perry for the Third Sunday of Lent.

“The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That’s all there ever is.” — Eckhart Tolle.

God describes himself today as a “jealous” God.

The wrath of Jesus flares up as he spills over the tables of the money changers and drives them out of the temple area. His disciples recall the words of scripture: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Angry, jealous, zealous, punishing — are a few of the negative images that many relate to when they think of God.

These human terms describing God are just that — a human way to describe “our” reaction to events and attitudes which we then attribute to God.

God cannot be limited by feelings. God does not have a thought or truth. God is all truth.

He does not think things; he is all things. Therefore, the passionate response of God is not meant to be a description of God. His “wrath” and “jealousy” cries out to the significance of the laws of God and the sacredness of, in this case, the temple.

The sacredness of the temple becomes a sign of the sacredness of the “temple” — our body — in which grace and Spirit and God reside.

Father Perry’s reflection on the scriptures for our elect to be baptized at Easter

Jesus has a conversation with the woman at the well.

He sees into her life, reveals truth to her, and calls her to belief.

She immediately evangelizes her town as she runs to them and relates all that has happened to her.

They experience Jesus, and their own testimony reveals the faith they discover within themselves: “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

This story shared on the day of the First Scrutiny invites us to deeper faith and comfort at how deeply known and loved we are by Christ.

This should cause us to have confidence to scrutinize our lives, see what remain as obstacles to full faith in Christ Jesus, then allow his love and mercy to overwhelm and envelope us.

“Come, Lord Jesus!”

Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.