Today’s readings are full of deference to God in a particularly interesting way. “He sets up walls and ramparts to protect us”. “Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just”. “A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace”. “He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down”. “The Lord is God, and he has given us light”. “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock” (Isa. 26:1–3, 5; Ps. 118:27; Matt. 7:24).
Notice something with these verses. God is the one taking the initiative. The Lord is the one who sets up the walls and ramparts, opens the gates, lets in the just nation, keeps the nation in peace, humbles those in high places, brings down the lofty city, gives light, and speaks the words to which we must listen. By human appearances, this is probably not what seems to be the case. The Israelites probably erected a great many walls and ramparts, opened many gates, and defended cities from attack, but the reality is that God was the one responsible for all of it.
In fact, God does not simply deserve the credit for all of these good things, He is the origin and guarantor of them. Without God’s help, the Israelites never could have done all of the amazing things they did, from the Exodus on through the Davidic Kingdom. Without God’s providence, any endeavors would have ended prematurely or never would have started to begin with. As Jesus implies in the Gospel, without God first giving His words to us, we would not know what to do at all. Without Him, we can do nothing.
A closer look at these verses shows an underlying attitude of receptivity to God’s will. To say that God has done and does all these things indicates an understanding that it is God who makes everything possible, who allows every success and every victory. In keeping with that truth, the Israelites prayed for God’s help whenever possible, and when they received His grace they tried to follow where it led. He set up the walls, and they dwelt in the city. He opened the gates, and they entered. He enlightened, and they understood.
Jesus advocates this same attitude of receptivity. If we are to hear the words of Christ and do them, then we must be attentive enough to listen to them. This is the step between hearing and doing: listening and internalizing with receptive attention. We can do this both with the words, as we hear in the Gospel, and with acts, as we notice in our other readings. Ultimately, this receptivity is an acknowledgment of the truth about reality. God has created all things and constantly guides them to their proper purpose. It is for us to seek out His purpose in creating and governing the world and to adapt our ways to His, making our decisions on earth as they would be made in heaven.
Las lecturas de hoy están llenas de deferencia a Dios de una manera particularmente interesante. “ha puesto el Señor, para salvar[nos], murallas y baluartes”. “Abran las puertas para que entre el pueblo justo”. “[El pueblo] de ánimo firme para conservar la paz”. “[É]l doblegó a los que habitaban en la altura; a la ciudad excelsa la humilló”. “Que el Señor, nuestro Dios, nos ilumine”. “El que escucha estas palabras mías y las pone en práctica, se parece a un hombre prudente, que edificó su casa sobre roca” (Isa 26,1–3, 5; Sal 118,27; Mat 7,24).
Dense cuenta de algo en estos versículos. Dios es el que toma la iniciativa. El Señor es quien levanta los muros y baluartes, abre las puertas, deja entrar a la nación justa, mantiene en paz a la nación, humilla a los que están en las alturas, derriba la ciudad encumbrada, da luz y pronuncia las palabras que debemos escuchar. Por apariencias humanas, esto probablemente no sea lo que parece ser el caso. Los israelitas probablemente erigieron muchos muros y baluartes, abrieron muchas puertas y defendieron las ciudades de los ataques, pero la realidad es que Dios fue el responsable de todo.
De hecho, Dios no solamente merece el crédito por todas estas cosas buenas, Él es el origen y garante de ellas. Sin la ayuda de Dios, los israelitas nunca hubieran podido hacer todas las cosas asombrosas que hicieron, desde el Éxodo hasta el Reino Davídico. Sin la providencia de Dios, cualquier esfuerzo hubiera terminado prematuramente o nunca hubiera comenzado. Como implica Jesús en el Evangelio, sin que Dios nos diera primero sus palabras, no tendríamos idea qué hacer. Sin Él, no podemos hacer nada.
Si miramos más de cerca a estos versículos vemos al fondo una actitud de receptividad a la voluntad de Dios. Decir que Dios ha hecho y hace todas estas cosas indica una comprensión de que es Dios quien hace todo posible, quien permite todo éxito y toda victoria. De acuerdo con esa verdad, los israelitas oraron por la ayuda de Dios cada vez que les fue posible, y cuando recibieron Su gracia, trataron de seguirla por donde sea que los llevaba. Él levantó los muros, y habitaron en la ciudad. Él abrió las puertas y entraron. Él iluminó, y ellos entendieron.
Jesús nos anima a tener esta misma actitud de receptividad. Si vamos a escuchar las palabras de Cristo y ponerlas en práctica, debemos estar atentos para escucharlas. Este es el paso entre escuchar y hacer: escuchar e interiorizar con atención receptiva. Podemos hacer esto tanto con las palabras, como escuchamos en el Evangelio, como con los hechos, como notamos en las otras lecturas. En última instancia, esta receptividad es un reconocimiento de la verdad sobre la realidad. Dios ha creado todas las cosas y las guía constantemente a su propósito apropiado. Nos corresponde a nosotros buscar Su propósito al crear y gobernar el mundo y adaptar nuestros caminos a los Suyos, tomando nuestras decisiones en la tierra como se tomarían en el cielo.
David Dashiell is a freelance author and editor in Nashville, Tennessee. He has a master’s degree in theology from Franciscan University, and is the editor of the anthology Ever Ancient, Ever New: Why Younger Generations Are Embracing Traditional Catholicism.
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