How long, oh Lord?

A reflection on Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4

How long, O Lord? I cry out for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not intervene. Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife and clamorous discord .

Then the Lord answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint. If it delays wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash man has no integrity; but the just man because of his faith shall live.

This first reading for this Sunday is one I think we can all relate to in our lives for we have all known challenges and struggles. Historically this is an interesting passage in some ways because while we don't think much of challenging God with our perceptions and feelings these days, our ancestors had for a long time a different relationship with God. Humanity for years saw God (or the gods depending on their beliefs) as a deity all too ready to crush men and women if they didn't please him. So complaining to him could get you killed or worse. God was someone you sacrificed to and whom you obeyed to try not to be punished. Unfortunately there are those who haven't progressed from this mind set. Gradually however the Israelites came to have a real relationship with God as a people whose hearts God wanted to share. They risked opening up to God. 

Then Jesus comes to show us an even greater image of God, one in which we could really come fully into a relationship of children with God who is Father and Mother to our spirits. This was and still is a radical concept that we may take for granted. Jesus came to show us an image of God we could not imagine in the Old Testament revelations fully. Jesus came to show us a God who not only wasn't interested in squashing us when we failed ,but was more ready to forgive and heal than we could imagine, one who wanted only good for us as a Holy Compassionate Father and an All-loving Mother.

The reason the image of God  appears to change through the scriptures is not because God is changing, but because we as a human people are evolving spiritually gradually into a people who can enter into relationship with the Mystery of God in more wholistic ways. We as individuals also evolve or metamorph as we journey spiritually. We each come from unique perspectives of the divine formed from the traditions and images of our families, friends, and churches. At some point though as we mature spiritually, we have to step forward if those traditions are going to have any real meaning for us and enter into a unique relationship with God on our own terms: spirit to Spirit so to speak. I am not trying to trash organized religion, I am a practicing Catholic myself, but I think most organized religions recognize they can only take an individual soul so far, the rest of the journey of awakening has to be undertaken by each of us uniquely and what works best for one will not always be the most suitable for another. Our souls are as varied and unique as the universe God created and yet just as we share the same makeup as the stars; so too the individual human spirit has so much in common with others and with the Spirit from whom we are all authored.

So this passage can be seen then as the sharing of the human heart with the divine heart. God, I'm hurting here, do you even care? None of us have ever experienced this angst right? Yes, this is a part of being human and struggling to reach out in our dark moments to a Light we hope is real. And the Light says: I am real, be not afraid, my Love is greater than all challenges and my Light is greater than all darkness. Hang in there, there is a plan. Believe and trust in me that you may live and live fully.
Jesus through his incarnation says to us: Know you do not hang alone, I have already done the hanging for you and I will never leave you alone in your challenge and suffering. Spirit speaks:
I am the very breath within you, rest assured I walk you through your sufferings and difficulties. I am the very bridge that takes you from the darkness to the Light. Believe; you will not be disappointed. I will not abandon you ever.

To have integrity is simply to be whole, to be true to our oneness with God. If we are awake to this oneness, the ride through the rapids or the climb up the mountains of life will be much less taxing and fearsome.
God's blessing be upon all of us wherever we are on the journey.