The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 223: Responding Well (2023)

Episode Date: August 11, 2023

Fr. Mike takes us through the last chapter of Isaiah by explaining how our emotions can sometimes get in the way of us responding well to those around us. This means mourning with those who mourn, and rejoicing with those who rejoice, as Isaiah teaches us in preparation for the coming of Christ. Today's readings are Isaiah 66, Ezekiel 25-26, and Proverbs 14:1-4. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. It is day 223. We are reading from Isaiah chapter 66, the final chapter in the book of the prophet Isaiah. We're also reading Ezekiel chapter 25 and 26, Proverbs chapter 14, verses one through

four. As always, the Bible translation that I'm reading from is the revised standard version, second Catholic edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. You can also subscribe to this podcast and you can receive daily episodes and updates just like that. It's a piece of cake and it works like clockwork. As I said, it's the final, the

conclusion of the book of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 66, as well as we're launching into yesterday. Gosh, Ezekiel's wife died, marking the moment of the destruction of this final siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple. this final siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple. Now, in Ezekiel chapter 25 and 26, we're going into some words of prophecy against some of the nations, right? So the nations, not necessarily the people of Jerusalem, we're shifting Ezekiel's gaze and the Lord's gaze to prophecies against the Ammonites, against the Moabites, against

the Philistines and Edomites and Tyre and Sidon, those kinds of folks. But before that, we are going to jump into the conclusion of the book of the prophet Isaiah. The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 66, the judgment of God. Thus says the Lord, heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. What is the house which you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things are mine, says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I look, he that is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. He who slaughters an ox is like him who kills a man, he who sacrifices a lamb like him who breaks a dog's neck, he who presents a cereal offering like him who offers swine's blood, he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense like him who

blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations. I also will choose affliction for them, and bring their fears upon them. Because when I called, no one answered. When I spoke, they did not listen. But they did what was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I did not delight. Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word. Your brethren who hate you and cast you out for my name's sake have said, let the Lord be glorified that we may see your joy.

But it is they who shall be put to shame. Listen, an uproar from the city, a voice from the temple, the voice of the Lord rendering recompense to his enemies. Before she was in labor, she gave birth. Before her pain came upon her, she was delivered of a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she brought forth her sons. Shall I bring to birth and not cause to bring forth, says the Lord?

Shall I bring to birth and not cause to bring forth, says the Lord? Shall I who cause to bring forth shut the womb, says your God? Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her. Rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her, that you may suck and be satisfied with her consoling breasts, that you may drink deeply with delight from the abundance of her glory. For thus says the Lord, whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you. You shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice, your bones shall flourish like the grass. And it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants, and his indignation is

against his enemies. For behold, the Lord will come in fire, and his chariots like the storm wind, to render his anger in fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the Lord execute judgment, and by his sword upon all flesh. And those slain by the Lord shall be many. Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating swine's flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, says the Lord. The new heavens and new earth. For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put,

and Lod, who draw the bow to Tubal and Javan, to the islands far off that have not heard my fame or seen my glory, and they shall declare my glory among the nations. And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the Lord upon horses and in chariots and in litters and upon mules and upon dromedaries to my holy mountain Jerusalem, to the Lord upon horses and in chariots and in litters and upon mules and upon dromedaries to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the sons of Israel bring their cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says the Lord,

so shall your descendants and your name remain. From new moon to new moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the Lord. And they shall go forth and look on the dead bodies of the men that have rebelled against me, for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, Chapter 25 Prophecy Against the Ammonites

The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, set your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Say to the Ammonites, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God, Because you said, Aha, over my sanctuary when it was profaned and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate and over the house of Judah when it went into exile. Therefore, I am handing you over

to the people of the east for a possession, and they shall set their encampments among you and make their dwellings in your midst. They shall eat your fruit and they shall drink your milk. I will make Rabbah, a pasture for camels, and the cities of the Ammonites a fold for flocks. Then you will know that I am the Lord. For thus says the Lord God, because you have

clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within you against the land of Israel. Therefore, behold, I have stretched out my hand against you and will hand you over as spoiled to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries. I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Prophecy against Moab. Thus says the Lord God, because Moab said, behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations. Therefore, I will lay open the flank of Moab from the cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth and Ba Baal-Me'an and Kriath-Taim. I will give it along with the Ammonites to the people of the east as a possession,

that it may be remembered no more among the nations. And I will execute judgments upon Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord. Prophecy against Edom. Thus says the Lord God, because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and as grievously offended in taking vengeance upon them. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast, and I will make it desolate.

From Taman even to Dedan, they shall fall by the sword, and I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel. And they shall do in Edom according to Dedan, they shall fall by the sword, and I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel. And they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, says the Lord God. Prophecy against the Philistines. Thus says the Lord God, because the Philistines acted revengefully and took vengeance with malice of heart to destroy in never-ending enmity. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, behold, I will stretch out my hand

against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Kirithites and destroy the rest of the sea coast. I will execute great vengeance upon them with wrathful chastisements. Then they will know that I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon them. Chapter 26, Prophecy Against Tyre. In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken. It has swung open to me. I shall be replenished now that she is laid waste. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against you, O Tyre,

and I will bring up many nations against you as the sea brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, says the Lord God. And she shall become a spoil to the nations, and her daughters on the mainland shall be slain by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord. For thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,

king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers. He will slay with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you and raise a roof of shields against you. He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you. Your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots when he enters your gates as one enters a city which has been breached.

With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will slay your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. They will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters. And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more. I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt.

For I, the Lord, have spoken, says the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to Tyre. Will not the islands shake at the sound of your fall when the wounded groan, when slaughter is made in the midst of you? Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones and remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling. They will sit upon the ground and tremble every moment and be appalled at you.

And they will raise a lamentation over you and say to you, how have you vanished from the seas, O city renowned? That was mighty on the sea, you and your inhabitants, who imposed your terror on all the mainland. Now the isles tremble on the day of your fall. Yes, the isles that are in the sea are dismayed at your passing. For thus says the Lord God, when I make you a city laid waste, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you and the great waters cover you, then I will thrust you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you to dwell in the netherworld among primeval ruins, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will

not be inhabited or have a place in the land of the living. I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you shall be sought for, you will never be found again, says the Lord God. The book of Proverbs chapter 14 verses 1 through 4. Wisdom builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. He who walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. The talk of a fool is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. Where there are no oxen, there is no grain, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. Father in heaven, we give you praise. We thank you so much. Gosh, Lord, thank you for journeying with us. I mean, Lord, I know that the book of the prophet Isaiah can be so intimidating. The book

of any of the major prophets can be so intimidating. Here we are in the middle of Ezekiel, and here we are concluding Isaiah, and yet you walked with us and held our hands as we just sought to understand what it was that you were speaking to the people of Jerusalem, the people of Israel at the time. And what you're speaking to us today, Lord God, as often as your word is confusing, as often as your word, we only understand it like through as through a veil darkly. We just ask that you please continue to illuminate our minds. And above all, even when our minds are darkened,

to inflame our hearts with the love for you, that we can have the appropriate approach to you, the appropriate attitude towards you, the appropriate response to you. We ask that you match our emotions up with reality around us, that we only feel fear when there's something to fear, that we feel joy when there's something to be joyful at,

when we mourn those things we're called upon to mourn, we grieve when we're called upon to grieve, and we rejoice when we're called upon to rejoice. Oh God, knit us back together, make us whole again. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Well, I was praying about that reality of that God, please help us to have the right feelings, because we recognize our feelings can be wrong. I mean, this is not to say that our feelings are necessarily sins. Like, you know, if I feel anger, I feel wrath, I feel lust or whatever. Those things are often involuntary. But we also recognize that our feelings can be inaccurate. Our feelings, how we respond to a thing can be wrong. And so here, let's start with Ezekiel first here, before we get to the last chapter of

Isaiah, is we have this motion that Ezekiel is making for the next couple of chapters where he is giving a prophecy against the nations around Israel. And one of the things that's highlighted is those people, the Ammonites and the Moabites, who they said, aha, when they heard about the destruction of the temple, this idea that, huh, you know, either being indifferent or being rejoicing at the destruction of God's home, God's presence, God's sanctuary, the temple of worship. And that response was wrong. In fact, that response, that response of indifference or that response of rejoicing at the destruction of God's place, God's dwelling place was the wrong response, right? So that they were called to have mourned the people of Israel with the people of Israel. They're called

to have mourned the destruction of Jerusalem and they did not. And that is a big deal when our feelings, our response even does not match up with what we're called to have, right? And you can contrast that with the end of the prophet Isaiah, because it talks about how, oh, there's going to be the day when you rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, be glad because of her. All you who are mourning over her,

you mourned because it was the appropriate thing to do. When Jerusalem was being sacked, when it was being destroyed, when it had false worship in there and you were mourning that, that is the entirely appropriate response. Remember yesterday when Ezekiel's wife died and he didn't mourn because he's basically saying, this is what you're going to do when Jerusalem gets destroyed, when the temple gets destroyed, you're going to hear about it and you're not going to mourn this.

And here in Isaiah 66, where no, you mourn with those who mourn and you're rejoicing when it's time for rejoicing. That, in fact, it says, you'll be delighted at her glory. And this is so, so incredible. You'll be delighted at her glory. Because this last chapter of Isaiah's book of prophecy is remarkable. I love this. Just like, who has heard such a thing?

Who has seen such a thing? He says that, I will extend prosperity over to her like a river. The wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. He says that I will extend prosperity over to her like a river. The wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. Goes on to say that people will come from all over the place. And he uses this term, the new heavens and the new earth, that they will come, the nations. Like remember, all the nations. That means not just Jewish people, but God is going to bring the Gentiles.

He's going to bring non-Jewish people. Remember, go back all the way to Abraham, the promises to Abraham. You'll have this land. You will have a dynasty, and through you, the entire world will be blessed. And here, Isaiah is concluding this book by saying that they'll come to you upon horses and chariots and litters, upon mules, upon dromedaries. Dromedaries, what a great word. Dromedaries like camels. Camels like the three wise men. We don't know how many there were, but, you know, tradition just says three. The wise men who journeyed from afar and came to do what? Came to worship the Messiah. And this is incredible.

They came to worship him. And this is what all of everything at the end of the book of the prophet Isaiah is talking about is, is that, yeah, not only will the Lord restore to the Jewish people, his blessing, not only restore all these things, he's also going to extend to the nations. He's going to extend to them his goodness. He's going to extend to them his glory.

Remember what God has angels sing on the night of the nativity, where the shepherds are gathered glory to God in the highest. This is glory. This is so much glory. Isaiah 66, all flesh will come. All flesh will come to do what? All flesh will come to worship him. And just even saying there will even be priests from among those who are not Levites in the new covenant. They won't have to be Levites in order to be priests. And we have Jesus Christ, the great high priest. We have the ministerial priests, like priests in the Catholic and Orthodox tradition. And we also have the priesthood of the faithful, like every baptized person shares

in the priesthood of Christ. And what a great gift that we find ourselves in this moment, in this place right now. It is just an incredible, incredible gift. And so we got to pray for each other because you have to live like this, to live and to realize that God has extended his blessings to us, that we have to say, okay, Lord, when there's something to mourn, let me mourn. When there's something to rejoice in, let me rejoice. There's a great song that just talks about this. Help me to love the things you love and hate the things you hate. That is a bad paraphrase, but basically God, give us a heart like yours. That is a gift of God's grace. It's been a gift of God's grace to be with you for 223 days. Let us keep praying for each other. I am praying for you. Please pray for me.

My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless. you