I know some of us are probably ready for spring. We have had a lot of snow this winter. Remember the freezing rain in December that gave us the Ice Castle in downtown Cleveland? It made national news. The feet of snow that we had in February and the flooding that it caused as it melted in early march. My parents just called to let me know that our basement was flooded with five inches of water. I think it’s safe to say that the snow and the rain have done their job.
In today’s first reading The Prophet Isaiah proclaims: “Thus says the Lord: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes froth from my mouth. It will not return to me voice, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.
God’s word is like the rain and the snow that we have received over these last months of winter. It comes to us in abundance. Whether we shovel the driveway or not, the snow keeps coming. And whether we pick up and receive God’s word or not it keeps coming. IN ABUNDANCE. The blessing is that it will not return to him void. Just as the snow melting waters the earth, when we are surrounded by God’s word, when it piles up on us; it has the tendency to have an effect.
In the Eucharist there is an abundance of God’s word. His word is dumped onto us as the first reading is proclaimed, more comes with the responsorial psalm, the gospel acclamation, the Gospel, the homily, hopefully, and all of the Eucharistic Prayers are based on the Word. God pours his word on us lavishly. Sometimes it can seem like too much… like we’ve had enough snow… we’ve had enough water… we’ve had enough words… and that’s why there are moments of silence in the liturgy where we can just allow the Word of God to soak into us.
God’s word has a way of working on us. He gives it to us in abundance… and as the snow and rain water the earth very naturally, so does God’s word with us. Trust that His Word is alive in your life, He is watering you, it does have an effect on you and His word is achieving the end for which God sent it.
