Memorial of Saint
Aloysius Gonzaga, religious
(II Kings 19:9b-11.14-21.31-35a.36; Matthew 7:6.12-14)
Many see God as the author of creation. They reason that there must be a first cause
of the universe. They also recognize
that the physical laws of the universe are so finely determined that if they
were changed a bit, absolute chaos would result. Today’s first reading challenges the world to
see God as the Lord of history as well.
The passage from the Second Books of Kings, a history of
Israel, relates a famous story. Just as the
king of Assyria is about to attack Jerusalem, he is turned back in his tracks. It is not Judah’s army that stops the siege. Rather a pestilence has broken out among the
troops forcing a retreat. Because God is
viewed as the controller of nature, He is seen now as the Judah’s savior. He seems to be in control of history as well
as creation.
God works in many ways and always through secondary
causes. We see His hand in the downfall
of the Soviet empire and the protection of tiny nations like Costa Rica. We believe that God is bringing the world
together in peace despite many regional conflicts. He will use human agency and may not
accomplish the task for millennia. But
because God loves humanity, He will see the various nations and peoples reconciled
by the end of time.
