Surprises and more about the Wisdom of God 1

First surprise:

OF “HOW WHO IS NOT GUILTY OF ANYTHING”

TO REALLY BE THE CAUSE.

Reading the Book of Lamentations, at the beginning of chapter 4 (4, 1-4) I realize that this “music” is playing to me, I go back and verify that the beginning of the first chapter of this same book (1,1-4) presents certain similarities, which although it has caught my attention, it does not surprise me because I have already realized that, in the image of the sobs, of suffering the pain, the book is repetitive.

But, on the other hand, reading and rereading I do realize that I am surprised that these two “almost” parallel texts contain some notable differences that end up marking, albeit somewhat hidden, a huge difference. Let me explain: In chapter 1, 1-4 we are told of a people in disgrace who …

“She has become like a widow … She spends the night crying … There is no one to comfort her … all her friends have betrayed her, they have become enemies … in the harshest slavery … no one goes to parties … and what bitterness is in it! “

He does not seem at all guilty of his situation, rather it seems that everything that happens to him has fallen from the sky, that Jerusalem is completely oblivious to what happens to him.

On the other hand, in chapter 4, 1-4, although the misfortune is also related to us in the form of a lament, some expressions are inserted that make us, if we look closely, conclude that the “misfortune” does not is alien, but She herself, Jerusalem, has had something to do with it …

“the purest gold has been tarnished! The sacred stones are thrown in all the corners. Even jackals present their udders to suckle their cubs; but the daughter of my people has become cruel … “.

The city of Jerusalem, its inhabitants, throw the sacred stones around the corners, they resemble jackals, it has become cruel … I insist that these expressions contain the fact that Jerusalem has been unfaithful to his God. They have entered a dynamic of withdrawal that ends up leading to unhappiness.

In the end, I think we can agree that in chapter 1 we are anticipating the consequences of sin that chapter 4 points out. It is, incredible, one of the first feed-backs in history.

Second surprise:

OF “NOT SEEING ANYTHING CLEAR OR EXIT ANYTHING”

TO FIND GOD, HOPE AND MERCY.

One goes reading and reading, and he’s already halfway through chapter 3 and … how dark this is, I don’t see anything clear or find any way out. I only encounter anguish and, therefore, a lot of hopelessness. But … weren’t we the chosen ones? Has God abandoned us? Will you prefer the Babylonians? Or are the Babylonian gods more powerful than our God?

It is inevitable to ask oneself questions, which try to answer the uncertainty, even more pronounced by the apparent silence of God, which ends up leading to greater uncertainty, discouragement, hopelessness …

But we reached 3.19 and, surprise, there is water in the oasis, the horizon shows another landscape:

“ But I start to think about something and this fills me with hope: The Lord’s mercy is not extinguished or his compassion is exhausted; they are renewed every morning, how great is your fidelity! ” (3, 21-23)

Hope, mercy, compassion, faithfulness, goodness, forgiveness, salvation … and so much that the landscape changes! We are no longer facing a dead end but rather a tunnel in which we see the light of the exit, the light of God’s mercy that gives us hope.