SEEKING THE LORD - A: 25th Sun in OrdTime

First Reading: Isa 55:6-9 (20 Sept 2020)

“Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near” (Isa 55:6).

Our First Reading today is an explicit invitation to seek the Lord, presuming that he is in a fixed space awaiting humanity to approach him. But what does “seeking” denote regarding the status of God? Is he hidden or lost in the wilderness? Is he imprisoned or trapped in a precarious area? Or is he merely testing man’s tenacity and just playing hard-to-get?

These suppositions above are far from being accurate since the prophet knew well God’s specific location: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9). Isaiah is clear here that God is in the heavens (v. 9), and this locale is definitely reachable as it is only “nearby” (v. 6).

It is, then, humanity’s task to find ways to bridge the gap since God has already created a multitude of means for their ensuing encounter.

The Greek word used in the Septuagint here is “zēteō.” This verb has three basic meanings (cf. BDAG), and I believe that the prophet may mean all of them concerning our spiritual journey on earth toward reaching God’s abode in heaven.

The first meaning of “zēteō” is “to try to find something, seek, look for in order to find.” The book of Wisdom directs us to how it is done: “Think of the Lord in goodness and seek him with sincerity of heart” (Wis 1:1). In short, any God-seeker must possess a humble heart. By embracing humility, one acknowledges his/her weaknesses, sinfulness, and dependence on a higher being for salvation. In contrast, anybody filled with pride, anger, and self-reliance can never find God, for s/he only sees the reflection of his/herself.

The second connotation of “zēteō” is“to seek information, investigate, examine, consider, deliberate.” Here, we imagine ourselves to be detectives of God’s presence. While clouded by humanity’s sinfulness and the world’s spiritual darkness, God’s ubiquity is not easily recognizable to the naked eye. Thus, one needs to painstakingly be informed about God, read and study more about him, and engage in daily introspection and collective reflection to grasp his ways. In this regard, “zēteō” infers sound communal discernment, discussion, and judgment, as suggested in Jn 16:19 when the apostles sought to understand Jesus’ enigmatic words in the so-called Last Supper.

Finally, the third sense of “zēteō” is “to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective, strive for, aim (at), try to obtain, desire, wish (for).” This entails strong human resolve to find God at all costs. Matthew reveals that it is best achieved by looking for and performing God’s righteousness: “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt 6:33). In simpler terms, even if we are untrained in doctrinal matters and limited in accessing spiritual guidance, our determination to act and behave righteously at all times is already a huge step in reaching God.

By and large, we are challenged by Isaiah to seek the Lord with the sincere humility of our hearts, with the enthusiastic interest of our minds, and with the relentless zeal of our desires.

- Rex Fortes, CM