AS David looked up into the skies and contemplated the vast and endless heavens, the beauty of the night captured his heart in worship and adoration to God, and so he shouted, “O Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.”
Then he reflected on the seemingly insignificant value of a human being like him in contrast to the vastness of the heavens. Hence, he cried out:
“When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place—What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him?
You have made him little less than the angels and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet….” (Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7)
These are my favorite phrases from the Book of Psalms. They speak about David’s amazement at what God has done in us, human beings, making us superior above other creatures under heavens and stewards of all that he created.
They also convey David’s immense gratitude and humility regarding God’s action of entrusting the world and the rest of humankind to each one of us. They declare David’s belief in the almighty God and unique interest in humankind.
Today, when many people seem to have given up on their belief in God and no longer wish to become part of any faith tradition or religion, David’s words are suitable to bring up for critical reflection. In a society when some citizens deify mortal men such as national heroes, David’s confession destroys human arrogance, pride, and self-sufficiency.
Like David, the order and the beauty of nature, our intelligence and our capacity as human beings to search for purpose, meaning, and truth should evoke faith in God.
For us Christians, this is God who decided to relate with us as a triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: one who creates, redeems, and sustains.
Perhaps we need to teach this basic tenet of our Christian faith even to those who are already baptized. They seem to have forgotten what they learned about the history of our salvation. We need to convince them about the truth of God’s actions in the history of mankind as written in the Sacred Scriptures, particularly how he redeemed us through the life, death, and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.
We also need to show people how the Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church through any periods of confusion, darkness, pain, and struggles. Despite the persecutions of Christians and attacks on their faith in all forms, the Church that God established through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit will never be destroyed. The Spirit of Jesus Christ will continue to live in our hearts and the world.
In his article, In Response to God’s Silence, Chris Hazell of Word on Fire gives us these encouraging words:
“Submitting to God, and the mystery of his sometimes peculiar and painful ways is a sobering challenge, one we can’t escape as we journey back toward the Kingdom of God in this life. God gives us enough grace and light to have a reasonable, firm, and joyful belief in him, but so much of our lives remain unclear—we’re asked to trust in his plan even when it appears chaotic, unfair, or meaningless.”
Let our belief in God be strong. Let God who revealed himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bring us awe, joy, and hope! Amen.
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From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1991-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
