A permanent deacon at one of my previous parish assignments was fond of reminiscing about a part-time job he had as a teenager in the 1940’s.  He worked for a grocer in Ybor City which sold olive oil and spices to the Greek restaurants in Tarpon Springs. Greek import products were difficult to obtain at the time; consequently, restaurants and shops in Tarpon Springs had to adapt to using olive oil and spices imported from Spain and sold by vendors in Ybor. 

The deacon was fond of talking about those weekly deliveries to Tarpon Springs because they entailed a full day of travel, much of which was on dirt roads; as the youngest member of the delivery crew, he was relegated to riding in the cargo area of the delivery truck.  This was far from desirable for both the grocer and his customers, but it was a practical adaptation to a challenging situation. 

Today’s first reading addresses a practical adaptation to an unforeseen challenge.  During the approximately fifty years of the Babylonian Captivity, the Judean captives had to adapt to living under subjugation in a foreign country.  When Babylon was conquered by Persia, the exiles were allowed to return to Jerusalem, but their lives were very different from the lives of their predecessors who had been taken captive by the Babylonians.   

Many of the captive Judeans had married gentiles.  When the Judeans were allowed to return to their homeland, a question arose about those gentile spouses and relatives.  Specifically, many asked whether those gentiles could be allowed to help rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.  Previously, gentiles were not allowed inside Solomon’s Temple, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. 

The practical resolution to this practical question is contained in our first reading today.  The prophet Isaiah, speaking on God’s behalf, said, “Observe what is right, do what is just, for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.” (Is 56:1)  This prophetic utterance meant that those gentiles who observed the requirements of the Law of Moses would be judged acceptable to help to rebuild the Temple and worship there.  The returning exiles accepted this practical accommodation because it was obviously better to have the help of gentile relatives than to have no Temple. 

This and similar prophecies from the post-exilic period formed the foundation of a universalizing perspective on salvation in Hebrew religion expressed by God’s word, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (Is 56:7)  Jesus took up this universalizing perspective in his ministry.  Today’s Gospel provides an example of Jesus extending his ministry to those outside Hebrew ancestry and religion.   

The legitimacy of Christianity as a religious phenomenon separate from Judaism derives from this universalizing perspective.  Furthermore, there is a necessary adaptation in the lives of believers that is required by this universalizing perspective.   

The promise of God’s favor to non-Israelites brought with it the requirement that these new recipients of favor would imitate God’s mercy.  The justice and righteousness referred to in the first reading were traditionally a description of God’s actions towards God’s People; God always acts in ways that are true, good, and compassionate.  Now, said Isaiah, justice and mercy were also to be a description of the People’s actions toward one another as well as strangers. 

The consequence of God’s welcome to all peoples is that all individuals who accept God’s favor are required to act with justice, mercy, and trustworthiness.  A commitment to act in this manner requires one’s constant adaptation to circumstances, as well.  Today, it’s very common to complain about, or refuse, to make any accommodation to disagreeable people or circumstances.  There is, however, a simple and compelling reason to make faithful adaptations to changing circumstances. 

About twenty years ago, a worldwide banking crisis was precipitated by western governments’ inability to absorb the shock of widespread mortgage defaults by borrowers who carried debt obligations beyond their ability to repay.  Obviously, it would have been better not to allow unqualified borrowers to accumulate excess debt.  It would have been far better, however, if national economies and central banks had the resiliency to cope with those economic losses.  The lack of such resiliency had negative effects even for those with no debts. 

Struggle is unavoidable in this world, but struggle doesn’t necessarily lead to failure or collapse.  The returning Judeans struggled with the changes caused by their deportation, but they didn’t fail to rebuild their city and Temple because they had the resiliency to remain faithful in their struggle.  Acting toward others with justice and righteousness will always be a struggle, but it is a struggle that both gives evidence of our faith and resiliency to our faith.   

No one loses, or is diminished, by adapting to difficult circumstances; rather, those who adapt themselves to remain faithful in difficult situations grow stronger in faith and virtue.  God says, “Observe what is right, do what is just, for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.” (Is 56:1)  It is far better to adapt to difficult people and circumstances than to deny oneself God’s justice and righteousness by denying justice and righteousness to others.