A Lenten Word - Return

Homily for Friday of the Third Week in Lent

The word of the Lord comes to us today from the prophet Hosea. Biographical information about this particular prophet is scant. The only information we know of concerns his marriage. Even if we cannot reconstruct what happened exactly, the text as it now stands speaks of three moments in the relationship: first love, separation, reunion. It is the context of that last moment that we hear the word “Return.”

“Return, Israel, to the LORD, your God…”

Hosea uses his experience of marriage as a symbol of the covenant between the Lord and Israel. Hosea speaks about the first love, the short period of Israel’s loyalty in the desert, which was then followed by a long history of unfaithfulness lasting until his day. Hosea accuses Israel of three crimes in particular. Instead of putting their trust in the Lord alone, the people break the covenant: (1) by counting on their own military strength, (2) by making treaties with foreign powers (Assyria and Egypt), and (3) by running after the false gods of their supposed allies.

Israel has forgotten that the Lord is its strength, its covenant partner, and giver of fertility. This unfaithful behavior will lead to Israel’s destruction by Assyria, but God’s love will have the last word.

As we move through this day of our Lenten journey, let us remember the words of Hosea, particularly the call to return to the Lord our God. “Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.”