REFLECTIONS

The Scriptures offer a profound and multi-faceted revelation of God. In different situations God is revealed as judge, as saviour, as servant, as creator, as father, as mother, as lover, etc. One of the most powerful and perhaps shocking images we find, especially in the book of Exodus, is of God as a warrior who frees the Israelites from slavery by slaying their enemies. Clearly God, the warrior, is not one to ignore. The Israelites would not have treated lightly the Lord’s threat to kill them with the sword if they molested of oppressed the stranger in their midst or treated widows and orphans harshly.

This warrior God is praised in today’s responsorial psalm.

The Scriptures put this psalm on the lips of David after the Lord had rescued him from the clutches of his enemies.

Using military images, David praises the Lord for being his fortress, his shield, his stronghold and his mighty strength against his foes.

The image of God as a warrior can be very disturbing. We need to see that what motivates the Lord to be a warrior is a deep love for those who are oppressed. We can think of the fierce love of parents who will do anything to protect their vulnerable children.

We cannot love this God without also loving God’s people.

Not to love our neighbour is to put ourselves at enmity with God. Today’s first reading urges us not to adopt a narrow definition of neighbour. The stranger in our midst will always be the object of the special love of our warrior God.

~ God’s Word Daily Reflections 2026