Daily Prophets
Day 35
“Return Israel to Adonai, your God, for you have fallen because of your sin. Take words with you and return to Adonai. Say to Adonai, Forgive all guilt and accept what is good: Instead of bulls we will pay with [the offering of] our lips.”(Hosea 14:2-3).
I am going to split up the last chapter of Hosea into 2 or 3 days. These first verses are so powerful for the nature of the call to Israel. Hosea is not saying just come back and everything will be fine, rather he is saying take responsibility and stop trying to vindicate yourself and not admit your guilt, bring the offering of your lips, I understand to mean speak truth and keep your pledges.
He introduces T’Shuvah (repentance, return and response) in all of it’s aspects in these two verses. In the first sentence, Hosea is asking us to realize the ways we have turned away from Adonai, decency, covenant, etc. This is the inventory/accounting of our soul that is a prerequisite for living well. Stop making excuses and finding ways to blame others, stop lying to yourself and admit truth.
The second sentence is reminding us that we have to go to the people we have harmed, in this case Adonai, for the wrongs we have committed, ie, breaking the covenant, treating people like objects, assaulting people’s dignity, integrity, etc. The third sentence here is how to have a new response. Instead of giving lip service to the Covenant with Adonai, ask for forgiveness and no more empty rituals, we are here to say what we mean and mean what we say.
In his book The Prophets, on page 43, Rabbi Heschel teaches us that these verses show us that Adonai sent Hosea not to berate Ephraim/Israel but rather “to effect return and reconciliation”. This is an important teaching for all of us; to want the return of and reconciliation with loved ones no matter how many times they have hurt us. It is so hard and Hosea is pointing out the power of this and God’s ability to do this and our duty to.
If only our political leaders would return to us and admit their sins. In our current political climate, everything that happens is through a partisan, power-seeking lens. These good God-Fearing men and women need to reread these verses from Hosea and see the ways that they have offered up empty rituals instead of truth. How they have practiced the political promiscuity that Hosea speaks about. It is high time that our governmental leaders own up to the errors, stop prosecuting “their enemies” while whitewashing “their friends/co-conspirators”. I am challenging the Republicans and Democrats who have said one thing and done another, who have held one person accountable and not another who has done the same action to Repent, Return and commit to a New Response.
In Recovery, this is the core of our program. We are constantly seeking ways to return to God, to family, friends and to any other people we have harmed. Step 10 says: “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” Without this step, we would/could think that it inventory and amends was a one and done, that we were cured. Not so fast, AA is telling us; this is a life-long process and we have to keep aware of our actions and continue to make amends, return to God and another(s) and keep our words/commitments.
The wording of this step is so beautiful. It says: “when we were wrong” not if we were wrong. Like Hosea, this step is waking us up to reality, we will make mistakes during the day, week, month, year. Recovering people know that we have to take stock of ourselves daily and change the ways we erred, apologize for them and resew the fabric of the relationship we have torn. We know that we have to own our part.
In my life, the process of T’Shuvah has saved my life. It began in a prison cell and has continued to this day. I have made T’Shuvah with many people and my requests for forgiveness and desire to reconnect in a meaningful way is accepted much more often than not. Like Israel, I have sinned and I have come to people and Adonai in remorse and desire. I keep erring and keep have to do this. I also have to do this whether or not another person owns their part. It is hurtful and sad when a long-term relationship is harmed by my actions and, upon my attempts to reconcile, admit my part, and the other party remains stuck in their ‘righteousness’. I am in that situation now and I have come to acceptance and compassion for this other party and for me.
Each day, I engage in a struggle to not blame and accept responsibility for my errors. The struggle is so much less now than 35 years ago. I don’t go to people and ask them just to forgive me, I have to know how I harmed them, I have to recognize their humanity and dignity. I hate when people call me and ask me for blanket forgiveness at Yom Kippur; “If I have done anything to harm you” flies in the face of the Prophets words above. I have to be specific and “take words” of truth, remorse and repentance with me to the people I have harmed. Will you follow Hosea’s words and do daily inventory and make our returns.