Who is like the Lord?
“Who is like the Lord?” This is the meaning behind the name of our next prophet in this series: Micah. Originating from humble rural roots, he is just the kind of man to tell us to “walk humbly with your God” as he himself did that. However, Micah was not one to shy away from confrontation; he boldly confronted the leaders of his time for their corruption and for the injustices inflicted upon the people. Thus, “Who is like the Lord” fits rather well for a man chosen by God to reveal the nature of the Messiah and guide us in becoming more like Him.
Micah tells us that the Lord is like a gatherer of the scattered and lost. He foretells the exile and captivity of God’s people, which indeed occurs over a century later. Restoration and hope will arise, not through civic leaders and false prophets, but by the Lord’s hand. In our current times, how often do we seek reassurance and security from political leaders and charismatic preachers as we witness society’s decline and the erosion of values? Who will we look to to shepherd us? God responds, “I will surely gather all of you. I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture” (Micah 2:12) While Jesus does not directly quote Micah, the echoes of his message resonate in the Gospel of John: “I am the Good Shepherd. I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. There shall be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14, 16).
“Who is like the Lord?” – Micah did not witness the fulfillment of this question during his lifetime, but the answer again is found in Jesus. Jesus came to “teach us God’s ways” so that “we may walk in His paths” (Micah 4:2). In Micah’s time, a question was raised that resonates deeply with the concerns of both men and women today: “What does the Lord require of me?” Instead of patiently awaiting a response, various options were posed: “Shall I come before the Lord with burnt offerings?”, “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or barrels of oil?”, or “Should I give my first-born the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7) We can hear similar reflections in our own lives when we ponder: “Should I give up desserts, TV, or social media for Lent?”, “Should I pray four rosaries a day?”, “Should I walk the whole Camino barefoot?” The question underlying those questions might actually be, “What do I need to do to be in good standing with God and attain salvation?”
Micah shares this insight with us, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what the Lord requires of you: To do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”. (6:8) God calls us to embody what Jesus exemplified and fulfilled, urging us to follow His example. “Jesus is our only Master who has to teach us; our only Lord on whom we ought to depend; our only Head to whom we must be united; our only Model to whom we should conform ourselves; our only Physician who can heal us; our only Shepherd who can feed us; our only Way who can lead us; our only Truth whom we must believe; our only Life who can animate us; and our only All in all things who can satisfy us” (St Louis Marie de Monfort, Treatise on True Devotion, n. 61).
Micah makes sure we have the right questions: Am I living in a way that honors the call to justice, mercy, and humility? Do I strive to align my actions with the example and teachings of Jesus?”
Take time to speak to the Lord about your desires to walk humbly with Him so that you may be increasingly transformed into becoming like Him. Then listen to those daily invitations to act with justice and mercy.
This month’s meditation is by Sr. Tatum McWhirter, AVI.
