Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Adversatives
Today, we have a grammar lesson. What is an adversative? Why is it important? Why does it belong on a Lenten reflection blog?
An adversative is defined as "a word or phrase expressing opposition or antithesis." The most common adversatives are but, still, yet, whereas, while, and nevertheless. I think there is an argument for these adversatives to be classified as some of the most important words in all of Scripture. Why? Answer: because adversatives allow us to acknowledge our present circumstances and appeal to God's character to pull us through to better circumstances in the future. David does this all the time throughout the Book of Psalms. We see an example in today's Responsorial Psalm:
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing. (Psalm 30:5)
David acknowledges that there are times of sorrow, but they will not last. In his commentary on Psalm 30, Albert Barnes writes that: "The idea is, that weeping is like a stranger - a wayfaring person - who lodges for a night only. In other words, sorrow will soon pass away to be succeeded by joy." David's use of an adversative empowers him to embrace a hopeful perspective instead of getting bogged down in his difficult circumstances.
So, how can adversatives help us? Well, I think we can apply an adversative to every circumstance in our lives which threatens our joy in God. A few examples could be:
My schedule this week is totally overwhelming, but I trust that God has everything planned out.
I am already anxious about final exams, but I know I still have time to prepare and that God is with me.
I broke my Lenten commitment again: nevertheless, I will recommit myself this week and live in God's grace.
The idea is that we should both acknowledge the circumstances that we face and appeal to the reality of God's kingdom, His promises, His love, His grace, His mercy, and His faithfulness to help us press on. We live in an often troubling world, yet we are nourished and propelled by an eternally hopeful reality. Let us appeal to that reality each day, pairing each adversity with an adversative to help us build our trust in God, eliminate our anxieties, and find deeper joy in God forever.
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