On Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a scripture passage from the book of the prophet Hosea (14:2-10) entitled "The call to repentance and the promise of healing". Our treasure, which follows, is from a treatise On the Incarnation of the Lord by Theodoret of Cyr, bishop.
Theodoret of Cyr was fifth century influential theologian of the School of Antioch, biblical commentator, and Christian bishop of Cyrus. He played a pivotal role in several 5th-century Byzantine Church controversies that led to various ecumenical acts and schisms. He wrote extensively on the Incarnation of the Lord, exploring the dual nature of Jesus Christ as both fully divine and fully human. His work, particularly his dialogue Eranistes (also known as Beggar) and his letters, delves into the complexities of Christ's two natures, emphasizing the union of divinity and humanity in one person without confusion or separation. He highlights the significance of Christ's incarnation for human salvation and addresses the challenges posed by various heresies, particularly Monophysitism, which denied the full humanity of Christ.
Hosea, a prophet from the Northern Kingdom, preached in his homeland, which he addresses as Israel, Jacob or, frequently, Ephraim. Hosea began his mission in a period of prosperity, the last years of Jeroboam II (783–743 B.C.). This was followed by a period of internal instability, with intrigues at the royal court leading to the assassination of several kings. Hosea witnessed the revival of Assyria, the Syro-Ephraimite war, and the numerous treaties the Israelite kings made with Egypt and Assyria to survive. Hosea's long ministry (ca. 750–725) seems to have ended before the capture of Samaria in 722/721.
The only information the text provides us about the life of Hosea 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. This marriage is 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 Baals, the gods of fertility. Israel thus forgets 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. The back and forth movement from doom to salvation is typical of the Book of Hosea.
