All are Coming back

The Prophet Zachariah addresses the people who have returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile in the text today from the Roman Catholic Church. Friar Jude Winkler tells us that these people faced life in a community which had been destroyed and which offered little security to the inhabitants. Zachariah proclaims the intention of God that Jerusalem is returned to peace and joy as the centre, as the psalmist declares, of the praise of the name of the Lord for His faithfulness to the remnant who returned. The Diaspora will also return to Jerusalem and live there as the people of God. Our understanding sometimes is to see some people as more the children of God than others.  The Gospel of Luke today is set just after Jesus Transfiguration. The apostles, perhaps in discussion of the experience of James and John, try to order the figures of the Kingdom as to their importance. Jesus declares that those who see the least among us, the children, and who serve the least are the greatest. Our inability to see those who are not prominent, progressive, popular and polite causes us to miss encounters with Christ in the poor in spirit and the outcast. Friar Jude comments that the apparent indignation of John that someone not of their group might be acting like Jesus is a reminder of the concept of anonymous Christians which theologian Karl Rahner presented in the last century and which Rev. Jeremy Smith sees within the comments of Pope Francesco.

Failure of our sight

The themes in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today are in the area of our responsibilities to the poor and outsiders as we also consider the laws and customs of our society. The praise of God in the Psalms as the protector of the poor and downtrodden is repeated today. Our tradition, the teaching of Jesus and the writing of Church Fathers like Tertullian, as noted by Friar Jude Winkler, make it clear that the Body of Christ, in accord with the will of God, chooses to be preferential to the needs of the poor and outcast. At times, the Christian may find tension between the patriotic requirements to pray for those in authority and respect for the laws of the land and the need to live as Jesus directs. Friar Jude reminds us, by citing examples from Church history, that fidelity to the Way of Jesus trumps obedience to civil authority. Father LarryGillick SJ comments on the Gospel from Luke that Jesus addressed the parable to the Pharisees to show them the failure of their concern for the poor and needy. Religious observance is to open our eyes to see those around us who are among the blessed of Yahweh and the Beatitudes. The person whom the extremely rich man of the parable could not see outside his door calls to us to see people with the eyes of God in which value is not measured in wealth.

Some side trips for today

Tertullian

 Tertullian Quotes

ARTICLE 10THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

Reality and dreams

The idea of measurement brings comfort to us because our analytic mind seeks to quantify what is real. The text today from the Book of Zachariah in the Roman CatholicLectionary, is set in the time of the return of the Jews to Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon. Friar Jude Winkler tells us of their struggle to restore the village and build a small Temple. Those who hear Zachariah praise God for His Presence with a people who will be numerous and protected by God must have challenged him with that phrase heard often by the dreamer, “Get real”. Often our spiritual being is open to the possibility of images and dreams of great kingdoms of joy, peace and prosperity, much like the images presented in the canticle today from the Book of Jeremiah. The Gospel from Luke has Jesus restate to His disciples that the Son of Man, the glorious figure from the Book of Daniel, to whom Jesus compares Himself, will be betrayed into human hands. This picture of reality is very difficult for them to reconcile with the Davidic Messiah who is supposed to restore Jerusalem to former glory. The tension in our person between knowing with too much certainty that it “is what it is” and seeking that mountaintop intimacy with the Spirit of God which is our experience in relationship with Jesus is indicating to us that through faith, which permits us to extend beyond our limitations, we should trust that both extremes and all experience is our journey with Jesus.

Expectations for God

The messageof the Prophet Haggai is set in the time of the return of the exiles in Babylon to Jerusalem (536 BCE). The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present the second of three proclamations to the people of Jerusalem who are getting discouraged about the long time it is taking to rebuild the Temple amidst apathy of the wealthier Jews, the opposition of the Samaritans, and political difficulties in Persia. Sometimes, as Friar Jude Winkler, notes our frustration with projects, even religious ones, is rooted in our failure to accept the timing and method of God in our work. Jesus is declared by Peter in the text today from the Gospel of Luke to be the “Messiah of God” (Luke 9.20). The messianic themes of the Prophet Haggai point to the future Temple of God, Jesus. The expectation that the Second Temple would be greater in riches and glory than the Temple of Solomon transfers to the expectation of the Davidic Messiah in power and glory re-establishing the Kings of Glorious Israel. Jesus resets the expectations of the disciples and many believers reminding us that the Son of Man of the Book of Daniel, which was perhaps close to Haggi, is also the Suffering Servant of the Book of Isaiah. The reality of the Messiah as servant who blesses the poor is creates extreme cognitive dissonance in the Jewish mind. Our need is to seek and accept the timing and plan of compassion and Love and to check ourselves when our expectations and image of God try to dominate.

Martyrs give life

The stories of the clay vessels who endure extreme physical and mental distress as they act to fulfill their mission to bring others into relationship with Jesus include the remarkable missionary work of the Jesuit martyrs in North America in the 17^th century. The Roman Catholic Lectionary in Canada for today includes the text from the Book of Revelation in which John of Patmos describes the persecution of the Church by the Roman Empire points to the special condition of those who have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. The consequence of the action described by Paul in the Letter to the Corinthians “I believed and so I spoke” (2 Corinthians 4.13) is that the one who proclaims in word and deed a relationship with God will be persecuted. Paul praises God for the inner strength to endure the hardships of discipleship. Reflection on the martyrdom of the North American Jesuits cannot help to bring to mind the phrase attributed to Christian apologist Tertullian that “The blood of martyrs is the seed of theChurch”. We may be misled by this cliché in times of over concern for numbers in the pews to seek more martyrs for Christ. The difficulties of Christians outside the Western countries today testifies that many who hear Jesus in the Gospel of Luke and pick up their cross everyday have a real chance that they may be killed. The Prince of Peace tells us that we will encounter resistance, rejection and difficulty as we follow Him. This is the consequence of acts of Love. Glenn Penner notes we cannot seek violent death to generate martyrs to grow the Church. In a sense, the choice of those we seek to bring to Christ to use violence against us is a failure of that particular missionary effort. 

Exiles and travellers

A glimpse into the relationship of believers to the world is offered today in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. Salvation history is categorized by JoanBlandin Howard of the Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University as being about the relationship between God and people. The stories of the relationship Ezra and Tobit to Yahweh come to us from Hebrew writings (though Tobit is outside the Hebrew Bible canon). These men are exiles from their home in Jerusalem and from this vantage point they know the challenge of living among and being persecuted by those who do not share their belief. The return of the Babylonian exiles to Jerusalem after generations away from their customs brought both thanksgiving to Ezra for this action of Providence and distress around the enormous mission to return the remnant of believers to life in deep relationship with God. The remnant must journey from outside their culture and outside their relationship with God and return to Life. Tobit lived in community of pagans, yet he continued to give love and respect to all, Jew and Gentile, while adhering to the discipline of his Hebrew tradition. Modern Christians can be seen as exiles in a society which is seems to be increasingly forgetful of our relationship with God. The healing of these separation demons is part of the instruction Jesus gives to His disciples in the passage from the Gospel of Luke. We can seen a reflection of the lives of Ezra and Tobit in the expectations Jesus sets for those who will act to revive a healthy relationship to God in those they are led to encounter in the pagan world on a journey where trust in Providence is the guide.

Bother about brother

The psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today thanks God for Jerusalem as the city where the house of the Lord stands and the people go to stand where David was given power by God to rule. The building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem is the story of the Book of Ezra. Friar Jude Winkler tells of the practice of the Persian kings of the time of Darius to allow the exiles to return to their lands and re-establish their culture and religious practice. This enlightened understanding of the loyalty and appreciation of governing authority, which is the fruit of such policy, seems to be particularly lacking in Western democracies today where legislation to restrict religious observance is too close to our reality. The construction of the Temple in the time of Ezra and the decision of members of faith communities to act in particular ways in society continues to generate disagreement on methods and the ultimate motivation of the action. The discord on action is in tension with the Life of Love which is the example of Jesus followers to the world. Friar Jude cites some different understanding in the Christian community of the brothers and sisters of Jesus, mentioned today in the Gospel from Luke. He places this Gospel text in the light of Luke’s message that relationship to Jesus as a brother or sister is for all outside, the perfect disciple Mary, the Jews, the Gentiles and all who seek and act on the will of God. Creating divisions among Roman Catholic, Reformed and Orthodox Christians around full blood brotherhood, half-brothers or cousins seems to be contrary to the Gospel invitation to all. These types of tension continue to generate some of the detachment felt by too many who are living their journey to Jesus separate from brothers and sisters in established traditions.

See clearly now

The reversal of fortune is often something which we wish for ourselves. The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today tell in the Book of Ezra of the decision of the King of the Persian, Cyrus, to allow the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return. Some commentators see this action as completely unexpected. Friar Jude Winklercomments that it was a offer extended to all the exiles from all nations who had been gathered in Babylon under the occupation policy of the previous regional empire. The choice to return was made by a remnant of those who had been exiled generations earlier. Jewish commentary notes that after the return to Jerusalem, the Second temple was built and Jewish Law took its final form. The psalmist expresses the deep joy of the people who went out in sorrow and returned in joy. The hidden agenda and personal passion can drive our activities because we hide these motivations from the scrutiny of others. The transformation to a transparent life is a reversal of fortune to freedom to be the light on a lamp stand which is described in the Gospel of Luke today as a means to be a witness to the Life which Christ lives in us. The final verses from Luke remind us that standing still is not an option. Our desire to be a disciple of Jesus requires that we are open to move and change as we journey in response to the Spirit.

Shrewd for Good

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today may be the root of contemplation of many aspects of our relationship with God. The issue of social injustice is a concern for those who seek to follow the Will of God. The Tradition is clear that God is the protector of the poor, widows and the anawim of the OldTestament, who were the poor of every sort. They are vulnerable, the marginalized, and socio-economically oppressed and those of lowly status without earthly power. These people continue to be cheated today in ways similar to those described in reading from the Book of Amos. The psalmist praises the work of God who raises the poor to life and joy. We are offered the opportunity to share in that work of God on a daily basis. We are reminded by Friar JudeWinkler that the authority of those who govern is rooted in the Divine Authority. Our prayers and respect for that authority are ways to foster peaceful existence in our communities. We are assured by Sr. Joan L. Roccasalvo,C.S.J that the change which we sometimes seek for the dispossessed and the downtrodden can be moved along with the peaceful methods demonstrated by Martin Luther King Jr and Ghandi The Gospel from Luke today is described by many commentators as being full of surprise. Father Larry Gillick SJ sees the message of Luke about living wisely with the gifts we are given by God. This wisdom is to be a distributor of these gifts to others. The deep respect of the people of the Middle East for cleverness, at the time of Jesus, is a theme running through Jesus parable. Our cleverness for the work of financial gain and saving on taxes seems to be greater than the use of our “shrewdness” to build the Body of Christ through bringing the many debtors to worldly wealth to the meal table of Jesus. The parallel of this Gospel to the Prodigal Son which precedes it in the text is drawn by some. This is noted in the exegesis of Brian P.Stoffregen who quotes The Gospel of Luke by Green. The decision to turn to the actions of God and give the gifts to others, which are actually the gifts of God, is to imitate the hospitality and care of the anawim. This decision is wise and it is a move which is commended by Jesus.

Matthew mercy

The goal of being one in the Body of Christ seems, at times, to be very distant from our experience in life. The liturgy which contains the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today celebrates the feast of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. Friar JudeWinkler notes that the admonishment of the Pharisees by Jesus for their reaction to His sitting to a meal with Matthew and the tax collectors is for them to remember the God desires mercy not sacrifice. The nature of God as mercy is expressed in many texts of our Tradition The orthodox Pharisees ofJesus time were learned in the Scriptures, yet they decided that legalism and avoidance of contagion from the sin of the unrighteous was in keeping with the god they could follow. The commentary of many Christians over the desire expressed in the letter to the Ephesians that we be one in the Body of Christ shows that this one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God with Whom we are invited to share the meal of Life indicates that agreement on the details of our rituals and the legality of our structures is highly unlikely. We all qualify as sinners to sit in the company of the Great Physician. As we hear the ancient directive to Love God with our whole being and love our neighbours as ourselves we can share our experience of His Mercy which is the root of Oneness.

Timothy teaches

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer cautions against teaching and learning life styles which are incompatible with the method and content of Jesus mission. The psalmist addresses the inadequacy and intimidation we may feel from the power of the wealth of others. This power from riches and privilege is very temporary. We understand, as the psalmist declares, that we cannot take it with us to the life after death. In fact, as the Gospel proclaims in many places, we cannot take it if we accept the invitation of Jesus to full Life now. The actions of accumulation of wealth, property, power threaten to drive our ego and result in the consequences of envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among our community. We are well advised by the author of this letter to Timothy that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some of the women who accompanied Jesus are mentioned today in the Gospel of Luke. Father Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. guides us through an historical portrait, The Truth About Jesus and Women, which allows us to appreciate the amazing role of the women in Jesus life, especially Mother Mary, in being the consistent and strong support of His mission according to the Will of God. The role of believers in relation to society primarily is to be Christ in the life we live. Our faith and trust in God will see that the Spirit is available to us to act according to the Will of God in relation to structures and practices, like those encountered by Timothy in the first reading, which need the influence of Love to be transformed.

Unusual power of Love

The situations which the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary present to us today are indicators that we may find ourselves in very unusual circumstances as a consequence of our desire to follow Jesus. Friar Jude Winkler notes that the author of the First Letter to Timothy is encouraging leader of a Christian community to live out the gift of the Spirit which has anointed him as Bishop, even though the conventional wisdom usually does not envision a young man in this role. The psalmist praises the works of God which, at times, do not appear clear and understandable, but which call for our trust and respect so that the Wisdom in these events can be eventually revealed. Malcolm Maclean, of the Greyfriars Stratherrick Free Church of Scotland, describes how the desire to be in Jesus company is shown in Scripture to result in the interaction of people from very different backgrounds who find themselves involved in experiences of relationship with Jesus and one another, together. The sinner, Simon the Pharisee, who neglects to receive Jesus with the accustomed kiss and anointing with oil, is confronted with the company of the woman who has a reputation of sin and who, as Friar Jude notes, must have been strongly driven by the Love as she experienced in forgiveness the power to force herself into the room where ridicule and humiliation were likely aimed at her. In the rabbinic teaching style, Jesus identifies the great and little sins which have been brought to the attention of the assembly in Simon’s house. He exercises the power of God to forgive sin, scandalizing the Pharisees, and praises the great Love radiated from the forgiven woman who stands as the Light and Life in a circumstance to which she was led by following Jesus.

Simply surprising

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary lead us to consider how we may be limited in our experience of a relationship with God by our reluctance to be guided by the Wisdom of our Tradition. Friar Jude Winkler identifies the six line chant in the passage from the first letter of Timothy as an early Christian creed formula which outlines an enormous surprise and shock to the religious thinking of Jesus time to which those outside the camp were open to hear and be transformed as a consequence. The psalmist urges praise for the works of God, which throughout the salvation history of the Law and the Prophets is marked by correction of the direction which humanity was headed. The conclusion of the Gospel passage from Luke today points to the Wisdom of God which in our Tradition has been manifest in those open minded people who Fr. Clemente Barron, C.P has noted live with integrity, prudence and tranquility. Friar Jude sees the importance of living with child like openness and the desire to welcome the surprises in our day as opportunities to live some moments in a relationship of ministry in the Body of Christ. 

Details that reveal

The insight into the nature of God offered today by the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary is about the importance of looking beyond the obvious and our tendency sometimes to trivialize details. The first letter to Timothy describes the characteristics of those who would hold the offices of bishop and deacon for each of the developing Christian communities of the time.  In the prescription of the behaviour and state of life of these people we can appreciate the value of being experienced in living as a follower of Jesus and as Friar Jude Winkler comments being able to manage our passion and self serving tendencies as we serve others as spiritual leaders in community.  In the psalm today, the leader, David, sets forth behaviour and association as important evidence of the commitment to live in accord with the will of God. The Gospel from Luke is the miraculous healing of the son of the widow of Nain. The first two texts today suggest that our practice of a life of integrity, humility and service will reveal God to us and the Gospel points to the deep compassion of Jesus for those who are the poor and desolate, as the widow of Nain is shown as one of the anawim of Yahweh  who are those blessed by God.  The journey with those blessed by God is the Christian journey.

Life is witnessed

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary show the power of the light of believers to those outside the camp. The letter of Timothy calls upon followers of the Way to pray for those in authority. The leaders of the society receive their authority from God. The prayer of believers for the mediation of God in the action of leaders was a concept familiar to Greek thinkers, according to Friar Jude Winkler. The Christian who prays for those who persecute him and who proclaims by his life a relationship with Jesus, the mediator who is fully human and fully Divine, introduces the outsider to depth of life and light. The psalmist proclaims the strength of God in which he finds help and joy. This faith is made visible to all in praise and thanksgiving. The Centurion in the account from the Gospel of Luke is described to Jesus by the Jewish leaders as a benefactor to their community. The attraction to the Presence of God in the community has moved this pagan of the occupation army to help build the synagogue. Jesus is approached indirectly by this man of authority who stands for us today in our Eucharistic liturgy as we become the unworthy one who only needs the Word of Jesus for healing. The mission to teach all about Jesus is more about people being attracted to Life than our lectures in theological concepts.

Foolish mercy

We attempt to increase our comprehension of the mercy of God through the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. The Book of Exodus tells of Moses receiving both the Commandments and the news from God that the Israelites who had been led by the strong arm and mighty hand of God from slavery in Egypt were now making an idol of a golden calf to worship. Friar Jude Winkler points to the cheeky natural conversational relationship of the interaction (prayer) of Moses with God. This Chutzpah of Moses offers us a glimpse that we need to be in struggle and contradiction with the Divine if only due to the great difference between Creator and creature. Our motivation for action requires self reflection. Moses stands before God to defend those who persecute him. Our practice of mercy toward those who give grief to our lives could be more like this example. The author of the letter to Timothy recounts the great transformation in the life of Paul as a consequence of the 180 degree turn in the life of the Apostle to the Gentiles as he began to live with the Spirit of his encounter with Jesus. Turn around is very much a need in our lives. The Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is celebrated at this time this year. The believer seeks the restoration of a healthy relationship with God through the acknowledgement of the ways, like the psalmist today, that we have “done evil in your sight”. The standard of mercy which is set by Jesus in the Gospel today from Luke may seem foolish and futile to our rational mind hardened by the ‘real world’. FatherLarry Gillick SJ comments on some scenarios which we might expect to follow the return of the selfish son to the merciful and generous Father (actually the Prodigal) and the reaction of the unforgiving and self righteous sibling to these events. The invitation of Jesus is to live the mercy which is foolish. He asks us seek the lost one when we have ninety-nine already. We search for the missing and we forgive before we are asked. It is not the expected reaction to being hurt by sons who would prefer you were dead. It is the standing up and loving those who do not love you. It may be the encounter for them which will begin a transformation to living in the Spirit.

Humbly exalted

The title given to the passage from Psalm 78 in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, God’s Goodness and Israel’s Ingratitude, is a theme which applies to the relationship with the Divine from at least the time of Moses to our present day. The complaining of the Israelites, in the desert about the lack of what they perceive to be their rights and privileges echoes in our society through deep concern for “my rights”. Too often the “my” is taken to be a greater value than the “we”. The healing of the community by God in the text from the Book of Numbers is accomplished through the actions Moses who according to Friar Jude Winkler prayed to God for those who had treated him very badly. The hymn from the Letter to the Philippians is the means whereby Paul proclaims the depth of the goodness of God in the self limiting action of Jesus fully Divine and fully human, to be incarnated in the flesh and give Himself fully to humiliation, suffering and death to mark the mission of God as Love for all. The Gospel from John is the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus where the understanding of God as judge is replaced by the proclamation of the intention of God to bring us to relationship with Him. Friar Jude notes the glorious presentation of Love in this Gospel is the Love seen on the Cross and the mission of the followers of the Way is to “wash feet” in humble service with an attitude of thanksgiving and forgiveness that makes this love possible even towards those who hate us.

Learning the spiritual journey

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today offers texts which encourage us to consider the changes we undergo as we move in our spiritual journey. The psalmist praises God for the relationship which has resulted from his choice of God as his portion and cup. The difference between the apparent singular choice of God and the transformation of the person through time by attraction to aspects of the life of holy people who we encounter in our lives is one of timing. The attractive force of the Divine is constantly there. Our encounter with oratory, exegesis, and theology as that which marked the life of Saint John Chrysostom may accelerate the process of moving as in the letter of Paul to Timothy to knowing the grace of the Love of God overflowing in our being. The Gospel from Luke today reminds us that we are disciples and people who continue to learn about ourselves and our relationship to God. Humility is a help against hypocritical proclamation of our insight and understanding which may be more for our self aggrandizement than the attraction of others to the fullness of Life.

Living great creation

The world which the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary inspire us to be part of is reason for the praise of the psalmist for the great goodness of God. The response to these exhortations to forgiveness, compassion and love of enemy is a challenge for believers. The Creation of God is a world where this is the life of people. Jesus is clear in the Gospel of Luke today that the attitude which Paul encourages among the Colossians is the Way we are to treat our enemies. We have enemies. Sometimes, as Rev James Martin SJ notes, we have some understanding of the conflict with an enemy. In that case, we need seek forgiveness and reconciliation. In other cases, we don’t know why the relationship of enemy exists between us. An early sermon by Rev Martin LutherKing Jr identifies hatred which can exist between people for which we are not responsible. The path to understanding this challenge to love those who hate us begins in prayer and thanksgiving. Father James comments on the revelation of the other which prayer for that person will bring to our consciousness. The social and personal consequences of living with the destructive emotions of hate and revenge are cited by both Rev Martin and Rev Martin Luther. The prodigal son will be the subject of the Biblical texts on Sunday. The father who forgives and rejoices at the return of the son who hated him is our model and our understanding of the position of God toward our own wanderings and offensive behaviour.

Reversals and renewal

The life of the believer and the blessings which accompany that life are outlined in the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. Paul exhorts the Colossians to live in the life which is renewed by the experience of intimacy with Jesus and which rejects conflict with others, dishonesty and self gratification in favour of a universal shift to acceptance and forgiveness as a community is built for all people in Christ. The psalmist is thankful for the works of God. The Body of Christ described by Paul is this work of the Father. The praise of God as faithful in all His Words and gracious in all His Deeds is witnessed in the flesh of those living in intimate relationship with the Divine. The Gospel from Luke makes a clear picture of the reversal of culture which Rick Malloy, S.J asserts is Jesus mission to bring about the Kingdom of God as a new social order, a world wherein all values are reversed and the first shall be last and the last first. Blessings from God, living in the intimacy experienced in Colossae and praised by the psalmist is in lives of the poor, hungry, mourning and those hated by society. Scholars note that the fuller account and the more prominent place given the Beatitudes in St. Matthew (Matthew 5-7) are quite in accordance with the scope and the tendency of the First Gospel. Luke expresses the life of the Beatitude people in contrast to those who reject the offer of life. Matthew offers much food for thought and poetic setting for the majestic pattern of full free life of the believer guided by the Word of the Beatitudes.

Deep evidence of life

The manifestation of Jesus in the lives of those who are called to follow Him is celebrated in the letter of Paul to the Colossians from the texts of the Roman CatholicLectionary today. The believers to whom Paul writes have experienced a transformation of their lives which is described as a spiritual circumcision in which they are permanently identified as belonging to the Body of Christ. This change transcends our human experience and is living in the fullness of freedom from our own passion for privilege, power, position and self gratification. The nature of our Creator praised by the psalmist as slow to anger and steadfast in Love becomes intimate to our being through our life in the Body of Christ. The Gospel from Luke refers to twelve among Jesus who have been developing an intimate relationship with Jesus, through their calling as disciples, who follow Jesus as He preaches, teaches and heals. The Presence of Jesus moves the crowd to thanksgiving like that of the psalmist and Paul which begins the healing of trust in God and abandonment of our faith in the flawed philosophies, ideas and movements of humans. Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D presents scholarship to show the development of “twelve, whom he also named apostles” as a mission to be emissaries of Jesus after a period of growth as disciples through which the intimate relationship the Word made flesh establishes the attitude of praise, thanksgiving and surrender which presents Jesus to others. This apostolic person is not a member of a select group in the sense of the Twelve tribes of Israel but is a way of identifying those who are most open to be Christ in their environments.

He is present

The RomanCatholic Lectionary today looks at the action which comes to life when we are aware of the Presence of God in the Body of Christ. Paul as a prisoner in Rome writes to the Church in Colossae about his situation in captivity from where he rejoices in the suffering he has and is enduring as he continues his mission from Jesus to bring the Word of love to all. The power which drives Paul and which draws deep Love from saints like Peter Claver is that mystery of the Divine which transcends time and linearity. The Presence is. Jesus continues to be the Will of the Father toward Creation. The trust of the psalmist in deliverance and salvation from God, the tireless evangelism of Paul, and the instruction of Jesus to the man with the withered hand to receive Divine healing in the synagogue on the Sabbath, from the Gospel of Luke today, are manifestations of this Love without bound in time and place. The great mystery for which Paul and saints spend themselves is that God is with us in full component of our lives, joy, trust, faith, anguish, anxiety, hope and suffering. Let us rejoice!

Large Soul in God Bearer

How can I do it? Is the question which rises from the texts today in the Roman CatholicLectionary. The psalmist prays for God to prosper the work of our hands. FatherLarry Gillick SJ indentifies a human trait to be overly concerned with “enoughness”. This tension is the one that manifests itself in the over doing of events and concern about success for which we are over invested and ever seeking to do enough. The Gospel from Luke on the cost of discipleship uses language which Father Larry confirms is as strong in the original Greek as it is in English. The theme of the supremacy of Love of God in the lives of those people who accept Covenant and relationship with the Divine is the foundation proclaimed by Moses for Israel to “hear”. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).  The “new year” prayers of Rosh Hashanah are recited at this time to seek the Presence of God in living another season. This commitment to put God first needs to be renewed as we find ourselves, like Solomon, seeking the human resource to sort it all out. The struggle to be open to “big soul generosity” is noted as the prayer of St Ignatius to find and act on the will of God. Our “puzzlement” like that of Solomon is the state of struggling with being a disciple of Jesus. Father Larry concludes, reflecting on our mission as salt of the earth, “We do not do enough, feel enough, forgive enough, but we keep living, loving as we can and that keeps our salt from being thrown out. We cannot follow Jesus well enough, but we don’t throw ourselves away either, because we are not doing that well enough. “Large-soulness” is the gift of Wisdom which builds and wins and keeps us salty”.

Path to Holy Living

The letter of Paul to the Colossians in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today tells of the joy of Paul as he proclaims the action of the relationship with Christ in bringing those outside the Law and in self serving life style into the faith community and into a lifestyle seeking holiness. The psalmist voices the prayer of Saul for the continued protection and presence of God. It is the desire of Creatures to seek and be in the Presence of God. The sincere pursuit of holiness can be confused with religiosity which Jesus points out as the attitude and practice of the Pharisees in the text from the Gospel of Luke. Going through the motions, attending the ceremonies and seeking the self satisfaction of our holy habits is missing the point. God seeks the deep and meaning transformation of our lives. This transformation has many aspects including the deep commitment to peace and love for all people which is the change we pray for in ourselves as we gather in vigil and fast todaywith the Holy Father to seek the path to peace in Syria.

New and ancient

Paul teaches the Colossians about the Divine nature of Jesus in one of the texts today from the Roman Catholic Church. Often our reaction to the declarations of Paul concerning Jesus is muted by our familiarity with the phrases. The words clearly identify the Jewish man who taught, prophesized and was executed in the Roman occupied territory around Jerusalem as somehow also existing as Creator of the universe and the head of a Body on earth which is to fulfill the promise of God that the relationship of Covenant with God would be extended to all people. The Promise to the Jews of this relationship is praised by the psalmist as the steadfast Love of the shepherd for his people. The Divine Shepherd with the history of steadfast love is much more compatible with human understanding, then and now, when this is a heavenly Being, not of our flesh, not resurrected and not existing eternally in the Body of humanity which includes the Church. The tension between “old” and “new” is addressed by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. The Gentiles, the new wineskins, will perhaps need to let this revelation mature in their lives. The ‘old” is good. The resolution of the “Word made flesh” in our intimacy with the Divine is the reward of struggling with the tension.

Working all night

The prayer of Paul for the Colossians in the text today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary is one for knowledge of God’s^* will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. This desire often crosses the mind of the believer. What is the will of God? The psalmist praises that the Lord has made known His victory in the steadfast love and faithfulness to Israel. Frank Doyle SJ in the Living Space blog comments on the passage in the Gospel of Luke where the expert fisher Peter is confronted by the amateur teacher and preacher Jesus telling him to go and cast his nets where the expert knows there are no fish. Frank Doyle notes that this Gospel to the Gentiles was likely written by using the other Gospel accounts of the calling of the disciples and perhaps the post resurrection account of Peter fishing just prior to his reconciliation with the resurrected Jesus. Our western mind would prefer to treat the Gospel as journalistic and linear in time, written without objectives and goals to teach particular audiences at particular time. What challenge does this passage present in developing our spiritual wisdom and understanding? The boat of Peter, the Church, when it attends to the Spirit of Jesus, is fruitful in bringing many to Christ. We can expect to be overwhelmed like Peter by this attraction and our pride and expertise will be humbled and we will strain under the overwhelming graciousness of God for His Creation. We will be prepared, as Luke insists is the response of the true disciple, to leave everything, following Him after working all night in which we have caught nothing.

Two signs of Love

The closing of the distance between people and the Divine is the spark for thanksgiving in the texts today from the Roman CatholicLectionary. The psalmist proclaims trust in the steadfast love of God. It is the love of God for those who are becoming holy in Colossae through the action of the Spirit which prompts the thanksgiving of Paul as he opens his first letter to the Colossians. The writing of some Calvinist commentators resonates with some observations of Friar Jude Winkler. The faith of the inhabitants of this community has produced the fruit of love. This love is not of the romantic flavour of weak knees and fluttering heart but it is a deep motivation to pursue the highest good of another. Christian love, as noted frequently by Friar Jude, has a vertical and horizontal dimension. The vertical Love of God is the essential transformation of our lives in holiness. We have faith that all the action of God in our lives is for our “highest good”. The horizontal dimension which Paul witnessed in Colossae and which Jesus shows as he journeys to Jerusalem in the account in the Gospel of Luke is about putting the highest good of the other before our selfish passions, pride and pursuit of power and privilege. The Presence of Jesus in the actions of the Gospel of Luke heals and drives out the demons which attempt to root self centered motivation in our being. We note that like the people, Luke mentions, who pursued Jesus into the desert, we often try to hold those people, preaching, and liturgies which resonate with our Spirit for ourselves. The establishment of communities who are faithful to the mission of Jesus includes the openness to a mission which includes the inhabitants of other “spiritual cities”. The children of God are in all communities of people. Catholic, Calvinist, Jew, Muslim and all are called to be examples of Love.

Love the simple truth

The texts today from the RomanCatholic Lectionary include the episode from the Gospel of Luke where Jesus is given attribution as One who commands unclean spirits and out they come. The battle for truth and against evil is one of the characteristics of the life of SaintGregory the Great, pope and Doctor of the Church who lived in the second half of the sixth century. It was a time of much turmoil, tragedy and distress in Rome from attacks from natural and political enemies. The tone of the writing of this saint suggests to some biographers a sense that the end times were imminent. Paul addresses the Thessalonians to assure them that the second coming of Jesus, and the end times, would not catch them unaware as they already had begun to live as Jesus would direct them. The theme of waiting for the Lord rings in the words of the psalmist today too. It is the action of faith which brings life to believers in situations where the situation in our environment is slipping into darkness and despair. The history of Saint Gregory and the practice of Pope Francis recommend seeking a clear vision of the direction of truth and love by living simply. The monastic retreat time of Gregory, even when surrounded by the opulence of Constantinople or the desolation of post empire Rome under threat of capture by Germanic tribes brought clarity and peace and the ability to experience the dispatch of the unclean spirits tempting us to pride, power and political privilege through faith in Jesus as He carries us along in His journey and ours to our Jerusalem.

Prophets and promises

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary inspire five P words for consideration. The words prophets, poverty, pagan, pride and promises come to mind. The Gospel from Luke tells of Jesus return to the synagogue in Nazareth after He had begun His public ministry in other communities of Galilee. RobertL. Deffinbaugh looks in detail at this event as part of his Bible Study work on the Luke as the Gospel for the Gentiles. The people of Jesus home town where He is known as the son of Joseph were perhaps hoping that the miracles which accompanied Jesus visit to Capernaum and other towns of Galilee would be manifest in Nazareth. The reading of the text from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah was politely received and, according to Deffinbaugh, not really deeply understood. The preference of the mission of God to address the needs of the poor, oppressed and downtrodden is too often missed by the ears of the powerful and privileged. The reference by Jesus to the miracles done by God in the Hebrew Bible for the pagan widow and leader reminds the audience of the long standing directive to the Chosen People to be a light to all nations and to bring these of unclean race and culture into the Messianic Kingdom. Pride can be personal and it can be tribal. How does this man of Nazareth claim to fulfill the prophetic words of Prophet Isaiah by inviting the poor and pagan to the Kingdom? It is too much. The promise in the Book of Isaiah to establish the Kingdom of God is rejected once again. The promise to the pagan people of Thessalonica, confirmed by Paul, is that those who have died before the second coming of Jesus will join those alive at that time and enter the Eternal Kingdom. All those gathered at the second coming will be singing the praises of God like the words from the psalmist today.

Humility invites reversal

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary probe our experience of being humble and being invited. The Book of Sirach offers the advice that our deeds which are performed with humility make the glory of God known to others. This wisdom literature cautions people to avoid the life style of the proud which is infected with an evil root. Father Larry Gillick, SJ finds traditional Jewish teaching in the text today that we need to remember who we are and who we are not. The danger of misunderstanding humility lies in the decision to hide ourselves and not venture into the world. This is not humility. It is seen by Father Larry as a prideful response which is centered in the declaration that I only have so many gifts to give and until God gives me more I will hide myself. The author of the letter to the Hebrews tries to bring us to the deeply unique mystery of relationship with God which is not based on fear and intrusion into a foreign place but is an invitation to come home. Our pride is often the barrier to accepting the invitation to participate in life as Luke shows in the Gospel today. When Jesus is invited to dine with the Pharisees on the Sabbath, He continues to offer us reversals of the deadly practices of privilege, power, position and pride. Father Larry offers the summary that humility is truth in action, generosity in public, and joyfulness in being invited. This gift is rooted in gratitude and expresses itself to others as the calmness and peace of a gently flowing stream. Our experience of our giftedness, the people in our lives for which we are so grateful and the joy of using our talent to enable the growth of others prepares us to accept the invitation into the Mystery which is seen and heard most clearly by the humble.