Discipline and denial

Ascetics, mystics and dualism are strong descriptions of people and ideas inspired by the texts today, the feast of StJohn of the Cross, from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. The Book of Sirach, which Friar Jude Winkler comments is a defense of Hebrew wisdom in the face of Greek influences and heroes, describes the ascetic mystical person of Elijah and the powers he was able to invoke from God to battle the enemies of Israel. The return of Elijah, who Friar Jude notes never died in the Biblical account, is understood by Jewish believers to be an essential sign of the time of the Messiah. The call of Elijah to the Hebrew people to choose between God and baal (I Kings 18:21) and the call of the ascetic mystic John the Baptist to repent and turn toward God are signs which Tami Whitney of Creighton University suggests we continue fail to see. Don Schwager hears a call in the Gospel from Matthew today to turn away from sin and from everything that would keep us from following His will. Ascetics like John of the Cross respond to a call to self-denial, mortification, purification, asceticism and discipline. We tend to see Elijah, John the Baptist and John of the Cross as “out there” with extreme practices.  Thomas Merton is quoted to have said of John of the Cross: "Just as we can never separate asceticism from mysticism, so in St. John of the Cross we find darkness and light, suffering and joy, sacrifice and love united together so closely that they seem at times to be identical”. Our mission may not be to struggle with rejection and persecution because of our ascetic actions. The disciple is called to look to Jesus. The Light and Love in that vision is interrupted when we turn toward our passions and priorities. Self denial and discipline are training to hold fast in our mission.