We live the Word

Psalm 98 is chosen today in the texts of the Roman CatholicLectionary as a hymn of praise to God who is steadfast love and faithfulness throughout our human experience. The Scriptures present this relationship as expressed by inspired writers for thousands of years. In the first centuryFriar Jude Winkler comments that the First Letter of John was written in a dualistic style to combat teaching from a sect "whom we callDocetae", which was unable to accept the revelation of Incarnation that the Word is made flesh (John1:14).   The Jesuit Post has recently published a web site called The Gospel of Intimacy: Pictures Worth a Thousand Words which show Pope Francis using intimate meetings of human body and spirit to live the Word. Theologians and philosophers may provide some principles and rules about relationships between God and people but our experience guided by the indwelling Spirit mentioned in the letter of John move us like the Jews, described in the Gospel today from John, to send priests and Levites to query John the Baptist about who he was and what he was doing. Our comfort level is higher when we have answers to the five W questions about people and situations. The danger of dualistic thinking and prescription of how things are is the shutting down of our search to know better the depth of the relationship of trust and faith which the Scriptures reveal is a journey with God. This journey is about transcending human limitation while retaining our mission of living the Word in our human condition.