The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate how to observe tradition and the effect of the context of our life on our view of our needs in our relationship with God.
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| Building the relationship |
The reading from the First Book of Kings is Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication for the Temple.
* [8:12–13] This brief poem is rich in layered meanings. The “dark cloud” in which the Lord intends to dwell refers not only to the cloud that filled the Temple (v. 10) but to the darkness of the windowless holy of holies and to the mystery of the God enthroned invisibly upon the cherubim as well. Solomon calls the Temple he offers God a firm base, using terminology similar to that used for God’s firm establishment of Solomon’s own kingdom (2:12, 46). Finally, Solomon intends this as a place for God to yashab, but the Hebrew word yashab can mean “to dwell” or “to sit.” In other words, the Temple can be understood both as a place where God resides and as the earthly foundation of God’s heavenly throne. The double meaning allows an understanding of the divine presence as both transcendent and graciously immanent.1
Psalm 84 expresses the sentiments of the pilgrims eager to enjoy the divine Presence.
* [Psalm 84] Israelites celebrated three pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem annually. The Psalm expresses the sentiments of the pilgrims eager to enjoy the divine presence.2
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus separates hypocrisy from observing the Tradition of the Elders.
* [7:5] Tradition of the elders: the body of detailed, unwritten, human laws regarded by the scribes and Pharisees to have the same binding force as that of the Mosaic law; cf. Gal 1:14.3
Tom Purcell suggests Tevye’s struggles, in the Fiddler on the Roof, and ours, come down to whether a human tradition is fundamental to our spiritual relationship with God. Is a tradition an immutable practice, to be followed without thinking or challenging its basic premises, or should it be held up for periodic scrutiny to determine if it moves us closer to a stronger union with God?
Jesus accused the Pharisees of nullifying the word of God in favor of human traditions handed down through generations. Jesus implies that the traditions may have lost their connectedness to the underlying original intent of the practices. Jesus has said elsewhere that the greatest commandment is to love God, and to love our fellow humans and God’s creation as we would want to be loved ourselves. Does the tradition become an end in itself, or a means to a stronger understanding of God’s invitation to receive and share God’s love and to find solace in the arms of the Almighty?4
Don Schwager quotes “Mammon refuses to provide for parents in old age,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).
"Christ says, 'Care for the poor' (Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 14:13); Mammon says, 'Take away even those things the poor possess.' Christ says, 'Empty yourself of what you have' (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23); Mammon says, 'Take also what they possess.' Do you see the opposition, the strife between them? See how it is that one cannot obey both, but must reject one?... Christ says, 'None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions' (Luke 14:33); Mammon says, 'Take the bread from the hungry.' Christ says, 'Cover the naked' (Matthew 25:34-40; Isaiah 58:7); the other says, 'Strip the naked.' Christ says, 'You shall not turn away from your own family (Isaiah 58:7), and those of your own house' (1 Timothy 5:8; Galatians 6:10); Mammon says, 'You shall not show mercy to those of your own family. Though you see your mother or your father in want, despise them' (Mark 7:11)." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON PHILIPPIANS 6.25)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 asks “Father, is it possible? Can you really dwell on earth? King Solomon wondered this as he dedicated his Temple to you. ‘If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you,’ he asked, ‘how much less this temple which I have built!’
“Then came the biggest surprise of all. You came to dwell, not just through your word, not just through historical events, not just through the beauty of creation, but as a human being, fully man and fully God. Jesus entered your creation in the most complete, permanent way possible—because you loved us. Who could imagine such humility and devotion? Who could possibly conceive of such a drastic and marvelous plan?
“But even that wasn’t enough for you. From Pentecost until today—and until the Second Coming—Jesus continues to dwell on earth by dwelling in us! By your Spirit, Jesus has made each of us into a temple of your presence, more sacred, even, than Solomon’s Temple.6
A post from Franciscan media about Our Lady of Lourdes, Saint of the Day for February 11, relates some of the history of the humble virgin appearing to a humble girl and treating her with dignity. Through that humble girl, Mary revitalized and continues to revitalize the faith of millions of people. People began to flock to Lourdes from other parts of France and from all over the world. In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes for the diocese. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907.
Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and healing, but even more of faith. Church authorities have recognized over 60 miraculous cures, although there have probably been many more. To people of faith this is not surprising. It is a continuation of Jesus’ healing miracles—now performed at the intercession of his mother. Some would say that the greater miracles are hidden. Many who visit Lourdes return home with renewed faith and a readiness to serve God in their needy brothers and sisters.
There still may be people who doubt the apparitions of Lourdes. Perhaps the best that can be said to them are the words that introduce the film The Song of Bernadette: “For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.”7
Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the question of Solomon about containing God. Overscrupulous application of tradition may lead to inappropriate extensions of laws that imprison people. Friar Jude reminds that Law is meant to be our guide to relationship with God.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that those of us who live in the West and experience the privilege of being white tend to gloss over the important fact that Jesus lived in an occupied territory. He was not part of the dominant culture. Rather, his familial and cultural land was occupied by a powerful adversary. This is essential to understanding his teachings and the Gospel. Text without context is dangerous! Imagine how different Christianity would look today if we had acknowledged this truth. Mitri Raheb is a Palestinian Christian, author, and Lutheran pastor who lives and works in Bethlehem. This context offers him a unique way of knowing and interpreting the Gospel, one that we in the West can certainly learn from.
Empires create their own theologies to justify their occupation. [Just as the early American empires chose to overlook its mistreatment of the Native tribes who already lived here and then justified a slave holder form of Christianity in much of the Americas. —RR] Such oppression generates a number of important questions among the occupied: “Where are you, God?” and “Why doesn’t God interfere to rescue [God’s] people?” When, under various regimes, diverse identities emerge in different parts of Palestine, the question arises, “Who is my neighbor?” And finally, “How can liberation be achieved?” is a constant question. . . . These questions and the differing responses can be found in the Bible, just as they are found in Palestine today. . . .
As a pastor I refuse to separate the reality of this world from the reality of the Bible by preaching a “cheap gospel” that neither challenges reality nor is challenged by it.8
When contemplation is applied to our traditional practices in the light of the social content of our lives, the Spirit is enabled to renew our appreciation of faith expressed in our practices.
References
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