The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine our life story and contemplate the mercy we have experienced that helped build strength in our foundation of love, faith and hope.
Reflect on mercy
The reading from the First Letter to Timothy proclaims ‘I received mercy’.
* [1:15] This saying is trustworthy: this phrase regularly introduced in the Pastorals a basic truth of early Christian faith; cf. 1 Tm 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tm 2:11; Ti 3:8.1
Psalm 113 praises God as the Helper of the needy.
* [Psalm 113] A hymn exhorting the congregation to praise God’s name, i.e., the way in which God is present in the world; the name is mentioned three times in Ps 113:1–3. The divine name is especially honored in the Temple (Ps 113:1) but its recognition is not limited by time (Ps 113:2) and space (Ps 113:3), for God is everywhere active (Ps 113:4–5) especially in rescuing the lowly faithful (Ps 113:7–9).2
In the Gospel of Luke, the Sermon on the Plain uses the example of a tree and its fruit to present two foundations for full life.
* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity.3
Scott McClure seeks to underscore what seems to him to be a single, unified message emanating from the readings today. As God is merciful and as we are to give praise to God, so we should be merciful. And what is the fruit of this tree of mercy? Peace.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Residing and writing in the United States, this day - September 11 - bears a special significance each year. Despite the arbitrariness of time, that today marks twenty years since September 11, 2001 makes me pause perhaps a bit longer. It was such a tragic day. I ask myself: is our world more peaceful twenty years later? Are we being peacemakers? Am I? If every tree is known by its own fruit, what fruit are we seeing in 2021?
Make no mistake, we are all God's beloved children. This is our true identity. Now, let us show it. Let us live this identity - live mercy - so that people may say, There, see those children of God. We will be known by our fruit. 4
Don Schwager quotes “Scripture is the field where we build our house,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"In a certain place in the Gospel, the Lord says that the wise hearer of his word ought to be like a man who, wishing to build, digs rather deeply until he comes to bedrock. There without anxiety he establishes what he builds against the onrush of a flood, so that when it comes, rather it may be pushed back by the solidity of the building than that house collapse by the impact. Let us consider the Scripture of God as being a field where we want to build something. Let us not be lazy or content with the surface. Let us dig more deeply until we come to rock: 'Now the rock was Christ' (1 Corinthians 10:4)." (excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 23.1)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Timothy 1:15-17 notes that Paul understood that he would always struggle with sinful drives, even after he had been baptized. He knew that Jesus came to save sinners—and that included not only criminals but “upstanding” citizens like himself. Paul’s conversion didn’t stop on that road; it was just beginning! Salvation was an ongoing process for him, as it is for all of us. Perhaps Pope Francis expressed it best when he once described himself by saying, “I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon with mercy."
Throughout his whole life, Paul managed to keep holding on to these two profound truths at the same time. Yes, he was a sinner. And yes, he was a beloved child of God. These are the truths he urged Timothy to hold on to. They are the truths he urges us to hold on to as well. So let’s rejoice with Paul in the seeming paradox of our “dual” identity: sinners who have received God’s mercy! “Lord, help me to be grateful that even though I am a sinner, I am your child!”6
Friar Jude Winkler notes that the author of the Letter to Timothy shares that God forgave Paul’s sins with the desire not to punish but to welcome him to share in salvation. “I have heard that before” is a phrase we might attribute to God when we confess our sins. Friar Jude reminds us the fruit of authentic conversion is seen in our actions.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, realizes how counterintuitive sitting and being and noticing is for most of us, yet it is only in the “naked now” that we can participate in the fullness of life. He shares a practice from Eckhart Tolle that may help us to experience this freedom to “fall.”
Forget about your life situation for a while and pay attention to your life.
What is the difference?
Your life situation exists in time.
Your life is now.
Your life situation is mind-stuff.
Your life is real.
Find the “narrow gate that leads to life.” It is called the Now. Narrow your life down to this moment. Your life situation may be full of problems—most life situations are—but find out if you have any problem at this moment. Not tomorrow or in ten minutes, but now. Do you have a problem now?7
Our faith journey is one of ups and downs as we struggle with acting on the prompting of the Spirit to bear the fruit of authentic Christian spirituality.
References
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