The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present our eternal relationship with God and some of the distractions from living fully in Love.
The reading from the Letter to the Ephesians praises Spiritual Blessings in Christ and the Father’s Plan of Salvation.
* [1:3–14] While a Pauline letter usually continues after the greeting with a prayer of thanksgiving, as in Eph 1:15–23 below, Ephesians first inserts a blessing of God for the blessings Christians have experienced, as in 2 Cor 1:3–4 and 1 Pt 1:3–12. The blessing here, akin to a Jewish berakah, is rich in images almost certainly drawn from hymns and liturgy. Many ideas here are also found in Col 1:3–23. Certain phrases are frequently repeated, such as in Christ (Eph 1:3, 10, 12) or in him (Eph 1:4, 7, 9, 11, 13) or in the beloved (Eph 1:6) and (for) the praise of (his) glory (Eph 1:6, 12, 14). Some terms like chose (Eph 1:4) and destined (Eph 1:5) reflect Old Testament theology (Dt 7:7; 9:4–6; 23:5) or Pauline themes (redemption, Eph 1:7, 14; grace, Eph 1:6, 7) or specific emphases in Colossians (forgiveness, Col 1:14). A triadic structure is discernible in Eph 1:3–14: God the Father (Eph 1:3–6, 8, 11), Christ (Eph 1:3, 5, 7–10, 12), and the Spirit (Eph 1:13–14). The spiritual blessings Christians have received through Christ (Eph 1:3) are gratefully enumerated: the call to holiness (Eph 1:4; cf. Col 1:22); the gift of divine adoption establishing a unique spiritual relationship with God the Father through Christ (Eph 1:5; cf. Gal 4:5); liberation from sin through Christ’s sacrificial death (Eph 1:7); revelation of God’s plan of salvation in Christ (Eph 1:9; cf. Eph 3:3–4; Rom 16:25); the gift of election and faith in Christ bestowed upon Jewish Christians (see note on Eph 1:12, we who first hoped in Christ); and finally, the same gift granted to Gentiles (Eph 1:13, you also). In the Christ-centered faith and existence of the Christian communities the apostle sees the predetermined plan of God to bring all creation under the final rule of Christ (Eph 1:4–5, 9–10) being made known (Eph 1:9) and carried through, to God’s glory (Eph 1:6, 12, 14). (Ephesians, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
Psalm 98 praises the Judge of the World.
* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9). (Psalms, PSALM 98, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus continues the denunciation of the Pharisees and Scholars of the Law.
* [11:37–54] This denunciation of the Pharisees (Lk 11:39–44) and the scholars of the law (Lk 11:45–52) is set by Luke in the context of Jesus’ dining at the home of a Pharisee. Controversies with or reprimands of Pharisees are regularly set by Luke within the context of Jesus’ eating with Pharisees (see Lk 5:29–39; 7:36–50; 14:1–24). A different compilation of similar sayings is found in Mt 23 (see also notes there). (Luke, CHAPTER 11, n.d.)
Nancy Shirley needs to be reminded that this time on earth is transitory – there is MORE than these struggles and even the joys and delights. She was recently at the funeral of a beautiful young woman in her mid-forties, who had written something very poignant years ago when barely 30. Nancy includes an excerpt from her wise words.
Relationships are eternal; separation of our bodies does not mean separation of our souls. We are healed by this knowledge because it reminds us of the oneness of our relationship . . . our relationships do not die, they only change form. Faith means knowing that no one is ever really gone.
It is because of our Savior, who gave His life for us, that I can have hope and see beyond the tragedies that haunt our lives. How blessed were the Ephesians (and the Corinthians, Galatians, Romans and the list goes on) to be able to hear St. Paul give testimony of the Risen Christ and news of salvation and redemption. How blessed are we to read these messages and open our hearts – to let Jesus in to dwell with us and within us!! Perhaps our hearts are broken to assure they are open to let God in . . . .
A song that has comforted me for many years . . .
Aaron Shust (Shirley, 2022)
Don Schwager quotes “The key of knowledge that opens the kingdom of God,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"We consider that the key of knowledge means the law [of Moses] itself, and by faith in him, I mean justification in Christ. Although the law was in shadow and type, yet those types show to us the truth, and those shadows depict to us in many ways the mystery of Christ. A lamb was sacrificed according to the law of Moses. They ate its flesh. They anointed the lintels with its blood and overcame the destroyer. The blood of a mere sheep could not turn away death. Christ was typified under the form of a lamb. He endures to be the victim for the life of the world and saves by his blood those who are partakers of him. One might mention many other instances as well, by means of which we can discern the mystery of Christ sketched out in the shadows of the law. When speaking to the Jews, he once said, 'There is one that accuses you, even Moses, whom you trusted. For if you had believed Moses, you should have also believed me, because he wrote of me' (John 5:45-46). 'You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me' (John 5:39). Every word of divinely inspired Scripture looks to him and refers to him. As it has been shown, if Moses speaks, he typified Christ. If the holy prophets that you name speak, they also proclaimed to us in many ways the mystery of Christ, preaching beforehand the salvation that is by him." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 86) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Ephesians 1:1-10 comments on what God has done for us. Before the world even began, God chose us for adoption into his own family (Ephesians 1:4).
You don’t have to live as an orphan. You don’t have to feel vulnerable or alone. God, your heavenly Father, is with you right now. He wants to protect and nurture you. He is willing to sit down with you in the middle of whatever mess you are in, take you into his arms, and comfort you. He is also ready to lead you out of difficulties or support you through them. God has adopted you. He wants you to thrive in every way.
“Father, thank you for adopting me. I trust you to provide what I need to live as a full member of your family.” (Meditation on Ephesians 1:1-10, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the similarity of the circular letter to the Ephesians and the Colossians on the theme of being chosen by God before the foundation of the world. The message to the Gentile audience is that God intended us to live forever and Christ brought fullness by dying on the Cross bringing us back from a life of sinfulness. The condemnation of Pharisees and Scribes for hypocritical treatment of the prophets continues in Luke. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus experienced hostility around scrupulosity and traditions of the Law.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, expands on the counterintuitive wisdom that life is about discovering the right questions more than having the right answers.
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways. . . . As high as the heavens are from the earth so are my thoughts above your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9). The depth and mystery of God leaves all of us as perpetual searchers and seekers, always novices and beginners. It is the narrow and dark way of faith. “Search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you,” says Jesus (Luke 11:9). There is something inherently valuable about an attitude of spiritual curiosity and persistent “knocking.”
The ego is formed by contraction; the soul is formed by expansion. The ego pulls into itself by comparing, competing, and separating itself from others: “I am not like that,” it says. The soul, however, does exactly the opposite: “I am that.” (Tat Tvam Asi, as the Hindus say). It sees itself in God, the other, flowers and trees, animals, and even the enemy: similarity instead of separateness. It participates in the human dilemma instead of placing itself above and beyond all tensions. The long journey of transformation leads us to ask new questions about our own goodness, and where goodness really lies; to recognize our own complicity with evil, and where evil really lies. It is humiliating.
Only those led by the Spirit into ever deeper seeing, hearing, and surrendering—spiritual seekers and self-questioners—will fall into the hands of the living God. This will always be “a narrow gate and a hard road” that “only a few will walk” (Matthew 7:14). (Rohr, n.d.)
We invoke the Holy Spirit as our guide to navigating the contradictions of our journey as followers of Christ.
References
Ephesians, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/1?1
Luke, CHAPTER 11. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/11?47
Meditation on Ephesians 1:1-10. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/10/13/511126/
Psalms, PSALM 98. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/discovering-the-right-questions-2022-10-13/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do Not Lose the Key of Knowledge. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=oct13
Shirley, N. (2022, October 13). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/101322.html
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