The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today recognize our tendency to be distracted from our mission as followers of Christ by attachment to material concerns.
The reading from the Book of Judges describes Israel’s Unfaithfulness.
* [2:10–19] This long thematic passage establishes the cyclical pattern for the stories found in the rest of the book. When the Israelites are secure, they forsake the Lord and worship other gods. In punishment the Lord places them in the power of a foreign oppressor. But when they cry out in distress, the Lord takes pity on them and raises up a judge, who delivers them from the oppressor. The Israelites remain faithful to the Lord during the lifetime of the judge, but when the judge dies they again abandon the Lord, and the cycle begins anew.
* [2:11] The Baals: the title “Baal,” meaning “lord” or “master,” belonged to a large number of Canaanite, Phoenician, and Syrian deities, including especially the great storm god Hadad Baal, widely revered as lord of the earth. The plural form, which occurs here, was used by the biblical writers to refer to foreign gods in general.
* [2:13] The Astartes: Ashtoreth, or Astarte, was an important Canaanite and Phoenician goddess. The plural form used here probably refers to foreign goddesses in general. (Judges, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)
Psalm 106 is a Confession of Israel’s Sins.
* [Psalm 106] Israel is invited to praise the God whose mercy has always tempered judgment of Israel (Ps 106:1–3). The speaker, on behalf of all, seeks solidarity with the people, who can always count on God’s fidelity despite their sin (Ps 106:4–5). Confident of God’s mercy, the speaker invites national repentance (Ps 106:6) by reciting from Israel’s history eight instances of sin, judgment, and forgiveness. The sins are the rebellion at the Red Sea (Ps 106:6–12; see Ex 14–15), the craving for meat in the desert (Ps 106:13–15; see Nm 11), the challenge to Moses’ authority (Ps 106:16–18; see Nm 16), the golden calf episode (Ps 106:19–23; see Ex 32–34), the refusal to take Canaan by the southern route (Ps 106:24–27; see Nm 13–14 and Dt 1–2), the rebellion at Baal-Peor (Ps 106:28–31; see Nm 25:1–10), the anger of Moses (Ps 106:32–33; see Nm 20:1–13), and mingling with the nations (Ps 106:34–47). The last, as suggested by its length and generalized language, may be the sin that invites the repentance of the present generation. The text gives the site of each sin: Egypt (Ps 106:7), the desert (Ps 106:14), the camp (Ps 106:16), Horeb (Ps 106:19), in their tents (Ps 106:25), Baal-Peor (Ps 106:28), the waters of Meribah (Ps 106:32), Canaan (Ps 106:38). (Psalms, PSALM 106, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, the Rich Young Man encounters Jesus.
* [19:17] By Matthew’s reformulation of the Marcan question and reply (Mk 10:17–18) Jesus’ repudiation of the term “good” for himself has been softened. Yet the Marcan assertion that “no one is good but God alone” stands, with only unimportant verbal modification.
* [19:18–19] The first five commandments cited are from the Decalogue (see Ex 20:12–16; Dt 5:16–20). Matthew omits Mark’s “you shall not defraud” (Mk 10:19; see Dt 24:14) and adds Lv 19:18. This combination of commandments of the Decalogue with Lv 19:18 is partially the same as Paul’s enumeration of the demands of Christian morality in Rom 13:9.
* [19:20] Young man: in Matthew alone of the synoptics the questioner is said to be a young man; thus the Marcan “from my youth” (Mk 10:20) is omitted.
* [19:21] If you wish to be perfect: to be perfect is demanded of all Christians; see Mt 5:48. In the case of this man, it involves selling his possessions and giving to the poor; only so can he follow Jesus. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19, n.d.)
John Shea, S.J. comments that the young man’s possessions keep him from fully following Jesus. His possessions have become a false god, an idol no better than the Baals. As a Jesuit who took a vow of poverty, John Shea technically does not own any possessions. Again, it would be easy for him to dismiss this young man as foolish and assume that since he doesn't own possessions, he is free to follow Jesus.
Yet, I have clothing, food, means of transportation, and shelter. And I know that the use of these things can lead to idolatry. Having recently moved this summer, I know exactly how many boxes I need to pack “my” books, and I question if these many books possess me! I also see how I can become too attached to other things in my life, which can lead to an idolatry no better than the ancient Israelites and the rich young man: my favorite foods or television show, my routines and comforts, social media, podcasts and streaming services.
Fill in the blank: I went away sad, for I had many _____
Jesus is calling us to a deeper relationship. Are we free to follow him or do our attachments and idols hold us back? The good news is, like the young man, we all desire that deeper relationship. Can we ask Jesus to help us identify our idols? Can we ask for help to be freed from our idols? (Shea, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Seek the life that endures,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The Lord said to a certain young man, 'If you would enter life, keep the commandments.' He did not say 'If you would have life' but 'If you would enter life,' defining that life as eternal life. Let us first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its quality - and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved. Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing, working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die? Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God forever." (excerpt from Sermon 84,1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 19:16-22 asks What do I still lack? It’s one of the most important questions we can ask, and it speaks to something deep within us. Each of us has an inborn desire, a longing or thirst that cannot be satisfied with the things of this created world, no matter how good they are. Some theologians even go so far as to say that we are “living thirsts.” Everyone is thirsting for more, but not everyone recognizes that this thirst is really a longing for God.
Jesus doesn’t want to take away all the good things that you love. Instead, he points to the things that hinder you because he knows that they will not satisfy. He knows that if you hold them tightly as your treasure, you can’t open wide your arms to receive the treasure that is more real, more lasting, and more satisfying than anything you have ever known: God himself.
“Lord, you are my treasure.” (Meditation on Matthew 19:16-22, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the pattern, after the Exodus, of the Israelites turning to idols and Baal worship and restoring faith in God under judges. The judges were charismatic executive and military leaders and not hereditary like kings. Friar Jude notes that Jesus' response to the Rich Young Man attacks the idea of the Prosperity Gospel. Our success is to help others.
St. Anthony Companions explain that Pope Pius X, born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the first Pope elected in the 20th century. He came to the papal office in 1903 and died 11 years later in 1914, just as World War I was beginning.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces author and activist Shane Claiborne who connects biblical justice with righteousness. The word for “justice” in the Bible is the same word as “righteousness.” This overlap shows that the central concern of biblical justice was not “getting what you deserve”; rather, it was making right what was done wrong, restoring what had been destroyed, healing the wounds of an offensive act. It was about bringing balance and wholeness back to the community, which is why you often see scales as an icon for justice. One of Shane’s friends who is a biblical scholar says the best contemporary translation for the ancient notion of “justice/righteousness” is “restorative justice.” [1] Sister Mary Katherine Birge offers examples of ways Jesus enacted restorative justice.
This is the task of those who would follow Jesus: to live in just relationships with one another, to work at restoring to wholeness those people and relationships that they and others have broken, and to repair as best they can what cannot be restored. This practice of restoring and repairing relationships between people and God and among people themselves is not unlike that in which the contemporary practice of restorative justice engages. Like Jesus’ own work … to bring about the fullness of shalom, through the practice of right relationships and the healing of those people who are “broken,” restorative justice focuses on the present and future needs of the victim, the perpetrator, and society in order to repair what has been broken or stolen from the victim, to bring the perpetrator to acceptance of responsibility, and to mend the threads that hold society together. [2] (Rohr, 2023)
We are nudged by the Spirit to openness to share our time, talent, and treasure as we build relationships with the people that we encounter on our journey.
References
Judges, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/judges/2?11
Matthew, CHAPTER 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19?16
Meditation on Matthew 19:16-22. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/08/21/764535/
Psalms, PSALM 106. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/106?34
Rohr, R. (2023, August 21). Jesus' Work of Shalom — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/jesus-work-of-shalom-2023-08-21/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=aug21
Shea, J. (2023, August 21). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082123.html
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