The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek the gift of fullness of life even as the journey may involve persecution and rejection.
In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the Apostles are persecuted.
* [5:17–42] A second action against the community is taken by the Sanhedrin in the arrest and trial of the Twelve; cf. Acts 4:1–3. The motive is the jealousy of the religious authorities over the popularity of the apostles (Acts 5:17) who are now charged with the defiance of the Sanhedrin’s previous order to them to abandon their prophetic role (Acts 5:28; cf. Acts 4:18). In this crisis the apostles are favored by a miraculous release from prison (Acts 5:18–24). (For similar incidents involving Peter and Paul, see Acts 12:6–11; 16:25–29.) (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 34 offers praise for deliverance from trouble.
* [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12). God will make them powerful (Ps 34:5–11) and give them protection (Ps 34:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of John declares how God so loved the world.
* [3:16] Gave: as a gift in the incarnation, and also “over to death” in the crucifixion; cf. Rom 8:32.
* [3:17–19] Condemn: the Greek root means both judgment and condemnation. Jesus’ purpose is to save, but his coming provokes judgment; some condemn themselves by turning from the light.
* [3:19] Judgment is not only future but is partially realized here and now. (John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)
Suzanne Braddock asks What is my prison? What keeps me locked up, away from the amazing reality that is the Christian life? Of course, my fears are their most strong in the darkness of night, both literally and figuratively. What is my song in the night?
The Gospel crowns all the readings with the ultimate promise of our loving God: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but that the world might be saved through him.
There it is - the Very Good News! (Braddock, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “The Intensity of God's Love and Our Response,” by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.
"The text, 'God so loved the world,' shows such an intensity of love. For great indeed and infinite is the distance between the two. The immortal, the infinite majesty without beginning or end loved those who were but dust and ashes, who were loaded with ten thousand sins but remained ungrateful even as they constantly offended him. This is who he 'loved.' For God did not give a servant, or an angel or even an archangel 'but his only begotten Son.' And yet no one would show such anxiety even for his own child as God did for his ungrateful servants..."
"He laid down his life for us and poured forth his precious blood for our sake - even though there is nothing good in us - while we do not even pour out our money for our own sake and neglect him who died for us when he is naked and a stranger... We put gold necklaces on ourselves and even on our pets but neglect our Lord who goes about naked and passes from door to door... He gladly goes hungry so that you may be fed; naked so that he may provide you with the materials for a garment of incorruption, yet we will not even give up any of our own food or clothing for him... These things I say continually, and I will not cease to say them, not so much because I care for the poor but because I care for your souls." (HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 27.2-3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 5:17-26 comments that as amazing as the miracle of the apostles’ release from prison is, they didn’t always experience such wondrous deliverances. In fact, each of them was either martyred or died in prison.
God’s ways will always be a mystery to us. But there is one thing we can always count on: no matter what our situation, he will always call us to “tell the people . . . about this life” (Acts 5:20). And he will always provide the opportunities—and the grace—to fulfill that call. Whether we are speaking with our lips, through our actions, or in our prayers, we can proclaim the good news wherever we go.
“Jesus, help me to tell everyone about the life of freedom and joy you are offering them!” (Meditation on Acts 5:17-26, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler reflects that we cannot imprison the Word of God as the passage from Acts confirms in the conflict between the Apostles and the Sadducees. The “Son of God” as hero in the Hebrew Testament becomes high Christology in John as the “Only Begotten Son of God.” Friar Jude reminds us of the dualism in the Gospel of John that declares our need to choose between Christ and our worldliness or concupiscence.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, teaches that the inner flame of contemplation is cultivated through regular spiritual practice.
Mindless repetition of any practice, with no clear goal or clarity of intention, can in fact keep us quite unconscious—unless the practices keep breaking us into new insight, desire, compassion, and an ever-larger notion of God and ourselves. Automatic repetition of anything is a recipe for unconsciousness, the opposite of any genuine consciousness, intentionality, or spiritual maturity. If spirituality does not support real growth in both inner and outer freedom, it is not authentic spirituality. It is such basic unfreedom that makes so many people dislike and mistrust religious people.
Any fear-based “rattling of beads” reflects the “magical” consciousness that dominated much of the world until it began to widely erode in the 1960s. Yet each of these practices can also be understood in a very mature way.
It’s a paradox that God’s gifts are totally free and unearned, and yet God does not give them except to people who really want them, choose them, and say “yes” to them. This is the fully symbiotic nature of grace. Divine Loving is so pure that it never manipulates, shames, or forces itself on anyone. Love waits to be invited and desired, and only then rushes in. (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the gift of understanding from the Spirit as we contemplate our action in response to the Love of the Father and Son for humanity and the World.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/5?17
Braddock, S. (2024, April 10). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/041024.html
John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/3?16
Meditation on Acts 5:17-26. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/04/10/934017/
Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34?2
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Cultivating a New Heart. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/cultivating-a-new-heart/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). God so Loved the World That He Gave Us His Only Son. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=apr10
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