Blessings and Woes

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today encourage us to celebrate our blessings especially when we journey through difficult times and misunderstanding of our Way.

Journey of Joy

The reading from the Letter to the Ephesians proclaims our Spiritual Blessings in Christ.

* [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).

* [1:3] In the heavens: literally, “in the heavenlies” or “in the heavenly places,” a term in Ephesians for the divine realm.

* [1:9] Mystery: as in Rom 16:25; Col 1:26, 27 and elsewhere, a secret of God now revealed in the plan to save and sum up all things in Christ (Eph 1:10); cf. Eph 3:3–6. (Ephesians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, 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).

* [98:1] Marvelous deeds…victory: the conquest of all threats to the peaceful existence of Israel, depicted in the Psalms variously as a cosmic force such as sea, or nations bent on Israel’s destruction, or evildoers seemingly triumphant. His right hand and holy arm: God is pictured as a powerful warrior. (Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus concludes the Denunciation of the Pharisees and Scholars of the Law.

* [11:49] I will send to them prophets and apostles: Jesus connects the mission of the church (apostles) with the mission of the Old Testament prophets who often suffered the rebuke of their contemporaries.

* [11:51] From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah: the murder of Abel is the first murder recounted in the Old Testament (Gn 4:8). The Zechariah mentioned here may be the Zechariah whose murder is recounted in 2 Chr 24:20–22, the last murder presented in the Hebrew canon of the Old Testament. (Luke, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Nancy Shirley reflects on seeing so much sadness and grieving lately: not only friends passing away but children of friends passing away, friends and relatives currently on hospice, widowed friends and relatives whose broken hearts are on their sleeves, young children being left with only one parent, her grandson struggling with the demon of addiction and losing She finds it a challenge to keep a positive attitude.

I need to be reminded that this time on earth is transitory – there is MORE than these struggles and even the joys and delights.  I was recently at the funeral of a beautiful young woman in her mid-forties, she had written something very poignant years ago when barely 30 and I want to include 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. (Shirley, n.d.)

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 Luke 11:47-54 comments that in today’s Gospel, we see one way that Jesus reacted to all this hostility. Speaking very directly, he called out his detractors for their hypocrisy and refusal to believe. We might read this passage as Jesus finally losing his cool and railing against them in fury. But we should remember that Jesus, more than anyone else, lived out his own teachings about loving our enemies. Remember how he wept over those who had rejected him, heartbroken that they had failed to recognize the “time of [their] visitation” (Luke 19:44). Or think of how he asked his Father to forgive the very people who crucified him (23:34). Clearly, Jesus’ way is the way of love!

So how will you respond to the negative feelings that rise up when someone is hostile toward you? Will you let their words cloud your heart and move you to retaliate in kind? Or will you take these “enemies” to the Lord and ask him to give you his own love for them? It’s not always easy to forgive those who hurt you, but it is always possible. In Christ, you can live in peace!

“Lord, help me to see everyone as you do. Jesus, give me your heart of love!” (Meditation on Luke 11:47-54, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the different theology and vocabulary of the Letters to the Ephesians and the Collosians that suggest that Paul was not the author. Aquinas expresses God's desire to heal our sin and the Franciscan Duns Scotus understands that Jesus was always coming to participate in our nature out of love. Friar Jude reminds us that the responsibility of the Scribes and Pharisees to interpret the Law is portrayed as a religion of scrupulosity especially in Matthew’s Gospel.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Theologian Elizabeth Johnson who shows how our understanding of creation has evolved since Genesis. She invites us to think of God as Creator through a broad lens.

The ambling character of life’s evolutionary emergence over billions of years … is hard to reconcile with a simplistic idea of God the Creator at work…. Best to let go of the idea of God as a monarch acting upon other beings. Move your mind in the direction of the living God who is infinite holy mystery. Sit with the truth that our finite minds cannot comprehend the One who is infinite; our finite hearts cannot grasp love without limit. Look toward God not as an individual actor within the range of creatures but as the unimaginable personal Source of all beings, the very Ground of being, the Beyond in our midst, a generative ocean of love, Creator Spirit. Then begin to realize that the power of the Creator Spirit is not exercised as raw power-over but as love that empowers-with. God’s creative activity brings into being a universe endowed with the innate capacity to evolve by the operation of its own natural powers, making it a free partner in its own creation. (Rohr, n.d.)

We express gratitude for the blessings that come from our relationships with the people in our lives and with the Spirit of God that empowers us to love and respect people who are critical of our way.

References

Ephesians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/1? 

Luke, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/11?47 

Meditation on Luke 11:47-54. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/10/17/1106593/ 

Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Creator Spirit. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/creator-spirit/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do Not Lose the Key of Knowledge. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=oct17 

Shirley, N. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/101724.html 

Fruit or Folly

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present two paths for our journey and urge us to choose the Way that contains the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

The Two Ways

In the reading from the Letter to the Galatians, Paul declares the Fruit of the Spirit.

* [5:16–25] Spirit…flesh: cf. Gal 3:3 and the note on Rom 8:1–13.

* [5:19–23] Such lists of vices and virtues (cf. Rom 1:29–31; 1 Cor 6:9–10) were common in the ancient world. Paul contrasts works of the flesh (Gal 5:19) with fruit (not “works”) of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). Not law, but the Spirit, leads to such traits.

* [5:21] Occasions of envy: after the Greek word phthonoi, “envies,” some manuscripts add a similar sounding one, phonoi, “murders.” (Galatians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 1 compares the Two Ways.

* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.

* [1:1] The way: a common biblical term for manner of living or moral conduct (Ps 32:8; 101:2, 6; Prv 2:20; 1 Kgs 8:36).

* [1:2] The law of the LORD: either the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, or, more probably, divine teaching or instruction.

* [1:4] The wicked: those who by their actions distance themselves from God’s life-giving presence. (Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus continues a 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).

* [11:44] Unseen graves: contact with the dead or with human bones or graves (see Nm 19:16) brought ritual impurity. Jesus presents the Pharisees as those who insidiously lead others astray through their seeming attention to the law.

* [11:45] Scholars of the law: see note on Lk 10:25. (Luke, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Maureen McCann Waldron comments that today we can ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to these incredible graces, Love, Patience, Gentleness, and be grateful that God wants to give us these attitudes and ways of dealing with people and our own selves.  These are graces that we can share with others, spreading that joy.

Spirit of wisdom and gentleness, thank you for being in my heart today, offering me what I don’t always realize I need.  Be with me as I prepare to meet the world, and myself. Remind me of the joy, love and peace you offer me, and help me to spread your great gifts in each hour of my day. (McCann Waldron, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Binding heavy burdens on others,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Just as the scribes and Pharisees wickedly sat upon the throne of Moses, so do some in the church who sit upon the ecclesiastical throne. There are some in the church who have the right understanding of the law and pass it on correctly. They say what each person needs to do, but they themselves do not do it. Some of them lay heavy burdens upon the shoulders of men, but they won't even lift a finger to help. These are the ones the Savior is talking about when he says, 'Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of God' (Matthew 5:19). There are others, however, who sit on the throne, who act before they speak and speak wisely, restraining those who are disordered. They place merciful burdens on the shoulders of others. They themselves are the first to lift the heavy burden, for the exhortation of other listeners. It is these of whom the Lord speaks when he says, 'He who does so and teaches others to do so, this man will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 9) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 11:42-46 comments that when it comes to the practices of our faith, it can be easy to derive a sense of security from following “The Rules.” We might also use those rules as a quick way to assess whether someone is a “good” Catholic. We might even use these rules as a checklist to determine if we are right with God. But such an approach risks draining the lifeblood from our practices. It risks reducing our relationship with the Lord to a set of obligations. And when that happens, the rules become a burden, not a way to freedom.

Of course, the habits and rhythms of faith are important. Without them, our relationship with the invisible God would descend to the level of theory and speculation. But if you ever find yourself just “ticking off a checklist” or judging someone who doesn’t, perhaps that’s a sign that you need to ask for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit. Perhaps that’s a sign urging you to go back to the heart of the gospel: justice and the love of God.

“Jesus, help me never to reduce my relationship with you to a matter of rules and practices!” (Meditation on Luke 11:42-46, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the contrast that Paul describes between living under the Law or the Spirit. The list of evils is disorganized but the virtues resonate with the Hebrew superlative structure as an organization of three groups of three. Friar Jude underlines the seriousness of excess scrupulosity in the actions of the Pharisees and Lawyers.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Sarah Augustine, a Pueblo (Tewa) author and activist, who identifies what we can learn from creation about the Creator. The Indigenous caucus at the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches shared the ecological wisdom of their traditions.

We as Indigenous Peoples believe that the Creator is in Creation. God revealed himself/herself as Creator and Sustainer in the act of creation. The triune God along with land co-parents all life. The mystery in John chapter 1 unfolds how the Creator abides in creation. The incarnation of God in Christ becomes totality in God’s creation…. Through God all things were made, without God nothing was or is made. In God there is life, and in God is the light of all Creation. The presence of God made the world and therefore [it] is sacred. The work of creation in God is the unity of diversity, where all lives coexist in a harmonious balance because they are all from God. Each seed that sprouts begins creation anew, and not one seed can grow unless the Creator enables it. We believe that doing justice to God’s creation is the basis of liberation and the human search for selfhood. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We are challenged by the Word to ponder our choices in our practice of our faith and to contemplate the actions we can take to cultivate truth, goodness, and love.

References

Galatians, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/galatians/5?18 

Luke, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/11? 

McCann Waldron, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/101624.html 

Meditation on Luke 11:42-46. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/10/16/1105745/ 

Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/1?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Creation’s Revelation. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/creations-revelation/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). You Load Burdens Hard to Bear. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=oct16