The psalmist proclaims present and mission

The text from the Psalms today, in the Roman Catholic Lectionary, proclaims Zion which originally was the fortification in the ancient community of Jerusalem as “Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth”, the spiritual relationship of the Hebrew people to the Divine. The Covenant calls the people to be a light to the nations in their relationship with God. The Letter to the Hebrews from the Christian Testament reveals the continuation of the relationship in intimacy with Jesus, fully human and Divine, through the communion of the indwelling Spirit with the Divine. The Gospel of Mark details the ancient mission of bringing the light of the relationship with God to all people. The disciples are to present themselves simply so that the message will be clearly supported by Providence. The choice is presented to their hosts and the seriousness of rejection of their invitation is too be marked. In modern discussions of religion and spirituality the “buffet believer” is often presented as an ideal way to select ‘a little from column A and a little from column B’ as spiritual food. The texts challenge believers to know the orthodoxy, research the tradition and mark the value of joining the journey that is recorded and reflected upon for millennia of human exploration of the Divine Mystery.