Leading to the Truth

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today look at Jesus and Paul as they bring the Word of truth to people. Paul greets the Colossians and celebrates the way in which the word they have heard has been bearing fruit among those who have heard it. Paul ties this fruit to an experience of love in relationship with the Spirit of God. Luke's Gospel tells of Jesus teaching in the synagogues of Judea. Jesus brings the fruit of the Good News in healing to many who were brought to Him. The healing established Jesus position as the Messiah. Jesus shows that maintaining communion with God through retreat to deserted places and attention to carrying out the purpose revealed in the discernment of the will of the Father is the mission of the Messiah and those who follow His lead.

Recognizing the Lord

The Roman Catholic Lectionary for today sets the stage for the question of our experience of recognizing the Presence of the Lord. Paul addresses the Thessalonians about the second coming of Jesus and the consequential "end of the world". The apostle reassures them that they live as children of the light and the end will not surprise them. Those who are asleep, who have not tuned the indwelling Spirit to resonate with the Divine Spirit may find the end comes "like a thief in the night". The psalmist praises the intimate relationship of David with the Lord. In this relationship, David is confident that he will "see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living". This great phrase is proclaimed during Christian funeral rites to speak loudly of the gift from God of the reassurance of the Eternal Presence in relationship with God. The Gospel of Luke places Jesus with in the synagogue in the Gentile region of Capernaum. The authority of His teaching stirs the evil spirit within one of the attendees. The Presence is detected by the spirits in opposition to God. The "stronghold of my life" proclaimed in the psalm is the power to overthrow the grip of the evil spirit in the one possessed. The detection of the Presence is available to all. Our spiritual tuner may need some attention

The protection promised

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer an opportunity to consider the nature of the protection of God for those who are apparently doing the will of God. The Prophet Jeremiah is reluctant to be the messenger to bring the message of the need to change to the people of Israel. The passage today reassures Jeremiah that the kings, princes and priests will not prevail against him. The psalmist is full of the praise of God and His wondrous deeds which have rescued the people from the hands of the unjust and the cruel. These texts are followed by the account in the Gospel of Mark of the beheading of John the Baptist. What happened? Has the power of evil prevailed? The relationship of the disciple to the Divine is extraordinary. The protection offered in this awesome intimacy is the protection of the relationship. Love transcends the limitations of our physical existence. The Christian journey to eternity passes through Calvary and death. Jesus considers, in His Passion, the option of having the Cup of Love which he is offered by the Father pass Him by. He chooses the Cup. We also are privileged in the circumstances of life to choose the outwardly foolish paths of selflessness. The selfless choice brings Life. Life giving is the promise which is protected.

Showing Up

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer an opportunity to consider both the ecstasy and the "cross" of discipleship. The psalmist praises the intimacy of his experience of the Divine Presence as he is confident of being upheld and comforted in the depths of the night. Peter, in the Gospel of Matthew, responds to Jesus revelation that the journey to Jerusalem will involve great suffering and death with the proclamation that "This must never happen to you!" The error in Peter's outburst is sharply countered by Jesus. Larry Gillick SJ reflects that the "cross" which we choose to embrace as disciples often is tied to "showing up" for the life which our relationship with God indicates to us. The reading from the Book of Jeremiah is about showing up to present the message of God while at the same time being aware of the ridicule and persecution that this choice will bring. Paul addresses the Romans and us about understanding that our presentation of our very human imperfect self is the necessary step in the transformation of our direction to that which is in accord with our discernment of the will of God. The delight of the Creator in the 'creature', "as is", is the foundation for transformation of the weak, imperfect and fragile to that which is not "conformed to this world".

The standard of performance

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today may leave us with questions if we are seeking insight into what it is we need to do to be ok when as the psalmist proclaims "he is coming to judge the world". Paul continues to praise the love of the Thessalonians for their brothers and sisters. He comments that they have learned this as the will of God.  He encourages them to do more in the areas living quietly, minding their own affairs, working with their hands and behaving properly towards others. When this letter was written Paul believed Jesus would be returning soon and his advice may be based on maintaining the good life already demonstrated. The parable of the talents in the Gospel of Matthew is about a longer time. It is the example of how to live for a usual life time. There are a couple of points. It does not directly answer the "What do I have to do to pass?" question which will be voiced millions of times as the schools return for Fall sessions. The requirement to do the Will of God seems to be dependent on the amount of grace we have known in our relationship with the Divine. The righteous have lived with the gracious gifts of God and have used them in communion with the Will of God.

Be Prepared

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today bring the motto of the Boy Scouts to mind "Be Prepared". The parable of the ten bridesmaids from the Gospel of Matthew shows the consequence of not taking care of preparations to be exclusion from the marriage feast. As the psalmist proclaims "light dawns for the righteous and joy for the upright of heart". The temptation is to become smug and self congratulatory about our preparation. Paul urges the good people of Thesslonika to do more and more to please God. We need to review our "preparedness" and find those areas of our life which need more illumination and more oil in our lamps so that even those areas are better prepared. The call to more and more also involves spreading our light so that the other bridesmaids have a change of heart and seek oil for their lamps. The more oil we think we have, the greater is our obligation to make light overcome darkness. We need to be prepared to be thankful for the oil in our lamp and to strive to make the marriage feast accessible to all.

While you are away

The letter of Paul to the Thessalonians from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today expresses the love and concern of the apostle for the people he has met and has had to leave as he continues his missionary journey. He thanks the people for the encouragement he has received from their faith during the persecution he is encountering. He offers to pray for them. This contact of believers through faith, remembrance and prayer is the essence of "pray for me" which we ask and do for people all the time. The genuine concern and empathy is the spiritual connection which is made between those in a prayer communion. We experience both the action and consolation of Paul when we pray for those from whom distance or circumstance causes separation. The Gospel from Matthew presents a different type of action during separation. "What can I get away with when the  other is absent?" Unfortunately this is also a common experience of many. The absence of the sense of connectedness over distance and circumstance which the devious behavior causes is the first negative consequence. The disappointment of the beloved and the inadvisability of attempting to control the revelation of our activity give us an insight into the impossible strategy of trying to "second guess" the Divine of the psalmist praise "For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday".

The twelve foundations

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary are those for the feast of Saint Bartholomew, apostle. The Book of Revelation describes the "new Jerusalem" which is the Church. The vision shows that the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Jesus) form the foundations of the Church. Certainly the apostles were the instruments of the will of the Lord as proclaimed by the psalmist to "make known to all people your mighty deeds". In our experience of the intimate relationship with Jesus to which we are invited we may have encountered the Divine in ways similar to Nathanael as described in the passage from the Gospel of John today. The Spirit, who knows our inner being more than we, reveals truth about our nature which is personal revelation. Our indwelling Spirit in resonance with the Spirit of personal revelation gives us the conviction of Nathanael (Bartholomew) that "You are the Son of God, You are the King of Israel"! Like the apostles, our lives are to be the vehicle whereby all people come to know the mighty deeds of God.

Tithe mint, dill, and cummin

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents texts which prompt us to consider the deeper message and deeper reality in our religious observances. Paul addresses the Thessalonians as he is racing to cover the ground in the Greek cities to bring them in contact with an intimate experience of the love of God through a personal relationship with Jesus. Paul is clear that the way to evangelize these people is to love them as brothers following the love Paul knows in Christ. The psalmist proclaims that he is in relationship with the Divine who knows every detail of the psalmist's life from beginning to end. The contemplation of this deep personal delight of God in the individual person is properly overwhelming his thoughts. The response to this awesome relationship is thanksgiving and praise. The Gospel of Matthew shows Jesus questioning of the depth of the response of the religious authorities to the relationship with God. The  areas of justice, mercy and faith are the responses to be encouraged and demonstrated by those gifted to experience a resonance of the indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God. The tithe of time, treasure and talent follows in thanksgiving in the manner of the psalmist and Paul.

Work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today set a contrast between the effect of disciples who demonstrate "work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope" and those who proclaim rules and become arbiters of the grace of God. Paul addresses the Thessalonians giving thanks to God for the faith, love and hope which has become the hallmark of these people as they have opened to the action of the Spirit of God in them to build their power and conviction. The Gospel of Matthew tells of Jesus observation of the actions of those "blind guides" of religious practice. They are hypocrites who have tasks and rules for others to be sanctified yet seem to be closed to the action of the sanctifying intimacy with God offered to them. The Catholic Church today commemorates the memorial of the "Queenship of Mary". Her life of faith, love and steadfastness is the "yes" response to the invitation to be in intimate relationship with God and to be the Queen leading the disciples as the true guide. Today we look and see authentic guides to our journey of faithful communion with the Divine as well as those who continue to misdirect by their words and actions. The Spirit will illuminate the faithful with the grace to "hear His voice" above the din.

Leadership in touch

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary relate episodes where the purpose of God for people is recognized, praised and ignored. The Gospel of Matthew presents the dialogue between Jesus and the disciples where He asks about who the people say He is. His question is answered in general terms and Jesus directs Peter to respond. Peter's proclamation is the verbalization of the inspiration of the Spirit in Peter to call out in recognition of the Presence of God in Jesus. The Letter of Paul to the Romans lists some of the characteristics of wisdom and knowledge of God. Paul recalls the words of Isaiah and Job who recognize the vast difference in the Divine and human existence. The Book of Isaiah contains the message of the error in the choices of the people of Israel to trust in poor leaders rather than the faithfulness of the Lord to Israel. The call for the return to the relationship of the Covenant when the Lord was first concern for the people is constantly ignored. The leadership of those who recognize and choose to live according to the Will of God as revealed in the intimate relationship of indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God is given to Eliakim in the time of Isaiah and to Peter by Jesus.

Open to the purpose of God

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary relate episodes where the purpose of God for people is recognized, praised and ignored. The Gospel of Matthew presents the dialogue between Jesus and the disciples where He asks about who the people say He is. His question is answered in general terms and Jesus directs Peter to respond. Peter's proclamation is the verbalization of the inspiration of the Spirit in Peter to call out in recognition of the Presence of God in Jesus. The Letter of Paul to the Romans lists some of the characteristics of wisdom and knowledge of God. Paul recalls the words of Isaiah and Job who recognize the vast difference in the Divine and human existence. The Book of Isaiah contains the message of the error in the choices of the people of Israel to trust in poor leaders rather than the faithfulness of the Lord to Israel. The call for the return to the relationship of the Covenant when the Lord was first concern for the people is constantly ignored. The leadership of those who recognize and choose to live according to the Will of God as revealed in the intimate relationship of indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God is given to Eliakim in the time of Isaiah and to Peter by Jesus.

Walking will be noticed

The story of Ruth from the Hebrew Testament is continued today in the text from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. The faithfulness and loyalty of Ruth to Naomi is part of how she lives her life. This love is visible to Boaz who marries Ruth and they become parents of Obed who is father of Jesse, father of David. The psalmist praises the joy and fruitfulness  of those who walk in the way of the Lord. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus addresses the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. They hold the position of teachers of Israel yet their lives do not reflect what they teach. The powerful teaching and evangelization that Christians are called practice is the Gospel of the way they walk daily in the fruit of an intimate relationship with Jesus through the resonance of their Spirit with the Spirit of God.

Loving the ignored and shunned

The Pharisee lawyer asks Jesus to explain the greatest commandment in the Law in the text from Matthew's Gospel from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. The greatest commandment is to love God with our entire being above all else. Jesus continued to cite the 2nd commandment to love neighbour as ourself. The great guide of the Hebrew nation, the Law and the Prophets, are dependent on these commands.  Our story often includes exclusion of people and cultures from our lives. The psalmist identifies the God of Creation as the One who executes justice for the oppressed, provides food for the hungry, watches over strangers and upholds the orphan and widow. The story of the Israelite Naomi and her Moabite daughter-in law, Ruth, is one of feeding the hungry and upholding the widow. The irony for Israel is that Providence acts through the shunned Moabite tribe to bring life and the line of David (descended from Ruth) to Bethlehem. The great love of God experienced by believers is to be evidenced in the actions of the believers toward the ignored, marginalized and shunned which should mirror the generous and merciful action of the Divine. 

Making Rash Decisions

The Roman Catholic Lectionary for today presents texts which invite us to consider decisions we make which may be rash and ill considered and the consequences of such decisions. The desire to be in communion with the Divine is expressed in the song of the psalmist. He praises the wonderful works and steadfast love of the Lord and concludes that burnt offering and sin offering are not pleasing to God. The attitude which deepens the intimacy with God is openness to act according to the Will of God. The passage from the Book of Judges is difficult in respect to the fate of the daughter of Jephthah. The decision of Jephthah to make such a rash promise to God is not atypical of some of the bargaining which people attempt, in times of distress, with the Divine. The lack of appreciation of those who make such deals of the sentiments expressed in the psalm is tragic. The parable of the wedding banquet in the Gospel of Matthew begins to tell of how those invited to intimacy with God reject the invitation and turn against the messengers carrying the invitation. This is the experience of disciples as they work to bring the message of Jesus to their communities. The "twist" and the mystery is the man who attends the wedding feast yet fails to don the wedding garment. The decision not to participate fully in the life to which you have been invited and which you have witnessed is one with dire consequence. Knowledge of the illumination and joy of the wedding feast followed by a decision to accept being thrown into the darkness is unfortunately still a pattern of life for people.

What do you expect

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary throw a curve in our expectations of how the Divine interacts with people. The psalmist praises the rich blessings of God which include life, joy in the Presence of God and trust in Providence. This is a good fit to our sense of God. The text from the Book of Judges sheds light on the selection of Abimelech as king of Israel. Jotham, the only one of 70  half brothers of the new king to escape slaughter by Abimelech questions the wisdom of the choice of King. We seem to choose leaders, at times, even in the modern world, who turn on their people. The search for one who has been blessed by God as leader may be the strategy suggested by these texts. The Gospel of Matthew relates the parable of the workers in the vineyard who receive the same wage from the land lord even though they have worked for different amounts of time in the vineyard. The image of disciples of Jesus as "workers in the vineyard of the Lord" is frequently used. We can develop an attitude that we deserve something to recognize our long work for our family or "the Church". The Parable offers an opportunity to reset our false sense of entitlement and to recognize and wrestle with the jealousy which pops up when we perceive "advantage" to others that we have missed. Generosity and joy over the good fortune of others is a difficult attitude to develop. We can easily hear the arguments of people over the injustice of work without pay the Spirit calls us to be open to the graciousness of God to others and to our growth in the practice of the ways of God.

Obstacles in wealth and power

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today challenge our understanding of wealth and power. The usual preparation for a mission to achieve change and advance the living conditions of a people is to amass wealth and develop power. God chooses Gideon to be the leader to save the Israelites from domination by the Midianites though by his own assessment he is the weakest and least in his clan. The psalmist proclaims a hint at the Divine understanding of the relationship for security and peace among people. The Lord will give what is good. His salvation is at hand for those who attend to the relationship. The glory of God will be shown through the salvation of those without power and might. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus advises that those who hold to power and wealth will find it very difficult to abandon the false security of material possessions and dependance on human relationships to bring fullness of life. The most full and glorious life is impossible for human mortals but it is the fruit of the intimate relationship to which we are invited by Jesus.

Life to magnify the Lord

The passage from the Gospel of Luke from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven, is the "Magnificat", the Canticle of Mary. Commentators refer to it as the last of the Hebrew Testament Canticles and the first of the New Testament Canticles. The experience of Mary as the one who has replied "Yes" to the call of God to be the Mother of Jesus is chanted in words which recall the gracious action of God in the lives of earlier women (Hanna in 1 Samuel 2). The words proclaim the invitation of the Divine to Mary to participate in the fulfillment of the Promise made to Abraham. The action of God through Mary will scatter the proud, lift up the lowly and fill the hungry with good things. The role of Mary as example to believers is ongoing. Paul addresses the Corinthians to proclaim that the mission of Christ in accordance with the will of God is to overcome the rulers, authorities and powers in human life with the resurrected life of Jesus. The last enemy destroyed by Jesus is death. Our journey to live in the life where our soul magnifies the Lord and our Spirit rejoices in God is inspired and guided by the example of Mary and the advice of the psalmist to "consider and incline your ear".

a house of prayer for all peoples

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today ring out with the message that the intimate relationship between God and humanity is a gracious gift intended by God to be extended to all people. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah proclaims the Divine invitation to all "foreigners" to love the name of the Lord and to be his servants. The psalmist echoes this theme as he exhorts "let all the peoples praise you". Paul tells the Romans and all "Gentiles" of the painful rejection of Jesus by his Jewish people by which he has become the "Apostle to the Gentiles" and through which the reconciliation of the world with God is begun. He anticipates the great resurrection of the intimacy of his people as he reminds us that "the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable". The episode from Matthew's Gospel has a twist. Jesus appears to be rejecting the petition of the woman because she is a Canaanite. This would be the accepted policy for Jewish religious leaders of the time. These people were outside the "house of Israel" and were ritually "unclean". The woman, in the manner of the patriarchs Abraham, Jacob and Moses, argues with Jesus "even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table". Father Larry Gillick SJ reflects on the Gospel for today "I grew up in an all white, all Irish, all Catholic neighborhood. I did not know anybody who looked or thought differently from our true and authentic family way. I did not even know there were boundaries. There were just others over there who didn’t matter. They were not wrong, they were not worthy of judging. Jesus was ours and I honestly thought he was quite Irish. Jesus is asking us to hear the requests of the Canaanites of our families, neighborhoods, schools, cities". This may be the experience of many of us and we have perhaps cast Jesus in the culture and customs of our family and community. The "twist" of the Gospel is a wake up for us.

Put away the foreign gods

The text from the Book of Joshua in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today is intent on advising the Israelites to "put away the foreign gods that are among you". Joshua challenges the people and us to consider both the grace of God which we have known in our life journey and our response to that grace. We, like the Israelites in the passage, are often distracted by the other gods in our life which may be related to our need to see ourself as the centre of our existence. Position, privilege, gratification, respect, pride and possessions are only some of the 'foreign gods' which anger God as they sap from our being the life and liveliness which our intimate relationship with the Divine invites us to know. The Gospel from Matthew shows Jesus strong assertion that we need to understand living like the children who are attracted to Him in the text without attention to and attention by the "adult concerns" which distract us from the joy and security of relationship as experienced by children and intended for all.

Not everyone can accept this

The text from the Gospel of Matthew in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today recounts Jesus response to the questions of the disciples about divorce. The phrase "Let anyone accept this who can" is used in two variations in the passage. The text from the Book of Joshua and the praise of the psalmist reveal the steadfast love and unrequested generosity of God to Israel. The history shows this gracious support to be received without gratitude, at times, by the Israelites. The "marriage" of God and Israel in Covenant is the model of marriage that Jesus is showing as Moses example for the people. Today, those who seek to live intimately with God and marriage partner have the model of Jesus. The model of Christian marriage is the intimate relationship of Jesus and the Church, the Body of Christ. This is the relationship which  is the goal that people married in union with God in the Body of Christ try to accept. The "success" of the relationship is only as possible as the daily acceptance of the gracious prompting of the Spirit to listen to the will of the Father as it becomes expressed in the married lives of the disciples.

Forgiveness and Mercy

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today tell us of the triumphant entry of the Israelites into the "promised land" across the Jordan after their long exile in the desert. This represents a restoration of the Covenant relationship between God and the people. This comes after a history rejection and complaining during the journey. The reconciliation is complete. The people are returned to the time of Moses as the flow of the Jordan is stopped to permit them to cross on dry land. The praise of the psalmist today is for both events the Exodus from Egypt and the crossing of the Jordan at Jericho. Jesus responds to Peter's question on the extent of forgiveness expected of disciples in the passage from the Gospel of Matthew. The parable of the Unforgiving Servant presents the example that forgiveness is given graciously, generously and repeatedly. The consequence for those who cannot forgive is dire. The consequence will be lived by the unforgiving in a prison of their own creation in their daily life. All have sinned and all have fallen short. The life giving forgiveness we know in the repair of our intimacy with the Divine is a mutual life giving action we can transfer to those who have offended us.

Generous Gracious and Merciful

The psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offers praise to God for those who "fear" the Lord. He paints a picture of the these people who are aware of their deep need to be in intimate relationship with the Divine and their "fear" that separation might occur with the Lord. "Wealth and riches are in their houses", "their righteousness endures for ever", and "they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with those who deal generously and lend". (Psalm 112) In the text from the Gospel of John, the apparent paradox that those who lose their life will keep it is presented in Jesus words to the disciples. He is again emphasizing the role of the disciple to be servant, die to self and know the intimacy with Jesus that would include giving all in accordance with the will of the Father. Paul addresses the Corinthians on the attitude of generosity which is practiced in communion with the will of God and is multiplied in blessings to the recipients and cheerfulness in the giver. The people in intimate relationship with the Divine through the resonance of their indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God are generous, gracious and merciful.

Contrasting Contemplation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer two contrasting views of the relationship between humanity and the Divine. Moses instructs the people to follow the mighty hand of the Lord across the Jordan into the promised land where "He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them". The psalmist praises the essential justice of God who apportions the boundaries of the nations among the peoples. The Gospel of Matthew has Jesus instruct the disciples and us that the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the most humble. The example of the little child is set out as the humility required of people. This is not the child of modern western culture who receives much attention from parents and adults. This is the child who is seen and not heard as he learns his position in the family structure. The Gospel presents Jesus example of the good shepherd who searches after one lost sheep even though there are 99 others and who rejoices when the lost is found. This contrasts greatly with the "minimize your losses" attitudes today. It is not easy to reconcile these different views. The invitation is to contemplate the texts and seek the insight of which we may become aware in the process

Some examples of service

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today provide some stark contrasts and some examples of what it means to be in service of God. Moses proclaims the great deeds done for the Hebrew people by God. The commandment of God to the people to maintain this Covenant is to love God above all and to serve Him. Service would consist of doing what God does. Deuteronomy details a challenging list. God is not partial and takes no bribe, He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and He loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing. The psalmist proclaims the particular power and graciousness shown the Israelites. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reveals that He will be betrayed and killed as He continues His ministry. The next verses show the transcendent power of the same Jesus as He demonstrates both that He is not subject to the Temple tax and a payment technique which underlines the Divine power which is His

Is the relationship still alive

The Texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today bring us close to experience of doubt and anguish. These are times when we wonder if the relationship we know with the Divine is still in place. Elijah is lead to the holy mountain where he has his understanding of his relationship to God renewed. Our eyes, ears and nose are too often overlooked as the means by which the Presence can be affirmed. Dawn, children’s faces, dogs playing, parents teaching are the stuff of reconnection. Paul like many who are close to friends and family struggles with why they have not come understand the intimate relationship with the Divine available to them even though they have had instruction, education and example presented to them. The ancient rabbis would ask if the true lover of God and people would offer God to exchange their place in the eternal with ones who they love. Paul expresses this desire in the letter to the Romans. His anguish over the welfare of Israel is the experience of many with respect to their own loved ones. Peter is impetuous. His love of Jesus is strong and his intentions are excellent. The trust he needs, like all who are challenged in life, is not quite there as he momentarily sinks into the ocean of life’s storms. He is pulled back to the security of his relationship with Jesus wherein he can continue to develop the faith to move mountains and be the Rock.

Eyewitness to Glory

The second letter of Peter in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today is an account of the personal experience of Peter on the mountain with Jesus during which Peter became convinced of the relationship of Jesus to the Father. The vision described in the passage from the Book of Daniel is an extra worldly commission of power and glory to a  human like figure by a Divine One. The psalmist praises God who reigns from a throne righteousness justice and glory. These experiences of the Divine can be compared with the personal revelation of Jesus nature and his mystical link as Son and fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah). The hand of Jesus is intimately present to bring peace to the spirits of James, John and Peter as they process what they have been shown about their Master. We experience glimpses of the glory of God in the people and places around us. We are invited to allow the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of Jesus to be the intimacy which brings peace and trust to those moments.

Mighty Deeds Recalled

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider the aspect of "fear of God" which is really fear of losing contact with the Divine. The psalmist seems to be in a time of isolation from God. He is trying to recall the mighty deeds of God from the past. Our memory is a great asset when we are in need of a reminder of the grace of God in bringing us to today. Most can offer thanksgiving when we consider the cliche "there but for the grace of God go I". The Gospel of Matthew presents the truth that the deepening of intimacy with Jesus, for which we thirst in the manner of the psalmist, is communion with him in love and service. How much love? The cross we accept is the love we are called to live through the transcendent power of the indwelling Spirit. We "put on Jesus" as we strive to be disciple.

harden your hearts

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer comment on the decision not to trust the relationship we have with God and the fruit of being open to the prompting of the Spirit to explain and proclaim the truth which is present to us. Aaron and Moses are chastised by God for lacking the trust in Providence to carry them through the complaints and grumbling of the Israelites in the wilderness. The psalmist pleas for the grace of people to be open to the resonance between the Spirit of God and our spirit. Matthew relates the openness of Peter to the revelation of the nature of Jesus. Later,   In this Gospel passage, Peter moves back, as we do, to using our perception without the assistance of our link through the Spirit to make decisions about situations. We harden our hearts.

Let it be done for you as you wish

The response of Jesus to the persistent petitioning of the Canaanite woman, in the text of the Roman Catholic Lectionary from the Gospel of Matthew, is “Let it be done for you as you wish”. (Matthew 15:28) This is the response which we all hope to receive when we request assistance or action from others. What differentiates those requests which have a conclusion with which we are pleased and those responses which fall short? The petitions which are for the benefit of others and through which express our trust that the outcome will be according to the best interests of the one in need are the characteristics of the petition and response in this section of the Gospel. The attempt of the spies in the passage from the Book of Numbers to thwart the will of God for the Israelites draws the anger of God. The consequence of this attempt at deception is the continued wandering of the Israelites in the wilderness for another generation. The psalmist acknowledges our predisposition to ignore the steadfast love and intimacy offered by the Divine and to choose to do it for ourselves. This attitude will not bring the will of God and our wishes together as they were for the woman from Canaan

Defiled by what comes out of the mouth

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer the opportunity to consider how the unkind word which we may speak about another is a serious decision on our part to put some distance in the intimacy we are invited to share with God. The Book of Numbers relates the anger of God over the words spoken against Moses by Aaron and Miriam. God makes it clear that the behaviour against Moses is a case of being in conflict with the role of Moses ordained by the Divine. The consequence of this action, at first, seems over the top and the quick appeal of Moses to God for mercy is the evidence of the trust, compassion and intimacy of the relationship of Moses with God. Commentators suggest that Miriam was healed. The consequence of her action became exile from the group for a period of time. The psalmist proclaims the understanding that we know the sin that is in our lives and we perceive that this is an obstacle to being as intimate with the Divine as God desires for us. Along with the psalmist we implore God to restore our relationship as Miriam was restored to the community. The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus use of the tradition of the elders around cleaning of hands before eating to focus attention on the words which come out of our mouths as that which has the potential to put separation in the intimacy we live with the Divine. The value of the advice of those who are apparently blind to the important aspects of the relationship with God is questioned.

Why did you doubt

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today bring us to confront the nature of God as transcendent. The Book of Numbers reviews the frustration of Moses with the Israelites who yearn for the fruit and produce of their former lives in Egypt. The cry of Moses and the cry of Peter in the text from the Gospel of Matthew are related. Both are trying to process the great events of liberation and healing they have witnessed. Their minds return to the limited possibilities of our reality. The miraculous events which would point to a Divine Transcendent Presence with them have not sunk in. The psalmist laments, in the voice of God, the failure of the people to listen and hear the Lord as support and rich sustenance are the gracious gifts of the will of God. The people, we, then and now proceed with our “stubborn hearts”.