The Gnostic misses the continuing deepening of the relationship

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary take us to the teachings of John,  Evangelist of the 4th Gospel. The passage from his first letter warns of the antichrist who,  according to Friar Jude Winkler, are the Gnostics. They represent "Greek thought" that the Divine is spirit, good and worthy of worship and the flesh is corrupt. The separation of God from flesh is antichrist as we commemorate today the 7th day in the Octave of Christmas, the celebration of the passage from the Gospel of John today in which "the Word became flesh and lived among us".  Friar Jude describes the living among us as pitching His tent with us. This is the completion of the expectation of the people of God from ancient times that the Covenant would draw the people closer into the Love of God. The realization of this experience of being closer to the Divine is guided by the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God, the Love between Father and Son. Our flesh being is invited to become the Body of Christ, an intimacy which is only opened to people as the Word becomes flesh. 

The story of trust

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary commemorate the feast of the Holy Family. The history of the Covenant between God and the people of Israel is related in the Book of Genesis as Abram, in old age, is promised an heir who will be the start of a family of people who will number greater than the stars. As he reaffirms his faith in God and trusts that this promise will be fulfilled, he is instructed to change names of he and his wife to Abraham and Sarah. The child is born and is named Isaac, which according to Friar Jude Winkler means "laughter". Certainly trust and a sense of humour are attitudes which contribute to the development of healthy relationships. These relationships may be with God, between family members or with others. The mystery of the revelation of our "vocation" in the Divine plan sometimes seems to come "too late" in our lives. We struggle to find the "humour" in situations which, in our opinion, may have been avoided if I knew then what I know now. The preparation of the soul for the attitude of trust and openness may take decades. It may be accelerated as the Gospel of Luke indicates the "trust" of the young mother Mary as she hears the elder wisdom of Simeon and Anna in the Temple and moves according to her trust to be the person missioned with the human development of this child in the remote backwater of Nazareth who is heralded as Messiah and who is of Divine origin. The action in our lives in our "vocation"  needs faith that trusts the support for our journey will be provided. This spiritual maturity is not necessarily tied to physical maturity, but many people find this trust in the "second half " of their journey.

Walking as He walked

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary include the beginning of Psalm 96 where the psalmist exhorts us to declare the glory of the Lord among the nations and tell of His marvelous works among all peoples. The passage from the first letter of John warns that we may fall into great hypocrisy if we proclaim to be followers of the Way of Jesus and we do not love our brothers and sisters. Much of the difficulty we do have with the commandment of love is our attempts to clarify and rationalize just who are our brothers and sisters. The presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple, according to the custom of the religious Law is an opportunity for us to hear the prophesy of Simeon that the One who is being presented and the One who lives today in the Body of Christ is the light for Jew and Gentile (all peoples) and that life guided by this light will create tension and cause many to rise to the invitation to live in the light and many to reject through rationalization the commandment which is both ancient and new to be love to our brothers and sisters. The declaration of the glory of God through action of inclusion, mercy and forgiveness will pierce hearts and divide souls.

Sin is in our daily life

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary are for the feast of the Holy Innocent Martyrs who are those described as massacred by Herod in the Gospel today from Matthew. The pattern of massacre of those who we fear continues daily in the world. Friar Jude Winkler points out that the text today from the first letter of John is a dualistic treatment of the nature of sin. The truth hidden between the lines of the text agrees with the understanding of Paul that "all have sinned". From this point of view we realize that all of us depend on the forgiveness and mercy of God for reconciliation. The danger in the dualistic approach of the battle of those righteous before God against those who are condemned by sin is that it leads to exclusion, lack of mercy, violent repression and the most ungodly action against the "enemy". The prayer of the psalmist for the protection of the Divine against the 'enemy' indicates how God is Present with those who are persecuted and oppressed even if they are being attacked as our enemy. The approach of Herod who reacts in fear and violence is so visible among the powerful in all nations today. The warning to us is not to become Herod in our fear of those who we have excluded as sinners from our social, cultural and religious circles.

We know God in our senses

The texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary commemorate the feast of John the Apostle and Evangelist. The Gospel of John is, in places, a very mystical work which relates the Divine nature of Jesus. The opening of the Letter of John today refers to the beginning of the Gospel of John where we read of the beginning of the universe where there was the Word, coexistent with the Father and in that 1st chapter of John's Gospel we are told that the Word became flesh and lived among us. This intimacy of Divine and human is the celebration of Christmas. In the work of John, this mystical relationship of love and fellowship between people, the Son and the Father which is in the resonance of indwelling Spirit with the Holy Spirit occurs through the encounter of human flesh with the Lord which we can experience through our senses. The message that we need to encounter God with our whole being is ancient. The passage from the Gospel of John today takes us to the empty tomb on Easter morning. The action of love on the human body, according to Friar Jude Winkler, has propelled John to the tomb ahead of Simon Peter. When John allows his senses to take in the scene, he is a believer in the Resurrection of Jesus. The Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament is the invitation today to live the experience of intimacy with Jesus through our senses. The Incarnation is the desire of God to reach to unity with people in the experience of the Divine in the Flesh and in the being of all our human brothers and sisters.

Fear of the Message of Peace

The feast of the first martyr of the Church is commemorated in the Roman Catholic Lectionary on the day after Christmas. This is a reminder of the many responses of the world to the proclamation of the Presence of the Prince of Peace. The news from many areas of the world today still tells of Christians being persecuted and martyred. The text from the Acts of the Apostles provides insight into how Stephen gave up his life being aware that Jesus was with him throughout the ordeal. The prayer of the psalmist for God to be aware of our afflictions when we profess our faith is one where we can perhaps identify with the concern that we might not be as brave for our relationship with God as Stephen. The Gospel of Matthew is not going to give us the false assurance that the Life in the Spirit of God, who is love, will shield us from the retribution of those who are struck with fear by our witness. The promise is that the Spirit within, which resonates in relationship with the Divine Spirit, will always be available to guide our words and action.

Simply Profound

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today ring out in celebration of Christmas. The prophet Isaiah observes that God will return to intimate relationship with the people of Israel. The return of the people to the recognition that God reigns in their lives will be great comfort and peace for them. This salvation of the people will be for all nations to witness and be part of. The psalmist proclaims the steadfast love and faithfulness of God as vindication that God remains with His people and His right hand and holy arm have brought victory for God which is witnessed by all peoples of the earth. In this context of God being in intimate relationship with humanity comes the declaration by the author of the Book of Hebrews that God deepens this contact by entering into human history as God limited by human flesh and "an exact imprint of God's very being", a Son. The movement of the Divine into the bounds of time and space from the "is" of the infinite life Giver is to invite those who receive Him into a relationship as children of God. The Word became flesh and lived among us is the description given in the Gospel of John for the event to which children and those whose lives are less based on self appear to receive with open joy and peace. Those still seeking the techniques to bring the action of God into human frameworks of understanding are simultaneously profoundly awed at the "scandal" of God in human form and delightfully overwhelmed with joy that God is with us.

Canticle in the Morning Chorus at Night

The Roman Catholic Lectionary offers some texts for the celebration of the last day before Christmas and some texts for the Celebration of the Nativity which will begin this evening. The Gospel for December 24 is the Canticle of Zachariah in which Luke relates the praise to God of Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, as he understands that the promise of the Covenant, sworn to Abraham, was being fulfilled and the words of Isaiah would become an invitation to people to accept the mercy of God and return to life in light and peace. This life would be announced by the prophet of the Most High who like Zachariah would act in the life filled by the Holy Spirit. Our call of praise and gratitude to the same Spirit empowers us to be witness to the mighty Saviour who is Immanuel, God with us, in our lives. We rejoice in the next days as we meditate on the nature of God, the  Word who is made flesh.

What will this child become?

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary highlight anticipation of change in the lives of the people of God. The messenger Malachi calls for the return of an Elijah like figure to Israel to alert the people to the need to turn again to the guidance offered by the Covenant. The situation observed by Malachi is not unlike today when we see the return of the Lord to our present time would present the terrible tension of the Last Days as the evil in our society and persons is vanquished for all eternity. The episode from the Gospel of Luke introduces John the Baptist, at his circumcision, as one who is born with the special attention of God, announced by an angel to barren and elderly parents who give him a name which, according to Friar Jude Winkler, is "Yahweh is mercy". The link between Elijah and John the Baptist may be in the mission of both, the nature of which is understood as an aspect of the relationship with the Divine in the words of the psalmist today "Make me to know your ways O Lord, teach me your paths"

Witness to the work of God

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today are examples of the action of God in the lives of those thought insignificant in society. Hannah, who was barren, has her prayer for a child answered. This lifts her from a lowly position as an infertile woman to one who becomes a mother and who is inspired to praise God for the action in support of the lowly, poor and downtrodden. The song of praise of Hannah which is the psalm for today is echoed in the words of praise of Mary in the Gospel of Luke. The lowly virgin from Nazareth is to make the greatness of the Lord known by her life and her indwelling Spirit will resonate joyfully with the Spirit of God as the Divine promise to be Immanuel, God with us, is enfleshed in Jesus. Our mission is modeled by Mary. Our lives are to witness the Presence by actions which bring mercy and a relationship with God to others.

Freedom, Joy and Service

The Lectionary of the Roman Catholic Church presents texts of joy and freedom today as the Celebration of the Nativity of Jesus approaches. The passage from the Song of Songs pictures the movement of lovers toward each other as they are overwhelmed by sights and sounds of marriage preparation in the joy of spring and new life. The pregnancy of Elizabeth is a time of joy for her and freedom from the social burden of being barren. Her young relative Mary, moves quickly in the joy of service of God through the "Yes" which has resulted in a miraculous pregnancy for her, too. The action of service for others is truly an inspired and inspiring act when the appropriate place of the server would appear to be as recipient rather than giver. The cliche that "it is in giving that we receive" is proved true in many ways at this time of year. Joy to the World and give give give!. 

Present and Vulnerable

The texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer an understanding of the nature of God through the actions and responses of some well known figures in salvation history. The Prophet Isaiah is addressing the king Ahaz and is trying to encourage him, according to Friar Jude Winkler, to abandon his plans to seek to welfare of Judah in alliances with foreign powers but to seek help from God who is ever present and faithful to the Covenant. As an on-going reminder of God's faithfulness, Isaiah prophesies that a child will be born in the court of Ahaz who will be named Immanuel, God is with us. The annunciation to Mary by the angel Gabriel that she is favoured by God to be the woman through whom the Divine would be incarnate leaves her with questions, not of defensiveness, as Winkler points out, but of confusion. Our human understanding is so inadequate before the Will of the One who the psalmist proclaims controls the earth and all that is in it that confusion is more often replaced with the rejection of Ahaz instead of the "Yes" of Mary. The name of Jesus, "Yahweh saves", alerts Mary to the nature of the mission to which she ascents. It is difficult to imagine the God proclaimed as universal Creator, by the psalmist being vulnerable to the  response of the young girl Mary who is the Yes to God of all times.

Announcing the Intimate Plan

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today are aunnicaiation events. The birth of Sampson is announced to his mother by an angel of the Lord in the passage from the Book of Judges. This is an unexpected event because the woman is barren. The child is one who will be part of the plan of God to restore the people to a relationship with God and to free them from oppression from the world around them. Later in salvation history, the birth of another important player in the plan of God for reconciliation with humanity is announced by the angel Gabriel to the father, Zachariah. The response of the father of John the Baptist to the message of the angel is contrasted by Friar Jude Winkler to the response of Mary to the annunciation by Gabriel that she, a virgin, would bear and birth Jesus. Both recipients of the angel's message ask "How can this be?" The response of Gabriel to both is different. Mary, who has not been seeking this specific gift of a child from God, is advised of plan through which she is invited to be the Mother of Jesus. In the case of Zachariah, he is receiving an answer to prayers for a son and heir. His response indicates an underlying doubt that the miraculous event is possible for the Creator. We often seek the intervention of God in our lives. The message that God desires to be in intimate relationship with us comes through the infusion of His Guidance in the person of humans open to be the leaders of the people back to God. The Incarnation of Jesus is the Will that God, Immanuel, is with us in human flesh. It is the intimacy of living within the Body of Christ. Like Zachariah, the miraculous event of Incarnation does not depend on our belief or doubt. The full realization of the the Invitation in our lives is the consequence, like Mary's example, of our "Yes".

Living in Faith

The texts today for the Fourth Sunday in Advent from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer some examples of "Living in Faith". The Prophet Nathan in the passage from 2 Samuel assures David that "the Lord is with you". David has been successful in leading Israel and is perhaps filled with pride in his accomplishments. Nathan continues to remind David that God has been acting through him and is intending to be faithful to the Covenant with Israel which will be demonstrated through the descendants of David for all time. The trust of David that this would be fulfilled and his obedience to the will of God seem to lack the challenge that Mary's promise to accept that she too in the eyes of favour of God would give birth, as a young Hebrew virgin, to the Son of the Most High who would be the fulfillment of the promises of the throne of David made to her ancestors. As she opened her soul to "magnify the Glory of  God" and her indwelling Spirit rejoiced with the Spirit of God she voiced the "Yes" in trust that the unmarried girl with child in a culture that did not accept this situation, in country occupied by foreign Roman oppressors, would live in obedient faith as agent of the Will of God. Paul concludes his letter to the believers of the Way in Rome with  testimony about the miraculous changes he has experienced in his relationship with the Divine through Jesus. He refers to the changes in the society around him as the promises of the Covenant with David is becoming the Good News of Immanuel, God is with us, to the Gentiles, who are all peoples, inviting all to the life in the obedience of faith through which God acts in human experience. Our living experience presents invitations to move forward in trust that our favourable relationship with God is encouraging us to also magnify the glory of God with "yes" to promptings to our indwelling Spirit in communion with the Spirit. Like David, God has been acting through our lives and, like Mary, we are invited to live in the faith that we will carry Him to others through our "Yes" to His invitation.
 

Lion is the Lamb

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today reflect the approach of the celebration of the Incarnation at Christmas. What is the expectation for the Messiah among the people who will experience this event? The Book of Genesis looks to the future of the people of Israel as being led by a strong ruler, the Lion of Judah, who will command obedience of the peoples of the earth. Friar Jude Winkler comments that the Lion of Judah in Genesis becomes the Lamb sacrificed in Revelation. Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus with a genealogy which links Jesus as Messiah to the line of David and Abraham. Winkler discusses the symbolic nature of the "fourteen" generations as indicating that Jesus is much greater than David. Today, we sometimes wish for a great Christian warrior that would slay the Goliath that appears to threaten our way of life. It seems that one great surprise of Jesus life is that inclusion is Way and love for our enemies is the Truth. The challenge for the Body of Christ is to avoid the roar of the Lion and to practice the self sacrifice of the Lamb.

The Holy Mountain for all people

The psalmist in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today proclaims the hope that the saving power of God be known among all nations. We need to consider if we put ourselves in the position of attempting to give God permission to make this saving of all people happen. The passage from the Prophet Isaiah indicates that God invites the foreigner, eunuch and outcasts to the holy mountain of the Lord. Isaiah asserts that the house of God is a house of prayer for all peoples. The Gospel of John presents the conflict between Jesus actions and the behaviour expected of Him by the religious authorities. The particular issue of the control of people on the Sabbath comes to light. Jesus points out that John the Baptist had begun to open the minds and experience of the people to the will of the Father for them to live more intimately in the resonance of their indwelling Spirit with the Divine Spirit. Jesus is witness to a relationship to the Father as children of God and in life aware of the Presence, Immanuel, God with us. The awesome intimacy of this relationship is not limited to those who follow a particular set of rules from religious authority. The Scripture and our experience of God exhort us to be in praise and joy over the life we have been invited to share with God and at the same time we cannot allow that such a God would restrict any human from living in this relationship.

Refusal to be open

When we meditate on the description of the relationship of God with the people of Israel described in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today we might conclude that the learned and privileged in the society, who had access to the written word and the messages of Isaiah, would hear in the call of the Lord, the desire to be in an intimate relationship which would restore peace, love and justice through the great compassion of God. The comparison of this invitation to "start over" to the waters which reestablished the Covenant with Noah should make the will of God clear. We, like the lawyers and Pharisees mentioned by Luke in his Gospel,  have our own understanding of how things work. Often, our point of view is greatly influenced by our desire to control the status quo, which we rationalize is not so bad for me. Seeing and hearing those in our midst who have experienced reconciliation between their lives and the desire of God to be with them presents us with the challenge to change and to recognize that the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God is the strategy to laying down the fear of lack of control of the situation. John who leads to Jesus is not found in soft robes in the palaces of the powerful and those in control. We understand the nature of the invitation to intimacy as we understand our weaknesses and our struggle in recovery from our addictions to substances, behaviours, control and so on. Through struggle we are aware of our desire shared with the psalmist to turn my mourning to dancing and take off my sackcloth as I am clothed in joy!

Mighty Hand that heals hearts

A quick search of the internet for the terms "transcendent and immanent" will point to a large number of articles that attribute both characteristics to God. The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary offer points of contemplation of the meaning of these ideas for us. The Prophet Isaiah creates images of the creation and Creator of the heavens Who, in transcendent power created the universe out of chaos and prepared it for humanity. The same God invites the individual person to enter into an intimate relationship where God will dwell, immanently, as indwelling Spirit, in the being of all people. The awe of these relationships moves those who realize them to bow the knee and proclaim praise like the psalmist that salvation is at hand where steadfast love and faithfulness meet. The disciples of John the Baptist, when inquiring of Jesus nature and mission, are presented with a testimony of personal intimate involvement with people that brings about earth shattering transcendent changes in their lives. The  transcendent and immanent are Jesus Immanuel .

Witness the Journey to Life in the humbled

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary present an opportunity to reflect on the examples of people living an authentic relationship with God in the community around us. Friar Jude Winkler sets the stage for the words of the Prophet Zephaniah who reviews the status of the role of God in the lives of the rebellious leadership of the people in the tyrannical city of Jerusalem. He voices the entreaty of God to the remnant of believers who have dispersed throughout the civilized world to return and take refuge as a humble and lowly people who have their actions against God forgiven. The lowly, humble and those aware of the gap between their action and the will of God are those poor who are heard by the Lord as praised in the words of the psalmist. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus challenges us to see those on the journey of reconciliation with God in the rebellious, difficult, argumentative or those aware and humbled by their separation from intimacy with the Divine. These are the remnant who are struggling to return and who will lead us to change our minds and believe.
 

Women witness the Way

Daughter Zion, Judith, Mary and Elizabeth are the personages in the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. They are all female and they all play a role in the understanding of the desire and action of God to be with humanity. The text from the Prophet Zachariah addresses the people of Israel as Daughter Zion. The Lord is related to the people as Father and He will restore the family relationship with them. The responsorial canticle today, in Canada,  is from the final verses of the Book of Judith where the Jews praise God for the opportunity and the strength for action given Judith to take advantage of a provident situation to ward off destruction of the Jewish community by the Assyrian conquerers. The Gospel from Luke tells of Mary journeying with haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth, an older woman who was now amazingly pregnant. Mary radiates the Love of God which she carries in her action to be with Elizabeth and bring to the child being carried by Elizabeth, who becomes the prophetic bridge between the chosen under the Law and Tradition of Moses to introduce the Immanuel for all  people. The action of Mary's being, her soul, magnifies the love and desire of God to be with humanity in the most intimate way of living within. Her Spirit is in resonance with the Holy Spirit, the Divine love, and rejoicing is the visible response. Our intimacy with God is a relationship for which we take evidence from the women who have lived it in salvation history.

Light to fill the hungry

The Magnificat is the text used today as the responsorial psalm for the celebration of the 3rd Sunday of Advent in the Roman Catholic Lectionary. This proclamation of praise of Mary is from the Gospel of Luke. She proclaims that her soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God. In the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, Friar Jude Winkler points out that Paul presents the three components of our being, body, soul and spirit. The soul is our life force. It is the visible evidence that we are alive. The eyes are presented in Scripture as the windows of the soul.  We gaze into the eyes of people to determine their presence to us. Are they enamored with us, interested in what we say, angry, impatient and so on. The soul and life force of Mary makes clear, illuminates and shows greater detail about the life and will of God. The passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is the description of the will of God for Israel and the action of those, like Mary, who have said "yes" to the Divine mission. Jesus quotes this passage from Isaiah at the beginning of His public ministry to shed light on His mission and the mission of those who follow Him. Fr Larry Gillick SJ uses many references to the power of light which John the Baptist uses to refer to The Light for whom John has come to testify. The call to proclaim life in the light is the action of all baptized as priest, prophet and leader in the Christian tradition. Our actions as summarized by Paul, in the conclusion of the letter to the Thessalonians, to bring light include rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, hold fast to what is good and abstain from every form of evil. Friar Jude compares this list of Paul to the instructions given by parents when their child is leaving home for education or work. It is in the context of "be sure to remember this advice". Our magnificent praise of God will be rooted in the life of our Spirit as our soul radiates the energy of love and our body works to "fill the hungry with good things".

A different kind of heroic

The Advent texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary recall events in salvation history where heroic figures have acted to refocus the people on the relationship with God. The fruit of this rediscovery of Presence among us will be life in the awareness of the love of God. The Gospel of Matthew relates Jesus discussion with his disciples on the return of Elijah. The power which, in the popular view, would force the defeat of the oppressors is associated with John the Baptist who was badly treated and killed in an manner demonstrating that the authorities paid no heed to the message of his call back to relationship with the Divine through repentance. Jesus indicates that His path will include suffering at the hands of those who the people expected the "Elijah" to defeat in a show of the mighty power of God. The expectations for the "Messiah" to save Israel were based on defeat of the enemy by a heroic "David-like" leader, literally with the fire of Elijah. It is very difficult to see the Son of Man, coming with the message of love your enemies and being persecuted and executed by the oppressor as the Emmanuel or "God is with us".

Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds

The passage from the Gospel of Matthew in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today ends with the words "Wisdom is vindicated by her deeds". The theme of the planning of the Divine for our lives is often approached as a study in predestination. This can be a dualistic debate between free will and destiny tied to the will of God. The texts today suggest a relationship with God which develops as we choose to accept the path which is presented to us. Perhaps "Wisdom", like the parent, directs, provides models, exhorts and loves the child toward the path of prosperity "like a river" and success "like the waves of the sea" as envisioned the text from the Prophet Isaiah for those who attend to the teaching of the Lord and follow the lead of God. The prosperity and success experienced by those who strive to be intimately mentored by the Spirit of God may not be recognized by the scoffers and cynics of self interest living.  The first texts of the Book of Psalms proclaim the blessings which accrue to those to those who are grounded in the meditation and delight in the plan of the Divine. They prosper and yield fruit in the creation of community with fellow seekers, gluttons, drunkards, tax collectors and sinners,  who have replaced wind driven insecurity and fear with confidence in the faithfulness of God to be with them on the journey through which Wisdom accomplishes Her deeds.

Can we grasp this plan?

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary is celebrated today in the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary. These readings offer an opportunity to imagine the universe in the design of the Creator where time and space are not constraints and the linear thinking of mortal creatures is an extremely inadequate tool for insight. The proclamation of the psalmist and the letter of Paul to the Ephesians illuminate the perspective of love, faithfulness, predestination to be heir to every heavenly blessing that is the desire of God for all for all time. Friar Jude Winkler in an etiology of the events described in the Genesis passage today presents the Divine desire to open the door to Mary's "Yes" and a reconciliation of  we who choose to alienate ourselves from the intimate Covenant relationship with God by the pursuit of our own "What's in it for me" desires for all knowledge and control. These pursuits of self interest continue to bring us no joy. The eternally present path of selflessness through the model of Mary, immaculately conceived by Divine plan, predestined to lead us to the Immanuel, God within, is the vision with the imperfect eyes of the creature that we squint for today as our being experiences the timelessness of the desire of God to be with us.

Weary and carrying burdens

The Gospel of Matthew in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invites the weary and those carrying heavy burdens to come to know Jesus. The condition of weariness is experienced by most of us at some time. Fr Richard Rohr, in his latest book, Falling Upward, expresses the opinion that we have the opportunity to live a spiritual "second half of life" where the ego building of the first half of life is replaced with a journey to appreciation of a deeply intimate spiritual journey to the simplicity and beauty of communion of our indwelling Spirit with the Divine. This "laying down of our burden" to be important, to be esteemed, to be proud, to satisfy our ego is replaced by a desire to live the blessings of the Beatitudes. We begin to seek the God praised in the psalm who is "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and mercy". We can imagine living simply, aware of the poverty of our place in the universe before the Eternal and Infinite, moving meekly with our God and desiring the peace and unity which the Prophet Isaiah sees for Israel in the first reading today. "The Lord shall renew their strength and they shall mount up with wings like eagles" (Isaiah 40:24). Amen 

Considering the one percent

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today offers texts which both challenge and comfort. The passage from the Prophet Isaiah is one of comfort to and for the people of Israel who find themselves captive in Babylon. Isaiah declares that God will lead them back to the destroyed and depopulated Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. The community in Babylon is reassured that God wishes to restore an intimate relationship with them. The image used for this intimacy is the shepherd carrying lambs in his arms. The focus changes from the restoration of the community, in which the individual can be an anonymous member, to the individual attention of the Shepherd to that one. The action of restoration is carried out so that each individual is received into the love and attention of God. This transcendent experience of being an individual in relationship with the Divine can challenge our sense that the problems and disasters afflicting the 99%, are being ignored. Today we remember the tragedies of Dec 6, in Halifax during WWI, when the explosion killed thousands and in Montreal, in 1989, at Ecole PolyTechnique, where 14 young women students were massacred. The Gospel of Matthew underlines the action of God towards the 1% who perhaps are more lost than we. Those who have wandered away from the flock are the object of the attention of the Shepherd. Our discipleship must also see that "not one of these is lost".

Strange things can be found in life

The passage from the Gospel of Luke in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today ends with the observation of the people around Jesus that "We have seen strange things today". The unexpected is to be expected on our spiritual journey. The Prophet Isaiah paints images of the changes that will occur as those faithful to the Covenant between God and Israel return to Jerusalem and their faith traditions after the exile in Babylon. It is the promise of that new day which is entirely different from our past experience. Does this really happen in our lives? The possibility for a new viewpoint is always imminent. The ways of God are presented in our study and observation for us to model. The psalmist praises the love, faithfulness, righteousness and peace which is the experience of those who attend to the life inspired by the will of God. The passage in Luke's Gospel shows Jesus recognition of the faith which accompanied the action of the friends of the paralyzed man. What was their expectation of the encounter with Jesus? The proclamation that the sins of the man are forgiven had more impact in a society that linked disease and physical abnormality to punishment for sin. The freedom of this man and the opportunity for his new day to be different are tied to forgiveness. The giving and receiving of forgiveness will initiate new relationships for us. A friend tells of a person who has adopted a policy of forgetting yesterday and all links it contains which bring frustration, disappointment and fear.
The new day where we begin again with people as if they have no paralyzing past with us brings "strange things" into our life.

An invitation to silent time

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today mark the 2nd Sunday in Advent. The world around us asks the questions "Have you got your shopping done yet?" Have you had your Christmas party? ". The Prophet Isaiah invites the people of Israel, in exile in Babylon, to consider a change. The fear and isolation they have been experiencing is to be replaced with comforting action by God to shepherd them back to their home in Jerusalem. Friar Jude Winkler describes this as the motherly love of God.  This will require that they pause and consider their options. Isaiah proclaims the exile they have endured as a consequence of their sin of loosing intimate contact with God is to end. The home they left is gone. The Temple is in ruins and some have made a life in Babylon. The image of the shepherd who will feed and care for the lost sheep will need to be accepted. The decision may require stillness and calm as it is considered. The press reported this week that Pope Benedict XVI participated in a celebration of Advent traditions from his home in Barvaria. The "staade zeit" or quiet time is the traditional way of observing Advent in the Barvarian Alps. When we are faced with the great events in life, quiet time is so necessary for us to listen to the voice within which speaks in the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God.  Fr Larry Gillick asks us to consider silently holding our breath as we are stilled by the contemplation of the Eternal entering time. The Gospel from Mark begins today with the proclamation of John the Baptist that the Messiah, from the ancient texts of Isaiah, Malachi and the Psalms is among the people. This revelation will call the people to change again. The "silent time" is a way to become open to listening through the noise and distractions of the season for that call to find comfort in the return to the intimate relationship with God which is the Divine desire for us.

The harvest takes place in the field

The text from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offers a vision of the rich harvest and luxurious life which awaits the faithful of Israel who return to Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon. This life of rich and deep relationship with God through the renewal of the Covenant will draw a harvest of many of the faith tradition which have lost their way and intimacy with the Divine. The psalmist proclaims that the lost and downtrodden of the people who are connected to Jerusalem, the broken hearted and the wounded will be lifted up. The people through whom God acts to reunite, reassure, reconcile, restore and redeem are identified in the passage from the Gospel of Matthew as the twelve disciples. The biographies of these followers of Jesus may lead us to wonder about the nature of those chosen to bring God's love. Fishers, tax collectors and political zealots seem a very unlikely set of labourers for the harvest. Perhaps we need to reflect on what the "harvest" will be. Will the efforts of God's workers in the vineyards fill the Churchs? The efforts of the Twelve did not fill the synagogues. The measure of the efforts of the workers in the vineyard will be love, inclusion, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, generosity, patience, perseverance, respect and reverence for the sanctity of others. We see this in Church. It is not limited to Church, by any means. We see it in the lives of the good people who we encounter at work, in our neigbourhood and in our families who are not members of our worship communities. We sometimes forget that they are bringing about the rich harvest and are curing sick and casting out demons. Their mission may bring their indwelling Spirit in contact with the Holy Spirit of Love in other times and places. Our witness of their goodness brings hope that, like Jesus, their intimate connection with God, in communion with the Divine Will, occurs outside the synagogue, mosque and church.

The blindness we can't see

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer an opportunity to reflect on the impact that blindness has on our lives. The passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah presents a vision of the beauty which is expected come to the people of Israel as they return from exile and renew their relationship with God. Those thirsts we have for justice and the clear understanding and right vision of the people who change their ways to be in accord with the Will of God, as our ancestors in the faith have practiced it, is part of our hope for a better society. When we are in disagreement with others on such important matters as the right thing to do, we wish, as the text states, for those who err to come to understanding and those who grumble to accept instruction. The exhortation of the psalmist is to wait for the Lord, to be strong, quietly, internally, to have a courageous heart as we try to hear and try to see the point of view of the ones we think blind and the ones we think ignorant. The trust that we can develop in waiting for the resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God is the faith that Jesus encounters in the two blind men from the Gospel of Matthew today. From that faith that seeing things with the eyes of Jesus is our desire, "it can be done to us" and our eyes can be opened to see those with whom we disagree in a different light which illuminates for us the situation we previously saw as very dark.

Missing the Rock through self deception

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer some warning advice about the problem of people in making assumptions and being satisfied with surface living by impression and intuition. The spiritual journey to intimacy in the Kingdom of God perhaps has many paths. Richard Rohr, in his recent books the Naked Now and Falling Upward offers the paths of the experience of intense love and/or intense suffering as life experiences which bring us to a rock, a solid place where all the surface distractions leave us face to face with the Divine. The praise for God from the Book of Isaiah today is after the Israelites have endured the exile in Babylon which brought them to the rock of the basics of their relationship with God and are returning now to Jerusalem to deepen the relationship. The psalmist conveys the advice that taking refuge in the Lord is the path which brings life. Princes and mortal people cannot offer the intimate support of God.
Love is other centered and the ego and self serving nature of people inhibit depth and length of our "unconditional support". In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus implores us to "go deep" and seek the intimate resonance of our indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God  and then "let the wind blow and the rain fall"!