Attractive speech and action

The words “socialism” and “ecumenism” are sparking different responses among Catholic Christians in this time than they did a few decades ago. The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite a consideration of our attention to the actions of those in our midst who are being formed by the Spirit, in the words of Fr Larry Gillick SJ, to be “better for” others than “better than” others. Fr Larry reminds us that change of life direction in humans occurs through attraction. Our “decisions” on a partner, a soul mate, a political movement and a spiritual guide are mostly the consequence of attraction. The ancient role of the Chosen People was to attract the other nations to come to know the God of Israel. Moses proclaims his blessing on the action of God to call those outside the listed group to prophesize and he wishes such spirit were extended to all the Lord’s people. The Irish Jesuits who write Living Space comment that it is very easy for a chosen group to become elitist, to claim for itself a monopoly of doing good. Friar Jude Winkler notes, from the Gospel of Mark,  Jesus instructions to His disciples, who may have been sensing the their special relationship with Jesus and the gifts which flow from it, to include all who do good work in His Name as friends of Jesus. The Roman Catholic Bishops will soon begin to synod on the question of the “New Evangelization”. They hopefully will have the understanding that the “inner circle” and current political climate are not the concern of the Spirit when attracting people to relationship with Jesus. This intimacy with the Divine which presents itself in being better for others opens possibilities for change in the people for whom we use our riches. The Letter of James warns that our neglect of those in need and particularly those for whom the economic system has contributed to their suffering, while perhaps, at the same time supported our wealth, may bring the opposite consequence that the “gospel of prosperity” had promised.  The greater attention in our lives to including others will require that we work at attractiveness and avoid scandalous witness to our selfishness and sin. Friar Jude sees the stark examples of the text from Mark today as Jewish exaggeration.  The depths of detachment imaged in the text have been experienced by people, according to author Farley Mowatt, to name one, in the living hell of war.  The depraved actions of humans have made the thought of such punishment seem acceptable sometimes. Some deeply moved followers of religion have practiced self mutilation as a response to conquer severe temptation. The prayer of the psalmist today that “the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart  be acceptable to you, O Lord” is the direction of change that resonates with the expression of Father Robert Barron in the Catholicism video series that “the body matters to Catholics”.