Simply surprising

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary lead us to consider how we may be limited in our experience of a relationship with God by our reluctance to be guided by the Wisdom of our Tradition. Friar Jude Winkler identifies the six line chant in the passage from the first letter of Timothy as an early Christian creed formula which outlines an enormous surprise and shock to the religious thinking of Jesus time to which those outside the camp were open to hear and be transformed as a consequence. The psalmist urges praise for the works of God, which throughout the salvation history of the Law and the Prophets is marked by correction of the direction which humanity was headed. The conclusion of the Gospel passage from Luke today points to the Wisdom of God which in our Tradition has been manifest in those open minded people who Fr. Clemente Barron, C.P has noted live with integrity, prudence and tranquility. Friar Jude sees the importance of living with child like openness and the desire to welcome the surprises in our day as opportunities to live some moments in a relationship of ministry in the Body of Christ.