What we see

The Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents texts which offer a meditation on how what we see and what we believe are so closely connected. The author of the Book of Wisdom could make the observation today concerning those who only accept humanistic or logical understanding of the “Big Questions” that “for if they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things? (Wisdom 13.9)” Creation reveals the Creator. Perhaps we focus too much on the What? When? And How? of the universe? The question for deep meditation is Why? The psalmist proclaims the wordless truth about God which goes out to those who seek to see in the rhythm of day and night life. The Gospel from Luke today is rich in images about life, judgement and separation. This text is often included by those seeking some literal evidence to argue about pre tribulation rapture as opposed to post tribulation rapture. Michael D. Guinan, O.F.M brings a review of the tradition of Roman Catholic thought on this matter. Friar Jude Winkler comments on the visibility of the action of God in daily life and the possible misunderstanding of rapture from interpretation of Revelation and the words of Paul. The experience of God and the Love we know as intimacy with Jesus, who preferred the company of sinners, makes the sudden separation of righteous and wicked in a rapture (Luke 17:34) an action very far removed from the image in the Gospel of Luke of God with infinite patience calling for sinners to be reconciled. Perhaps the understanding of Catie O'Malley at Creighton University which focuses on Luke 17:33 is the essential difference presented between our life when we live in service of others, because of Jesus Love, and our experience of life when we are serving ourselves. Don Schwager comments that our intimacy with a godly person does not allow us to pass off our responsibility to Live the Word. We are not preparing for that sudden judgement if we allow our spiritual journey to be done by proxy. The people in our daily lives are the vineyard where our Love will become service and we will lose our lives as we gain Life as intimate participant in the Life of the Creator of heaven and earth.