HOW WE RESPOND

The texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary include the prayer of the psalmist for God to teach His ways and show His path. This desire is deep within the being of those searching the large questions of Why? and What? in regard to life mission and how we fit in the puzzle. The non-Jewish prophet Balaam is credited by Jewish scholars with the authorship of the BalaamPericope which is presented in the text today from the Book of Numbers. According to Friar Jude Winkler, Balaam, who had been engaged to reign curses down on the Israelites as they approach the Promised Land, speaks well of these people and the particularly holy event which emanate from their nation that will marked by the sign of a star. That truth which will set us free is presented byDon Schwager as something we may encounter at an inconvenient time. Our standing among our peers and our social circle may be at stake when we are confronted, like Jesus today in the passage from the Gospel of Matthew, with a question which appears to be designed to solve the issue right now but which may only create division and discord. The dilemma of division and discord is in tension with the situation of Balaam who would only speak what God intends to say. (At least as it concerns the Israelites) The answer of Jesus to the religious leaders who question His authority to exercise Divine prerogatives, especially the forgiveness of sin, is to cleverly turn their question into a riddle and create an opportunity to transform conflict and division into time to consider the evidence in a broad context familiar to the audience. Calling “Lord ,Lord” and following because the leaders approved or disapproved is not a choice to embrace discipleship. The Teacher presents the evidence and those who experience the encounter, which today is rich with what Friar Jude identifies as the cleverness which Middle Eastern cultures associate with high wisdom, are pulled to explore the revelation which moves them along to a deeper intimacy with the Divine.