The texts from the Roman CatholicLectionary today link together thoughts of legacy, love and light. The king of Israel,
David, is giving praise and thanksgiving to God as a response to prophesy
proclaimed by Nathan of the promise of God that the kingship of the family of
David would become a dynasty and it would extend beyond David’s life. Friar JudeWinkler notes the deep and typically Middle East expression of the gratitude of
David. The question of legacy is certainly associated with political leaders,
dictators and presidents when the press asks about the nature of their legacy. Psychologists
have indicated that legacy is both a concern and perhaps even a motivation
technique for people to build a bigger pie. Alex Roedlach of Creighton University
considers the danger that we may attribute more of our success in achieving
goals for our legacy to our selves than is true or wise. The humility of David
and his profession to God that the blessing on his house is for the people of
God reminds us of how grace, circumstance and the people whom God brings into
our lives are so important in the success we may feel we have. Our motivation
is identified by Friar Jude as the key component which decides whether we work,
pray and give in secret or we let our light shine before others as Jesus declares
in the wisdom statement in the Gospel from Mark today. When we are trying to
increase the Love in which we act with others, our self aggrandizement will not
be our concern. Friar Jude reminds us that God is not an accountant but that
the wisdom of this passage reveals to us that the more we love the greater is
our capacity for Love. Psychologists, life coaches and motivational experts may
grab on legacy as a rung on our ladder to personal satisfaction. Jesus legacy
as Love with no limit for humanity is that eternal light which we are blessed
to know and encouraged to set on our lamppost.
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