Faithful and open to change

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today deal with solidarity of faith and charity and the Law being fulfilled in Jesus.

Don't miss the moving stories of Simeon and Anna as young Jesus is presented in the temple. Join us for Day 25 of our Advent reading plan on https://t.co/C6UQcUn3B2 or the #SheReadsTruth app. pic.twitter.com/UUQjkAHXSd

— She Reads Truth (@SheReadsTruth) December 27, 2017

The problem of disparity between moral life and the commandments is addressed by the author of the First Letter of John.

* [2:3–6] The way we may be sure: to those who claim, “I have known Christ and therefore I know him,” our author insists on not mere intellectual knowledge but obedience to God’s commandments in a life conformed to the example of Christ; this confirms our knowledge of him and is the love of God…perfected. Disparity between moral life and the commandments proves improper belief.

The connection of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to the Law of Moses is a theme of the Gospel from Luke.

* [2:22–40] The presentation of Jesus in the temple depicts the parents of Jesus as devout Jews, faithful observers of the law of the Lord (Lk 2:23–24, 39), i.e., the law of Moses. In this respect, they are described in a fashion similar to the parents of John (Lk 1:6) and Simeon (Lk 2:25) and Anna (Lk 2:36–37).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the connection of the New Law to the Sermon on the Mount.

1966 The New Law is the grace of the Holy Spirit given to the faithful through faith in Christ. It works through charity; it uses the Sermon on the Mount to teach us what must be done and makes use of the sacraments to give us the grace to do it:

Margot Hodson, from the website Olive roots, finds Jesus came from a particularly devout Jewish family.

Jesus came from a particularly devout Jewish family. When we read the New Testament accounts of his upbringing and compare it to what we know of Jewish practices of the period, we find that both his father and his mother were exceptionally devout for their age.

 Luke 2:21-25V21: Jesus circumcised on the eighth day (OT quote - Lev 12)     Named Yeshua - JesusV 22 Mary and Joseph went up to Jerusalem for two things: for Mary's purification and for Joseph to pay the redemption for their son.Lev 12:1-8 states that a woman is impure for 40 days after the birth of a son and at the end of this time she must bring an offering to the Temple as a purification.Early Jewish commentaries on this (Tosefta Keritot 2:21 and Mishnah Keritot 1:7, 2:4,) indicate that a woman is allowed to postpone her sacrifice until she had an opportunity to go to Jerusalem. Sometimes she would wait until she had given birth a number of times until she made the trip - perhaps on a family pilgrimage.However some women kept strictly to the biblical injunction - Mary did this.

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas is also the Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr, who resisted those who sought to subject the Church to secular power in 12th Century England.

With all the strength that is given us for the defense of God's rights, we must resist those who seek to subject the Church to their power, even if they are those to whom on other grounds we owe service. In St. Thomas of Canterbury the Church celebrates one of her great bishops; by applying to him the Gospel of the Good Shepherd she venerates in him the true pastor of Christ's flock who gave his life for his sheep.

Tom Purcell offers a prayer today for the grace of quiet discernment and the strength to do.

we need to constantly discern what it is He calls us to do – not what we anticipate or think from our background, like the Jews did when He lived, but what we hear in the quiet of our hearts as His call to follow Him.

Don Schwager quotes Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D. on how Simeon and Anna represent both sexes awaiting their Redeemer.

"Simeon and Anna, a man and a woman of advanced age, greeted the Lord with the devoted services of their professions of faith. As they saw him, he was small in body, but they understood him to be great in his divinity. Figuratively speaking, this denotes the synagogue, the Jewish people, who, wearied by the long awaiting of his incarnation, were ready with both their arms (their pious actions) and their voices (their unfeigned faith) to exalt and magnify him as soon as he came. They were ready to acclaim him and say, 'Direct me in your truth and teach me, for you are my saving God, and for you I have waited all the day' (Psalm 25:5). What needs to be mentioned, too, is that deservedly both sexes hurried to meet him, offering congratulations, since he appeared as the Redeemer of both." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.18)

Friar Jude Winkler notes how the author of the very dualistic First Letter of John opposes Docetism, that rejects the Incarnation as contrary to status as spiritual beings, and points to hate of brothers that comes from darkness. The sword of discernment pierces the heart of Mary as a Jewish woman praying the Shema as she comes to know Jesus as the Son of God.

In times of change and turmoil, Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM reminds us why Jonah in the belly of the whale is such an important symbol for many Jews and Christians.

Transformation usually includes a disconcerting reorientation. Change can either help people to find a new meaning, or it can cause people to close down and turn bitter. The difference is determined by the quality of our inner life, or what we call “spirituality.” Change of itself just happens; spiritual transformation is an active process of letting go, living in the confusing dark space for a while, and allowing yourself to be spit up on a new and unexpected shore. You can see why Jonah in the belly of the whale is such an important symbol for many Jews and Christians.

Tension between Law and Tradition and life in modern society is at the interface between moral law and spiritual discernment. Charity is evident among the lawful. In our struggle with change we have many mentors in the Scripture and the history of believers.

References

(n.d.). 1 John, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1john/2:3

(n.d.). Luke, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/2:22

(n.d.). Catechism of the Catholic Church - The moral law. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a1.htm

(n.d.). Jesus' Jewish childhood - hodsons.org. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://www.hodsons.org/Oliveroots/jesuschildhood.htm

(2017, December 29). Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas; Optional Memorial of St. Thomas .... Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-12-29

(n.d.). Online Ministries - Creighton University. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 29, 2017, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/