Help correct our cognitive dissonance

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today may stimulate some cognitive dissonance as we compare what is in our lives and society with what we hold to be the life and society in the plan of God.

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The text from the Book of Exodus is a presentation of the Ten Commandments as the main behavioural requirement for our commitment to the Covenant.

The present form of the commands is a product of a long development, as is clear from the fact that the individual precepts vary considerably in length and from the slightly different formulation of Dt 5:6–21 (see especially vv. 12–15 and 21). Indeed they represent a mature formulation of a traditional morality. Why this specific selection of commands should be set apart is not entirely clear. None of them is unique in the Old Testament and all of the laws which follow are also from God and equally binding on the Israelites. Even so, this collection represents a privileged expression of God’s moral demands on Israel and is here set apart from the others as a direct, unmediated communication of God to the Israelites and the basis of the covenant being concluded on Sinai.

In the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians the main obstacles to the acceptance of Christ by Jews and Greeks are identified.

* [1:21–25] True wisdom and power are to be found paradoxically where one would least expect them, in the place of their apparent negation. To human eyes the crucified Christ symbolizes impotence and absurdity.

In the Gospel from John, Jesus prepares the disciples to address the challenges of His Passion and Resurrection as He displays anger at the material cultural invading the Temple.

* [2:13–22] This episode indicates the post-resurrectional replacement of the temple by the person of Jesus.

Molly Mattingly continues to ponder whether the righteous anger of God is somehow more peaceful than human peace, or perhaps more peaceful than human complacency. She asks what is God telling us about the nature of divinity and humanity here?

One of the songs we use at St. John’s during Lent, “O Beauty Ever Ancient,” is based on St. Augustine’s Confessions. One line says, “This created world is glorious, yet I could not see within, see your loveliness behind all, find the Giver in the gift.”I think Augustine hits upon the reason behind our Lenten fast and upon Jesus’ desire for the people in the temple: to remember that the gifts we receive are meant to draw us closer to God, both individually and communally, and not to get caught up in the gifts themselves.

Catholic Daily Reflections offers a different take on anger that is normally understood as a sin.

Anger is normally understood as a sin and it is sinful when it’s the result of one losing control.  But it’s important to note that the passion of anger, in and of itself, is not sinful.  A passion is a powerful drive which manifests itself in various ways.  The key question to ask is, “What is driving that passion?

Don Schwager quotes John Chrysostom (347-407 AD) on how Jesus cleanses the temple, his Father's house.

"But why did Christ use such violence? He was about to heal on the sabbath day and to do many things that appeared to them transgressions of the law. However, so that he might not appear to be acting as a rival to God and an opponent of his Father, he takes occasion to correct any such suspicion of theirs... He did not merely 'cast them out' but also 'overturned the tables' and 'poured out the money,' so that they could see how someone who threw himself into such danger for the good order of the house could never despise his master. If he had acted out of hypocrisy, he would have only advised them, but to place himself in such danger was very daring. It was no small thing to offer himself to the anger of so many market people or to excite against himself a most brutal mob of petty dealers by his reproaches and the disruption he caused. This was not, in other words, the action of a pretender but of one choosing to suffer everything for the order of the house. For the same reason, to show his agreement with the Father, he did not say 'the holy house' but 'my Father's house.' See how he even calls him 'Father,' and they are not angry with him. They thought he spoke in a more general way, but when he went on and spoke more plainly of his equality, this is when they become angry." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 23.2)

Friar Jude Winkler categorizes the Ten Commandments into those directed toward God and those directed toward others. The Greek understanding of soul and body and the Jewish expectations for a conquering Messiah are outlined as the difficulties that Paul encountered in Corinth. Jesus was concerned about the expectations of the people for a miracle worker and the cultural clutter that was blocking connection with God in the Temple.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on one of the foundational reasons for the widespread immaturity in society is that we have lost contact with the givens, with the natural world.

Bill Plotkin, a friend, author, depth psychologist, and wilderness guide, offers a helpful model called the “Soulcentric Developmental Wheel.” [1] He describes eight stages of the spiritual journey of transformation. He says that most of mainstream Western society is at the third stage, which is highly egocentric and narcissistic. As a culture, we tend to be preoccupied with our own comfort, entertainment, and security.

The relationship with God in Covenant is the refreshment and and wisdom praised by the psalmist today (Psalm 19.8-9). Our preoccupation with our own comfort, entertainment, and security is the table needing overturning that will help correct our cognitive dissonance.

References


(n.d.). Exodus, chapter 20 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/exodus/20:1

(n.d.). 1 Corinthians, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians1:33

(n.d.). John 2. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/john2.htm

(n.d.). Catholic Daily Reflections - Today's Gospel Meditation for Mass. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/daily-reflections/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/