Telling the story

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer an opportunity to contemplate how we carry out our mission as messengers of the Good News.

A Franciscan approach

The passage from the Acts of the Apostles describes the kerygma message to a Jewish audience and establishes humility as the attitude of Jesus messengers.

* [13:16–41] This is the first of several speeches of Paul to Jews proclaiming that the Christian church is the logical development of Pharisaic Judaism (see also Acts 24:10–21; 26:2–23).

The Gospel from John resonates with our recent call from Pope Francis to commit ourselves, body and soul, to living as disciples who live as those, who having received Jesus, have received the Father.

* [13:16] Messenger: the Greek has apostolos, the only occurrence of the term in John. It is not used in the technical sense here.

Eileen Burke-Sullivan concludes that our invitation is to tie up our sandals and walk with Jesus his mission and his manner of fulfilling it.

All this talk of feet and sandals is to awaken in us the humble and exalted truth that at one and the same time we are to exercise the power of God – but as Jesus did – only according to God’s will, not our own. We are not worthy to touch his sandal strap, no matter how wealthy, intelligent, or talented we might be. But we are capable of raising the dead to new life, loving and forgiving in the face of hatred, calming the various storms of life and so on, if we do so in Jesus’ name and according to the Father’s Will – because whoever receives Jesus receives the Father.

Pope Francis says that what we call “holiness” is living this truth of the Spirit’s role in our daily lives: “Your identification with Christ and his will involves a commitment to build with him that kingdom of love, justice and universal peace. . .  You cannot grow in holiness without committing yourself, body and soul, to giving your best to this endeavor.” Gaudete et Exultate #25

Don Schwager reminds us of the great honor and the great responsibility a Christian has is to stand in the world for Jesus Christ. As his disciples and ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), we are called to speak for him and to act on his behalf. He quotes Origen, 185-254 A.D., that the Master wants his servants to reach their potential.

"The Savior, who is Lord, does something that surpasses all other lords, who have no desire to see their servants rise up to their level. He is such a Son of the Father's goodness and love that, although he was Lord, he produced servants who could become like him, their Lord, not having the spirit of bondage, which comes from fear, but the spirit of adoption in which they too cry, 'Abba, Father.' So then, before becoming like their teacher and lord, they need to have their feet washed because they are still deficient disciples who possess the spirit of bondage to fear. But when they attain the stature of master and lord... then they will be able to imitate their master and wash the disciple's feet as the teacher. (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32.120–22)

Friar Jude Winkler makes a link between the John (John Mark) who leaves Paul at Perga and Mark the Evangelist. In the Gospel, Jesus sends the disciples to represent Him with the authority of Jesus received from the Father.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, believes the lightness of heart of Franciscan spirituality comes from contact with deep feminine intuition and with consciousness itself. Firmness of foot emerges when that feminine principle integrates with the mature masculine soul and moves forward with confidence into the outer world.

Franciscanism integrated the feminine both on the level of imagination and in practical ways too. It created new “softer” names for roles and functions, a more familial structure than a hierarchical one. We do not make our decisions top down, but communally in chapters (as do most communities now). Francis forbad us to use any titles implying up and down, like prior, abbot, or superior.

We are encouraged to carry out our mission with humility, lightness of heart and firmness of foot by the commentators today.

References


(n.d.). Acts 13:13. Retrieved April 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/acts/13:13

(n.d.). John 13:16. Retrieved April 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/john/13:16

(n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved April 26, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 26, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 26, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/