Pregnant with Christ

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary challenges us to be “pregnant with Christ.”

Making the trip to visit

The Prophet Zephaniah describes the Messianic age for the residents of Judah who are being persecuted by the Assyrians.

The Gospel from Luke describes the visit of Mary, pregnant with Jesus, to her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist.

* [1:46–55] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker.

The Messianic Prophecy Bible Project notes that while Zephaniah does not specifically mention the Messianic King, he does draw a picture of the Messianic age.

God Himself will live among His people, bringing an end to all of their troubles: “He is a mighty Savior,” says the prophet.  (3:17)
Rashi, (Rabbi Shlomoh Ben Yitzhak), the 11th-century Jewish sage, interprets “He is a mighty savior,” as “He is a Mighty One, Who will save (Israel) from the enemy.”

Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of the award-winning book “Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God” asks Why does Mary do it?

Well, think about what has just happened: She’s been told that she is pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. She’s also learned that her cousin Elizabeth, believed to be too old to conceive, is expecting as well. Mary must have been bursting to talk to a woman who could personally understand her excitement, her wonder, and probably her nervousness, too.

Eileen Burke-Sullivan comments that in today’s Liturgy, the whole of salvation is revealed in the Church’s memory of the visit of a young woman to an old woman cousin. She notes the concern of Pope Francis on misinterpretation of the Incarnation.

Pope Francis, in his most recent apostolic letter on the call to holiness tells us, it is easy for us to adopt the heresy of Gnosticism, a world view within Christianity which refuses to accept the implications of the Incarnation.  ...The other grave danger that Pope Francis recently warned us against is Pelagianism. This is an attitude that we earn our own way to salvation rather than accept all creation and all our talent, resources and graces as gifts of God.

Don Schwager offers a prayer for us to appreciate that the Lord wants to fill each of us with his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us.

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me joy in seeking you more earnestly. Increase my faith in all your promises, my hope in the joy of heaven, and my love for You as my All."

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:39-56 proposes that we all need reminders that God is with us.

We all need reminders that God is with us. We need them because we forget God’s promises. We need them because we misplace our hope in shifting circumstances. We need them because we get distracted by the cares and concerns of life.

Friar Jude Winkler provides some interesting geographical notes linking the home of Elizabeth, the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant as David was bringing it to Jerusalem and Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant. The Magnificat in the Gospel is the canticle that declares God as the agent of the reversal of fortune for the oppressed and outcast.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, asks how do we discover what is ours to do? How do we connect with our sacred vocation in service to the needs of the world? He cites the work of Henri Nouwen.

Christian discernment is not the same as decision making. Reaching a decision can be straightforward: we consider our goals and options; maybe we list the pros and cons of each possible choice; and then we choose the action that meets our goal most effectively. Discernment, on the other hand, is about listening and responding to that place within us where our deepest desires align with God’s desire. As discerning people, we sift through our impulses, motives, and options to discover which ones lead us closer to divine love and compassion for ourselves and other people and which ones lead us further away.

The young woman, Mary, filled with Jesus, leads the way for disciples of Jesus to act in response to the direction of the Holy Spirit.

References


(n.d.). Zephaniah, Chapter 3 - US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/zephaniah/3:14

(n.d.). Luke, Chapter 1 - US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/luke/1:39

(n.d.). Zephaniah: End-Time Prophet of Wrath and Restoration | Messianic .... Retrieved May 31, 2018, from http://free.messianicbible.com/feature/prophet-zephaniah/

(n.d.). Why Does Mary Visit Her Cousin Elizabeth? | Busted Halo. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/why-does-mary-visit-her-cousin-elizabeth

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved May 31, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast) - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved May 31, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(2009, February 5). “We are Standing on 'Holy Ground'” at Kiriath Jearim. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2009/02/e2809cWe-are-Standing-on-e28098Holy-Grounde28099e2809d-at-Kiriath-Jearim.aspx

(n.d.). Kiryat Ye'arim - Wikipedia. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiryat_Ye%27arim

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 31, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Value and cost

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of a new and lasting existence proclaimed in the Gospel and our struggle with self for acceptance of the destiny assigned us by God.

Waiting for vocation

The First Letter of Peter exhorts followers of Christ to love one another.

* [1:22–25] The new birth of Christians (1 Pt 1:23) derives from Christ, the imperishable seed or sowing that produces a new and lasting existence in those who accept the gospel (1 Pt 1:24–25), with the consequent duty of loving one another (1 Pt 1:22).

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus reminds the disciples that a share in His glory must involve a share in suffering.

* [10:38–40] Can you drink the cup…I am baptized?: the metaphor of drinking the cup is used in the Old Testament to refer to acceptance of the destiny assigned by God; see note on Ps 11:6. In Jesus’ case, this involves divine judgment on sin that Jesus the innocent one is to expiate on behalf of the guilty (Mk 14:24; Is 53:5). His baptism is to be his crucifixion and death for the salvation of the human race; cf. Lk 12:50. The request of James and John for a share in the glory (Mk 10:35–37) must of necessity involve a share in Jesus’ sufferings, the endurance of tribulation and suffering for the gospel (Mk 10:39). The authority of assigning places of honor in the kingdom is reserved to God (Mk 10:40).

Luiz Rodriguez, S.J. wonders about what Dietrich Bonhöffer would later call “the cost of discipleship”.

and yet these two, like the rest of the followers, were deep down good people. They had left everything to follow Jesus. In yesterday’s gospel reading Peter had said to Jesus: we have left everything to follow you. Well, everything... but themselves. The self is something we always carry with us, even after we accept the Lord’s invitation to follow him, and it is from this self that such discordant attitudes come.

Randy Alcorn outlines the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and explores his writing about The Cost of Discipleship and “cheap grace”.

Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “you were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us.

Don Schwager offers a quote from one of the early church fathers, Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D., on the way to glory and honor.

"Ponder how profound this is. They were conferring with him about glory. He intended to precede loftiness with humility and, only through humility, to ready the way for loftiness itself. For, of course, even those disciples who wanted to sit, the one on his right, the other on his left, were looking to glory (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-40). They were on the lookout, but did not see by what way. In order that they might come to their homeland in due order, the Lord called them back to the narrow way. For the homeland is on high and the way to it is lowly. The homeland is life in Christ; the way is dying with Christ (Matthew 6:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17-33). The way is suffering with Christ; the goal is abiding with him eternally. Why do you seek the homeland if you are not seeking the way to it?" (excerpt from TRACTATE ON JOHN 28.5.2.13)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 10:32-45 describes the value of giving ourselves—our time, talents, and money.

St. Francis of Assisi said that it is in giving that we receive. Leo Tolstoy said that the sole meaning of life is to serve humanity. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” Robert Louis Stevenson said, “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” And best of all, Pope Francis said, “Christ leads us to go out from ourselves more and more, to give ourselves and to serve others.”

Friar Jude Winkler contrasts the views of John Duns Scotus and Thomas Aquinas on the relationship of the Incarnation to our sin. Our acceptance of mystery in our relationship with God is how we deal with such theological tension. In the Eucharist we promise to share in His cross and resurrection. Friar Jude comments that our discipleship is based on how much we can serve, love and sacrifice for others.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, uses quotes from Parker J. Palmer, “Let Your Life Speak” to help us search for our True Self.

Today I understand vocation . . . not as a goal to be achieved but as a gift to be received. Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice “out there” calling me to become something I am not. It comes from a voice “in here” calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God.

The rush to locate ourselves in relation to the benefits of life is truly a human drive that Jesus wants to direct to our giving to others from our True Self.

References

(n.d.). 1 Peter, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 30, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1pt/1:161

(n.d.). Mark, chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 30, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/mark/10:32

(2007, December 4). Dietrich Bonhoeffer and The Cost of Discipleship - Blog - Eternal .... Retrieved May 30, 2018, from https://www.epm.org/blog/2007/Dec/4/dietrich-bonhoeffer-and-the-cost-of-discipleship

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 30, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). 8th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved May 30, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 30, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Grace filled environment

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today link the grace of God to the charism that we develop to give glory to God.

Sharing gifts

The First Letter of Peter indicates the origin of our holiness.

* [1:14–16] The ignorance here referred to (1 Pt 1:14) was their former lack of knowledge of God, leading inevitably to godless conduct. Holiness (1 Pt 1:15–16), on the contrary, is the result of their call to the knowledge and love of God.

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus refocuses the disciples on the relationships that open to them as His disciples.

Steve Scholer reflects If we are to call ourselves Christians, then we must act like ones.

As we do our daily Exam of Conscience, we can think deeply about our relationship with God and the steps we can take to improve it. Likewise, we can think deeply about our relationships with our family, co-workers and neighbors and again, how our positive interactions with them are serving God.

Don Schwager quotes Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D., on the spiritual sense of leaving the family.

"Do not let this passage trouble you. Put it side by side with the still harder saying Jesus delivered in another place in the words, 'Whoever hates not father, and mother, and children, and his own life besides, cannot be my disciple' (Luke 14:26). Note that the God of peace, who exhorts us to love our enemies, does not arbitrarily require us literally to hate or abandon those dearest to us. But if we are to love our enemies, it must be in accordance with right reason that, by analogy we should also love our nearest relatives... But insofar as one's father, or son, or brother, becomes for you a hindrance to faith or an impediment to godly life, one should then not collude with that temptation. Attend to the spiritual, rather than the fleshly, meaning of the command." (excerpt from SALVATION OF THE RICH MAN 22.13)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Peter 1:10-16 considers if he who called us is holy, we must be holy ourselves in every aspect of our conduct.

Holiness is not an impossible task, a distant vision that lies far beyond our reach. No, it’s a gift freely given to us by a gracious and merciful God. In fact, holiness is a Person, the Spirit of a committed Redeemer and Friend who has overcome all sin by his cross. By the gift of Baptism, that holiness, that Person, now dwells in you. Rather than an occasion for anxiety or fear, the call to holiness is a call to rejoice—and a call to embrace the One who can make you holy as he is holy.

Friar Jude Winkler discusses the Plan of God in the text from the First Letter of Peter. The Gospel of Wealth is Not the theme of Jesus message in Mark today. Francis of Assisi is an example of someone finding the riches in poverty.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, suggests that much of the proper work of the church and spirituality should be discerning and empowering people’s actual gifts.

Archimedes (c. 287—c. 212 BC), a Greek philosopher and mathematician, inspired the familiar aphorism, “Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the whole earth with a lever.” [2] Our fixed point—the place upon which we stand as our True Self—is steady, centered, poised, and rooted. To be contemplative, we have to have a slight distance from the world, to allow time for withdrawal from business as usual, for going into what Jesus calls “our private room” (Matthew 6:6). However, in order for this not to become escapism, we have to remain quite close to the world at the same time, loving it, feeling its pain and its joy as our pain and our joy. So the fulcrum, the balancing point for our lever, must be in the real world.

Finding our True Self is a theme of contemplation from Thomas Merton who invites us to action for others as we live our charism.

References

(n.d.). 1 Peter, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 29, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1

(n.d.). Mark, chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 29, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/mark/10:28

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved May 29, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 29, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). 8th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved May 29, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 29, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Praise Glory and Honour Action

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider how our attachments may be drawing us away from our life purpose to be the image and likeness of God.

Some opportunities

The First Letter of Peter advises disciples of Christ that their life in faith will be subject to many trials.

* [1:6–9] As the glory of Christ’s resurrection was preceded by his sufferings and death, the new life of faith that it bestows is to be subjected to many trials (1 Pt 1:6) while achieving its goal: the glory of the fullness of salvation (1 Pt 1:9) at the coming of Christ (1 Pt 1:7).

Jesus words to the rich young man in the Gospel of Mark provoke astonishment.

* [10:23–27] In the Old Testament wealth and material goods are considered a sign of God’s favor (Jb 1:10; Ps 128:1–2; Is 3:10). The words of Jesus in Mk 10:23–25 provoke astonishment among the disciples because of their apparent contradiction of the Old Testament concept (Mk 10:24, 26). Since wealth, power, and merit generate false security, Jesus rejects them utterly as a claim to enter the kingdom. Achievement of salvation is beyond human capability and depends solely on the goodness of God who offers it as a gift (Mk 10:27).

The USCCB introduction to the Letter of Peter points to the difficulty of living the Christian life in a hostile, secular environment that espouses different values and subjects the Christian minority to ridicule and oppression.

The problem addressed would not be official persecution but the difficulty of living the Christian life in a hostile, secular environment that espoused different values and subjected the Christian minority to ridicule and oppression.

Maureen McCann Waldron concludes there is very little wiggle room in today's Gospel.

I am ashamed. In my rush to cling to what I have, I am ignoring what you ask. I am not very free, Jesus. I am surrounded by things, people, situations and a job that let me pretend that I am in control of my life. I hear what you say next in the Gospel and my face falls. “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God.” I almost despair.Help me, Jesus, to understand how to live out this message in my own life, the way you really want me to. What are you calling me to, Jesus? Where will I get the courage to answer? Then I re-read this Gospel and it is there: For us it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible with God.

Matt Skinner, Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary offers a commentary on Mark 10:17-31 noting that the preacher's challenge is to show that the kingdom of God confronts us with a vision of life and identity quite incompatible with so many of our core presuppositions about wealth, prerogatives, and selfhood.

In the end, this story is untamable. That is, like a parable, it resists simple explanations and denies loopholes, making us so uncomfortable that we are liable to talk circles around it in hope of stumbling upon a basis for softening its message. This story, again like a parable, intends to be experienced rather than explained--experienced not in a simplistic manner or with a belligerence that violates the spirit of the narrative, but in a way that keeps a congregation focused on the real-life demands of discipleship, on the seriousness of the new community envisioned by the kingdom of God, and on the foundational promise that God makes salvation possible.

Don Schwager quotes a sermon “Seek the life that endures,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The Lord said to a certain young man, 'If you would enter life, keep the commandments' (Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18). He did not say 'If you would have life' but 'If you would enter life,' defining that life as eternal life. Let us first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its quality; and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved. Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing, working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die? Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God forever." (excerpt from SERMON 84.1.9)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 10:17-27 comments that the rich young man in today’s Gospel could have learned something from Ignatius of Loyola.

It’s all about flexibility. Jesus wasn’t condemning the young man for his riches; material wealth can be a blessing from God. Besides, most of us aren’t called to literally renounce everything. But if there is something that we are holding so tightly that we can’t ever imagine life without it, we need to learn to relax our grip. As we do, we will become more free to accept whatever calling, gifts, or even challenges, that the Lord sends our way.

Friar Jude Winkler addresses two objections to Peter as the author of the letter bearing his name. Jesus, when portrayed as a rabbi, uses Jewish extreme exaggeration to make some points in dialogue with people. Friar Jude finds a picture of something so absurd in the Gospel as an indication that only God can bring the rich person around to re centre his life.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that, as conscious human beings, our life purpose is to be a visible expression of both the image and the likeness of God. Each of us reveals a unique facet of the divine. This is what Franciscan John Duns Scotus called haecceity or thisness.

Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic selfhood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks—we will also find our path of authentic service in the world. True vocation joins self and service, as Frederick Buechner asserts when he defines vocation as “the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.

We struggle to align our lives with the attitude and action exemplified by Jesus. God helps us.

References


(n.d.). 1 Peter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/1Peter/1:3

(n.d.). Mark 10 Retrieved May 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/mark10.htm 

(n.d.). 1 Peter — introduction - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1peter/0

(n.d.). Mark 10:17-31 Commentary by Matt Skinner - Working Preacher .... Retrieved May 28, 2018, from https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=402

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 28, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). 8th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved May 28, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 28, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

The Trinity and our Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, invite our contemplation of the interplay of our relationship with Father, Son and Spirit.

Andrei Rublev, public domain

In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses connects the action of God to the survival of His chosen people in the midst of hostility.

In the Letter to the Romans, Paul declares us to be adopted sons and daughters of God.

* [8:14–17] Christians, by reason of the Spirit’s presence within them, enjoy not only new life but also a new relationship to God, that of adopted children and heirs through Christ, whose sufferings and glory they share.

The Gospel of Matthew commissions us as disciples of Jesus to bring our understanding of this relationship with the Trinity to all people.

* [28:19] Therefore: since universal power belongs to the risen Jesus (Mt 28:18), he gives the eleven a mission that is universal. They are to make disciples of all nations. While all nations is understood by some scholars as referring only to all Gentiles, it is probable that it included the Jews as well. Baptizing them: baptism is the means of entrance into the community of the risen one, the Church. In the name of the Father…holy Spirit: this is perhaps the clearest expression in the New Testament of trinitarian belief. It may have been the baptismal formula of Matthew’s church, but primarily it designates the effect of baptism, the union of the one baptized with the Father, Son, and holy Spirit.

The Catholic Faith and Reason Website cites the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the role of the Trinity.

"Everyone who glorifies the Father does so through the Son in the Holy Spirit; everyone who follows Christ does so because the Father draws him and the Spirit moves him" (see John 6: 44; Rom 8: 14).  St. John writes us "that God is love and that he who abides in love abides in God. God can be likened to an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who has destined the Body of Christ to share in that exchange.

George Butterfield shares that we may not know or understand everything there is about the Triune God but we know that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in every age and at every time has shown interest in, love for, and a desire to know his people.

Don Schwager quotes “The pledge of the Holy Spirit”, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with His sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed His pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts" (excerpt from De Mysteriis 7, 42).

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 28:16-20 invites us to savour the Trinity as a spiritual mystery.

It is God revealing himself to us and convincing us of his love and care for us.
This is the true mystery of the Trinity: that our God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—loves us deeply and treats us with great tenderness and mercy.

Fr. Michael Denk comments on the movie “The Shack” and exercises to help us experience a personal relationship with God.

One of the things I hear many people say after they see “The Shack” is “It’s so amazing.  It made me feel closer to God. I wish I could have that relationship with Him. That personal relationship with Him.”  I often think, you can! That is the whole essence of liturgy and of prayer. That is what we did in “Pray40Days.” All those exercises were to help you experience a personal relationship with God.  On the Feast of the Trinity, I invite you to reconnect and to have that deeper relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Friar Jude Winkler explains the incredible love from God experienced by the people addressed by Moses as they came to learn what God expected of them. The Spirit described by Paul to the Romans gives us the ability to know God as “Abba”. The Great Mandate at the end of the Gospel of Matthew is part of a rabbinic teaching method that involves repetition of the truths being taught.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites Parker Palmer, a Quaker teacher and activist, to explain the old Quaker saying, “Let your life speak.”

In other words, your life is not about you. You are about a larger thing called Life. You are not your own. You are an instance of a universal and eternal pattern. Life is living itself in you. The myriad forms of life in the universe are merely parts of the One Life—that many of us call “God.”

The role of Father, Son and Spirit in filling our life is our participation in the Love of the Trinity.
References


(n.d.). Deuteronomy 4 USCCB. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Deuteronomy/4:32 

(n.d.). Romans 8 USCCB. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/romans/romans8.htm

(n.d.). 28:20. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew28.htm

The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church - Catholic Faith and Reason. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from http://www.catholicfaithandreason.org/the-holy-spirit-in-the-life-of-the-church.html

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved May 27, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Saint Philip Neri, Priest (Memorial) - Mass Readings and Catholic .... Retrieved May 27, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). The Shack-Trinity - The Prodigal Father. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from https://www.theprodigalfather.org/blog/the-shack-trinity/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 27, 2018, from https://cac.org/richard-rohr/daily-meditations/daily-meditations-archive/

Prayer and transformation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to be open to prayer as the path to the marvelous mystical approach of children to Love.

Walking with

The Letter of James features final instructions to the Christian community that focus on the power of prayer.

* [5:15] The results of the prayer and anointing are physical health and forgiveness of sins. The Roman Catholic Church (Council of Trent, Session 14) declared that this anointing of the sick is a sacrament “instituted by Christ and promulgated by blessed James the apostle.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus presents children as having characteristics that resonate with living in the Kingdom Of God.

* [10:15] Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child: i.e., in total dependence upon and obedience to the gospel; cf. Mt 18:3–4.

Dennis Hamm, S.J. notes that adults are going to have to be childlike in some crucial way if we are going to recognize and accept that kingdom already present to us now.

That’s a key to the childlike quality Jesus means.  Wealth, and the power that comes with it, can delude a person into thinking that they are not really dependent on anything.  In that condition, we can lose the childlike capacity to receive the kingdom of God already present to us. So, ironically, grown-up spirituality means that—without becoming dumb or irresponsible--we have to become a child, to “let go and let God.”

Don Schwager asks Why does Jesus say that we must receive the kingdom of God like a child (Mark 10:15)?

In the ancient world children were at the bottom of the social ladder. They had no rights or privileges of their own and they had no means or resources to care for themselves. They were totally dependent on their parents for everything they needed. Scripture teaches us that we are totally dependent on God as our eternal Father and Provider. We owe our very existence to him because he is the Creator, Author, and Sustainer of life. We could not find our way to God if he did not first seek us out and draw us to himself. That is why the Father in heaven sent his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, to show us the way to the Father.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 10:13-16 concludes with a prayer.

“Jesus, help me to rely on you. Teach me how to receive your kingdom with joy and gratitude.

Friar Jude Winkler comments that James Letter emphasizes everything should be associated with God. Prayer is a sign of love to transform reality. Friar Jude observes that children are natural mystics filled with the sense of awe and wonder for the gifts around us.

Franciscan Media reflects on St Philip Neri, Saint of the Day.

Many people wrongly feel that such an attractive and jocular personality as Philip’s cannot be combined with an intense spirituality. Philip’s life melts our rigid, narrow views of piety. His approach to sanctity was truly catholic, all-embracing, and accompanied by a good laugh. Philip always wanted his followers to become not less but more human through their striving for holiness.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, offers chanting as contemplative practice that naturally draws our focus to the present and embodied presence.

Chant has a place in many sacred traditions, from Gregorian melodies to Native American drumming to the polyrhythmic chants of West Africa. There are as many ways to chant as there are bodies and vocal cords. You may enjoy exploring different kinds of chant, or even creating your own, as a way of entering into contemplation.

The very physical act of breathing and forming sounds brings body and mind together. The chant of Psalms is a ritual to release our prayers to God.
References


(n.d.). James, chapter 5 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/5

(n.d.). Mark, chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/10

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved May 26, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

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

(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Saint Philip Neri – Franciscan Media. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-philip-neri/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 26, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Discerning For and Against

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today warn against presumption and rejecting others who do good to help those in need.

Good works for others

The Letter of James reminds us that life is unpredictable and counsels us to accept the will of God for the future.

* [4:13–17] The uncertainty of life (Jas 4:14), its complete dependence on God, and the necessity of submitting to God’s will (Jas 4:15) all help one know and do what is right (Jas 4:17). To disregard this is to live in pride and arrogance (Jas 4:16); failure to do what is right is a sin (Jas 4:17).

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus corrects His disciples who want to reject those not in the group who do good in Jesus Name.

* [9:38–41] Jesus warns against jealousy and intolerance toward others, such as exorcists who do not follow us. The saying in Mk 9:40 is a broad principle of the divine tolerance. Even the smallest courtesies shown to those who teach in Jesus’ name do not go unrewarded.

Ibrahim Al-Ammar explains the Arabic “Insha Allah”, that resonates with the teaching of James.

we are taught by Islam not to make definitive statements about the future, since only God knows what will happen. This means that if someone asked me to provide him with something, instead of “I will give it to you today” I should say: “I will give it to you today, Insha Allah.”

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979), an American theologian and bishop, taught we must be tolerant to persons because they are human and we must be intolerant about principles because they are divine.

The doctor must be intolerant about disease in his patients, and the professor must be intolerant about error in his pupils. So, too, the Church, founded on the Intolerance of Divinity, must be equally intolerant about the truths commissioned to her. There are to be no one-fisted battles, no half-drawn swords, no divided loves, no equalizing Christ and Buddha in a broad sweep of sophomoric tolerance or broad-mindedness, for as Our Blessed Lord has put it: "He that is not with Me is against Me"... (Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23 )

Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D. on encouraging good works done in Christ.

"We ought not be disturbed because some who do not belong or do not yet belong to this temple, that is, among whom God does not or does not yet dwell, perform some works of power, as happened to the one who cast out devils in the name of Christ (Mark 9:38, Luke 9:49). Although he was not a follower of Christ, Christ ordered that he be allowed to continue because it gave a valuable testimony of his name to many... The centurion Cornelius also saw the angel that was sent to him to say that his prayers had been heard and his alms accepted (Acts 10:3-4), even before he was incorporated into this temple by regeneration." (excerpt from  LETTER 187, TO DARDANUS 36)

The Word Among Us meditation on James 4:13-17, recalls an expression that goes back to the primitive Church, that many Arab Christians end their conversations with “if God wills.”

Worrying about the future is neither helpful nor necessary. It drains our faith and saps us of our energy. God wants us to place our hope in him and in his plans for us. He wants us to be free to serve him. So don’t let the cares of this world make you afraid. Don’t let your worries convince you that you have to overcome every obstacle on your own. Instead, keep following the Lord, and leave the future to him. Try your best to let go of worry so that you can live in the light of his promises.

Friar Jude Winkler mentions the resonance between the Letter of James and the Muslim idea contained in “Insha Allah”. We see a mistaken interpretation of Jesus Kingdom by the disciples in the Gospel today. They want monopoly over the power and are not concerned with the one needing service.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes a poem cited by Barbara A. Holmes, in her book, Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church. A verse of this poem speaks to particularly to Canadians us of our responsibility to those escaping persecution regardless of who helps them or what group they belong to.

Joy Unspeakable is humming
“how I got over”
after swimming safely
to the other shore of a swollen Ohio river
when you know that you can’t swim.
It is the blessed assurance
that Canada is far,
but not that far.

We seek to discern God’s will as we struggle with the chaos of our time.

References


(n.d.). James, chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james4:21

(n.d.). Mark, chapter 9 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/9

(2015, March 9). 'Insha Allah' — please don't fear this phrase! | Arab News. Retrieved May 23, 2018, from http://www.arabnews.com/columns/news/715716

(n.d.). Love and Truth: A Plea for Intolerance - Living Bulwark. Retrieved May 23, 2018, from http://www.swordofthespirit.net/bulwark/august2015p8.htm

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 23, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Saint Rita of Cascia, Religious (Optional Memorial) - Mass Readings .... Retrieved May 23, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 23, 2018, from https://cac.org/richard-rohr/daily-meditations/daily-meditations-archive/