Working in hope

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today illuminate a path from our daily struggles to hope in visions of a much greater story of evolution of humanity through union with the will of God.

The Roman proconsul in Corinth refuses to deal with the Jewish authorities dispute with Paul described in the Acts of the Apostles by Luke.

* [18:13] Contrary to the law: Gallio (Acts 18:15) understands this to be a problem of Jewish, not Roman, law.

In the Gospel from John, Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure as He invites them to live through the Spirit in harmony with the will of God.

Edward L. Bromfield suggests a political and economic motive for the decision of the proconsul in favour of Paul.

It seems Gallio was able to judge their real intent, showing (at least to me) that he was keenly aware of the Messianic movement and its disfavor among Jewish authorities. No doubt, Claudius’ recent expulsion of the Jews over similar circumstances at Rome held sway in his ruling. He was not about to involve himself in such inner religious struggles, and he probably wished to keep the same from happening in Corinth that occurred in Rome. How could any community escape severe economic reversals, if leading men in the community were forcibly removed from the cities commercial industries? Such things need to be avoided, if possible, by any responsible governor.

Julie Kalkowski challenges us not to be discouraged or dismayed over the hard work we have ahead of us to bring healing to our society.

We remember what Jesus said in today’s gospel: “Amen, amen I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give to you.”  So today I am going to ask God to bring racial healing to America and to all the other countries on our planet. I need God’s help in overcoming my fears based on race so it doesn’t prevent me from the sharing the joy of this Easter season with everyone.

Don Schwager quotes Alleluia will be our whole joy, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"I trust I will not weary you if I mention what you know already: that we say ALLELUIA daily and that we take delight in it daily. For you know that ALLELUIA means "Praise God" and by this expression we, agreeing in speech and thought, exhort one another to praise God. Only the one who displeases God in no respect praises God in security. Furthermore, in this time of journeying we say ALLELUIA for solace on our way. ALLELUIA is the song of the traveler for us; but we are advancing through a laborious path to a peaceful country where all our activities will be laid aside and nothing will remain for us except the ALLELUIA. Let us sing now, not for the delights of peace, but for comfort in our labor. Sing as travelers are accustomed to sing; comfort your labor by singing; do not love inactivity; keep singing and keep progressing. ...If you are advancing; progress in well-doing, progress in good faith, progress in good deeds. Keep singing and keep advancing. While we are here let us sing ALLELUIA though we are still beset with cares, so that in the future we may sing it there (in heaven) in tranquility. After the labors of this world there will be unceasing repetition of ALLELUIA. ..There ALLELUIA will be our food; ALLELUIA will be our drink; ALLELUIA will be our peaceful action; ALLELUIA will be our whole joy."

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 16:20-23 exhorts us to never forget that we are part of an epic story.

“Lord, teach me the wonderful story of your salvation. Help me to make it the story of my life.”Never forget that you are part of an epic story. You are one of the “great . . . cloud of witnesses” whose lives have been changed by the Lord (Hebrews 12:1). You aren’t just a passive observer; you’re an active participant. You have a role to play today in moving this story forward—and Jesus is right beside you, helping you every step of the way.

Friar Jude Winkler comments that knowing when Gallio was proconsul gives us a timeline for Paul in Corinth. Luke is probably sending a subtle message of an example of a Roman official who refuses to persecute Christians. Jesus invitation to die to our old world to live with Him in unity with the Trinity that is a loving parent that gives the most loving answer in delivering what we need.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares the introduction by nonviolent activist and author John Dear to a mother of five, a lifelong peace activist, and secular Franciscan, Anne, along with her husband, Terry, who founded Canticle Farm.

Inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle Farm is a community providing a platform for the Great Turning—one heart, one home, and one block at a time. The Great Turning—the planetary shift from an industrial-growth society to a life-sustaining society—is served by Canticle Farm through local work that fosters forgiveness in the human community and compassion for all beings. Canticle Farm primarily focuses on the poor and marginalized as those who most bear the burden of social and planetary degradation, as well as being those who are first able to perceive the need for the Great Turning. Rooted in spiritual practice, Canticle Farm manifests this commitment by engaging in the “Work That Reconnects,” [2] integral nonviolence, gift economy, restorative justice practices, urban permaculture, and other disciplines necessary for regenerating community in the 21st century. [3]

A Joanna Macy, Ph.D., a scholar of Buddhism and general systems theory, asks us to attend now to Symeon the Theologian (949-1022), who wrote poetry that resonates with the Great Turning knowing that where he said "Christ" and "God," we substituting "Earth" and "planet".

Just a thousand years ago a theologian wrote a poem.  Amidst the apocalyptic fears and hopes of the first millennium, he experienced and expressed a new vision of the holy -- not as a remote, justly angry judge, but as an immanent presence, creative and loving.  Now at the end of the second millennium, we can receive his poem and let it speak to our own inklings of that which presses within us to be born

Like proconsul Gallio our concern with the business and politics of today may be addressing temporary situations while we miss the opportunity to be agents of major changes to benefit society.

References


(n.d.). CHAPTER 18 Paul in Corinth. 1 After this he left Athens and went to .... Retrieved May 11, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/acts18.htm

(n.d.). John, chapter 16 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 11, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/jn/16:3333

(2013, March 20). Paul Appears Before Gallio | Things Paul & Luke. Retrieved May 11, 2018, from https://thingspaulandluke.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/paul-appears-before-gallio/

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 11, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved May 11, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). The Great Turning - EarthLight. Retrieved May 11, 2018, from https://www.earthlight.org/jmacyessay.html

(2017, March 16). FMTV - Joanna Macy & The Great Turning (TRAILER) - YouTube. Retrieved May 11, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUkoXMff1Vw