Leading to the Question

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the thirst we have to seek the truth about our relationship with God.

Seeking truth

The Letter of Jude responds to struggles in the community with seeking truth and praises the relationship we live with God in Christ.

* [24–25] With this liturgical statement about the power of God to keep the faithful from stumbling, and praise to him through Jesus Christ, the letter reaches its conclusion by returning to the themes with which it began (Jude 1–2).

Psalm 63, Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence is expressing the intimate relationship between God and the worshiper.

* [Psalm 63] A Psalm expressing the intimate relationship between God and the worshiper. Separated from God (Ps 63:2), the psalmist longs for the divine life given in the Temple (Ps 63:3–6), which is based on a close relationship with God (Ps 63:7–9). May all my enemies be destroyed and God’s true worshipers continue in giving praise (Ps 63:10–11)!

The Gospel from Mark describes the response of Jesus to the questioning of His authority that leaves the religious authorities stalled in their efforts.

* [11:27–33] The mounting hostility toward Jesus came from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders (Mk 11:27); the Herodians and the Pharisees (Mk 12:13); and the Sadducees (Mk 12:18). By their rejection of God’s messengers, John the Baptist and Jesus, they incurred the divine judgment implied in Mk 11:27–33 and confirmed in the parable of the vineyard tenants (Mk 12:1–12).

Amy Hoover believes that the spiritual journey is about God is desiring union with us.

I do believe that it is what the psalmist and I mean when I pray “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord.”  Generally, when I try to give expression to this, someone reminds me that in thirsting, I am already there, in God and God in me.  Echoes of Thomas Merton’s prayer.  This is enough to stop my mind from working so hard and to just sit in the thirsting.

Don Schwager quotes “Fearing the truth”, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Fearing a stoning, but fearing more an admission of the truth, they answered the truth with a lie, reminiscent of the Scripture: 'injustice has lied within herself' (Psalm 27:12). For they said, 'We know not.' And because they had shut themselves up against him, by asserting that they did not know what they knew, the Lord did not open up to them because they did not knock. For it has been said, 'Knock and it will be opened to you' (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9). But they not only had not knocked that it might be opened, but by their denial they barricaded the door itself against themselves. And the Lord said to them, 'Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things' (Matthew 21:27; Mark 11:33; Luke 20:7). (excerpt from TRACTATE ON JOHN 2.9.4)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Jude 17, 20-25 invites us to slow down, and take some time today to look more deeply at one of the reminders of Jude to pray in the Holy Spirit.

Stop right now and ask the Spirit to help you review the upcoming day. What will you be doing? Who will you see? What challenges await you? Simply pray, “Come, Holy Spirit, and help me see my day through your eyes.” Ask him to bless each person you will see today. Maybe spread out your calendar and offer all your appointments to him.

Friar Jude Winkler finds that one of the fruits of praying in the Holy Spirit is mercy for those who make mistakes. He sees Jesus set kind of a trap for the Jewish authorities. The Gospel is akin to Jewish wisdom about being clever and seeking understanding beyond the usual human reason.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites the work of David Whyte on the practice of being lost.

Although true solitude—alert aloneness without diversions—can be challenging, it is often the necessary gateway to our deepest passions, and the discovery of what we must do to live them.

The thirst identified in the comments of Amy Hoover on Psalm 63 is part of the presentation of Bishop Robert Barron to Google employees that resonates with the sense of being lost in the reflections collected by Richard Rohr.

References


(n.d.). Jude, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 2, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/jude/1

(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 63 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 2, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/63

(n.d.). Mark 11. Retrieved June 2, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/mark11.htm

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved June 2, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 2, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Saint Justin, Martyr (Memorial) - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved June 2, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 2, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/