Moving toward life and death

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today point to paths that contain possibilities for full life or death by detachment from our community.

Community building

In the passage from First Kings, Elijah has confirmation from God that life and fertility are Divine gifts.

* [18:1–45] The story of the conflict with the prophets of Baal (vv. 21–40) is embedded in the story of the drought and its ending (vv. 1–20, 41–45). The connection between the two stories is found in Canaanite theology, in whose pantheon Baal, “the Cloud Rider,” the god of rain and storm, was recognized as the one who brings fertility. Worship of many gods was virtually universal in the ancient world; the Israelite requirement of exclusive worship of the Lord (Ex 20:3) was unique. The people of Israel had apparently become comfortable worshiping both Baal and the Lord, perhaps assigning mutually exclusive spheres of influence to each. By claiming authority over the rain (17:1; 18:1), the Lord was challenging Baal’s power in Baal’s own domain. The entire drought story in chaps. 17–18 implies what becomes explicit in 18:21–40: this is a struggle between the Lord and Baal for the loyalties of the people of Israel.

In the Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus fulfills the law about killing by warning us to be attuned to the anger and offensive behaviour that leads to violence against others.

* [5:22–26] Reconciliation with an offended brother is urged in the admonition of Mt 5:23–24 and the parable of Mt 5:25–26 (//Lk 12:58–59). The severity of the judge in the parable is a warning of the fate of unrepentant sinners in the coming judgment by God.

Barbara Dilly heard a lesson from the pastor of a small town Methodist church at the community Memorial Day commemoration of fallen soldiers.

It was a message of hope for the future straight from the words of Jesus.  We need to stop and think, every time we speak against others in anger, when we insult them, and we threaten them, we are escalating tensions that can lead toward killing.  And for that, we are liable to judgement before God. We were reminded that we need to check those impulses and instead find ways to reconcile with others or we can get hurt in the process.  Jesus makes that quite clear.

Don Schwager chooses a prayer from Eusebius, from the 3rd century, today for guidance in our relationships with others.

"May I be no man's enemy, and may I be the friend of that which is eternal and abides. May I never quarrel with those nearest me: and if I do, may I be reconciled quickly. May I love, seek, and attain only that which is good. May I wish for all men's happiness and envy none. May I never rejoice in the ill-fortune of one who has wronged me. When I have done or said what is wrong, may I never wait for the rebuke of others, but always rebuke myself until I make amends. May I win no victory that harms either me or my opponent. May I reconcile friends who are angry with one another. May I never fail a friend who is in danger. When visiting those in grief may I be able by gentle and healing words to soften their pain. May I respect myself. May I always keep tame that which rages within me. May I accustom myself to be gentle, and never be angry with people because of circumstances. May I never discuss who is wicked and what wicked things he has done, but know good men and follow in their footsteps."

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:20-26 suggests a strategy to focus on the kind of things we do in a challenging life.

So on the one hand, we have the call to a challenging life. But on the other hand, we need to be careful not to think about it in terms of the amount of things we do, as in taking five steps instead of three. It’s better to think of it in terms of the kind of things we do. For example, right after telling us to surpass the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus tells us not to be angry with each other. He tells us to be quick to forgive and gentle with our words. So it seems that the righteousness Jesus is talking about isn’t a matter of doing more; it’s a matter of loving more. It’s a matter of giving generously, forgiving readily, and speaking compassionately.

Friar Jude Winkler explains some Jewish symbols for fertility and the non scrupulous rabbinic technique of building a fence around the Law used by Jesus. The declaration of a Law is a Divine prerogative exercised by Jesus.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Jack Jezreel, on “Culturing Peace in a Culture of Violence,”.

we must imagine what God’s peace and justice look like on this earth, and we must begin the work of crafting structures, institutions, human realities that are the antithesis to division, hate, greed and scarcity, that anticipate and cultivate justice and goodness and peace.

A community that is aware of the need to address anger and offensive behaviour early is paving the path for growth in holiness.

References

(n.d.). 1 Kings, chapter 18 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 14, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1kings18:1

(n.d.). Matthew 5:3. Retrieved June 14, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew5.htm

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved June 14, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 14, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved June 14, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 14, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/