Direction for difficult Life in the world

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite deeper contemplation of the particular aspects of relationship with God that mark our journey to beauty and truth.

Journey to beauty and truth

Some of the questions raised today are: What happens to Elijah at Horeb? What is our fragrant aroma? Giving flesh? His and ours?

The First Book of Kings describes the depression and nourishment encountered by Elijah as God leads him to Horeb.

* [19:1–21] The story of Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb begins as a flight from danger, but takes a surprising turn. The prophet makes his solitary way to the mountain where the Lord had appeared to Moses and the Israelites (“Horeb” is an alternate name for “Sinai”). Like Moses on the holy mountain, Elijah experiences a theophany and receives a commission.

In the Letter to the Ephesians, we are exhorted to live in the Spirit and to become a fragrant aroma.

[4:25–6:20] For similar exhortations to a morally good life in response to God’s gift of faith, see notes on Rom 12:1–13:14 and Gal 5:13–26.

In the Gospel from John, Jesus deeply connects us to His Presence in the world.

* [6:35–59] Up to Jn 6:50 “bread of life” is a figure for God’s revelation in Jesus; in Jn 6:51–58, the eucharistic theme comes to the fore. There may thus be a break between Jn 6:50–51.

For Amy Hoover the texts today inspired a list of questions that surfaced about how we are in relationship with God.

I have to stop and take a moment to look outside or take a walk and hear the wind in the trees or notice the beauty of nature and I can feel the presence of the Divine “feeding” my spirit, encouraging me, reminding me I am not alone.   God is reaching out. We just need to take time to notice.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is telling us “I am the bread of life.”  I will sustain you. We do experience this with the Eucharist but today, I hear the invitation to notice all the other ways God sustains us.  Angels, companions, trees and water, scripture, art and music, beauty. God is always and everywhere reaching out to us, sustaining, nourishing, teaching and drawing us near.

Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D. on the revelation that comes from studying the scriptures with humility.

"My ambition as a youth was to apply to the study of the Holy Scriptures all the refinement of dialectics. I did so, but without the humility of the true searcher. I was supposed to knock at the door so that it would open for me. Instead I was pushing it closed, trying to understand in pride what is only learned in humility. However, the all-merciful Lord lifted me up and kept me safe." (excerpt from Sermon 51,6)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Kings 19:4-8 observes that, in a matter of days, Elijah went from complete jubilation to complete depression.

The Eucharist inspires us to hold on to our faith, even when we are downcast. It reminds us that Jesus was completely human, like us in every way except sin. He was tempted just like us. He suffered like us. So he knows firsthand what it’s like to be troubled.
So take and eat today, knowing that Jesus is with you through even your most troubling times. He will give you his energy for the long haul.

Friar Jude Winkler describes the condition of Elijah under the broom tree as clinical depression. We have Spirit strength to live in the Spirit described in Ephesians. The “realized” and “future” eschatology of John’s Gospel are mystically encountered in Jesus “Bread of Life” discourse.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explains that the great mystics tend to recognize that Whoever God Is, he or she does not need our protection or perfect understanding. All our words, dogmas, and rituals are like children playing in a sandbox before Infinite Mystery and Wonderment.

was only slowly introduced to Hinduism’s profound mystical depths through two very special authors. I admit that I first trusted them because they were both Catholic priests, scholars, and even mystics themselves. One was Dom Bede Griffiths (1906-1993), an English Benedictine, who in the pivotal year of 1968 was asked to take charge of an ashram in India to combine Western and Eastern spirituality. Griffith’s writings are still monumental and important. From the time of his arrival in India in 1955, Dom Bede built a huge and holy bridge, which many have now walked over with great effect.
The other author who led me deeper in Hinduism was a son of a Spanish mother and a Hindu father, Raimon Panikkar (1918-2010). Panikkar’s intellect and spirit astounded all who heard him or read his words. Somehow Panikkar’s ancient roots, stellar mind, and his Christian love all came through

Fr. Richard offers our conclusion that If anything is true, then it has always been true; and people who sincerely search will touch upon the same truth in every age and culture, while using different language, symbols, and rituals to point us in the same direction. The direction is always toward more love and union—in ever widening circles.

References


(n.d.). 1 Kings, chapter 19 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 12, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1kings19:8 

(n.d.). Ephesians 4. Retrieved August 12, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/ephesians4.htm

(n.d.). John, chapter 6 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 12, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/6

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved August 12, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html 

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 12, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Saint Clare, Virgin (Memorial) - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved August 12, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/ 

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 12, 2018, from https://cac.org/richard-rohr/daily-meditations/daily-meditations-archive/