Half truth plunder and self indulgence

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today urge us to turn to the sole fount of true wisdom in our relationship with Jesus.

Rebuilding truth

The Second Letter to the Thessalonians warns the community to recall their tradition in the face of half true proclamations by false prophets.

* [2:1–17] The Thessalonians have been shaken by a message purporting to come from Paul himself that the day of the Lord is already present. He warns against this deception in eschatology by citing a scenario of events that must first occur (2 Thes 2:3–12) before the end will come. The overall point Paul makes is the need to reject such lies as Satan sends; he also reaffirms the Thessalonians in their calling (2 Thes 2:13–14).

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus points to the shallow practices of the Scribes and Pharisees that focus on surface religiosity and fail to treat others with love, mercy and compassion.

* [23:25–26] The ritual washing of utensils for dining (cf. Mk 7:4) is turned into a metaphor illustrating a concern for appearances while inner purity is ignored. The scribes and Pharisees are compared to cups carefully washed on the outside but filthy within. Self-indulgence: the Greek word here translated means lack of self-control, whether in drinking or in sexual conduct.

Andy Alexander, S.J understands that Jesus and Paul could be writing to us today, pleading with us to be free from so much that is incompatible with our faith in Jesus.

Interior freedom, which leads to greater sensitivity to the needs of others, ultimately to mercy and self-sacrificing love, is a gift. We can't earn it or "do" things to get there. We can, however, ask for it. We can ask our Lord to open our hearts to receive the gift of his love so that we might fall in love with him in return. The more we experience his love for us - messy as we are - the more attracted we are to him. And, the more attracted we are to him the more we will hear his word in ways that draw us closer to him, in affection. Affection for our Lord alone frees our hearts from the patterns, habits, addictions which hold us enslaved and keep us from being free.

On the Memorial of St. Augustine, bishop, confessor and doctor, the Catholic Culture Website shares the collect prayer for today.

Renew in your Church, we pray, O Lord, that spirit with which you endowed your Bishop Saint Augustine that, filled with the same spirit, we may thirst for you, the sole fount of true wisdom, and seek you, the author of heavenly love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Don Schwager quotes Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD) on Neglecting Weighty Matters of Love and Justice.

"Not only among the Jews but among ourselves as well, we find people sinning in these ways. They are swallowing camels. People of this type frequently show off their religion even in the smallest of things. They are rightly called hypocrites for wanting to exploit their religiosity before men but being unwilling to undertake that very faith which God himself has justified. Therefore the imitators of the scribes and Pharisees must be dislodged and sent away from us, lest a woe touches us in the same way it touches them. The scribes could be described as those who valued nothing found in the Scriptures except its plain sense interpreted legalistically. Meanwhile they condemn those who look into the very depths of God himself. Mint and dill and cummin are only spices for food but are not themselves substantial food. What substantive food would mean in conversion would be that which is necessary for the justification of our souls - faith and love - unlike these legalisms, which are more like condiments and flavorings. It is as if a meal might be thought to consist more of condiments and flavorings than the food itself. The seriousness of judgment is neglected while great attention is given to minor matters. Spiritual exercises which in and of themselves are hardly justice are spoken of as justice and compassion and faith. It is lacking in justice to treat these small parts as the whole. When we do not offer to God the observance of all that is necessary for worship, we fail altogether." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 19-20)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 23:23-26 reminds us that no matter how forcefully Jesus’ words strike you, be assured of this: God is not mad at you. He loves you intensely, and he is trying to open your eyes to the leftover mess in your heart. His rebuke is meant as an invitation to turn back to him.

Jesus’ rebuke might sound harsh; it might even make you squirm inside. After all, most of us know his words could just as easily apply to us. But Jesus isn’t trying to shame the Pharisees (or us) into change. He is trying to draw our gaze to the truth: only Jesus can cleanse the “inside of the cup,” our hearts (Matthew 23:26).

Friar Jude Winkler explores the challenge to the people of Thessalonica concerning the coming of the end of the world. The danger of neglecting the weightier matters of the law and becoming too scrupulous is illustrated in an absurd example with exaggeration. Friar Jude exhorts us not to miss the point to be mercy compassion and love to others.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Rabbi Rami Shapiro on the truth that Divine knowledge is always rooted in the details of ordinary life.

The ability to think critically about ourselves is the first necessary step out of the dualistic mind toward full consciousness. It teaches us rational honesty and patience with ambiguity and mystery. The Abrahamic religions have the power to correct themselves from the inside and move beyond mere superstition because of their sacred and self-critical texts.

The times of challenge that arise in our salvation history necessitate renewal of our conversion and faith in truth, beauty, love and compassion as a consequence of our personal and intimate relationship with Jesus.

References


(n.d.). 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Retrieved August 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2thessalonians/2
(n.d.). Matthew chapter 23 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew23:46
(n.d.). Online Ministries Home Page - Creighton University. Retrieved August 28, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/preparing.html
(n.d.). Memorial of St. Augustine, bishop, confessor and doctor - August 28 .... Retrieved August 28, 2018, from https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved August 28, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 28, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/