All prophets on deck

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today warn us of intolerance and presuming that we have all the answers.

All the answers

In the passage from the Book of Numbers the Spirit on the Elders falls unexpectedly on Eldad and Medad.

* [11:25] They prophesied: in the sense, not of foretelling the future, but of speaking in enraptured enthusiasm. Such manifestations are mentioned in the early days of Hebrew prophecy (1 Sm 10:10–12; 19:20–21; Jl 3:1) and in the first years of the Church (Acts 2:6–11, 17; 19:6; 1 Cor 12–14).

The Letter of James offers a warning to the rich.

* [5:1–6] Continuing with the theme of the transitory character of life on earth, the author points out the impending ruin of the godless. He denounces the unjust rich, whose victims cry to heaven for judgment on their exploiters (Jas 5:4–6). The decay and corrosion of the costly garments and metals, which symbolize wealth, prove them worthless and portend the destruction of their possessors (Jas 5:2–3).

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus declares that those who are not against Him are for Him.

* [9:38–41] Jesus warns against jealousy and intolerance toward others, such as exorcists who do not follow us. The saying in Mk 9:40 is a broad principle of the divine tolerance. Even the smallest courtesies shown to those who teach in Jesus’ name do not go unrewarded.

Dr. Rabbi David Frankel  discusses the successful challenge to Moses’ control over prophecy in the Book of Numbers.

God approves of Eldad and Medad who refuse to go out to Moses’ tent (see Exodus 33:7—1). He rewards them with the bestowal of His spirit not because of their excessive humility but specifically because of their spiritual audacity. And He gives them of His spirit directly, without the mediation of Moses at his tent. God allows them to prophesy in the midst of the camp because God ultimately endorses the spiritual freedom and pluralism that they seek to promote.
Moses, himself, recognizes this ideal and resists Joshua’s call to imprison the “rebels.” No single party should attempt to hold a monopoly on the divine spirit, or place restrictions on its freedom of expression. The ultimate ideal, Moses recognizes, is that each individual Israelite becomes his or her own prophet, receiving the spirit directly from God and expressing it openly inside the camp.

We must learn, then, to emulate the great the spirit of Moses. Instead of bemoaning the spiritual diversity introduced by Eldad and Medad, he expressed the wish that it spread throughout the nation. Like Moses, we must learn to respect religious diversity. We must indeed encourage its free expression and humbly attempt to learn from every teacher. In the wise words of Rabbi Yanai: “whoever learns Torah from [only] one Rabbi will never find blessing in his study” (b. Avodah Zarah 19).[5]

A Bible Commentary, produced by the TOW Project, asks us to consider “Does the way I live enhance or diminish the lives of poor people?

James also condemns those who “have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure” (James 5:5). The question of what constitutes living in luxury and in pleasure is also complex, but it confronts many Chris­tians in one way or another. James’s chief concern in this passage is the well-being of the poor, so the most relevant question may be, “Does the way I live enhance or diminish the lives of poor people? Does what I do with money help lift people out of poverty or does it help keep people impoverished?”

Business leaders must be especially diligent about paying their work­ers fairly. An analysis of what constitutes fair pay is beyond the scope of this discussion,[2] but James’s words “the wages you have kept back by fraud” (James 5:4) are an accusation of abuse of power on the part of these particular wealthy landowners. The workers were owed wages, but the rich and powerful found a way out of paying them without incurring punishment by the legal system. The rich and powerful often have means to subvert the judiciary, and it’s astonishingly easy to exercise unfair power without even recognizing it. Abuses of power include misclassifying employees as independent contractors, inaccurately registering workers in a lower skill code, paying women or minorities less for doing the same job as others, and using children for jobs so dangerous that adults refuse to do them. Misuse of power can never be excused just because it is a so-called standard practice.

Tamora Whitney shares that the people who should be stopped are the ones who are leading others to sin, not the one who are helping others. Don Schwager discusses the deadly sin of envy and quotes Encouraging good works done in Christ, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D. The Word Among Us Meditation on Numbers 11:25-29 notes that to everyone’s surprise, the Spirit fell upon Eldad and Medad, even though they were not at the “ordination.” Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, comments on the prophecy in the camp. We can't be jealous when they don’t match up to our expectations. Friar Jude comments that unlike Origen who took the Gospel literally, Jesus wants us to make choices. Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes it’s not surprising that the history of the three monotheistic religions, in their first few thousand years, has largely been the proclaiming of absolutes and dogmas. In fact, we usually focus on areas where we can feel a sense of order and control—things like finances, clothing, edifices, roles, offices, and who has the authority. In my experience, I observe that the people who find God are usually those who are very serious about their quest and their questions. When we presume we know fully, we can be very arrogant and goal-oriented. When we know we don’t know fully, we are much more concerned about practical, loving behavior.

When we speak of God and things transcendent, all we can do is use metaphors, approximations, and pointers. No language is adequate to describe the Holy. As an early portrait of Saint John of the Cross illustrates, we must place a hushing finger over our lips to remind ourselves that God is finally unspeakable and ineffable. Or, like the Jews, we may even refuse to pronounce the name YHWH.

Those who know God are humble about their knowledge of God; those who don’t really know God, often speak in platitudes and certainties (about which they are not really certain).
References


(n.d.). Numbers chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 30, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/numbers/11
(n.d.). James chapter 5 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 30, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/5:17
(n.d.). Mark chapter 9 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 30, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/9
(n.d.). Eldad and Medad Prophesied in the Camp: A Successful Challenge to .... Retrieved September 30, 2018, from https://thetorah.com/eldad-and-medad-prophesied/
(n.d.). Oppression of Workers (James 5:1–6) | Bible Commentary | Theology .... Retrieved September 30, 2018, from https://www.theologyofwork.org/new-testament/general-epistles/james-faith-works/oppression-of-workers-james-51-6
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved September 30, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 30, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 30, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

Archangels today

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the role of angels in our spiritual journey.

Like Jacob

In the Book of Daniel we discover the battle between the Beasts, representing occupying foreign empires, and the people of Israel.

* [7:9–10] A vision of the heavenly throne of God (the Ancient of Days), who sits in judgment over the nations. Some of the details of the vision, depicting the divine majesty and omnipotence, are to be found in Ezekiel 1. Others are paralleled in 1 Enoch, a contemporary Jewish apocalypse.

The first chapter of the Gospel of John ends with the calling of the disciples and the connecting by Jesus of Nathaniel to Jacob’s vision of a ladder to heaven.

* [1:47] A true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him: Jacob was the first to bear the name “Israel” (Gn 32:29), but Jacob was a man of duplicity (Gn 27:35–36).

Eileen Wirth notes Catholics believe that angels are pure spirits.

It’s interesting that the first prayer that many mothers teach their children is the “Angel of God.” Like countless others, I said it every night when my mom put me to bed.  Is it possible that our moms were our real guardian angels? They also were the messengers who first taught us about God. If you had an angelic mom as I do (she’s 95), I hope this makes you smile.
And remember that  even if angels are pure spirits, we can emulate them in fighting for good and in being messengers of God’s love to others

Don Schwager quotes “The Lord of Angels”, by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"Do you see how he [Jesus] leads him [Nathanael] up little by little from the earth and causes him no longer to imagine him as merely a man? For one to whom angels minister and on whom angels ascend and descend, how could he be a man? This is why he said, 'You shall see greater things than these.' And to prove this, he introduces the ministry of angels. What he means is something like this: Does this, O Nathanael, seem to you a great matter, and have you for this confessed me to be King of Israel? What then will you say when you see 'angels ascending and descending on me'? He persuades him by these words to receive him as Lord also of the angels. For on him as on the king's own son, the royal ministers ascended and descended, once at the season of the crucifixion, again at the time of the resurrection and the ascension, and before this also, when they 'came and ministered to him' (Matthew 4:11). They also ascended and descended when they proclaimed the good news of his birth and cried, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace' (Luke 2:14), when they came to Mary and also when they came to Joseph... Our Lord made the present a proof of the future. After the powers he had already shown, Nathanael would readily believe that much more would follow." (excerpt from the Homilies On the Gospel of John 21.1)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 1:47-51 comments that our view of the future is often colored by what we are experiencing in the present.

So follow Nathanael’s lead and make your own declaration of faith. Every day, repeat to yourself, “God has known me before I was born. He loves me more than anyone else could. He longs to spend eternity with me.”
Over time, as you internalize these truths, your perspective on the future will change. You’ll begin to look forward to that day in heaven when you finally see Jesus face-to-face. Can you imagine standing before the throne of God, with his angels and archangels “ascending and descending,” just as Jesus promised (John 1:51)?

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM conv, informs us that in Jewish tradition There are seven, the perfect number, of archangels who bear in their name “el” the title for God. The messenger, warrior, and healer are represented in the Archangels. Friar Jude connects the calling of Nathaniel in the Gospel to angels in the Hebrew Testament.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reminds us that the unifying theme in [Judaism, Christianity, and Islam] is that God loves us unconditionally. . . . A hadith [saying] of the Prophet Muhammad expresses the unconditional love of God: Allah says, “Take one step towards me, I will take ten steps towards you. Walk towards me, I will run towards you” (Hadith Qudsi).

The great Sufi teacher Hazrat Inayat Khan [1882–1927] placed special emphasis on the sacred phrase Ishq Allah Ma’bud Allah, which he translated as “God is Love, Lover, and Beloved.” [1] In Love, Human and Divine, Inayat Khan writes, “The Sufis say that the reason of the whole creation is that the perfect Being wished to know Himself, and did so by awakening the love of His nature and creating out of it His object of love, which is beauty.”. . .

Angels who are the messengers of God and our assistance in the battle against evil have played an important role in interaction between God and humanity in salvation history and in our personal journey. Our recognition of these spirits contributes to the awe we encounter as we discover God calling us closer.

References

(n.d.). Daniel chapter 7 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 29, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/daniel/7
(n.d.). II. The Book of Signs. Retrieved September 29, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/john1.htm
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved September 29, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 29, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 29, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 29, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

A time for revelation and reality

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today refocus our understanding of the relationship between Creator and Creature.





The Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that things happen in God’s time.

* [3:1–8] The fourteen pairs of opposites describe various human activities. The poem affirms that God has determined the appropriate moment or “time” for each. Human beings cannot know that moment; further, the wider course of events and purposes fixed by God are beyond them as well.

The Gospel from Luke emphasizes the role of prayer in our preparation to live as Jesus describes to His disciples.

* [9:18–22] This incident is based on Mk 8:27–33, but Luke has eliminated Peter’s refusal to accept Jesus as suffering Son of Man (Mk 8:32) and the rebuke of Peter by Jesus (Mk 8:33). Elsewhere in the gospel, Luke softens the harsh portrait of Peter and the other apostles found in his Marcan source (cf. Lk 22:39–46, which similarly lacks a rebuke of Peter that occurs in the source, Mk 14:37–38).

The rhythm of Ecclesiastes resonates with the theme of Inshallah in Islam.

In the Gospel of Luke, important moments in Jesus journey are preceded by prayer.

* [3:21] Was praying: Luke regularly presents Jesus at prayer at important points in his ministry: here at his baptism; at the choice of the Twelve (Lk 6:12); before Peter’s confession (Lk 9:18); at the transfiguration (Lk 9:28); when he teaches his disciples to pray (Lk 11:1); at the Last Supper (Lk 22:32); on the Mount of Olives (Lk 22:41); on the cross (Lk 23:46).

Larry Gillick, S.J. chooses to ponder about Jesus’ praying in solitude.

What is new and different is the quality of our life after we spend time praying.  That is what can be evaluated if you are into such things. The encounter comes before results just as pregnancy comes before birth.  What is “new” then is the fruit of praying. Jesus was interrupted in His prayer, not just by wandering thoughts, but by wondering disciples.  His relationships, His authenticity, His fidelity were the fruits of His praying in solitude. His compassionate availability was the fruit of His being so available to His humanity and His prayer.

In the Summa Theologiæ of St. Thomas Aquinas Article 1 asks whether it is becoming of Christ to pray?

I answer that, As was said in the II-II:83:1; II-II:83:2, prayer is the unfolding of our will to God, that He may fulfill it. If, therefore, there had been but one will in Christ, viz. the Divine, it would nowise belong to Him to pray, since the Divine will of itself is effective of whatever He wishes by it, according to Psalm 134:6: "Whatsoever the Lord pleased, He hath done." But because the Divine and the human wills are distinct in Christ, and the human will of itself is not efficacious enough to do what it wishes, except by Divine power, hence to pray belongs to Christ as man and as having a human will.

The Word Among Us Meditation is on the mention of hate in Ecclesiastes 3:1-11.

For instance, you may hate someone because of something hurtful they have said or done to you. Jesus wants to help you try to forgive. Perhaps you hate someone because they are embroiled in a pattern of sin that is overflowing to other people. Let Jesus remind you that we are all sinners. Sometimes, when a person is doing truly evil things, it is especially hard to love them. Maybe all you can do is pray. Even this is a step out of the darkness.

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, is reminded of a song by the Byrds about Ecclesiastes 3.1-11. Jesus is praying often in Luke’s Gospel. In the prediction of the passion Christ is the Messiah but not a wonder worker but the Son of Man is likened to the Suffering Servant in Second Isaiah.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes the book “God of Love” by Mirabai Starr to show how at the nondual or contemplative levels the teachings of the three Abrahamic Traditions are quite similar, especially regarding the transformation of the separate self into union with God.

“Wash yourself of yourself,” says Rumi [a Sufi]. “Be melting snow.” In Kabbalah [Jewish mysticism], this process is known as bitul hayesh, “nullification of one’s somethingness,” and is consciously cultivated through prayer. In Christian tradition, the union of the soul with God in love is called “bridal mysticism.” And in Sufism, it is fana, where the soul attains complete unity with Allah. In every case, there is a dying of the false self into the truth of the Divine.

Authentic God experience always “burns” us, yet it does not destroy us (Exodus 3:2-3), just as the burning bush was revealed to Moses. Most of us are not prepared for such burning, nor even told to expect it. Authentic God experience is always “too much”! It consoles our True Self only after it has devastated our false self.

References

(n.d.). Ecclesiastes chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ecclesiastes/3
(n.d.). Luke chapter 9 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/9
(n.d.). Luke chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 28, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke3:123
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved September 28, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). SUMMA THEOLOGIAE Christ's prayerTertia Pars Q 21 - New Advent. Retrieved September 28, 2018, from http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4021.htm
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 28, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 28, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Radical skepticism and cognitive dissonance

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to respond to skepticism and the needs of the disadvantaged even as we encounter those who are lacking in virtue.

Before the Mysteries of God

The Book of Ecclesiastes has been described as an honest and blunt appraisal of the human condition that is focused today on the futility in seeking change.

* [1:11] Movement in nature and human activity appears to result in change and progress. The author argues that this change and progress are an illusion: “Nothing is new under the sun.”

The Gospel of Luke captures the misunderstanding of Herod of the mission of John the Baptist and Jesus.

* [9:9] And he kept trying to see him: this indication of Herod’s interest in Jesus prepares for Lk 13:31–33 and for Lk 23:8–12 where Herod’s curiosity about Jesus’ power to perform miracles remains unsatisfied.

The Zondervan Academic Blog comments on Ecclesiastes’ purpose and message.

The purpose of Qoheleth was to contend that there is nothing “under the sun” that is capable of giving meaning to life. Even if some level of fulfillment or self-satisfaction were achieved, death is waiting at the end. Frustration and adversity are unavoidable, and answers to the hard questions of life are not forthcoming. On these terms the book confronts the crookedness and uncertainty of life and shows, probably unconsciously, the need for a concept of resurrection to bring harmony out of the discord of reality.

Colleen Chiacchere shares her questions from today’s first reading from Ecclesiastes that invites us to think about how we spend our time and how we spend our lives.  What is the real purpose of our work, our labor? What is the purpose of what we do when the earth and sun and everything just continues on after we’re gone?

Reflecting on a model for us – St Vincent DePaul – today on his feast day, and how he prioritized his time, also invites us to care for others.  He dedicated his life to serving the poor, helped reform the clergy in the French Church and was known for his generosity and charity.
Perhaps there is an invitation for us to be part of the reform in our Church today…a Church that has struggled immensely with sexual abuse scandals of clergy and leaders, particularly recently in the United States.  Perhaps there is an invitation for us to be more generous and charitable today, with the inspiration of St. Vincent de Paul.

On the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, priest, we reflect on the Collect Prayer from the Catholic Culture Website.

O God, who for the relief of the poor and the formation of the clergy endowed the Priest Saint Vincent de Paul with apostolic virtues, grant, we pray, that, afire with that same spirit, we may love what he loved and put into practice what he taught. 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.

Tapestry host Mary Hynes invites us to meet Mary Elizabeth Williams and Deirdre Pike, two Catholics who have been wrestling with the question of how best to respond to the ongoing sexual abuse crisis in the church.

Williams says she's calling it quits; Pike says she's staying. They spoke to about an agonizing decision facing Catholics around the world: Should I stay, or should I go?

Don Schwager quotes Peter Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century, on Integrity as a hardship for the morally corrupt.

"John aroused Herod by his moral admonitions, not by any formal accusation. He wanted to correct, not to suppress. Herod, however, preferred to suppress rather than be reconciled. To those who are held captive, the freedom of the one innocent of wrongdoing becomes hateful. Virtue is undesirable to those who are immoral; holiness is abhorrent to those who are impious; chastity is an enemy to those who are impure; integrity is a hardship for those who are corrupt; frugality runs counter to those who are self-indulgent; mercy is intolerable to those who are cruel, as is loving-kindness to those who are pitiless and justice to those who are unjust. The Evangelist indicates this when he says, "John said to him, 'It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother Philip.'" This is where John runs into trouble. He who admonishes those who are evil gives offense. He who repudiates wrongdoers runs into trouble. John was saying what was proper of the law, what was proper of justice, what was proper of salvation and what was proper certainly not of hatred but of love. And look at the reward he received from the ungodly for his loving concern!" (excerpt from SERMONS 127.6-7)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 9:7-9 discusses an especially perplexing predicament for Herod.

Of course, none of us are the same as Herod. But like him, we may want to see the Lord but be hampered by blurred vision. Unforgiveness, bitterness, fear, and anxiety—all of these and more can keep us in a fog. But nothing is more capable of holding us back than unrepented sin. John the Baptist brought Herod’s sin to light by criticizing Herod’s marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife. Herod could have repented. He could have found a way out of his immoral union, but he ended up feeling forced to silence John’s voice instead.

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, comments on how the author of Ecclesiastes attacks the presumed idea of wisdom in Israel. He mentions Augustine and Aquinas in declaring that God’s ways are mysterious and we need practice a certain humility before the mysteries of God. Today we are too often likely to be distracted by the celebrity of the current saint or religious fad, Friar Jude warns.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites Avideh Shashaani who shares insights drawn from her experience and study of Sufism.

Islam believes that creation has a purpose: “O Lord, Thou didst not create this (world) in vain” (Qur’an, 3:191). . . . Everything in the realm of nature and human existence is a sign—a manifestation of God’s divine names and attributes. Just as each entity is a reflection of the divine manifestation, so is the human being. As it is said in the Qur’an, “Wherever you turn, there is the Face of God” (2:115).

An antidote for skepticism is found in the conviction of Saints and scholars that we are privileged to experience deep humility before the mysteries of God.

References


(n.d.). Ecclesiastes chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ecclesiastes/1
(n.d.). v. the journey to jerusalem: luke's travel narrative. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/luke9.htm
(2017, October 21). Who Wrote Ecclesiastes and What Does It Mean? - Zondervan Academic. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/who-wrote-ecclesiastes-and-what-does-it-mean/
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(2018, September 26). Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, priest - September 27, 2018 .... Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-09-27
(2018, September 21). Amid the Catholic Church abuse crisis, 2 women grapple with whether .... Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://www.cbc.ca/radio/tapestry/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-1.4833237/amid-the-catholic-church-abuse-crisis-2-women-grapple-with-whether-to-stay-or-go-1.4833350
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Prepared to proclaim

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today are chosen by the CCCB to commemorate Saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf, and Companions, the North American martyrs. (This memorial is celebrated in the US on October 19).

The place to proclaim

The text from Revelation identifies those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The second Letter to the Corinthians declares the suffering and persecution we carry in the Body of Christ with the consequence that we live with the Life of Christ. The Gospel from Luke reminds us that those who lose their life for Christ sake will save it.

The Franciscan media comment on the Saint of the Day (for October 19) is about the Faith and heroism that planted belief in Christ’s cross deep in North America.

Faith and heroism planted belief in Christ’s cross deep in our land. The Church in North America sprang from the blood of martyrs, as has been true in so many places. The ministry and sacrifices of these saints challenges each of us, causing us to ask just how deep is our faith and how strong our desire to serve even in the face of death.

Angela Maynard encourages us to take some time to consider faith and trust by asking: When has our ability to trust been challenged?  How strong is our faith when things don’t seem to go as we want?

As I reflect further, I realize that my ability to have faith, and to trust in Jesus could use some work.  I try to surrender to Jesus and to the unique plan that was created for me. But when I really think about it, I begin to ask questions.  Why did I have to endure this pain? Why wasn’t I given the ability to fix this or that? How come I didn’t have the gift of hindsight when I had to make that important decision?  Why do bad things happen to good people?

Don Schwager quotes “Comfort for those who doubt God's providence in Christ”, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"To bestow yet another means of comfort on our minds, he forcibly added that five sparrows are scarcely perhaps worth a penny, and yet God does not forget even one of them. He also said that the separate hairs of your head are all numbered. Consider how great care he takes of those that love him. The Preserver of the universe extends his aid to things so worthless and descends to the smallest animals. How can he forget those who love him, especially when he takes so great care of them? He condescends to visit them, to know exactly each particular of their state, and even how many are the hairs of their heads... Let us not doubt that with a rich hand he will give his grace to those who love him. He will not permit us to fall into temptation. If, by his wise purpose he permits us to be taken in the snare in order that we may gain glory by suffering, he will most assuredly grant us the power to bear it." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 87)

Kevin Spinale, S.J.,student of theology at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, and moderator of the Catholic Book Club, reviews Emma Anderson’s book The Death and Afterlife of the North American Martyrs.

These are serious questions that lie at the heart of a controversial history of the deaths and subsequent cult of the North American martyrs. In her book The Death and Afterlife of the North American Martrys, Emma Anderson questions the “logic,” the “alchemy” and the “rhetoric” of martyrdom. In her argument, the term “martyrdom” implies innocence and sanctity (9). The term itself carries power, yet it is often used unreflectively. Anderson understands “martyrdom” as a concept that “always” represents the interpretation of a “given set of facts rather than being ‘a fact’ in and of itself” (8). The alchemy or the inverting logic of martyrdom turns defeat into victory—the blood of six Jesuit priests and two lay assistants anchored Christian France in its harsh new territory and sanctified the new continent’s soil.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Avideh Shashaani, an Iranian-American poet and translator of Sufi mystic texts who reflects on how Sufism points to our True Self as the image of God. Her understanding of Islam has come through Sufism—the interior life of Islam. Islam, like any religion, may be viewed as a spectrum of light—ranging from the fundamentalists to the mystics. Our place on this spectrum depends on our level of spiritual expansion and knowledge.

In the Islamic mystical tradition, the reality of “I” is not separate from the Ultimate Reality. “I” is that divine inspiration that imbues life from the Beginning. . . . Sufis often refer to a hadith [a saying of the Prophet Muhammad], “Whoever knows himself knows his Lord.” Ibn al Arabi, the 12th century Islamic mystic from Andalusia, writes [with amazing similarity to the Christian mystic Meister Eckhart’s “The eyes with which we look back at God are the same eyes with which God looks at us”]:
When my Beloved appears,With what eye do I see Him?With His eye, not with mine,For none sees Him except Himself. [4]

Martyrdom is often a consequence of conflict between cultures. Today we suffer conflict with Islam and we again find people who are martyrs in this struggle. A Way in which we can identify the Imago Dei in all is a opportunity to find common good in cultural difference.

References

(n.d.). Saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf, and Companions – Franciscan .... Retrieved September 26, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-isaac-jogues-jean-de-br-eacute-beuf-and-companions/
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved September 26, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 26, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(2014, February 7). The Death and Afterlife of the North American Martyrs: February-March .... Retrieved September 26, 2018, from https://www.americamagazine.org/death-and-afterlife-north-american-martyrs
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 26, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Acting like brothers and sisters

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today warn us about arrogant and impetuous behaviour that will put us in conflict with those in the family of Jesus.

Brothers and cousins

The Book of Proverbs offers many principles for living in a moral way.

* [21:4] Heart and eyes depict, respectively, the inner and the outer person. “Haughty eyes” peering out from a “proud heart” show a thoroughly arrogant person. How can such a person flourish! Their lamp, which signifies life, will go out.
* [21:5] The antitheses are diligent and impetuous. The metaphor characterizing each type is taken from the world of commerce. Planning is important; bustle leads to waste.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus uses the opportunity of an interruption to express the type of life to which members of His family aspire.

* [8:21] The family of Jesus is not constituted by physical relationship with him but by obedience to the word of God. In this, Luke agrees with the Marcan parallel (Mk 3:31–35), although by omitting Mk 3:33 and especially Mk 3:20–21 Luke has softened the Marcan picture of Jesus’ natural family. Probably he did this because Mary has already been presented in Lk 1:38 as the obedient handmaid of the Lord who fulfills the requirement for belonging to the eschatological family of Jesus; cf. also Lk 11:27–28.

Jude Siciliano, OP compares the approach of Mark and Luke.

Luke follows the basic structure of Mark’s gospel, but with his own additions and modifications. Unlike Mark, he has an extended infancy narrative of the births of both John the Baptist and Jesus (1:5 – 2:52). Mark portrays Jesus as "rough and ready." Luke softens the picture making Jesus especially attractive to the fragile, elderly, infirmed, sinners and women. In his inaugural preaching (4:17-19) he announces "liberty to captives" – which the gospel reveals to be not only a freeing of people imprisoned by sin, but also those under society’s restrictions, religion’s exclusion, physical and mental afflictions and the power of death itself.

Kyle Lierk quotes a practitioner of Ignatian spirituality who says with a wry smile, “We choose to listen to that which we value.” He presents a prayer of Thomas Merton about wondering if we are indeed listening to God’s voice or that of some impostor.

Today’s readings are all about listening to God’s word - God’s voice - and acting upon it.  We are invited to consider what value we place on the voice of God amidst all the other voices that clamor for our attention in life.  We listen to what we value, and Jesus is calling upon us to listen to God’s voice above all else.

Don Schwager quotes Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) on those who listen and obey God's word and become true children of God.

"The present lesson teaches us that obedience and listening to God are the causes of every blessing. Some entered and spoke respectfully about Christ's holy mother and his brothers. He answered in these words, 'My mother and my brothers are they who hear the word of God and do it.' Now do not let anyone imagine that Christ scorned the honor due to his mother or contemptuously disregarded the love owed to his brothers. He spoke the law by Moses and clearly said, 'Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you' (Deuteronomy 5:16). How, I ask, could he have rejected the love due to brothers, who even commanded us to love not merely our brothers but also those who are enemies to us? He says, 'Love your enemies' (Matthew 5:44)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 119:1, 27, 30, 34-35, 44 notes that today’s first reading teaches us how to live in ways that please the Lord. Then, our Responsorial Psalm gives us a beautiful response to these teachings.

“Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.”

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, comments that the passage from Proverbs is not specifically religious but teaches morality and how to live a good life in the world. He connects to Micah’s advice to walk humbly. Friar Jude warns that arrogance has consequences. He notes that Luke is not as harsh Mark and Matthew on Mary who incarnated the Word who shows up at Pentecost as the perfect disciple.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Karen Armstrong who continues exploring the origins of Islam. Fr Richard concludes that mature Islam beautifully parallels the Franciscan and Christian contemplative emphasis on orthopraxy (right practice) and the importance of nondual consciousness.

Like any religious tradition, Islam would change and evolve. Muslims acquired a large empire, stretching from the Pyrenees to the Himalayas, but true to Qur’anic principles, nobody was forced to become Muslim. Indeed, for the first hundred years after the Prophet’s death, conversion to Islam was actually discouraged, because Islam was a din [way of life] for the Arabs, the descendants of Abraham’s elder son, Ishmael, just as Judaism was for the sons of Isaac, and Christianity for the followers of the gospel.

Our practice of acting like brothers and sisters of Jesus is opening our hearts, minds, and bodies to union. It takes lifelong practice.

References


(n.d.). Proverbs chapter 21 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/21
(n.d.). Luke 8:19-21. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/luke8.htm
(n.d.). Preaching Luke - Preacher Exchange. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from http://www.preacherexchange.com/pe_preachingluke.htm
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 25th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Wisdom for enlightened action

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary urge us to model our behaviour on that of God.

A corner that shows harmony

The Book of Proverbs urges us to find blessing in bringing justice to our neighbour.

* [3:21–35] As in other instructions, the father in vv. 21–26 urges the son to seek wisdom, which in this case means practicing the virtues of “deliberation and planning,” a specification of wisdom. Practicing these virtues brings protection from violence (vv. 22–26) and friendship with God (vv. 32–35). The language is like Ps 91.

The Gospel of Luke uses the image of a lamp on a lampstand as our guide to making the image of God visible to all.

* [8:16–18] These sayings continue the theme of responding to the word of God. Those who hear the word must become a light to others (Lk 8:16); even the mysteries of the kingdom that have been made known to the disciples (Lk 8:9–10) must come to light (Lk 8:17); a generous and persevering response to the word of God leads to a still more perfect response to the word.

Joe Zaborowski notes that Jesus exhorts us to bring both his words and teaching into the light for others to see and respond to.

The ability for  hear the word of God clearly should be easy , but at times it is not. The answer for me is in prayer, meditation, quiet listening  and spiritual direction. Only by applying all these tools am I able to “take care of how I hear.

Don Schwager quotes “The Word of God is like a lamp to guide us”, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Scripture does not say this about a tangible lamp but about a comprehensible one. One does not 'light' the lamp and conceal it 'with a vessel' or put it 'under a bed, but on the lamp stand' within himself. The vessels of the house are the powers of the soul. The bed is the body. 'Those who go in' are those who hear the teacher... He calls the holy church a 'lamp stand.' By its proclamation, the Word of God gives light to all who are in this world and illuminates those in the house with the rays of the truth, filling the minds of all with divine knowledge. (excerpt from FRAGMENTS ON LUKE 120, 122)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 8:16-18 comments that it is common to read this passage and see ourselves as the lamp set on a lamp stand, shining for all to see. But what if we thought about Jesus himself being the brightly shining light?

So what does the light of Christ help us to see? For one thing, it reveals more than an abstract set of facts about God. It shows us God himself: his mercy, his love, and his faithfulness. And when God reveals himself, he always touches our hearts even as he illuminates our minds. We see him a little more clearly, and our hearts are moved to follow him a little more closely.

Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, comments on the simplistic formulation of Proverbs that declares the good will be treated with kindness. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer refers to faith in the Gospel from Luke. Friar Jude notes that our motivation makes the difference between being visible to others or being secret as in the Sermon on the Mount.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, observes that mature religions and individuals have great tolerance and even appreciation for differences. When we are secure and confident in our oneness—knowing that all are created in God’s image and are equally beloved—differences of faith, culture, language, skin color, sexuality, or other trait no longer threaten us. Rather, we seek to understand and honor others and to live in harmony with them. Karen Armstrong explains how this is a core teaching within Islam.

There was no question of a literal, simplistic reading of scripture. Every single image, statement, and verse in the Qur’an is called an ayah (“sign,” “symbol,” “parable”), because we can speak of God only analogically. The great ayat of the creation and the last judgment are not introduced to enforce “belief,” but they are a summons to action. Muslims must translate these doctrines into practical behavior. The ayah of the last day, when people will find that their wealth cannot save them, should make Muslims examine their conduct here and now: Are they behaving kindly and fairly to the needy? They must imitate the generosity of Allah, who created the wonders of this world so munificently and sustains it so benevolently. At first, the religion was known as tazakka (“refinement”). By looking after the poor compassionately, freeing their slaves, and performing small acts of kindness on a daily, hourly basis, Muslims would acquire a responsible, caring spirit, purging themselves of pride and selfishness. By modeling their behavior on that of the Creator, they would achieve spiritual refinement

A NYT article on an exhibition about the Convivencia in Spain [711–1492] adds some background and evidence of this period of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian harmony. Ancient wisdom about living well, modelling the nature of God, is a foundation for harmony and tolerance that we need to share with the world.

References


(n.d.). Proverbs chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 24, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/proverbs/3
(n.d.). Luke chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 24, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/8:10
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved September 24, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 24, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 25th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved September 24, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 24, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/