Hearing and believing together

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer contemplation of our faith journey from the certainty of a Pharisee to the challenge of the unknown as shared by mystics.

At the retreat centre

In his Letter to the Galatians, Paul instructs us that as children of God we have no need for the disciplinarian in the Law.

* [3:24–25] Disciplinarian: the Greek paidagōgos referred to a slave who escorted a child to school but did not teach or tutor; hence, a guardian or monitor. Applying this to the law fits the role of the law described in Gal 3:19–25.
* [3:26] Children of God: literally “sons,” in contrast to the young child under the disciplinarian in Gal 3:24–25. The term includes males and females (Gal 3:28).

Jesus exhorts us to follow the will of God as doers of the Word in the Gospel from Luke.

* [11:27–28] The beatitude in Lk 11:28 should not be interpreted as a rebuke of the mother of Jesus; see note on Lk 8:21. Rather, it emphasizes (like Lk 2:35) that attentiveness to God’s word is more important than biological relationship to Jesus.

Vivian Amu notes Jesus doesn’t waste any time reminding us that the messenger is not as importance as the message.

When we listen, and we carry the word within us, we too, become transformed through faith.  The first reading says, “through faith you are all children of God; you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  Hearing that is one thing, but once we have imprinted those words on our hearts, let’s ask ourselves how God wants us to change; what transformation will occur after the complete digestion of the word?  What would our life and vision look like if we became doers of the word? Let’s say yes to God.

Don Schwager quotes” Blessings for hearing and keeping the Word”, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, 'Blessed is the womb that bore you,' he replied, 'Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.' Finally, for his brothers, his relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart than in her flesh." (excerpt from HOLY VIRGINITY 3.1)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 11:27-28 expands on our status as children of God.

We are bound to one another with spiritual ties that transcend race, social status, and homeland. Our family even transcends space and time—through all the saints who are right now in heaven praying for us. Best of all, it transcends creation itself—our Father is the eternal Creator of all that is.

Friar Jude Winkler declares the importance of discovering the Love of God for the conversion of Paul. Luke presents Mary as the perfect disciple. Friar Jude remind us that she incarnates the Word.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares practices for entering the darkness we encounter as Bill Plotkin, Wendell Berry, and Rainer Maria Rilke share growth experiences in unknowing.

References

(n.d.). Galatians chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/galatians/3:22
(n.d.). Luke chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/11:29
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 13, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 27th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved October 13, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/