One Body One Spirit and dialogue in the present time

The contrast in the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary are confidence from the unity of the Spirit in the community addressed

Common Ground

in the Letter to the Ephesians and

* [4:4–6] The “seven unities” (church, Spirit, hope; Lord, faith in Christ [Eph 1:13], baptism; one God) reflect the triune structure of later creeds in reverse.

the questions of the lack of awareness of the people encountering Jesus described in the Gospel from Luke.

* [12:59] The last penny: Greek, lepton, a very small amount. Mt 5:26 has for “the last penny” the Greek word kodrantēs (Latin quadrans, “farthing”)

Kyle Lierk comments that Jesus implies that if we cannot settle our differences, this unresolved split will imprison us, even if not literally, but emotionally, figuratively or symbolically.  He cannot help but think, then, of the framework for true dialogue as outlined by Fr. Thomas Merton, OCSO.

He says that if you share your perspective and I truly listen with open ears and heart, and if I share my perspective and you truly listen with open ears and heart, then we will end up not with one of us being “forced” to one side or the other, but that we will both be pulled, by the Holy Spirit, to a third place.  This, of course, requires that we leave space for the Spirit to enter between us and that we remain open.

Kathleen Deignan, CND, notes that Merton eventually formulated principles he considered relevant to all interreligious dialogue.

First, he spoke of contemplative dialogue, implying that such engagement must be reserved for serious practioners of their spiritual traditions, disciplined by a habit of meditation, and formed by their tradition’s transformational techniques and technologies. Secondly, dialogue must be clear and authentic, going beyond facile syncretism, or vague verbiage and superficial pieties. Thirdly, dialogue requires scrupulous respect for important differences without useless debate; understanding unfolds as the capacity for true and patient listening deepens. Fourthly, attention must be concentrated on what is really essential to the sacred quest: true self-transcendence, consciousness transformation, and enlightenment. Fifthly, questions of institutional structures and other elements of form are to be seen as secondary and not become a focus of attention.4

Mike Smoolca, coordinator of the North-Central CT Chapter of the International Thomas Merton Society, quotes from Thomas Merton “Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander”, about the monk’s Fourth and Walnut experience. (pg 153 – 154 (1958)).

In Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all those people, that they were mine and I theirs, that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers.

Don Schwager quotes “Signs from the Law point to the dawn of the Mystery of Christ”, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"People focus their attention on things of this kind. From long observation and practice they tell beforehand when rain will fall or violent winds will blow. One especially sees that sailors are very skillful in this matter. He says that it would be suitable for those who can calculate things of this sort and may foretell storms that are about to happen to focus the penetrating eyes of the mind also on important matters. What are these? The law showed beforehand the mystery of Christ, that he would shine out in the last ages of the world on the inhabitants of the earth and submit to be a sacrifice for the salvation of all. It even commanded a lamb to be sacrificed as a type of him who died towards evening and at lighting of lamps (Exodus 12:6).    "We might now understand that when, like the day, this world was declining to its close, the great, precious and truly saving passion would be fulfilled. The door of salvation would be thrown wide open to those who believe in him, and abundant happiness be their share. In the Song of Songs, we also find Christ calling to the bride described there. The bride personally represents the church, in these words, 'Arise, come, my neighbor, my beautiful dove. Look, the winter is past, and the rain is gone. It has passed away. The flowers appear on the ground. The time of the pruning has come' (Song 2:10-12). As I said, a certain springlike calm was about to arise for those who believe in him." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 95)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Ephesians 4:1-6 recognizes that we see divisions within our Church as well. Race, class, and politics are some of the more obvious dividing lines, but there can also be divisions between religious traditionalists and progressives, between converts and “cradle Catholics.”

Seeing the potential for rivalries and animosity, Paul urged them to overcome their differences by focusing on what they had in common.
But how was this possible in the face of profound and seemingly irreconcilable differences? Paul points to the need for humility, patience, and gentleness, and he wraps all of these virtues up in a call for them to strive for peace. And to fuel their determination, he reminds them of all they have in common as believers: “one body
. . . one Spirit . . . one hope . . . one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father” (Ephesians 4:4-6). If they could keep their eyes on all these gifts, unity would be possible.

Friar Jude Winkler finds the exhortation to live in a worthy manner, as if written by Paul in prison, as the message in the Letter to the Ephesians. Our life when filled with virtue is an example of “oneness”. Clouds and courts remind us to move along our conversion as we move towards the end of our earthly journey.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites the Twelve-Step program to illustrate that deep communion and compassion are formed much more by shared pain than by shared pleasure. They who know pain themselves have the space and the capacity for the pain of the other. The special grace experienced by some at the time of death, brings peace to those who attend the dying.

Transformed people transform people. When you can be healed yourself and not just talk about healing, you are, as Henri Nouwen said, a “wounded healer”—which is probably the only kind of healer!
James Finley shares insights drawn from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ work with the dying:
Those who come to acceptance in death don’t look up at you from their deathbeds to say how happy they are in the ways we typically speak of happiness. For those who come to acceptance in death pass beyond the dualism of happiness and sadness as emotional states that depend on conditions that are conducive to happiness. Those who come to acceptance in death have about them a certain transparent childlike quality, an uncanny peace. It’s a peace not of this world. For in accepting their seemingly unacceptable situation, they are transformed in ways that leave us feeling strangely touched and privileged to be in their presence. Being in their presence can open up in us a deep sense of how invincibly precious we are in the midst of our fragility.

The events and circumstances of life, love, suffering and death are some areas of common ground in which we experience transformation as members of One Body.

References

(n.d.). Ephesians chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/4:7
(n.d.). Luke chapter 12 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/12:81
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 26, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(2011, July 12). Learning the Art of Sacred Dialogue: Thomas Merton's Conversation .... Retrieved October 26, 2018, from http://www.scholaministries.org/lectory/hello-world-2/
(n.d.). Thomas Merton on Interreligious Dialogue - In Via Lumen, LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from https://www.invialumen.org/uploads/3/7/5/4/37541063/mertoninterreligousdialogue.pdf
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 29th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved October 26, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 26, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/