Generosity at all times

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to look contemplatively at our surroundings with the vision we hold of eternity in the background.

Vision of eternity

The passage from the Book of Revelation calls the companions of the Lamb to mind.

* [14:4] Virgins: metaphorically, because they never indulged in any idolatrous practices, which are considered in the Old Testament to be adultery and fornication (Rev 2:14–15, 20–22; 17:1–6; cf. Ez 16:1–58; 23:1–49). The parallel passages (Rev 7:3; 22:4) indicate that the 144,000 whose foreheads are sealed represent all Christian people.

In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus observes and comments on the gift of the poor widow.

* [21:1–4] The widow is another example of the poor ones in this gospel whose detachment from material possessions and dependence on God leads to their blessedness (Lk 6:20). Her simple offering provides a striking contrast to the pride and pretentiousness of the scribes denounced in the preceding section (Lk 20:45–47). The story is taken from Mk 12:41–44.

Joan Blandin Howard has observed the poor of Spirit, the poor of mind, body and soul have found refugee and solace in this House of God.

You know, I just may have seen her before.  May have casually noted her presence without giving her any recognition.   Now I wonder what her name is and where she lives and how did she get here?  Here in the middle of this large metropolitan city. Does she live in a group home, in a shelter, in a cardboard box?  Does she live alone, with acquaintances, family members or complete strangers? Is she sick? Does she have medical care, eat regularly? Does she have children and know where they are and are they being cared for?          I
I slide into a pew and watch as Grace, I call her “Grace”, kneels beside the “poor box” at the foot of the side altar of Mary.  Mary is a gentle expression of comfort and compassion. Her warm eyes and extended welcoming arms seem to be offering hospitality just to Grace.  As if she, Mary, was there especially for Grace.
Grace rocks on her knees as she balances on the hard marble steps. As she quietly wobbles to her feet she inconspicuously drops coins into the “poor box”.

One of many responses to the question Who Are the 144,000 in Revelation? Is offered by Kevin DeYoung.

Don Schwager quotes “Mercy and compassion are never worthless,” by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.

"Although the spite of some people does not grow gentle with any kindness, nevertheless the works of mercy are not fruitless, and kindness never loses what is offered to the ungrateful. May no one, dearly beloved, make themselves strangers to good works. Let no one claim that his poverty scarcely sufficed for himself and could not help another. What is offered from a little is great, and in the scale of divine justice, the quantity of gifts is not measured but the steadfastness of souls. The "widow" in the Gospel put two coins into the "treasury," and this surpassed the gifts of all the rich. No mercy is worthless before God. No compassion is fruitless. He has given different resources to human beings, but he does not ask different affections." (excerpt from Sermon 20.3.1)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Revelation 14:1-5 concludes if life with Jesus was exciting then, it certainly won’t be any less so with him in heaven.

“The sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder” (Revelation 14:2). What is it like to be in the midst of a powerful thunderstorm, or to see breakers splash on a beach or a waterfall cascade over a cliff? These are by no means tame images of the glory that God has prepared for us! St. Paul tells us, in fact, that this glory is beyond anything we have ever heard or seen—anything that we could even imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9).

Friar Jude Winkler describes the radically new song in Revelation sung by 12 Apostles times 12 Patriarchs times a great multitude of people. The power of evil is an illusion when Christ is the centre of our life. Friar Jude exhorts Christians to avoid “cruising” and be responsible for what that are capable of doing to live as Jesus disciples.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, presents St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1217–1274) who paid little attention to fire and brimstone, sin, merit, justification, or atonement. His vision is positive, mystic, cosmic, intimately relational, and largely concerned with cleaning the lens of our perception and our intention so we can see and enjoy fully!

Bonaventure’s theology is never about trying to placate a distant or angry God, earn forgiveness, or find some abstract theory of justification. He sees humanity as already being included in—and delighting in—an all-pervasive plan. As Paul’s school says, “Before the world was made, God chose us, chose us in Christ” (Ephesians 1:4). The problem is solved from the beginning. Rather than seeing history as a “fall from grace,” Bonaventure reveals a slow but real emergence and evolution into ever-greater consciousness of Love. He was the Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955) of the 13th century.

The marvelous imagery created by the Book of Revelation is wealth for contemplation that refreshes our surrender to the mission of Love and generosity as disciples of Jesus.

References

(n.d.). Revelation chapter 14 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved November 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/revelation/14
(n.d.). Luke chapter 21 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved November 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/21
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved November 26, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 26, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 34th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved November 26, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 26, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/