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| Revelation in Nature |
The Letter to the Philippians tells of the reevaluation that Paul experienced in relation to the importance of his life as a Jewish Pharisee.
* [3:7] Loss: his knowledge of Christ led Paul to reassess the ways of truly pleasing and serving God. His reevaluation indicates the profound and lasting effect of his experience of the meaning of Christ on the way to Damascus some twenty years before (Gal 1:15–16; Acts 9:1–22).In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus offers an example of unusual action by a shepherd and woman that illustrates the desire of God to recover the lost.
* [15:1–32] To the parable of the lost sheep (Lk 15:1–7) that Luke shares with Matthew (Mt 18:12–14), Luke adds two parables (the lost coin, Lk 15:8–10; the prodigal son, Lk 15:11–32) from his own special tradition to illustrate Jesus’ particular concern for the lost and God’s love for the repentant sinner.Steve Scholer quotes Pope Francis to remind us that the key to growing in relationship with Christ is living a life that is directed by the Holy Spirit and not necessarily centered on the law.
Pope Francis says we have to leave room for the Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to be the soul and guide of our lives in our every decision. If we are willing to “leave room for the Holy Spirit,” we need to become better at listening with our heart to God’s often soft voice calling us to respond to his plans for us, to open our eyes wider to the joy and love that God bestows upon us each and every day, often in the smallest of ways, and we have to open our mouths and say yes to the Holy Spirit who is calling us to a closer and deeper relationship with our God. To live with the Spirit we must follow the Spirit.Don Schwager quotes “Joy over the fallen sinner restored in God's image”, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"This second parable compares what was lost to a drachma (Luke 15:8-9). It is as one out of ten, a perfect number and of a sum complete in the accounting. The number ten also is perfect, being the close of the series from the unit upwards. This parable clearly shows that we are in the royal likeness and image, even that of God over all. I suppose the drachma is the denarius on which is stamped the royal likeness. We, who had fallen and had been lost, have been found by Christ and transformed by holiness and righteousness into his image... A search was made for that which had fallen, so the woman lighted a lamp... By the light, what was lost is saved, and there is joy for the powers above. They rejoice even in one sinner that repents, as he who knows all things has taught us. They keep a festival over one who is saved, united with the divine purpose, and never cease to praise the Savior's gentleness. What great joy must fill them when all beneath heaven is saved and Christ calls them by faith to acknowledge the truth? They put off the pollution of sin and freed their necks from the bonds of death. They have escaped from the blame of their wandering and fall! We gain all these things in Christ." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 106)The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 15:1-10 notes that, in telling these stories, Jesus wants us to scratch our heads in wonder. We aren’t much like this shepherd or this woman—but he is.
We will never truly understand the depth of God’s mercy and love. That’s why Jesus’ parables seem so puzzling to us. But if we can only understand one thing, it’s this: no matter what we have done or failed to do, God never rejects us. He never rejects anyone. Quite the opposite. Good Shepherd that he is, he is always waiting to hoist us on his shoulders and bring us safely back to the fold. And when he does, what a party there will be!Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul had well respected credentials as a Pharisee that he considered rubbish in comparison to his relationship with Christ. Surrender is the response we need to combat arrogance about our position. Friar Jude asks if we have applied the lessons of the shepherd and the woman to our evangelization focus in our parishes.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955), the brilliant French Jesuit priest, mystic, and paleontologist, who had much to say about love. Louis Savary, a theologian, and Patricia Berne, a psychologist, have been studying Teilhard’s writings for many years and finding ways to help others understand his work.
For Teilhard, love . . . is the essential nature of God, and the best name for God (see 1 John 4:8). As Teilhard envisioned it, divine love is the self-expressive creative force that gave birth to our evolving universe. [3] It is that same divine love that continuously keeps every atom of creation existing and moving forward on its grand evolutionary journey back to God.Fr Richard presents a conclusion that God wants creation to become fully conscious that it is imbued with divine love and living in that love. This final outcome is what Teilhard called “the Omega Point” and St. Paul called the Pleroma. [See Colossians 2:9-10.] We pursue engagement with the 1% who are lost to the Shepherd in faith and surrender.
References
(n.d.). Philippians chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved November 8, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/philippians/3
(n.d.). Luke chapter 15 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved November 8, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/15
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved November 8, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 8, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 31st Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved November 8, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 8, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/
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