The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the life giving Spirit of God and our response in everyday actions to manage our knowledge of the world with Wisdom that we experience in our relationship with Christ.
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| Knowledge without Wisdom |
The reading from the Book of Genesis is the second description of the Garden of Eden that introduces the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
* [2:9] The second tree, the tree of life, is mentioned here and at the end of the story (3:22, 24). It is identified with Wisdom in Prv 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4, where the pursuit of wisdom gives back to human beings the life that is made inaccessible to them in Gn 3:24. In the new creation described in the Book of Revelation, the tree of life is once again made available to human beings (Rev 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19). Knowledge of good and evil: the meaning is disputed. According to some, it signifies moral autonomy, control over morality (symbolized by “good and evil”), which would be inappropriate for mere human beings; the phrase would thus mean refusal to accept the human condition and finite freedom that God gives them. According to others, it is more broadly the knowledge of what is helpful and harmful to humankind, suggesting that the attainment of adult experience and responsibility inevitably means the loss of a life of simple subordination to God.1
In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus instructs the disciples on the source of evil that is within the heart of humanity.
* [7:17] Away from the crowd…the parable: in this context of privacy the term parable refers to something hidden, about to be revealed to the disciples; cf. Mk 4:10–11, 34. Jesus sets the Mosaic food laws in the context of the kingdom of God where they are abrogated, and he declares moral defilement the only cause of uncleanness.2
Chas Kestermeier, S.J. asserts that what does count is how we deal with who and what we are, the circumstances that God has chosen for us.
We need to take that and bear the right fruits, which are the virtues – especially faith, hope, and charity but also such other virtues as patience, humility, forbearance, gentleness, meekness, and generosity. God hopes to see us share the gifts that He gives us, share the wealth of love that He offers. He expects us to show a humble daily repentance and to trust in Him as we try to live a new life in Him…. And this is what God is looking for from us, not the evil fruits that the gospel lists.3
Don Schwager quotes “The cycle of bitterness broken by forbearance,” by Tertullian, 160-225 A.D.
"Let us, then, his servants, follow our Lord and patiently submit to denunciations that we may be blessed! If, with slight forbearance, I hear some bitter or evil remark directed against me, I may return it, and then I shall inevitably become bitter myself. Either that, or I shall be tormented by unexpressed resentment. If I retaliate when cursed, how shall I be found to have followed the teaching of our Lord? For his saying has been handed down that one is defiled not by unclean dishes but by the words which proceed from his mouth ( Mark 7:15)." (excerpt from ON PATIENCE 8)
[Tertullian (160-225 AD) was an early Christian writer and theologian from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He was a noted early Christian apologist who defended Christianity and the practice of Christians against the reproaches of the pagans. He promoted the principle of freedom of religion as an inalienable human right and demanded a fair trial for Christians before they were condemned to death.]4
The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 104:1-2, 27-30 comments that God’s Holy Spirit is the creative force behind everything in the universe. But it’s also the Spirit who takes what has already been created and renews it.
So what kind of renewal might God want to do in you? Perhaps he wants to restore a broken relationship or put new life into an old one. Or he may want to renew your heart by helping you clear out old resentments and grudges. Maybe he wants to bolster your faith or give you new insights about his love. Or perhaps he wants to give you a renewed desire to share the gospel or care for the poor.
Don’t ever underestimate God’s desire—or his ability—to renew what feels old and stale in your life. He is always sending forth his Spirit to create new life and new possibilities.5
In his encyclical letter On Care for our Common Home, Pope Francis tells us that “the Spirit of God has filled the universe with possibilities,” and because of all these possibilities, “something new can always emerge” (Laudato Si, 80).
Friar Jude Winkler connects the Creation second account attributed to the Yahwist around 950 BCE to the desert in Judah. The tree of good and evil is the tree of All Knowledge. Knowledge does not make us better people but wisdom does. Friar Jude comments that Jesus, in reviewing the hypocrisy of Pharisees, that the evil thoughts we carry around take a lifetime to purify in a continual process.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, urges us to look at Jesus until we can see the world with his eyes. In Jesus Christ, God’s own broad, deep, and all-inclusive worldview is made available to us.
Christ is the light that allows people to see things in their fullness. The precise and intended effect of such a light is to see Christ everywhere else. In fact, that is my only definition of a true Christian. A mature Christian sees Christ in everything and everyone else. That is a definition that will never fail you, always demand more of you, and give you no reasons to fight, exclude, or reject anyone.6
Our drive to have knowledge of everything often exceeds our desire for wisdom to seek the transformation that moderates the evil thoughts we generate in relationship with others. Fr Richard reminds that Jesus had no trouble whatsoever with otherness. In fact, these “lost sheep” found out they were not lost to him at all and tended to become his best followers.
References
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(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 12, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/1
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(n.d.). Mark, chapter 7 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 12, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/7
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3
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(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved February 13, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
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4
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(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 13, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
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5
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(2019, February 12). 5th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved February 13, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/02/13/
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6
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(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 13, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/02/
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