The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer contemplation on the set of social and moral principles that are operative in our daily lives and our interaction with others.
 |
| Expressing our Way |
The Letter to the Hebrews makes recommendations on social and moral matters.
* [13:1–16] After recommendations on social and moral matters (Heb 13:1–6), the letter turns to doctrinal issues. The fact that the original leaders are dead should not cause the recipients of this letter to lose their faith (Heb 13:7), for Christ still lives and he remains always the same (Heb 13:8).1
In the Gospel from Mark, the inability of Herod to lose face and address his fears leads to the death of John the Baptist.
* [6:17–29] Similarities are to be noted between Mark’s account of the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist in this pericope, and that of the passion of Jesus (Mk 15:1–47). Herod and Pilate, each in turn, acknowledges the holiness of life of one over whom he unjustly exercises the power of condemnation and death (Mk 6:26–27; 15:9–10, 14–15). The hatred of Herodias toward John parallels that of the Jewish leaders toward Jesus. After the deaths of John and of Jesus, well-disposed persons request the bodies of the victims of Herod and of Pilate in turn to give them respectful burial (Mk 6:29; 15:45–46).2
Tom Shanahan, S.J., takes “hospitality” as a moral example from Hebrews and asks can I be open to offering hospitality to those I meet? (written for this date, in 2017).
It is so easy for me to refuse the person in need who approaches me and asks for a hand-out. Do I see Christ in that person? I have to conclude that I do not. With that said, I need to look to continued conversion in faith.
Multiply my little encounter and consider a more pressing issue of hospitality: the thousands who are fleeing from their homelands as refugees. Where is Christ in our response to these people? Can we even see Christ’s or God’s call to respond in faith, hope and love? What WOULD Jesus do?3
Don Schwager quotes “The Weakness of the Tyrant and the Power of the Beheaded,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).
"Note well the weakness of the tyrant compared to the power of the one in prison. Herod was not strong enough to silence his own tongue. Having opened it, he opened up countless other mouths in its place and with its help. As for John, he immediately inspired fear in Herod after his murder - for fear was disturbing Herod's conscience to such an extent that he believed John had been raised from the dead and was performing miracles (Mark 6:14-16)! In our own day and through all future time, throughout all the world, John continues to refute Herod, both through himself and through others. For each person repeatedly reading this Gospel says: 'It is not lawful for you to have the wife of Philip your brother' (Mark 6:18). And even apart from reading the Gospel, in assemblies and meetings at home or in the market, in every place... even to the very ends of the earth, you will hear this voice and see that righteous man even now still crying out, resounding loudly, reproving the evil of the tyrant. He will never be silenced nor the reproof at all weakened by the passing of time." (excerpt from ON THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD 22.8-9)4
The Word Among Us Meditation on Hebrews 13:1-8 urges us look at the original Greek text.
First, there is an exhortation to continue brotherly love or philadelphia. Next, there is a reminder not to forget hospitality, or philoxenia, which is love of strangers. The passage goes on to talk about honoring marriage, which, of course, is all about marital love. And finally, it talks about remaining free from the love of material things. Love is all over this passage!
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites French philosopher and historian René Girard (1923–2015) who demonstrated that the scapegoat mechanism is foundational for the formation of most social groups and cultures. We need another group to be against to form our group! For example, many in the United States scapegoat refugees who are seeking asylum, falsely accusing them of being criminals. This pattern is seen in many facets of our society and our private, inner lives—so much so that we might call it “the sin of the world” (note that “sin” is singular in John 1:29).
We humans largely hate or blame almost anything else rather than recognize our own weaknesses and negativity. “She made me do it.” “He is guilty.” “He deserves it.” “They are the problem.” “They are evil.” We seldom consciously know that we are scapegoating or projecting. It’s automatic, ingrained, and unconscious. As Jesus said, people literally “do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
We hate our own imperfections in other people, and sadly we often find the best cover for that projection in religion. God and religion, I am afraid, have been used to justify most of our violence and to hide from the shadow parts of ourselves that we would rather not admit. Yet Jesus revealed the pattern two thousand years ago. “When anyone kills you, they will think they are doing a holy duty for God,” he said (John 16:2).6
The tendency to shift blame, follow popular lusts and be approved may influence us to decisions that steal our freedom to choose life to the full in following Jesus Way.
References
1
|
(n.d.). Hebrews, chapter 13 - usccb. Retrieved February 8, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/hebrews13:33
|
2
|
(n.d.). Mark, chapter 6 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved February 8, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/6
|
3
|
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved February 8, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.htm
|
4
|
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 8, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
|
5
|
(2019, February 7). Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs (Memorial) - Mass Readings .... Retrieved February 8, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/02/08/
|
6
|
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: February 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved February 8, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/02/
|
No comments:
Post a Comment