Our invitation to connect with the Word is a theme of the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today.
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The passage from the Prophet Isaiah declares the efficacy of the Word of God.
* [55:10–11] The efficacy of the word of God recalls 40:5, 8.1
In Psalm 34 we are exhorted to trust in God alone.
* [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12). God will make them powerful (Ps 34:5–11) and give them protection (Ps 34:12–22).2
The Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew presents the Lord’s Prayer to us.
* [6:7–15] Matthew inserts into his basic traditional material an expansion of the material on prayer that includes the model prayer, the “Our Father.” That prayer is found in Lk 11:2–4 in a different context and in a different form.3
Beth Samson recalls Jesus gave us the words of this prayer we say every time we gather with community at His sacred table, words we utter when we are in need and have no other words, words many of us can say without consciously thinking them because it is one of the earliest prayers we learn.
Loving Guide,You show us the way, the truth, and the light. May we follow the example You gave us through Jesus so as to avoid the smart, conniving evil around us that tempts us away from You.4
Don Schwager quotes “Pardon your brother and sister,” by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Pardon, that you may be pardoned. In doing this, nothing is required of the body. It is the will that acts. You will experience no physical pain - you will have nothing less in your home. Now in truth, my brothers and sisters, you see what an evil it is that those who have been commanded to love even their enemy do not pardon a penitent brother or sister." (quote from Sermon 210,10)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 6:7-15 invites us to think about this: As we pray through the Our Father, we are exploring “layers” of revelation about who God is and how he wants us to relate to him. Each turn of phrase, each verse, can tell us something valuable—and there are a few surprises along the way too.
So take a few moments right now to explore the Our Father, layer by layer. Pray through it slowly. Take your time, and pause if a word or phrase catches your attention. It may help to repeat that phrase a few times. Let the words sink into your heart. And take note if you sense peace or joy swelling within you. Just as water flows through the canyon, the Holy Spirit flows into you when you pray this prayer!6
Friar Jude Winkler underlines the message of at the end of Deutero Isaiah that Words are powerful. The “Our Father” was countercultural in 1st Century Hebrew society more accustomed to the far off uncreated Creator. Friar Jude suggests that we find more opportunities to praise others inspired by the “perfect prayer”.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that he has mentioned Pierre Teilhard de Chardin quite frequently. He credits this Jesuit priest and paleontologist with helping him—and many others—grasp the universal, evolutionary nature of Christianity. He has been quoted by the last three Popes. Teilhard believed that both sin and salvation are corporate concepts, yet while his view is very biblical, many Christians thought of sin and salvation as individual failure and reward.
First, for Teilhard, because the creation of the universe is a primary act of God’s self-expression and an important part of God’s self-revelation to us, creation’s evolving story must be integrated into any contemporary spirituality. Even the ancient psalmist was aware that all of nature was trying to tell us about God and God’s love for us (see Psalm 19:1-4). In our day, science is increasing our ability to “read” creation’s story.
Second, for Teilhard, to love God requires loving the world as well, since what God brought forth in the evolving cosmos is precisely God’s loving self-expression. For Teilhard, because God loves the totality of creation unconditionally and wants it to evolve to its destined completion, we too should learn to love the cosmos with a passion. Our challenge in spirituality is to realize how totally integrated we humans are with all creation and how best to work toward creation’s divinely desired evolutionary fulfillment.7
The Paulist Press is publishing ‘The New Spiritual Exercises In the Spirit of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin” by Louis M. Savary.
This book presents a spiritual renewal system for contemporary believers based on Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises and inspired by the modern insights of Jesuit priest-scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.8
The prayer taught by Jesus opens our mind and Spirit to encountering the Divine as we Love our neighbours, forgiving trespasses, and praising the Word made flesh at the source of universal life.
References
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(n.d.). Isaiah, Chapter 55 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Retrieved March 12, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/55:10
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(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved March 12, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html l
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(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 12, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
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(n.d.). 1st Week of Lent - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Meditations for .... Retrieved March 12, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/03/12
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(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: March 2019 - Daily Meditations Archives .... Retrieved March 12, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/03/
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(n.d.). Louis M. Savary - Paulist Press. Retrieved March 12, 2019, from http://www.paulistpress.com/Author/Default.aspx?AuthorId=162833
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