Navigating a sea change

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate our reaction to change and our contribution to action to support desirable changes.

New wine

In the passage from the Book of Genesis, Rebekah organizes Jacob’s deception of Isaac to obtain the blessing normally extended to the first born.

 * [27:1–45] The chapter, a literary masterpiece, is the third and climatic wresting away of the blessing of Esau. Rebekah manages the entire affair, using perhaps her privileged information about Jacob’s status (25:23); Jacob’s only qualm is that if his father discovers the ruse, he will receive a curse instead of a blessing (vv. 11–12). Isaac is passive as he was in chaps. 22 and 24. The deception is effected through clothing (Jacob wears Esau’s clothing), which points ahead to a similar deception of a patriarch by means of clothing in the Joseph story (37:21–33). Such recurrent acts and scenes let the reader know a divine purpose is moving the story forward even though the human characters are unaware of it.1

Psalm 135 is an invitation to praise God.

* [Psalm 135] The hymn begins and ends with an invitation to praise God (Ps 135:1–3, 19–20) for the great act of choosing Israel (Ps 135:4).2 

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus introduces new ideas about the place of fasting.

* [9:15] Fasting is a sign of mourning and would be as inappropriate at this time of joy, when Jesus is proclaiming the kingdom, as it would be at a marriage feast. Yet the saying looks forward to the time when Jesus will no longer be with the disciples visibly, the time of Matthew’s church. Then they will fast: see Didache 8:1.3 

George Butterfield believes Jesus wants his followers to be united. (the reflection appears to connect with a different set of readings).

Don Schwager observes that just as there is a right place and a right time for fasting and for feasting, so there is a right place for the old as well as the new.

Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Matthew 13:52). How impoverished we would be if we only had the Old Testament or the New Testament books of the Bible, rather than both. The Lord gives us wisdom so we can make the best use of both the old and the new. He doesn't want us to hold rigidly to the past and to be resistant to the new work of his Holy Spirit in our lives. He wants our minds and hearts to be like new wineskins - open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit.4 

He also quotes “No need to fast in the presence of the Bridegroom,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"The Pharisees and John's disciples were fasting, and the apostles were not. But Jesus answered them in a spiritual way and indicated to John's disciples that he was a bridegroom. John taught that all hope in life lay in Christ. While he was still preaching, however, his disciples could not be received by the Lord. Up until the time of John, the law and the prophets prevailed, and unless the law came to an end, none of them would subscribe to faith in the gospel. The fact that he said there was no need for his disciples to fast as long as the bridegroom is with them illustrates the joy of his presence and the sacrament of the holy food, which no one need be without while he is present, that is, bearing Christ in the light of the mind. But once he is gone, Jesus says that they will fast, for all those who do not believe that Christ has risen will not have the food of life. By faith in the resurrection, the sacrament of the heavenly bread is received. Whoever is without Christ will be forsaken, fasting from the food of life." (excerpt from the commentary ON MATTHEW 9.3)4 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29 notes that, according to ancient tradition, Jacob saw his material possessions as a blessing from God. He realized over time that his greatest blessing was the family God had given him. It was not a perfect family, to be sure. It had its fair share of favoritism, resentment, and anger. But in the end, Jacob’s actions showed that those relationships, even if flawed, were more precious than any of the material possessions he had gained by deceiving his own father and brother.

 We can all relate to the kind of change of heart Jacob experienced. Haven’t we all learned, in one way or another, to value people more than things? Maybe in our later years, we realize that the things we sought after in our younger days aren’t as important as we thought. We discover that the “abundance” we once pursued, whether career, possessions, or wealth, doesn’t really have as much value as our closest relationships. And on top of that, we might begin to see how precious our relationship with Jesus is.5

Friar Jude Winkler explores the etymology of Jacob’s name as “one who grasps” or “the deceiver”. There are many purposes for fasting in Christian tradition. Friar Jude extends the Jewish sense of not mixing to our choice of behaviour when with others.

I am struck, unlike Friar Jude, with the connection of the two sayings at the end of the Gospel passage that advise caution when mixing old and new. The “new”, in my experience, “rocks the boat”. I have often sensed great opposition to change when I moved forward with ideas and actions that require a change of attitude or behaviour in the people that I have worked with in industry, education, and religious catechetics. The birthright passing to Jacob was a sea change from leadership by the force of might to the gentler means. Jesus assessment of the fasting ritual offered a challenge to two religious camps of His time. I remain stubborn that “rocking the boat” is a healthy and necessary precursor to finding a new and better stability on the journey.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares, in Franciscan theology, love comes before knowledge. We truly know only that which we love. When we stand back analyzing and coolly calculating, we will never really know anything at a deep level. It is only by stepping out and becoming vulnerable with someone that we come to know them. Love precedes understanding. Fr. Richard offers a contemplative discipline to help take that leap of faith in love that allows God to speak to you.

Prayer of the Heart is a contemplative practice that engages our openness to experiencing this leap of faith and love. The following is adapted from Teresa Blythe’s book 50 Ways to Pray. [1]
Begin in a seated position and take five relaxed breaths.Ask yourself, “What is my longing?” or “What is it that I seek from God?”Name the response that arises with a word or short phrase, for example: freedom, love, inner balance, healing, or joy.Consider your preferred name for the Divine: God, Jesus, Wisdom, Father, Mother, Mystery, Spirit.Combine your name for God with your longing; for example, “Freedom in Christ” or “Spirit of joy.”Repeat these words aloud or silently, perhaps in rhythm with your breath: “Freedom” on the in-breath, “in Christ” on the out-breath. Breathe naturally, without trying to control the body’s natural pace.After several minutes, stop the repetition and rest, abiding in contemplative silence.6 

The mixing of love and the disruption that comes with change is an ongoing challenge on our journey.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 27 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/27
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 135 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/135
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 9 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/07/06/
6	(n.d.). Prophets: Part One: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and .... Retrieved July 6, 2019, from https://cac.org/prophets-part-one-weekly-summary-2019-07-06/