The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today look at the fidelity and vigilance in our Faith Tradition.
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| Making it happen |
The reading from the Book of Wisdom shares how the Israelites are spared by faithfulness.
* [18:9] Divine institution: the Passover. Ancestral hymns of praise: possibly the Hallel psalms, the psalms sung at the end of the Passover meal; cf. Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26.1
In Psalm 33 the greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response.
* [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (Ps 33:1–3) to praise God, who by a mere word (Ps 33:4–5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (Ps 33:6–9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (Ps 33:10–11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (Ps 33:12–22).2
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews about the faith of the ancients describes what authentic faith does, not what it is in itself.
In view of the needs of his audience he describes what authentic faith does, not what it is in itself. Through faith God guarantees the blessings to be hoped for from him, providing evidence in the gift of faith that what he promises will eventually come to pass (Heb 11:1). Because they accepted in faith God’s guarantee of the future, the biblical personages discussed in Heb 11:3–38 were themselves commended by God (Heb 11:2).3
The Gospel from Luke connects with the theme of vigilant and faithful servants.
* [12:45] My master is delayed in coming: this statement indicates that early Christian expectations for the imminent return of Jesus had undergone some modification. Luke cautions his readers against counting on such a delay and acting irresponsibly. Cf. the similar warning in Mt 24:48.4
Andy Alexander, S.J comments we live, too often, in a self-protective mode, as though we can "control" how safe and secure we are. Jesus is inviting us to live more freely because our life is in his hands and because we are going to enjoy eternal life in his kingdom forever and ever.
I've found myself, since that retreat, asking for the grace to live with daily trust, to walk with deeply joy in my heart - even in the midst of challenging things - and to ask myself more often if I'm being courageous enough in taking risks to love more completely, to witness my faith by the ways I am self-sacrificing in my care, and to open my heart to better hear the cry of the poor, so I might be a better advocate for those without a voice. Asking for the grace alone give me more courage to find steps in these directions in the here and now of each day.5
Don Schwager quotes “The true meaning of 'loins girded and lamps burning',” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"The girding of our loins (Luke 12:25) signifies the readiness of the mind to work hard in every thing praiseworthy. Those who apply themselves to bodily labors and are engaged in strenuous toil have their loins girded. The lamp apparently represents the wakefulness of the mind and intellectual cheerfulness. We say that the human mind is awake when it repels any tendency to slumber off into that carelessness that often is the means of bringing it into subjection to every kind of wickedness. When sunk in stupor, the heavenly light within the mind is liable to be endangered, or even already is in danger from a violent and impetuous blast of wind. Christ commands us to be awake. To this, his disciple also arouses us by saying, 'Be awake. Be watchful' (1 Peter 5:8). Further on, the very wise Paul also says, 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall give you light' (Ephesians 5:14)." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 92)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 12:32-48 explains that faith isn’t just believing something abstract. It’s about acting on what you believe. It’s about taking the necessary steps that flow from your belief. It’s a theme that’s repeated in all of today’s readings: being ready, looking forward with vigilance, waiting with faith. Faith is anything but passive.
As you’re practicing this active waiting, remember that you’re not alone. You’re being supported by all the saints and holy people who have eagerly waited for God as well. You have the Holy Spirit living in you to remind you that God is not trying to catch you off guard; he’s eager to celebrate with you and bless you.
If you need encouragement, look at the surprising way the master blesses his servants in the Gospel: he puts on an apron and serves them. He even goes so far as to put his faithful servant in charge of all his property. Like this master, God our Father wants to share his blessings with all his servants. He is pleased to give them—and us—the kingdom.7
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that from the perspective of participation, we can recognize that most of religious and church history has been largely preoccupied with religious ideas about which we could be wrong or right. When it is all about ideas, we do not have to be part of “it”; we just need to talk correctly about “it.” We can avoid actually living out our beliefs and walking our talk.
The foundational spiritual question is this: Does one’s life give any evidence of an encounter with God? When we’ve experienced union and intimacy with the divine, what is our response? Does the encounter bring about what Paul described as the “fruits” of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22)? This is what authentic conversion or metanoia means. We should keep asking ourselves: are we different from our surroundings, or do we continue reflecting the predictable cultural values and biases of our group?8
Our faith is a journey that involves questioning and wrestling with ideas that are spoken yet are not able to nudge us toward the practices which make faith a lived experience.
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