The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the assumptions we make that may be leading us away from Truth, Goodness and Love.
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| Reflect on our assumptions |
In the passage from the Letter to the Romans, Paul wrestles with his personal challenges in choosing between Love and Sin.
* [7:13–25] Far from improving the sinner, law encourages sin to expose itself in transgressions or violations of specific commandments (see Rom 1:24; 5:20). Thus persons who do not experience the justifying grace of God, and Christians who revert to dependence on law as the criterion for their relationship with God, will recognize a rift between their reasoned desire for the goodness of the law and their actual performance that is contrary to the law. Unable to free themselves from the slavery of sin and the power of death, they can only be rescued from defeat in the conflict by the power of God’s grace working through Jesus Christ.1
In Psalm 119, the author begs for wisdom to understand the precepts of God.
* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them2.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus urges us to interpret the signs of the times concerning reconciliation with God and neighbour.
* [12:59] The last penny: Greek, lepton, a very small amount. Mt 5:26 has for “the last penny” the Greek word kodrantēs (Latin quadrans, “farthing”).3
Cindy Murphy McMahon reflects that sometimes, like Paul says, we really are at war within ourselves. We really know a particular action or thought is sinful. It destroys instead of building up. It contains falsehood instead of truth. It idolizes a false god, such as money or power or ego, instead of submitting to the one true God, Who is love.
But even then, as Paul states many times, especially in this letter to the Romans, Jesus saves. In the end, we cannot save ourselves. Jesus extends his saving hand, but we have to grasp it. We have to take hold of his hand or we lose out on what he is offering – in this life, and the next.4
Don Schwager quotes “Signs from the Law point to the dawn of the Mystery of Christ,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"People focus their attention on things of this kind. From long observation and practice they tell beforehand when rain will fall or violent winds will blow. One especially sees that sailors are very skillful in this matter. He says that it would be suitable for those who can calculate things of this sort and may foretell storms that are about to happen to focus the penetrating eyes of the mind also on important matters. What are these? The law showed beforehand the mystery of Christ, that he would shine out in the last ages of the world on the inhabitants of the earth and submit to be a sacrifice for the salvation of all. It even commanded a lamb to be sacrificed as a type of him who died towards evening and at lighting of lamps (Exodus 12:6). "We might now understand that when, like the day, this world was declining to its close, the great, precious and truly saving passion would be fulfilled. The door of salvation would be thrown wide open to those who believe in him, and abundant happiness be their share. In the Song of Songs, we also find Christ calling to the bride described there. The bride personally represents the church, in these words, 'Arise, come, my neighbor, my beautiful dove. Look, the winter is past, and the rain is gone. It has passed away. The flowers appear on the ground. The time of the pruning has come' (Song 2:10-12). As I said, a certain springlike calm was about to arise for those who believe in him." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 95)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Romans 7:18-25 comments that Paul seems to be repeating what he has said all along, only now he is saying it personally, joyfully, and filled with gratitude for the gift of salvation. Of course, Paul is still teaching. He is using his own experience to bring his teaching to life.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus matters! It may sound obvious, but that doesn’t make it any less true. His gospel is your salvation from the very real sins you commit. His mercy is your hope for peace and comfort in the battle against sin. His love—a real love that you can sense in your heart and in the people around you—is the foundation for your life.
So when temptation comes fast and furious or when frustration or guilt or anxiety feels like a millstone around your neck, remember Paul. Remember his teaching, but remember also his struggles and his faith. Then cry out with him,
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”6
Friar Jude Winkler connects the part of us that drags us down to the concept of concupiscence as described by Saint Augustine. But for the Grace of God, we are not going to make it. Friar Jude notes that grey hair is the best sign that we should get our act together.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites openly queer Episcopal priest Elizabeth Edman who shares about the first time she preached on the Gospel passage about the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11). To reject easy binaries is to enter into uncertain terrain. The discomfort of such liminal space is often at the heart of the fear that erupts in violence against queer people—violence that may be physical, or legal, or ecclesial, or economic. You really can get fired for it, even in denominations that pride themselves on being gay friendly. [1] Lots of priests and pastors have.
And that’s just so many shades of wrong, because in fact, busting those false dichotomies is part and parcel of [our] tradition. It is one of the bedrock reasons I am a Christian and love my tradition so much. Christianity pushes me right off that cliff of comfortable binaries all the time, and I need that. . . . “Love my enemy? Do good to those who persecute us? How could love and persecution possibly coexist?” [2]
Richard again: She’s right, you know. The Gospel often puts us on the horns of a dilemma so we can wrestle with it. Jesus transgresses one boundary after another and we accept, celebrate, and even try to emulate him in many ways. Are we Christians today open to the possibility that God has called others (by the design of their very bodies) to wrestle with other questions and share their divinely-inspired insights and experiences without shame?7
Our tendency to be comforted by confirmation bias is a component of our tendency to be dragged down in our struggle to Love as Jesus.
References
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