The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to adopt Jesus' example of Loving action and trust in the will of God in place of our desire to have Divine approval for our plans and action.
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| Trust in Loving God |
The passage from the Second Book of Samuel describes the judgement on David’s sin of census taking.
* [24:10] The narrative supposes that since the people belonged to the Lord rather than to the king, only the Lord should know their exact number. Further, since such an exact numbering of the people would make it possible for the king to exercise centralized power, imposing taxation, conscription, and expropriation upon Israel, the story shares the view of monarchy found in 1 Sm 8:4–18. See also Nm 3:44–51, where census taking requires an apotropaic offering.1
The joy of forgiveness is expressed by the psalmist who was stubborn and closed, a victim of sin’s power, and then became open to God.
* [Psalm 32] An individual thanksgiving and the second of the seven Penitential Psalms (cf. Ps 6). The opening declaration—the forgiven are blessed (Ps 32:1–2)—arises from the psalmist’s own experience. At one time the psalmist was stubborn and closed, a victim of sin’s power (Ps 32:3–4), and then became open to the forgiving God (Ps 32:5–7). Sin here, as often in the Bible, is not only the personal act of rebellion against God but also the consequences of that act—frustration and waning of vitality. Having been rescued, the psalmist can teach others the joys of justice and the folly of sin (Ps 32:8–11).2
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus meets rejection at Nazareth prior to beginning His Mission with the Twelve.
* [6:4] A prophet is not without honor except…in his own house: a saying that finds parallels in other literatures, especially Jewish and Greek, but without reference to a prophet. Comparing himself to previous Hebrew prophets whom the people rejected, Jesus intimates his own eventual rejection by the nation especially in view of the dishonor his own relatives had shown him (Mk 3:21) and now his townspeople as well.3
Larry Hopp asks why then was it so hard for David to keep his focus, his trust, his faith in God? In our Gospel story, in Mark, we are reminded again how difficult it can be to keep one’s focus on Jesus. Those living in Nazareth were certainly aware of all the “mighty deeds” Jesus had accomplished throughout Israel. They were “astonished” at his wisdom and understanding of scriptures. Yet they were unable to truly grasp that Jesus was the Son of God. How could this be? How could they not see the obvious standing right before their eyes? Jesus “was amazed at their lack of faith.”
So what is it that God is trying to teach us through today’s readings? Could it be to warn us of how easy it is to let our focus slip away from all the obvious things that God is doing in each of our lives? Could it be a call for each of us to truly examine our hearts to determine the level of our faith, the level of our commitment and reliance upon our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ?
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me when I let my focus slip away from you, when I turn to my understanding in lieu of seeking your will. Open my heart to honest reflection and help me to develop the kind of faith that turns first to you and your will for my life. Thank you for your loving patience in my faith journey. In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.4
Don Schwager quotes “Distinguishing God's power and our faith,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"And perhaps, as in the case of metallic substances there exists in some a natural attraction toward some other thing, as in the magnet for iron, and in naphtha for fire, so there is an attraction in such faith toward the divine power according to what Jesus said: 'If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, 'Move to another place,' and it shall be moved' (Matthew 17:20). Matthew and Mark wished to present the all-surpassing value of that divine power as a power that works even in those who do not believe. But they did not deny that grace works even more powerfully among those who have faith. So it seems to me that they accurately said not that the Lord did not do any mighty works because of their unbelief, but that he did not do many there (Mark 6:5). Mark does not flatly say that he could do no mighty work there at all, and stop at that point, but added, 'except that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them' (Mark 6:5). Thus the power in him overcame even their unbelief." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.19)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 6:1-6 asks what happened? Where were the people clamoring to be near him? Instead of crying out for healing, they were taking offense at his teaching.
Actually, we shouldn’t be surprised that the people of Nazareth were getting tripped up by Jesus. Each of us probably has some areas where Jesus trips us up. We may avoid certain Bible verses or disregard certain Church teachings because they make us feel uncomfortable. There might be a plainspoken priest in town whose hard-hitting homilies make us squirm or a fellow parishioner whose dedication to the poor challenges us. It’s only natural to avoid someone whose witness moves us to think or act differently. But is it possible that the Holy Spirit might be using them to prick our consciences?6
Friar Jude Winkler underlines David’s arrogance in counting God’s people for his military desires. Corporate punishment for sin and the societal nature of sin like consumerism and groupthink, contrast with individual responsibility for sin that appears in Jewish tradition at the time of the Babylonian exile. Friar Jude reminds us that even as we try to do the best we can with the gifts received from God, we may not see the saints among us in the people we encounter daily.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, offers that The Franciscan view of atonement theory is a prime example of our alternative orthodoxy. The Franciscan School was dissatisfied with the popular theological idea that Jesus came to Earth as a necessary sacrifice to appease an angry God. As human consciousness advances, more and more people cannot believe that God would demand Jesus’ blood as payment for our sins. It seems to be inevitable that our old logic needs to break up before we can begin to grow up.
For Duns Scotus, the incarnation of God and the redemption of the world could never be a mere Plan B or mop-up exercise in response to human sinfulness; Jesus’ birth, life, and death had to be Plan A, the proactive work of God from the very beginning. We were “chosen in Christ before the world was made” (Ephesians 1:4). Our sin could not possibly be the motive for the incarnation! Only perfect love and divine self-revelation could inspire God to come in human form. God never merely reacts, but supremely and freely acts—out of love.
Jesus did not come to change the mind of God about humanity. It did not need changing. Jesus came to change the mind of humanity about God! God is not someone to be afraid of but is the Ground of Being and on our side. [1]7
Contemplate how much Fr. Richard’s observation that Jesus didn’t come to solve a problem; he came to reveal the true nature of God as Love; may give us insight into Jesus rejection by the people of His home town.
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