The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to reflect on how we often feel the need to have a rulebook to determine how we are to act in a manner pleasing to God.
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| Looking for the rule book |
The reading from the Book of Acts describes delivery of the Council’s Letter to Gentile believers.
* [15:13–35] Some scholars think that this apostolic decree suggested by James, the immediate leader of the Jerusalem community, derives from another historical occasion than the meeting in question. This seems to be the case if the meeting is the same as the one related in Gal 2:1–10. According to that account, nothing was imposed upon Gentile Christians in respect to Mosaic law; whereas the decree instructs Gentile Christians of mixed communities to abstain from meats sacrificed to idols and from blood-meats, and to avoid marriage within forbidden degrees of consanguinity and affinity (Lv 18), all of which practices were especially abhorrent to Jews. Luke seems to have telescoped two originally independent incidents here: the first a Jerusalem “Council” that dealt with the question of circumcision, and the second a Jerusalem decree dealing mainly with Gentile observance of dietary laws (see Acts 21:25 where Paul seems to be learning of the decree for the first time).1
Psalm 57 prays that God be manifested as saving.
* [Psalm 57] Each of the two equal strophes contains a prayer for rescue from enemies, accompanied by joyful trust in God (Ps 57:2–5, 7–11). The refrain prays that God be manifested as saving (Ps 57:6, 12). Ps 108 is nearly identical to part of this Psalm (cf. Ps 57:8–11, Ps 108:2–6).2
In the Gospel of John, Jesus expresses His command for His friends.
* [15:15] Slaves,friends: in the Old Testament, Moses (Dt 34:5), Joshua (Jos 24:29), and David (Ps 89:21) were called “servants” or “slaves of Yahweh”; only Abraham (Is 41:8; 2 Chr 20:7; cf. Jas 2:23) was called a “friend of God.”3
Vivian Amu asks how does one live as a friend of Jesus?
We are asked to love as Jesus loves us. We are asked to go the extra mile for each other. We are asked to be prepared to give up the things, the privileges, the fixed schedules, and our rigid ideas so we can be spacious enough to love. We are being summoned to love and be loved; it is our vocation. To be a friend of Jesus, we must be prepared to have our hearts broken open over and over again until we bear fruit that will remain; until we know a love that is unconditional and ripples through our lives and the lives of everyone we meet. As I still sit at the feet of Jesus feeling safe, even though I am worried, tired, and acutely aware of my mortality, I asked, “Why must we endure loss of all we know or even let go?” and Jesus said, “So, that your hands and heart are free to hold on to me.”4
Don Schwager quotes “Love encompasses the other commandments,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).
"This is my commandment." Have you then only one precept? This is sufficient, even if it is unique and so great. Nevertheless he also said, "Do not kill" (Matthew 19:18) because the one who loves does not kill. He said, "Do not steal," because the one who loves does even more—he gives. He said, "Do not lie," for the one who loves speaks the truth, against falsehood. "I give you a new commandment" (John 13:14). If you have not understood what "This is my commandment" means, let the apostle be summoned as interpreter and say, "The goal of his commandment is love" (1 Timothy 1:5). What is its binding force? It is that of which [the Lord] spoke, "Whatever you want others to do to you, you should do also" (Matthew 7:12)."Love one another" in accordance with this measure, "as I have loved you." That is not possible, for you are our Lord who loves your servants. But we who are equals, how can we love one another as you have loved us? Nevertheless, he has said it... His love is that he has called us his friends. If we were to give our life for you, would our love be equal to yours?... How then can what he said be explained, "As I have loved you"? "Let us die for each other," he said. As for us, we do not even want to live for one another! "If I, who am your Lord and God, die for you, how much more should you die for one another." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 19.13)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 15:12-17 comments it is difficult to imagine how we could ever love one another the way Jesus loves us... He showed us in concrete, very human ways how to love.
Jesus’ love is unconditional... Jesus’ love is merciful…Jesus’ love is sacrificial…Loving the way Jesus loves us isn’t always easy. Fortunately, we not only have Jesus’ human example to show us what divine love looks like; we also have his presence in our hearts. As we daily open ourselves to his grace, we will find ourselves ever more willing and able to follow his way of love.
“Jesus, help me to love other people the way you love me.”6
Friar Jude Winkler explains that the letter in Acts was likely written 30 years after Paul’s directive in Galatians to remember the poor in Palestine. We are invited to act daily to lay down our preferences for others. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus is giving us guidelines for everyday life.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that Mirabai Starr is gifted with the ability to deliver the teachings of the mystics straight to our hearts. He shares what she says about Julian of Norwich. The medieval English anchoress Julian of Norwich bequeathed us a radically optimistic theology. She had no problem admitting that human beings have a tendency to go astray. We rupture relationships, dishonor the Divine, make unfortunate choices, and try to hide our faults. And yet, Julian insists, “All will be well and all will be well and every kind of thing shall be well.” [1]
Julian unpacks this for us [in chapter 27]. In doing so she dispenses with the whole concept of sin and replaces it with love. “I believe that sin has no substance,” Julian writes, “not a particle of being.” While sin itself has no existential value, it has impact. It causes pain. It is the pain that has substance.
But mercy is swiftly forthcoming. It is immediately available. Inexorable! It is frankly rude of us to doubt that all will be well. . . . “When he said these gentle words,” Julian writes, speaking of God-the-Mother, “he showed me that he does not have one iota of blame for me, or for any other person. So, wouldn’t it be unkind of me to blame God for my transgressions since he does not blame me?” The merciful nature of God renders the whole blame game obsolete. . . . In fact, it is when we stumble that the Divine looks most tenderly upon us. Our vulnerability is beautiful to God-the-Mother.7
Jesus' command to Love One Another invites our response by attending to the prompting of the Spirit to do our best according to the grace we have received.
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