The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the power for good or evil that our words may have.
Words for Life
The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah contains the words promising restoration for Israel and Judah.
* [–] These two chapters contain salvation oracles that originally expressed the double expectation that the Lord would return the exiled survivors of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and reunite Israel and Judah as one kingdom under a just Davidic king. They were probably composed early in Josiah’s reign (the reference of v. ), when he took advantage of Assyria’s internal disintegration and asserted control over northern Israel (cf. –). With the destruction of Jerusalem, the oracles were re-worked to include Judah and their fulfillment along with the renewal of the Davidic dynasty became associated with the eschatological “day of the Lord.”1
Psalm 102 is a prayer to the Eternal King for help.
* [Psalm 102] A lament, one of the Penitential Psalms. The psalmist, experiencing psychological and bodily disintegration (–), cries out to God (–). In the Temple precincts where God has promised to be present, the psalmist recalls God’s venerable promises to save the poor (–). The final part (–) restates the original complaint and prayer, and emphasizes God’s eternity.2
In the Gospel of Matthew, the scribes question Jesus about the tradition of the Elders and things that defile.
* [15:2] The tradition of the elders: see note on Mark 7:5 . The purpose of the handwashing was to remove defilement caused by contact with what was ritually unclean.3
Andy Alexander, S.J. comments that in the first reading, there is the profound realization that, like the people receiving Jeremiah's message, our wound might be "incurable." We might find ourselves in a place where we are "stuck" or in a rut.
Our habits, our patterns, our sins have piled up. Healing or a new direction simply doesn't seem possible. Then, the good news comes. God will "rebuild" us and "restore" us. The covenant God made with the chosen people will be renewed in us: "You shall be my people, and I will be your God."4
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14 comments that Jesus’ insight into the close connection between the heart and the mouth is a good one to hold onto. It’s a simple way to keep track of where your heart is during the day.
When you hear yourself speaking kind and loving words, give praise to God! When you are complaining or lashing out verbally, stop and look at what’s going on inside you. As you become more sensitive to these inner attitudes, the Holy Spirit can help you become a brighter reflection of his joy, light, and love.
“Holy Spirit, help me to be attentive to my words and thoughts. May they always be pleasing to you.”5
Friar Jude Winkler comments that the restored Covenant will be written on the hearts of the people of Judah and Israel. The Pharisees religiosity made eating a meal a liturgical event under the Law. Friar Jude reminds us that the Law is best as a guideline and not as a prison.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Mirabai Starr, who offers us a bit of the story of Hildegard’s life with implications for our own lives today. Speak out, Hildegard says. And when you do, when you recognize that inner voice as the voice of God and say what it has taught you, the sickness in your heart will melt away. The fatigue you have lived with for so long that you did not even notice how weary you were will lift. Your voice will ring out with such clarity and beauty that you will not be able to stop singing. To speak your truth, Hildegard teaches us, is to praise God.
Ours may be a modest awakening. We may simply refuse to participate for another moment in a life against which our hearts have been crying out for years.It could be time to observe some version of the commandment to “keep the Sabbath holy” [Exodus 20:8] and begin to cultivate a daily contemplative practice. It could become imperative to curtail a pattern of overconsumption and make a concrete commitment to voluntary simplicity. It could be a matter of identifying the subtle and insidious ways in which we participate in a culture of war and take a vow of nonviolence in everything we do, in every relationship we forge and maintain. . . .6
We take care that the words we speak are based on sharing truth in a loving and respectful Way.
References
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