The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite contemplation of what we really need to live fully as disciples of Jesus.
Contemplate our needs
The reading from the Book of Proverbs includes the prayer “give me neither poverty nor riches.”
* [30:7–9] A prayer against lying words and for sufficiency of goods, lest reaction to riches or destitution lead to offenses against God.1
Psalm 119 praises the glories of God’s Law.
* [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 them.2
The Gospel of Luke describes preparation for the Mission of the Twelve.
* [9:1–6] Armed with the power and authority that Jesus himself has been displaying in the previous episodes, the Twelve are now sent out to continue the work that Jesus has been performing throughout his Galilean ministry: (1) proclaiming the kingdom (Lk 4:43; 8:1); (2) exorcising demons (Lk 4:33–37, 41; 8:26–39) and (3) healing the sick (Lk 4:38–40; 5:12–16, 17–26; 6:6–10; 7:1–10, 17, 22; Lk 8:40–56).3
Edward Morse shares that Wisdom finds a middle path between the extremes of riches and poverty, both of which signal dangers coming from our desires.
Wealth and poverty are not as dissimilar as they might seem. Poverty can be thrust upon us against our will -- but so can riches! Poverty entails deprivation of material goods – but riches can deprive us of other goods such as gratitude that we need to live fully and happily. Both can make us very uncomfortable, either worrying how to get what we need or how to keep what we have and get still more. The old saying that “it takes a steady hand to hold a full cup” comes to mind. We like to think that we can handle the test of riches, or at least we would like to try! Most of us have more than we need, but do we have steady hands? 4
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus gave power and authority to his apostles,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration. But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demon's wickedness. By the might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire, they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had possessed... He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 9:1-6 calls us to fulfill a specific mission and vocation that requires us to trust God completely.
“Jesus, you have called me to trust you and follow you. You tell me that you can give me what I need. You can show me the next steps to take.”6
Friar Jude Winkler warns of the dangers of concern for our material resources to our relationship with God. Grandparents have a particular opportunity to share how to live well. Friar Jude reminds that Jesus is always in our lives.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Adam Bucko, a devoted Christian contemplative, Episcopal priest, activist, and friend to the poor. He reflects on what he sees as a spiritual awakening in younger generations.
But it’s also important to say, a lot of young people don’t actually identify with a tradition any more. . . . Many of our churches, synagogues and mosques are freaking out when they hear this, thinking that young people are no longer interested in the sacred. But to me it is clear that young people are not necessarily rejecting God, they simply feel that many religious organizations lost touch with reality and are too concerned with money, power, self-preservation, maintaining the status quo, and ‘having right beliefs’. As a result, they tend to view them . . . as organizations that are spiritually bankrupt, that are no longer able to speak to and address some of the big questions of our time. And it takes deep insight and spiritual courage to see that. It is for this reason and many others that I don’t think of the rise of the ‘spiritual but not religious’ among our youth as a sign of spiritual decline but rather a new kind of spiritual awakening. . . .7
Our mission as young or old is to witness to Christ in our lives.
References
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