The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to go beyond literal interpretation to contemplate, in the light, the messages in images and metaphor.
Light in the Cloister
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes Barnabas and Saul commissioned by the Apostles to preach in Cyprus.
* [13:4–14:27] The key event in Luke’s account of the first missionary journey is the experience of Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:14–52). The Christian kerygma proclaimed by Paul in the synagogue was favorably received. Some Jews and “God-fearers” (see note on Acts 8:26–40) became interested and invited the missionaries to speak again on the following sabbath (Acts 13:42). By that time, however, the appearance of a large number of Gentiles from the city had so disconcerted the Jews that they became hostile toward the apostles (Acts 13:44–50). This hostility of theirs appears in all three accounts of Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts, the Jews of Iconium (Acts 14:1–2) and Beroea (Acts 17:11) being notable exceptions.1
In Psalm 67 the Nations are called to praise God.
* [Psalm 67] A petition for a bountiful harvest (Ps 67:7), made in the awareness that Israel’s prosperity will persuade the nations to worship its God.2
The Gospel of John presents a summary of Jesus’ teaching.
* [12:41] His glory: Isaiah saw the glory of Yahweh enthroned in the heavenly temple, but in John the antecedent of his is Jesus.3
Luis Rodriguez, S.J. comments there is light in this world and our presence at the Eucharist tells us that there is light in this world. But our world is looking at light through cataracts and it keeps saying, as the Pharisees said to Jesus: We are not blind, are we? [Jn. 9: 40].
From the cross Jesus said: “they do not know what they are doing” [Lk. 23: 34] and that is the situation with many people today. Our world is not whistling in the dark, because it does not even recognize its darkness. In this darkened world, through baptism we all share in the Lord’s mission to be light, precisely by the way we live. We need to pray for light: for ourselves and for others, for our society, for the world, for all those living in unrecognized darkness.4
Don Schwager quotes “Whoever sees Jesus sees the Father,” by Cyril of Alexandria, 375-444 A.D.
"[Our Lord] gradually accustoms their minds to penetrate the depth of the mysteries concerning himself, [leading them] not to the human person but to that which was of the divine essence. He does this inasmuch as the Godhead is apprehended completely in the person of God the Father, for he has in himself the Son and the Spirit. With exceeding wisdom he carries them onward, ... for he does not exclude himself from being believed on by us because he is God by nature and has shone forth from God the Father. But skillfully (as has been said) he handles the mind of the weak to mold them to godliness in order that you might understand him to say something like this: 'When you believe on me - I who, for your sakes, am a man like yourselves, but who also am God by reason of my own nature and because of the Father from whom I exist - do not suppose that it is on a man you are setting your faith. For I am by nature God, notwithstanding that I appear like one of yourselves, and I have within myself him who begat me. Forasmuch therefore as I am consubstantial with him that has begotten me, your faith will assuredly pass on also to the Father himself.' As we said therefore, the Lord, gradually trains them to something better and profitably interweaves the human with what is God-befitting." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 8.7)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 12:24–13:5 comments that Barnabas’ real name was Joseph, but the first apostles nicknamed him Barnabas, which is Aramaic for “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). And that’s exactly what he was. He was always caring for the oppressed, the misunderstood, and the marginalized. He was always seeking to build them up and encourage them.
What about you? We all need encouragement. That’s because we can be so accustomed to thinking about where we fall short that we lose sight of God’s gifts to us and the fact that he is calling us to serve him. Don’t fall into that trap! Let Barnabas’ witness encourage you. God has given you special gifts, and he wants you to use them to build up his Church. He may even have a special nickname for you! “Father, help me recognize my gifts and use them for your glory.”6
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the laying of hands on Barnabas, Saul, and John Mark. The dove is the symbol of love in the Hebrew Testament. Friar Jude reminds us of the desire of God to be one with us.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that since the Western mind is literal and analytic, it usually misunderstood both types of literature. We viewed apocalypse as threatening and prophecy as foretelling, and our understanding of both missed the point. The well-known Bible translator Eugene Peterson (1932–2018) understood the symbolic power of the Book of Revelation.
I read [John’s] Revelation not to get more information but to revive my imagination. “The imagination is our way into the divine Imagination, permitting us to see wholly—as whole and holy—what we perceive as scattered, as order what we perceive as random.” [1] St. John uses words the way poets do, recombining them in fresh ways so that old truth is freshly perceived. He takes truth that has been eroded to platitude by careless usage and sets it in motion before us in an “animated and impassioned dance of ideas.” [2] . . . Familiarity dulls my perceptions. Hurry scatters my attention. Ambition fogs my intelligence. Selfishness restricts my range. Anxiety robs me of appetite. Envy distracts me from what is good and blessed right before me. And then . . . St. John’s apocalyptic vision brings me to my senses, body and soul. [3]7
We contemplate the power of symbols and imagery in deepening our relationship with the Transcendent.
References
No comments:
Post a Comment