The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to go deeper in our examination of the spirit that informs our interaction with people and Creation.
Contemplate deeper connection
The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans contrasts the power of the Gospel with the guilt of humankind.
* [1:24] In order to expose the depth of humanity’s rebellion against the Creator, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts. Instead of curbing people’s evil interests, God abandoned them to self-indulgence, thereby removing the facade of apparent conformity to the divine will. Subsequently Paul will show that the Mosaic law produces the same effect; cf. Rom 5:20; 7:13–24. The divine judgment expressed here is related to the theme of hardness of heart described in Rom 9:17–18.1
Psalm 19 praises God’s Glory in Creation and the Law.
* [19:4] No speech, no words: the regular functioning of the heavens and the alternation of day and night inform human beings without words of the creator’s power and wisdom.2
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus denounces the external practices of Pharisees and Lawyers.
* [11:37–54] This denunciation of the Pharisees (Lk 11:39–44) and the scholars of the law (Lk 11:45–52) is set by Luke in the context of Jesus’ dining at the home of a Pharisee. Controversies with or reprimands of Pharisees are regularly set by Luke within the context of Jesus’ eating with Pharisees (see Lk 5:29–39; 7:36–50; 14:1–24). A different compilation of similar sayings is found in Mt 23 (see also notes there).3
Vivian Amu asks how well does our inner being match our outside ---- the person we show the world? The Pharisee that embodies us when we find ourselves standing in judgment of others ---- the way they dress, speak, their racial identity, whom they love, and what they believe?
I admit, I am guilty of being the Pharisee when I take one look at another person and immediately assume to know who they are and decide their moral virtues relative to my beliefs and standards. I might go to church every week, but does that religious observance translate to compassion or mercy towards others? I might say the right prayers each day and recite them perfectly, but have I taken the time for self-reflection so I might determine areas within myself that need attention, healing, forgiveness, and decluttering, so I may feel light enough to be fully present to others? I might call myself a Christian, but have I really thought about what I hold as holy? Have I policed my definition of holy so much so, I have become paralyzed and left out what Jesus might regard as holy or holiness, that is, besides good observance of ritual? I have often found that my outside and inside are inconsistent? I frequently find myself polishing my outside but forgetting to cleanse my inner being of anger, wicked thoughts, and resentment.4
Don Schwager quotes “Acts of mercy are examples of almsgiving,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"What our Lord says, 'Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you,' applies to all useful acts of mercy. It does not apply just to the one who gives food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, hospitality to the wayfarer or refuge to the fugitive. It also applies to one who visits the sick and the prisoner, redeems the captive, bears the burdens of the weak, leads the blind, comforts the sorrowful, heals the sick, shows the erring the right way, gives advice to the perplexed, and does whatever is needful for the needy. Not only does this person give alms, but the person who forgives the trespasser also gives alms as well. He is also a giver of alms who, by blows or other discipline, corrects and restrains those under his command. At the same time he forgives from the heart the sin by which he has been wronged or offended or prays that it be forgiven the offender. Such a person gives alms not only because he forgives and prays but also because he rebukes and administers corrective punishment, since in this he shows mercy... There are many kinds of alms. When we do them, we are helped in receiving forgiveness of our own sins." (excerpt from ENCHIRIDION 19.72)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 11:37-41 comments that Jesus wanted his disciples, and all those listening, to understand what true piety consists of. It’s more than outward actions; it has to do with the state of our hearts as well. And in order to purify our hearts, Jesus said, we should give alms.
The same is true for us. When we give alms—whether it’s our time, our energy, or our money—we can approach it as a way of handing over to God something that is precious to us. If we come to Jesus with a generous willingness to give over to him what is ours, we might be surprised at what happens within us. Perhaps we will experience a new freedom to see our world and the people around us with the eyes of Christ. This new vision will move us to be more generous toward the people we encounter at work, in our neighborhoods, and even within our own families. And this new freedom will prompt us to follow Jesus more closely so that we can better do what he is asking of us.6
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the assertion of Paul that everybody deserves God’s punishment but God is merciful. “As the sin, so the punishment” was a rabbinic saying. By suggesting that eating was akin to prayer, the Pharisees extended the Law about handwashing to meals. Friar Jude warns that Catholics may have particular challenges around external observances.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explores how a creation-centered spirituality offers a natural openness to the type of sensing that comes from contemplation. Creation spirituality reveals our human arrogance, and maybe that’s why we are afraid of it. Maybe that’s why we’re afraid to believe that God has spoken to us primarily in what is.
So, creation spirituality is, first of all, the natural spirituality of people who have learned how to see. I am beginning to think that much of institutional religion is rather useless if it is not grounded in natural seeing and nature religion… When we are at peace, when we are not fighting it, when we are not fixing and controlling this world, when we are not filled with anger, all we can do is start loving and forgiving. Nothing else makes sense when we are alone with God. All we can do is let go; there’s nothing worth holding on to, because there is nothing else we need. It is in that free space, I think, that realignment happens. St Francis of Assisi lived out of such realignment. And I think it is the realignment that he announced to the world in the form of worship and adoration.7
As we contemplate our over attention to externals we seek openness to the Spirit that leads us to deeper experience of God in serving people and Creation.
References
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