The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the role of faith when we are called to witness to Jesus' light in the midst of trials and tribulations.
Witness to the Light
The reading from the Book of Daniel presents the story of the false accusations against Susanna.
* [13:1–14:42] The short stories in these two chapters exist now only in Greek and other translations, but probably were first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic. They were never part of the Hebrew-Aramaic Book of Daniel, or of the Hebrew Bible. They are excluded from the Protestant canon of Scripture, but the Catholic Church has always included them among the inspired writings; they existed in the Septuagint, which was used as its Bible by the early church.1
Psalm 23 praises the Divine Shepherd.
* [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).2
In the Gospel of John, Jesus cites the Father as witness to the Light of the World.
* [8:12–20] Jesus the light of the world. Jesus replaces the four torches of the illumination of the temple as the light of joy. * [8:14] My testimony can be verified: this seems to contradict Jn 5:31 but the emphasis here is on Jesus’ origin from the Father and his divine destiny. Where I am going: indicates Jesus’ passion and glorification. * [8:15] By appearances: literally, “according to the flesh.” I do not judge anyone: superficial contradiction of Jn 5:22, 27, 30; here the emphasis is that the judgment is not by material standards. * [8:17] Your law: a reflection of later controversy between church and synagogue.3
Maureen McCann Waldron comments that Jesus, too, seems to be “on trial,” as always, by the Pharisees. More arrogant religious leaders probe at Jesus and his odd teachings. With Susanna, it takes the testimony of two men to convict her and the guilty elders step up to do that. In defending himself, Jesus quotes their law back to the Pharisees: “Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men can be verified.” He chooses himself and his father – God. His audacity to speak of himself as the son of God continues the drum beat of tension between him and the religious leaders who want him silenced.
Both Jesus and Susanna would have known well Psalm 23, one the most beloved psalms ever written. “Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side….” The comforting words of walking in darkness underlines Jesus’ testimony that he is the light of the world. “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” “Loving God, we ask for the grace to remember that you walk next to us in our darkest times, when it may be difficult to see you. Give us the wisdom to also seek you out when our lives are going well. Your presence in our ordinary, busy days is a great gift, easily overlooked. Help us be grateful, always for you in our lives.”4
Don Schwager quotes “Walking in the Light of Life,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
[That unfailing Light] has taken you from the eyes of the flesh and brought you back again to the eyes of the heart! He does not think it enough to say... "shall have light" but adds "of life," even as in the psalm it was said, "[In your light shall we see light]; for with you is the fountain of life" (Psalm 36:9). See how the words of our Lord agree with the truth of that psalm where light is placed with the fountain of life and now here he speaks of the "light of life." For bodily uses, light is one thing and a well another. Our mouths seek a fountain; our eyes seek the light. When we thirst, we seek a fountain; when we are in darkness we seek light. And if we happen to get thirsty in the night, we kindle a light to come to a fountain. With God the light and the well are the same. The one who shines on you so that you may see him is the same one who flows to you so that you may drink him. You see then what kind of light this is if you see inwardly the light of which he says, "He that follows me shall not walk in darkness." Follow the sun, and let us see if you will not walk in darkness. When the sun rises, it comes toward you and heads on to the west. But perhaps your journey is toward the east. So if you follow the sun, then you will certainly err and instead of going east you will go west, whether by land... or by sea. Finally, you decide that you should follow the sun, and you travel to the west, where it also travels. Let us see if, after it sets, you will not still walk in darkness. See how, though you are unwilling to desert it, yet it will desert you in order to finish out its service for the day. But our Lord Jesus Christ, even when he was not made known to all through the cloud of his flesh, still held all things by the power of his wisdom. Your God is everywhere entirely. If you do not fall away from him, he will never fall away from you. [excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 34.5-6.18]5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 comments that Scripture tells us that “God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). That’s exactly what Daniel exposed: the deceitful, selfish hearts of these judges.
What do you think the world might look like if we weren’t so quick to judge? What would happen if we took the time to listen and to ask questions instead of assuming we knew what other people were thinking? And more to the point, what do you think the world might look like if we all looked at each other as being created in God’s own image? Imagine the respect and dignity we would show everyone! We would take the time to get to know people who seem different from us. We would refrain from making hurtful comments about people we disagree with. We would learn from every person we encounter. In short, we would act the way God has called us to act—with humility, a sincere desire for truth, and loving hearts. “Father, help me to be quick to listen and slow to judge.”6
There were some technical difficulties in Friar Jude Winkler’s commentary at publication time.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, turns to Saints Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) and Clare of Assisi (1194–1253) as models of how we can embrace and bear collective suffering.
Only truly inspired souls like Francis and Clare willingly choose to fully jump on board this ship of life and death. They fully rode the resistance to which the rest of us surrender. Our lives can take this same ride—whenever we try to hold any negativity or self-doubt with integrity, and when we “suffer” the full truth of any situation instead of just taking what we think is the one righteous side. Integrity is often a willingness to hold the hard side of things instead of reacting against them, denying them, or projecting our anxiety elsewhere. Frankly, it is just another name for faith. Without the inner discipline of faith, most lives end in negativity, blaming, or deep cynicism—without even knowing it. Jesus hung in the crucified middle and paid the price for all such reconciliation with reality in its wounded state (Ephesians 2:13–18); then he invited us to do the same. And Francis did so wholeheartedly!7
In our experience of trial and tribulation, the Spirit consoles us with the promise of Jesus' presence to bolster our faith.
References
No comments:
Post a Comment