The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary challenge us to be open to the action of the Spirit calling us to be life giving members of the Body of Christ.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles shares the Conversion of Saul and the beginning of his preaching in Damascus.
* [9:1–19] This is the first of three accounts of Paul’s conversion (with Acts 22:3–16 and Acts 26:2–18) with some differences of detail owing to Luke’s use of different sources. Paul’s experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1 Cor 15:8. The words of Jesus, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 12:27). That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. This first account occurs when the word is first spread to the Gentiles. At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. The emphasis in the account is on Paul as a divinely chosen instrument (Acts 9:15). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)
Psalm 117 is a universal call to Worship.
* [Psalm 117] This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God’s supremacy. The supremacy of Israel’s God has been demonstrated to them by the people’s secure existence, which is owed entirely to God’s gracious fidelity. (Psalms, PSALM 117, n.d.)
In the passage from the Bread of Life Discourse in the Gospel of John, Jesus declares ‘Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.’
* [6:54–58] Eats: the verb used in these verses is not the classical Greek verb used of human eating, but that of animal eating: “munch,” “gnaw.” This may be part of John’s emphasis on the reality of the flesh and blood of Jesus (cf. Jn 6:55), but the same verb eventually became the ordinary verb in Greek meaning “eat.” (John, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)
In Canada, for the Memorial of St. François de Laval, the CCCB offers alternate texts that resonate with the readings above. Larry Hopp poses the question “When life doesn’t make sense – then what?”
Dear Heavenly Father, help us to remember how you have always been with us, even in those difficult times when nothing seems to make sense. When things look hopeless and there seems to be no way out. In those times, help us to turn everything over to you and to TRUST in your everlasting love. You do have a plan for each of us and will indeed work all the details out, while guiding us to become the men and women you have created each of us to be.
In Jesus’ holy, holy name.
Amen (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Abiding in Christ,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
" Jesus recommended to us His Body and Blood in bread and wine, elements that are reduced into one out of many constituents. What is meant by eating that food and taking that drink is this: to remain in Christ and have Him remaining in us." (excerpt from Sermon on John 26,112) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 9:1-20 comments that God has an exciting life planned for each of us, and it’s not imaginary. It’s a life of significance and relevance. It’s a life loaded with eternal consequence. And it’s a life that is possible for us personally. All we need is an open and willing heart. In today’s first reading, Ananias’ heart was open to God’s command to go, despite his concerns.
God is delighted by your willingness to “go.” He offers you a life filled with hope and opportunities. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll see visions as Ananias did. Sometimes “get up and go” means doing something you already know you should be doing. So look for little ways the Lord offers direction—a phrase from Scripture, a nudge to do something unexpected, or a recurring urge to love. You might not travel the world, but you will still have adventures as you follow the Lord. Just imagine! “Lord, help me to follow your Spirit’s direction today.” (The Word Among Us, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the Aramaic and Greek/Latin expression of Paul’s name and the improbability of Paul’s authority to arrest in Damascus. The conversion of Paul and Jesus' call to eat His flesh are situations in conflict with Jewish custom. Friar Jude notes the matrimonial symbolism of “two flesh become one” in the Gospel of John.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes the work of Martin Buber that the basic I-You can be spoken only with one’s whole being. . . . “I require a You to become; becoming I, I say You. All actual life is encounter.” Theologian Pamela Cooper-White has thought deeply about gender and sexual violence, and believes that at its heart, violence is a failure to see the other person as a person. Father Richard shares that Jesus becomes a person so that we, too, can receive and pass on the divine gaze of love.
The intimacy of what Martin Buber called an “I-Thou” relationship is a deep and loving “yes” to God, to others, and to the life that is inherent within each of us. When the face of the other (especially the suffering face) is received and empathized with, it leads to transformation of our whole being. It creates a moral demand on our heart that is far more compelling than laws. Just giving people commandments doesn’t change the heart. It may steel the will, but it doesn’t soften the heart like an I-Thou encounter can. Many of the Christian mystics talk about seeing the divine face or falling in love with the face of Jesus. Love is the gaze that does us in! [2] (Violence Begins With the Personal — Center for Action and Contemplation, 2022)
The human hunger for love and being with God is addressed by the Spirit that nudges us to relationships that contribute to the Fullness of Life of all people we encounter on our journey.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/9
Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/050622.html
John, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?52
Psalms, PSALM 117. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/117?1
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture net. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=may6
Violence Begins with the Personal — Center for Action and Contemplation. (2022, May 6). Richard Rohr. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://cac.org/violence-begins-with-the-personal-2022-05-06/
The Word Among Us. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/05/06/376622/
No comments:
Post a Comment