The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer a template for our action as we are transformed to serve others on our journey.
The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians shares Paul’s reason for not using his rights rather choosing to become all things to all people.
* [9:19–23] In a rhetorically balanced series of statements Paul expands and generalizes the picture of his behavior and explores the paradox of apostolic freedom. It is not essentially freedom from restraint but freedom for service—a possibility of constructive activity.
* [9:24–27] A series of miniparables from sports, appealing to readers familiar with Greek gymnasia and the nearby Isthmian games.
* [9:27] For fear that…I myself should be disqualified: a final paradoxical turn to the argument: what appears at first a free, spontaneous renunciation of rights (1 Cor 9:12–18) seems subsequently to be required for fulfillment of Paul’s stewardship (to preach effectively he must reach his hearers wherever they are, 1 Cor 9:19–22), and finally is seen to be necessary for his own salvation (1 Cor 9:23–27). Mention of the possibility of disqualification provides a transition to 1 Cor 10. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)
Psalm 84 praises the joy of worship in the Temple.
* [Psalm 84] Israelites celebrated three pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem annually. The Psalm expresses the sentiments of the pilgrims eager to enjoy the divine presence.
* [84:4] The desire of a restless bird for a secure home is an image of the desire of a pilgrim for the secure house of God, cf. Ps 42:2–3, where the image for the desire of the pilgrim is the thirst of the deer for water. (Psalms, PSALM 84, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus' Sermon on the Plain warns against judging others.
* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity. (Luke, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)
Maureen McCann Waldron comments (in 2014) that it is not a heavy theological message today – it is a simple teaching for our lives. If we want to be a real follower of Jesus, we must stop judging and gossiping. But how do we break these lifelong habits? How can we end these ways of thinking that are celebrated in western culture in reality tv and tabloid journalism? With prayer.
We will feel less insecure and feel less need to look around at the ways others live, if we really feel deeply in our hearts how much we are loved by God. Letting God love us, a love that transcends the very flaws we want to hide, will heal the need in our lives to look so harshly on others. We can allow God’s endless love to wash over us until we really feel how much God delights in us.
Loving God, let me open my heart to your love. I beg you for the grace to set my heart on fire with an awareness of how much you love me. Then, give me the grace today to release me from my habits of looking on others with such scorn and help me to see how much you love them as much as you love me. (McCann, n.d.)
Don Schwager “Seeing the speck in another's eye,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The word hypocrite is aptly employed here (Luke 6:42, Matthew 7:5), since the denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators, masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray anothers character through the mask. The word hypocrites in fact signifies pretenders. Hence we ought especially to avoid that meddlesome class of pretenders who under the pretense of seeking advice undertake the censure of all kinds of vices. They are often moved by hatred and malice. Rather, whenever necessity compels one to reprove or rebuke another, we ought to proceed with godly discernment and caution. First of all, let us consider whether the other fault is such as we ourselves have never had or whether it is one that we have overcome. Then, if we have never had such a fault, let us remember that we are human and could have had it. But if we have had it and are rid of it now, let us remember our common frailty, in order that mercy, not hatred, may lead us to the giving of correction and admonition. In this way, whether the admonition occasions the amendment or the worsening of the one for whose sake we are offering it (for the result cannot be foreseen), we ourselves shall be made safe through singleness of eye. But if on reflection we find that we ourselves have the same fault as the one we are about to reprove, let us neither correct nor rebuke that one. Rather, let us bemoan the fault ourselves and induce that person to a similar concern, without asking him to submit to our correction."(excerpt from Sermon on the Mount 2.19.64) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-2 comments that Paul says he is willing to “become all things to all, to save at least some” (1 Corinthians 9:19). He was willing to put aside his own preferences or rights because his overriding goal was to help the Corinthians remain united so that they could be a witness to the gospel.
What Paul is talking about is keeping side issues on the side and remaining focused on the main goal: proclaiming the gospel through the call to love one another. That’s something we can work on too. It may not take too deep an examination of conscience to come up with one or two ways that we are getting sidetracked from that goal. But at the same time, it probably won’t take a lot of pondering to figure out how to get back on track.
So keep running the race!
“Lord, help me to keep my eyes fixed on loving you and loving the people in my life.” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-2, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on how the mission of Paul to serve was in the image and likeness of Jesus. Our opportunity to serve makes us God like and we need to train for service through fasting, prayer, and sacrifice for others. Friar Jude advises us to choose the teacher who lives the truth and to prepare for service by our own conversion.
Franciscan Media notes that the apostolate of Saint Peter Claver, Priest extended beyond his care for slaves. He became a moral force, indeed, the apostle of Cartagena. He preached in the city square, gave missions to sailors and traders as well as country missions, during which he avoided, when possible, the hospitality of the planters and owners and lodged in the slave quarters instead.
The Holy Spirit’s might and power are manifested in the striking decisions and bold actions of Peter Claver. A decision to leave one’s homeland never to return reveals a gigantic act of will difficult for us to imagine. Peter’s determination to serve forever the most abused, rejected, and lowly of all people is stunningly heroic. When we measure our lives against such a man’s, we become aware of our own barely used potential and of our need to open ourselves more to the jolting power of Jesus’ Spirit. (Stained Glass Window Depicting Saint Peter Claver, n.d.)
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that we have chosen Jesus as our primary hero, and no one addresses issues of power and domination more directly. We could read the whole gospel as Jesus undercutting false power and standing insistently and constantly on the side of the powerless. He always takes the side of the victim, the poor, the oppressed, the little ones.
Love is not given to us to help us solve our problems. Love, rather, leads us into our problems. It’s love that leads us on the quest and ultimately to a final, universal, and grounding love. It’s a love we can trust because we know it is not all up to us. We do not have to secure ourselves because we are radically secured—we are beloved children in a benevolent universe.
When we truly and fully belong, it is natural to believe and to become. The tragedy of our time is that so very many do not belong—people who have no parents, no family, no community, no tradition. It’s no wonder that survival has taken the place of becoming. One true love is all that is necessary. It tells us we do belong, we are connected, and we are at home. We are in, precisely because we have been led through. (Rohr, n.d.)
We implore the Holy Spirit to fill us with the fire of Love, in which we will be led to serve our brothers and sisters.
References
Luke, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?39
McCann, M. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090922.html
Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-2. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/09/485243/
1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/9?16
Psalms, PSALM 84. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/84?3
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/whom-does-the-grail-serve-2022-09-09/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do You Not See the Log in Your Own Eye? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep9
Stained glass window depicting Saint Peter Claver. (n.d.). Franciscan Media. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-peter-claver
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