The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine our response to the prompting of the Spirit to be servants of the Love of God.
The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah describes the Suffering Servant, a Light to the Nations.
* [42:1–4] Servant: three other passages have been popularly called “servant of the Lord” poems: 49:1–7; 50:4–11; 52:13–53:12. Whether the servant is an individual or a collectivity is not clear (e.g., contrast 49:3 with 49:5). More important is the description of the mission of the servant. In the early Church and throughout Christian tradition, these poems have been applied to Christ; cf. Mt 12:18–21.
* [42:3] Bruised reed…: images to express the gentle manner of the servant’s mission.
* [42:4] Coastlands: for Israel, the world to the west: the islands and coastal nations of the Mediterranean. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 42, n.d.)
Psalm 27 is a triumphant song of confidence.
* [Psalm 27] Tradition has handed down the two sections of the Psalm (Ps 27:1–6; 7–14) as one Psalm, though each part could be understood as complete in itself. Asserting boundless hope that God will bring rescue (Ps 27:1–3), the psalmist longs for the presence of God in the Temple, protection from all enemies (Ps 27:4–6). In part B there is a clear shift in tone (Ps 27:7–12); the climax of the poem comes with “I believe” (Ps 27:13), echoing “I trust” (Ps 27:3). (Psalms, PSALM 27, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Mary anoints Jesus and the plot to kill Lazarus is revealed.
* [12:1–8] This is probably the same scene of anointing found in Mk 14:3–9 (see note there) and Mt 26:6–13. The anointing by a penitent woman in Lk 7:36–38 is different. Details from these various episodes have become interchanged.
* [12:3] The feet of Jesus: so Mk 14:3; but in Mt 26:6, Mary anoints Jesus’ head as a sign of regal, messianic anointing.
* [12:5] Days’ wages: literally, “denarii.” A denarius is a day’s wage in Mt 20:2; see note on Jn 6:7.
* [12:7] Jesus’ response reflects the rabbinical discussion of what was the greatest act of mercy, almsgiving or burying the dead. Those who favored proper burial of the dead thought it an essential condition for sharing in the resurrection. (John, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)
George Butterfield shares a little of how St. Basil the Great waged his own war on poverty.
St. Basil’s efforts didn’t eradicate poverty. No, Jesus was right: we will always have the poor with us. But he shows us how one person can make a difference. He personally did what he could for the poor. He encouraged others to do what they could individually for the poor. And then he organized a number of group efforts to serve the poor. He inspires me to make changes in my life and be more responsive to the needs of the poor. Perhaps he will encourage you, too.
St. Basil, pray for us. (Butterfield, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes God first loved us, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Fulfill the commandments out of love. Could anyone refuse to love our God, so abounding in mercy, so just in all His ways? Could anyone deny love to Him Who first loved us despite all our injustice and all our pride? Could anyone refuse to love God Who so loved us as to send His only Son not only to live among human beings but also to be put to death for their sake and at their own hands?." (excerpt from Catechetical Instructions 39) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 12:1-11 asks where do we fit in this picture? How much do we value Jesus? Of course, we want to be like Mary. We want to be completely unselfish. We want to give everything we have so that we can follow the Lord. And yet, like Judas, we are tempted at times to go our own way or to keep something back for ourselves.
It’s Holy Week. And that makes it a good time to look for ways to imitate Mary’s devotion. Especially this week, don’t hold back. You can’t anoint Jesus with expensive oil like Mary did, but you can still worship him. You can still invite him into areas of your life that you might have kept sealed off in the past. You can still commit yourself to love and follow him. You’ll find that the closer you get to Jesus and the more of your heart you give to him, the less important other things will seem. Like Mary, you’ll want to give him everything.
“Lord, I want to worship you with my whole heart. I give myself to you completely!” (Meditation on John 12:1-11, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the first appearance of the gentle figure, the Suffering Servant, in Deutero-Isaiah who is called to bring justice to the nations. Anointing was a sign of great respect and for Jesus a preparation for burial. Friar Jude comments on the distinction Mother Teresa made between social work and love.
Barbara Holmes eventually said “yes” to God’s call. She encourages listeners to remain open and faithful to God’s invitations to serve.
As I was standing at graduation from law school, I heard a voice say to me, “This isn’t it.” And I kind of startled, and I said to my girlfriend who was standing in line with me to get our degrees, “I just heard a voice say, ‘This is not it.’” And she started laughing. She said, “Well, you sure have wasted a lot of time.”…
There was nothing to do but hear the whispering, continue my practices. And I now allow life to lead me to the precipice of the newness that was already seeded in my life….
Trust God, trust the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth. Make your intention clear, that yes, you will follow as called, without exception. Just make your intention known to God and wait for the Holy Spirit to lead you into the fulfillment of your vocation. [2] (Holmes, 2023)
We are called to live out our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in piety, study, and action as we surrender to the Will of God for our lives.
References
Butterfield, G. (2023, April 3). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040323.html
Holmes, B. (2023, April 3). Fleeing the Call — Center for Action and Contemplation. Daily Meditations Archive: 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/fleeing-the-call-2023-04-03/
Isaiah, CHAPTER 42. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/42?1
John, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/12?1
Meditation on John 12:1-11. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/04/03/643909/
Psalms, PSALM 27. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/27?1
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture ... Retrieved April 3, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=apr3
No comments:
Post a Comment