The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today warn us of attitudes and self centered actions that may lead us away from the guidance of the Holy Spirit and communion with the people in our lives.
In the reading from the Book of Numbers, Aaron and Miriam are jealous of Moses.
* [12:1] Cushite woman: apparently Zipporah, the Midianite, is meant; cf. Ex 2:21.
* [12:2] The apparent reason for Miriam’s and Aaron’s quarrel with their brother Moses was jealousy of his authority; his Cushite wife served only as an occasion for the dispute.
* [12:7] Worthy of trust: the text is open to a variety of interpretations. Thus, the word of Moses may be relied upon by Israel because God speaks to him directly; or, Moses alone is worthy of God’s trust in God’s household (heavenly or earthly). An alternative translation, however, is: “with all my house he is entrusted.”
* [12:10] Stricken with a scaly infection, white as snow: see note on Lv 13:1–14:47. The point of the simile lies either in the flakiness or the whiteness of snow. (Numbers, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 51 is a prayer for Cleansing and Pardon
* [Psalm 51] A lament, the most famous of the seven Penitential Psalms, prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought. The poem has two parts of approximately equal length: Ps 51:3–10 and Ps 51:11–19, and a conclusion in Ps 51:20–21. The two parts interlock by repetition of “blot out” in the first verse of each section (Ps 51:3, 11), of “wash (away)” just after the first verse of each section (Ps 51:4) and just before the last verse (Ps 51:9) of the first section, and of “heart,” “God,” and “spirit” in Ps 51:12, 19. The first part (Ps 51:3–10) asks deliverance from sin, not just a past act but its emotional, physical, and social consequences. The second part (Ps 51:11–19) seeks something more profound than wiping the slate clean: nearness to God, living by the spirit of God (Ps 51:12–13), like the relation between God and people described in Jer 31:33–34. Nearness to God brings joy and the authority to teach sinners (Ps 51:15–16). Such proclamation is better than offering sacrifice (Ps 51:17–19). The last two verses express the hope that God’s good will toward those who are cleansed and contrite will prompt him to look favorably on the acts of worship offered in the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 51:19 [20–21]). (Psalms, PSALM 51, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches about the tradition of the elders and things that defile.
* [15:2] The tradition of the elders: see note on Mk 7:5. The purpose of the handwashing was to remove defilement caused by contact with what was ritually unclean.
* [15:13–14] Jesus leads his disciples away from the teaching authority of the Pharisees. (Matthew, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
Barbara Dilly comments that people who don’t trust in God to guide their lives are fundamentally plagued with a lack of trust in God’s forgiveness through Jesus the Christ. They not only doubt God’s judgement to lead them, but they also doubt God’s power, and they doubt God’s goodness and love for them.
In my experience, the best way to overcome doubt in our faith is to overcome self-doubt, and for me, that requires accepting my sins are forgiven. That can have a very liberating effect on us, so much so that we can even be as courageous as Jesus called Peter to be when he asked Peter to walk to him across the water. We can do great deeds if we don’t doubt God’s plan for us, God’s love for us, and God’s salvation. That requires a lot of trust, but we can decide today that we are just going to fear, love, and trust in God above all things for the rest of our lives. That makes it a lot easier to follow Him, especially when He calls us to be courageous and to take more risks. It is my prayer today that we can do that. (Dilly, 2023)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that sibling rivalry is the basis for the friction between Moses and Aaron and Mariam rather than his marriage to the Cushite woman. Friar Jude is reminded of the impetuous nature of Peter as expressed in the alternate Gospel reading for today.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes the false self in the CAC’s online course Immortal Diamond.
He comments that we have to undercut the illusion right at the beginning, and when we do that, we discover the True Self “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Our True Self in God becomes our touchstone and absolutely levels the playing field. It gives us a new set of eyes.
We each have different faces and different colors of skin; some of us have hair, some of us don’t; some are tall, some are a little shorter. If we are living out of the false self, all we can do is measure, compare, evaluate, and label. That’s what I call dualistic thinking, and it’s where our world lives. Many people think that all they have are these external costumes—but when we put on the eyes and mind of Christ, we have a new pair of glasses. We can look around and know that the world is filled with infinite images of God. Isn’t that a nicer world to live in? It’s the ultimate political-social critique. (Rohr, 2023)
We are aware of many distractions that can take us away from our humble trust in the love of God and the prompting of the Spirit to guide our journey.
References
Dilly, B. (2023, August 8). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/080823.html
Matthew, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/15?
Numbers, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/numbers/12?1
Psalms, PSALM 51. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/51?3
Rohr, R. (2023, August 8). What Is the False Self? — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Online Ministry. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/what-is-the-false-self-2023-08-08/
No comments:
Post a Comment