The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today reassure us of our place as beloved children of God as we journey with Christ in the events of our life.
In the reading from the First Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul presents us as Children of Light.
* [5:5] Children of the light: that is, belonging to the daylight of God’s personal revelation and expected to achieve it (an analogous development of imagery that appears in Jn 12:36).
* [5:10] Characteristically, Paul plays on words suggesting ultimate and anticipated death and life. Union with the crucified and risen Lord at his parousia is anticipated in some measure in contrasted states of our temporal life. The essential element he urges is our indestructible personal union in Christ’s own life (see Rom 5:1–10). (1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 5, 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 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus frees the Man with an Unclean Spirit.
* [4:31–44] The next several incidents in Jesus’ ministry take place in Capernaum and are based on Luke’s source, Mk 1:21–39. To the previous portrait of Jesus as prophet (Lk 4:16–30) they now add a presentation of him as teacher (Lk 4:31–32), exorcist (Lk 4:32–37, 41), healer (Lk 4:38–40), and proclaimer of God’s kingdom (Lk 4:43).
* [4:34] What have you to do with us?: see note on Jn 2:4. Have you come to destroy us?: the question reflects the current belief that before the day of the Lord control over humanity would be wrested from the evil spirits, evil destroyed, and God’s authority over humanity reestablished. The synoptic gospel tradition presents Jesus carrying out this task. (Luke, CHAPTER 4, n.d.)
Nancy Shirley ponders holding a mirror to her life and asking the questions that have such vague answers.
The responsorial psalm continues the theme of bringing hope as we asserted each time that I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. I know that I see good things every day but sometimes these are overshadowed by actions and happenings that can seem to be the work of demons. The blessing of the responsorial psalm is that we do, indeed, repeat that response many times and that facilitates the sense of hope and goodness. My favorite line in all the readings today is in this psalm:
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.I believe it is part of our normal aging process to reflect more and more on these aspects. An accepted developmental task of aging is identified as Integrity vs Despair. It is the idea of looking back at life and feeling integrity for a life well-lived or feeling despair focusing on lost opportunities and regrets. Certainly, many people will be able to identify the things that they wish had been different but can one overall reach satisfaction with how one’s life was lived. So, as we move forward in life regardless of age, can we identify those positive aspects and take pride (not in a boastful way) in those actions. I think of the main character (George Bailey) in the classic movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, and how discouraged he was, yet he had had such a positive impact on so many lives. I think many of us feel like George sometimes and need some assistance in recognizing the good. Even just writing about it makes me realize the many positive aspects and put the negative into perspective. (Shirley, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “New creation begins on the Sabbath,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"He describes the works of divine healing begun on the sabbath day, to show from the outset that the new creation began where the old creation ceased. He showed us that the Son of God is not under the law but above the law, and that the law will not be destroyed but fulfilled (Matthew 5:17). For the world was not made through the law but by the Word, as we read: 'By the Word of the Lord were the heavens established' (Psalm 33:6). Thus the law is not destroyed but fulfilled, so that the renewal of humankind, already in error, may occur. The apostle too says, 'Stripping yourselves of the old man, put on the new, who was created according to Christ' (Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:22,24). He fittingly began on the sabbath, that he may show himself as Creator. He completed the work that he had already begun by weaving together works with works. (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 4.58) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 4:31-37 comments that Jesus spoke directly to the demon and commanded it to be quiet and come out of the man. And that’s exactly what happened—without harming the man himself. Imagine how wonderful that fellow must have felt! Jesus’ mere words completely turned his life around.
God’s word is not just a theoretical principle. It’s a promise. It brings light and power. When you read about this man going from bondage to freedom, know that this is exactly what Jesus can do for you. So take his word into your heart. Sit with it and ponder it. Let God speak directly to you!
“Lord, open my ears to hear your powerful, illuminating word.” (Meditation on Luke 4:31-37, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the understanding of Paul that the end times were imminent as evidenced by the rising of the dead. The demon as a spiritual creature recognized Jesus with the authority of God. Friar Jude notes the theme in Luke’s Gospel of Jesus fighting a constant battle with the forces of evil.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that Franciscan alternative orthodoxy emphasized incarnation more than redemption. Franciscans did not believe that God sent Jesus to earth to die as a substitutionary atonement* for our sins.The Franciscan view grounds Christianity in love and freedom from the very beginning. It creates a coherent and positive spirituality, which draws us toward lives of inner depth, prayer, reconciliation, healing, and universal at-one-ment, instead of any notion of sacrifice, which implies an angry God who needs to be bought off. [2]
In these debates, Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) and the Dominicans were being true to the Scriptures, the Jewish temple metaphors of sacrifice, price, and atonement. Many passages can give the impression that a ransom is required. But our Franciscan teacher, Blessed John Duns Scotus (c. 1266–1308), who founded the theological chair at Oxford, said that Jesus’ crucifixion didn’t solve any problems with God or change God’s mind about us. God’s mind didn’t need changing. Rather, Jesus was changing our mind about God!
Duns Scotus built his argument on a New Testament understanding of the pre-existent Cosmic Christ in Colossians, Ephesians, and John’s Gospel. Jesus is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), who came forward in a moment of time so we could look upon “the One we have pierced” (John 19:37) and see God’s unconditional love—and at the same time, see what humans do to almost everything—and God’s unconditional love-response to that. [1]
Duns Scotus firmly believed that God’s freedom had to be maintained at all costs. If God “needed” or demanded a blood sacrifice to love God’s own creation, then God was not freely loving us. Duns Scotus taught that Christ was Plan A from the very beginning (see Colossians 1:15–20; Ephesians 1:3–14; John 1:1–18). Christ wasn’t a Plan B after the first humans sinned, which is the way most people seem to understand the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Great Mystery of Incarnation was not motivated by a problem but by love. (Rohr, 2023)
We are open to the confidence inspired by the Spirit that we are beloved children of God who are called to a relationship with Christ and the people we encounter on our journey.
References
Luke, CHAPTER 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/4?31
Meditation on Luke 4:31-37. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/09/05/772907/
1 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1thessalonians/5?1
Psalms, PSALM 27 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/27?1
Rohr, R. (2023, September 5). At-One-Ment Not Atonement — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/at-one-ment-not-atonement-2023-09-05/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). His Word Was with Authority and Power. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=sep5
Shirley, N. (2023, September 5). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 5, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090523.html
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