Called to Bring Good News

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, today, the Feast of Saint Andrew, reminds us of our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader to spread the Good News of Christ.

Good News and Saint Andrew

The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans rejoices about the feet of those who bring the “good news!”

* [10:9–11] To confess Jesus as Lord was frequently quite hazardous in the first century (cf. Mt 10:18; 1 Thes 2:2; 1 Pt 2:18–21; 3:14). For a Jew it could mean disruption of normal familial and other social relationships, including great economic sacrifice. In the face of penalties imposed by the secular world, Christians are assured that no one who believes in Jesus will be put to shame (Rom 10:11). (Romans, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)

Psalm 19 praises God’s Glory in Creation and the Law.

* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem. (Psalms, PSALM 19, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Calls the First Disciples.

* [4:18–22] The call of the first disciples promises them a share in Jesus’ work and entails abandonment of family and former way of life. Three of the four, Simon, James, and John, are distinguished among the disciples by a closer relation with Jesus (Mt 17:1; 26:37).

* [4:20] Here and in Mt 4:22, as in Mark (Mk 1:16–20) and unlike the Lucan account (Lk 5:1–11), the disciples’ response is motivated only by Jesus’ invitation, an element that emphasizes his mysterious power. (Matthew, CHAPTER 4, n.d.)

Andy Alexander, S.J. (2000) asks what opens us most often to hear invitation?  

I think, if we all would reflect upon our experience, it is some experience of failure or powerlessness, some experience of being brought low.  The events, wounds, sinfulness that leave us raw, exposed or numb are the graces that prepare us for invitation.  The redemptive love of God works best in weakness.  And, why should this preparation require such turmoil?  It think it fits my experience to say that most of the time we are so bound and determined to be successful, look good, to 'survive at all costs' that we aren't disposed to see and invitation in the midst of struggle.

I suspect Jesus saw some deep struggle, some restlessness or lack of peace in the spirits of Peter and Andrew.  And, I suspect that when they looked up they saw love in the face of Jesus.  It is love that frees us.  It is love that calms anxiety.  It is love that lights a fire within our hearts.  Love always contains an invitation to respond.  And, heroic love inspires heroic response. (Alexander, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus chooses them for what they can become,” by an anonymous early author from the Greek church.

"'Before he says or does anything, he calls the apostles so nothing may be concealed from them as to Christ's words or works and they may later say in confidence: 'For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard' (Acts 4:20). He sees them not bodily but spiritually, regarding not their appearance but their hearts. And he chooses them not as apostles but because they could become apostles. Just as an artist who sees precious, and not rough-hewn, stones chooses them - not because of what they are but because of what they can become. Like the sensitive artist who does not spurn the unshaped good - so too the Lord, upon seeing them, does not choose their works but their hearts." (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 7, the Greek fathers). (Schwager, 2023)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Romans 10:9-18 comments that Andrew definitely became a “fisher of men.” His “voice has gone forth” to much of the known world (Romans 10:18), and countless people have turned to Jesus as a result. Through Andrew’s proclamation of the Lord—and through all the other apostles’ travels as well—the whole ancient world heard the good news. But not just because of their own efforts: it was the Spirit working through them that provided the groundwork for the spread of Christianity around the world.

The gospel needs your voice, too. Whether you’re sending an email or text to a distant friend or relative or getting together with a neighbor, you are called to share the good news, just as Andrew was. Because how can anyone believe if the message is not proclaimed to them (Romans 10:14)?

“Jesus, I want to join your apostles as a messenger of your kingdom today!” (Meditation on Romans 10:9-18, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler shares the emphasis of Paul to preach the Good News. Our justification is our peace with God that comes from trust and we are saved by our good works. Friar Jude cites St Therese of Lisieux exhortation to use our talents to do small things with great love.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM,  introduces Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray (1910–1985) who was the first Black woman ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. Editor Anthony B. Pinn writes that Murray preaches the value of recognizing the universal dignity of the children of God.

To think of oneself as a child of God is a liberating experience—it is to free oneself from all feelings of inferiority—whether of race, or color, or sex, or age, or economic status, or position in life. When I say that I am a child of God—made in [God’s] image— … I imply that “Black is beautiful,” that White is beautiful, that Red is beautiful, or Yellow is beautiful. I do not need to make special pleading for my sex—male or female or in-between—to bolster self-esteem. When I truly believe that God is my Father and Mother, in short, my Creator, I am bound also to believe that all men, women, and children of whatever race, color, creed, or ethnic origin are my sisters-and-brothers-in-Christ—whether they are Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Black Muslims, members of the Judaic faith, Russian Orthodox, Buddhists, or atheists…. If I am a child of God, a sister-in-Christ, and belong with all of you to the priesthood of all believers, then my job is to love, not hate, to be creative, not destructive, to follow Christ’s cross. This is the lesson of the great prophets down through the ages. [4] (Rohr, 2023)

We have talents that, when activated by the Spirit, become our starting point to become people who live as messengers of the Good News.

References

Alexander, A. (2023, November 29). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/113023.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/4?18 

Meditation on Romans 10:9-18. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/11/30/839557/ 

Psalms, PSALM 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?8 

Rohr, R. (2023, June 16). A Liberating Experience. CAC The Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-liberating-experience/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/10?9 

Schwager, D. (2023, June 16). I Will Make You Fishers of People. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved November 30, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=nov30a 

Prophecy and Endurance

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to find full life in relationship with Jesus as we ponder the “writing on the wall.”

Writing on the Wall

The reading from the Book of Daniel describes Belshazzar’s Feast and The Writing on the Wall.

* [5:2] Nebuchadnezzar, his father: between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar several kings ruled in Babylon. Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, and he acted as regent in Babylon during his father’s absence.

* [5:25] MENE, TEKEL, and PERES: these seem to be the Aramaic names of weights and monetary values: the mina, the shekel (the sixtieth part of a mina), and the parsu (a half-mina).

* [5:26–28] Daniel interprets these three terms by a play on the words: MENE, connected with the verb meaning to number; TEKEL, with the verb meaning to weigh; PERES, with the verb meaning to divide. There is also a play on the last term with the word for Persians. (Daniel, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)

The response psalm is from Daniel 3 of Wednesday November 29, 2023

* [3:24–90] These verses are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel, translated from the Greek form of the book. They were probably first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but are no longer extant in the original language. The Roman Catholic Church has always regarded them as part of the canonical Scriptures.

* [3:25] Azariah: i.e., Abednego; cf. Dn 1:7. (Daniel, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus urges endurance in persecution.

* [21:12] Before all this happens…: to Luke and his community, some of the signs of the end just described (Lk 21:10–11) still lie in the future. Now in dealing with the persecution of the disciples (Lk 21:12–19) and the destruction of Jerusalem (Lk 21:20–24) Luke is pointing to eschatological signs that have already been fulfilled.

* [21:15] A wisdom in speaking: literally, “a mouth and wisdom.” (Luke, CHAPTER 21, n.d.)

Gladyce Janky tries to imagine the reactions of the people after hearing Jesus proclaim they will seize and persecute you..because of my name. 

Following a brief silence, one of the women speaks up.  I choose not to run or live in fear.  Since I started listening to Jesus, I feel more peaceful and hopeful.  If I leave, I might feel empty and hopeless.  My choice is to use my talents to help others.  Remember the story of the Samaritan?  That is how I want to live, gifting joy and a sense of community to those around me, even if they are not part of my tribe.  I will rely on Jesus to give me the wisdom to know what to do if someone opposes me.  And let’s not forget what He said at the end: although we will die, we with perseverance we will secure a place for ourselves in God’s Kingdom. (Janky, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “The faithful Christian is recognized by belief in the resurrection of the body,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"We should have no doubt that our mortal flesh also will rise again at the end of the world... This is the Christian faith. This is the Catholic faith. This is the apostolic faith. Believe Christ when he says, 'Not a hair of your head shall perish' Putting aside all unbelief, consider how valuable you are. How can our Redeemer despise any person when he cannot despise a hair of that person's head? How are we going to doubt that he intends to give eternal life to our soul and body? He took on a soul and body in which to die for us, which he laid down for us when he died and which he took up again that we might not fear death." (excerpt from Sermon 214.11-12) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 21:12-19 comments that this gift of eternal life is at the very heart of the gospel. It’s the promise embedded in every one of Jesus’ miracles. It’s the core truth behind all his parables and sermons. It’s the animating principle of the Beatitudes and the reason why Jesus embraced the suffering of the cross. He did it all so that we could live forever.

So today, ask yourself, “Where is my faith in the resurrection?” But even more, ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the promise of eternal life. Let him convince you that what Jesus promised to the disciples is true for you as well: not a hair on your head will be destroyed.

“All praise to you, Jesus! You have conquered death forever!” (Meditation on Luke 21:12-19, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler shares the action of Daniel at the King’s Banquet where the words on the wall foretell the destruction of Babylon. The text was written during the Seleucid persecution of Israel. Friar Jude comments that the Gospel resonates with “they will kill us but never harm us” as we try to do our best to trust in God even in impossible situations.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, has long drawn comfort and wisdom from the writings of the young Jewish woman Etty Hillesum (1914–1943), believing her to be a voice of inspiration for our times. Shortly before her departure for internment at the Westerbork transit camp, Hillesum wrote in her journal:

Something has crystallised. I have looked our destruction, our miserable end which has already begun in so many small ways in our daily life, straight in the eye and accepted it into my life, and my love of life has not been diminished. I am not bitter or rebellious, or in any way discouraged. I continue to grow from day to day, even with the likelihood of destruction staring me in the face. I shall no longer flirt with words, for words merely evoke misunderstandings: I have come to terms with life.…

By “coming to terms with life” I mean: the reality of death has become a definite part of my life; my life has, so to speak, been extended by death, by my looking death in the eye and accepting it, by accepting destruction as part of life and no longer wasting my energies on fear of death or the refusal to acknowledge its inevitability. It sounds paradoxical: by excluding death from our life we cannot live a full life, and by admitting death into our life we enlarge and enrich [life]. [2] (Rohr, 2023)

We seek the consolation of the Spirit as we wrestle with the mystery of death and our living in fullness of life.

References

Daniel, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/daniel/3 

Daniel, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/daniel/5?1 

Janky, G. (2023, November 29). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112923.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 21. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/21?12 

Meditation on Luke 21:12-19. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/11/29/839043/ 

Rohr, R. (2023, June 16). Always in God’s Presence. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/always-in-gods-presence/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=nov29