The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to renew our commitment to truth, beauty, and love as we recognize the internal and external distractions that tempt us to ignore the guidance of the Spirit.
The reading from the Letter of James identifies our struggle with Trial and Temptation.
* [1:12] Temptation: the Greek word used here is the same one used for “trials” in Jas 1:2. The crown of life: in ancient Palestine, crowns or wreaths of flowers were worn at festive occasions as signs of joy and honor. In the Hellenistic world, wreaths were given as a reward to great statesmen, soldiers, athletes. Life: here means eternal life. He promised: some manuscripts read “God” or “the Lord,” while the best witnesses do not specify the subject of “promised.”
* [1:13–15] It is contrary to what we know of God for God to be the author of human temptation (Jas 1:13). In the commission of a sinful act, one is first beguiled by passion (Jas 1:14), then consent is given, which in turn causes the sinful act. When sin permeates the entire person, it incurs the ultimate penalty of death (Jas 1:15).
* [1:16–18] The author here stresses that God is the source of all good and of good alone, and the evil of temptation does not come from him.
* [1:17] All good giving and every perfect gift may be a proverb written in hexameter. Father of lights: God is here called the Father of the heavenly luminaries, i.e., the stars, sun, and moon that he created (Gn 1:14–18). Unlike orbs moving from nadir to zenith, he never changes or diminishes in brightness.
* [1:18] Acceptance of the gospel message, the word of truth, constitutes new birth (Jn 3:5–6) and makes the recipient the firstfruits (i.e., the cultic offering of the earliest grains, symbolizing the beginning of an abundant harvest) of a new creation; cf. 1 Cor 15:20; Rom 8:23. (James, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
Psalm 94 praises God, the Avenger of the Righteous.
* [Psalm 94] A lament of an individual who is threatened by wicked people. The danger affects the whole community. Calling upon God as judge (Ps 94:1–2), the Psalm complains about oppression of the holy community by people within (Ps 94:3–7). Bold declarations of faith follow: denunciation of evildoers (Ps 94:8–11) and assurance to the just (Ps 94:12–15). The Psalm continues with further lament (Ps 94:16–19) and ends with strong confidence in God’s response (Ps 94:20–23). (Psalms, PSALM 94, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus warns against the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.
* [8:15] The leaven of the Pharisees…of Herod: the corruptive action of leaven (1 Cor 5:6–8; Gal 5:9) was an apt symbol of the evil dispositions both of the Pharisees (Mk 8:11–13; 7:5–13) and of Herod (Mk 6:14–29) toward Jesus. The disciples of Jesus are warned against sharing such rebellious attitudes toward Jesus; cf. Mk 8:17, 21. (Mark, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)
David Crawford comments that when we read the verses from James, we see temptation acting as a kind of leaven, which turns wants into desires, and desires into full-blown sins as we seek our own purposes instead of God’s. It is not hard to find examples of temptations leading to small problems that then mushroom into severe troubles or addictions, which in turn break up families, disrupt communities, and destroy lives.
There is hope, though. Contrary to what the tempter may whisper in our ears, God loves us and will not leave us alone. We have been given the Holy Spirit to guide our words and actions, to uplift us, to correct us lovingly, to bring us peace, to shepherd us in shadowy times and to help us root out the leaven of temptation.
Loving God, lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. Holy Spirit, abide in us and fill us with Your wisdom, peace, hope and love. (Crawford, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “Heed the truth of the Gospel,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).
"The apostles are ordered to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They are warned not to be involved in the disputes of the Jews. The works of the law are now to be viewed in the light of faith. They are forewarned that they, into whose time and age the truth had appeared incarnate, should judge nothing except which lies within the position of hope in likeness of the truth that is revealed. They are warned against allowing the doctrine of the Pharisees, who are unaware of Christ, to corrupt the effectiveness of the truth of the gospel." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 16.3) (Schwager, 2024)
The Word Among Us Meditation on James 1:12-18 notes that God’s goodness and generosity mean that Lent can be a time of receiving, not just a time of giving up. So let’s ask a different question: what gift might your heavenly Father want to give you?
Spend some time today inviting the Lord to open your eyes to a gift he longs to give you. Then ask him how your Lenten practices can help prepare you to receive it.
“Father, what good gift are you preparing for me this Lent?” (Meditation on James 1:12-18, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on persevering in temptation by heeding the advice of James to find courage in the love of God. The weakness and brokenness in our hearts is countered by the mercy and compassion of God. Friar Jude notes that theme in Mark that the disciples just don’t get it in spite of their experience with Jesus.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces scientist and theologian Ilia Delio who presents images of fire to describe God’s presence in her life. She witnesses the fire in her heart as a universal invitation for each of us to be transformed.
Every human life is the cosmos winding its way into the future. Every life makes a difference to the life of the whole. I have come to know that the fire in my heart is the fire in the heart of the universe and that its flames will not be extinguished. This fire will destroy that which is not God and forge what is God into an ever-radiant new presence of God because God is forever being born within us. In this life, at this moment, I allow all that has shaped my life to be summed up in this seamless mysterious breath of life. I let go over and over again and jump into the lap of God’s loving embrace. Every moment I am falling in love with God. For God knows me in a deep way, a way that I still hardly know myself; and it is this endless inscrutable depth where love burns brightly that I learn to trust my thoughts, my words, my actions…. I have a mission because every person has a mission—to be the truth of who they are so that God can be God in them. The path to truth demands patience and trust, and this path is an open road within every human heart. [3] (Rohr, 2024)
As we consider the traditional activity of Shrove Tuesday to prepare for the season of Lent, we ponder the struggle between good and evil that plays out in our environment and even in our hearts.
References
Crawford, D. (2024, February 13). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/021324.html
James, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/james/1?12
Mark, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/8?14
Meditation on James 1:12-18. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/02/13/894265/
Psalms, PSALM 94. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/94?12
Rohr, R. (2024, February 13). Love: The Fire of Transformation — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/love-the-fire-of-transformation-2/
Schwager, D. (2024, February 12). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=feb13
No comments:
Post a Comment