The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to dig deeper in our pursuit of justice for all and accept the call of the Spirit to greater action for the good of others.
The reading from the Prophet Isaiah contains accusation and appeal to the people of Judah.
* [1:10–17] A powerful indictment of the religious hypocrisy of rulers and others who neglect just judgment and oppress the weaker members, yet believe they can please God with sacrifices and other external forms of worship. The long list of observances suggests the Lord’s tedium with such attempts. Sodom…Gomorrah: the names are picked up from v. 9, but now to emphasize their wickedness rather than the good fortune of escaping total destruction.
* [1:15–16] Hands…blood: oppression of the poor is likened to violence that bloodies the hands, which explains why the hands spread out in prayer (v. 15) are not regarded by the Lord. This climax of the accusations is followed by positive admonitions for reversing the evil situation. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 50 praises the Acceptable Sacrifice.
* [Psalm 50] A covenant lawsuit stating that the sacrifice God really wants is the sacrifice of praise accompanied by genuine obedience (cf. Mi 6:1–8). It begins with a theophany and the summoning of the court (Ps 50:1–6). Then in direct address God explains what is required of the faithful (Ps 50:7–15), rebukes the hypocritical worshiper (Ps 50:16–21), and concludes with a threat and a promise (Ps 50:22–23; cf. Is 1:19–20). (Psalms, PSALM 50 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus identifies a cause of Division that offers not Peace, but a Sword. He identifies rewards for following the Way.
[10:38] The first mention of the cross in Matthew, explicitly that of the disciple, but implicitly that of Jesus (and follow after me). Crucifixion was a form of capital punishment used by the Romans for offenders who were not Roman citizens.
* [10:39] One who denies Jesus in order to save one’s earthly life will be condemned to everlasting destruction; loss of earthly life for Jesus’ sake will be rewarded by everlasting life in the kingdom.
* [10:40–42] All who receive the disciples of Jesus receive him, and God who sent him, and will be rewarded accordingly.
* [10:41] A prophet: one who speaks in the name of God; here, the Christian prophets who proclaim the gospel. Righteous man: since righteousness is demanded of all the disciples, it is difficult to take the righteous man of this verse and one of these little ones (Mt 10:42) as indicating different groups within the followers of Jesus. Probably all three designations are used here of Christian missionaries as such. (Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)
Elvin Cardoso, S.J. comments that the underlying message is clear: Jesus wants us to prioritize Him above all else, including our most cherished relationships.
Moreover, Jesus wanted his disciples to take up their cross and follow him. Rather than associating the phrase "bearing one's cross" with our commonplace understanding of everyday cares and burdens, Jesus alluded to this to mean a profound willingness to endure extreme sacrifice, even at the cost of one's life.
Let us ask for the grace to commit ourselves to Jesus in every way possible. Let us be selfless in our service to Him and our neighbor, remembering that our love for God is best expressed through our love for others. This is the essence of discipleship, a life of service and sacrifice that mirrors the love and selflessness of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Cardoso, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “How peace requires a sword,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).
"What sort of peace is it that Jesus asks them to pronounce upon entering each house? And what kind of peace is it of which the angels sing, 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace'? And if Jesus came not to bring peace, why did all the prophets publish peace as good news? Because this more than anything is peace: when the disease is removed. This is peace: when the cancer is cut away. Only with such radical surgery is it possible for heaven to be reunited to earth. Only in this way does the physician preserve the healthy tissue of the body. The incurable part must be amputated. Only in this way does the military commander preserve the peace: by cutting off those in rebellion. Thus it was also in the case of the tower of Babel, that their evil peace was ended by their good discord. Peace therefore was accomplished. (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 35.1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 1:10-17 comments that today’s reading is clear: our sins offend God. But not just because we’ve “broken the rules.” They offend him because we are ignoring his children’s needs. It hurts him to see them suffering while their brothers and sisters in Christ look the other way.
Let Isaiah’s words today act as a wake-up call. Sin, especially lack of concern for the poor, is offensive to God. But that’s not the whole story. Even today, the Lord continues to call out through the words of Isaiah: “Wash yourselves clean!” (1:16). His mercy, higher than the heavens and more powerful than any sin, can take away our guilt. Even today, his words are full of hope: “Make justice your aim” (1:17). His Spirit, more pervasive than human indifference and more attractive than wealth and comfort, can give us hearts of compassion for the needy.
Know that if you take just one step closer to the Lord, he will take a thousand steps closer to you. If you take just one step closer to caring for his poor, he will meet you there and fill you with his grace.
“Lord, help me to make justice my aim!” (Meditation on Isaiah 1:10-17, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the message of Isaiah to the people of Judah about possibly trying to bribe God by focusing on sacrifices and rituals but avoiding to care for the needs of brothers and sisters. Christians will be opposed by those who do not accept the message of faith even as we strive to give while losing the love of those close to us. Friar Jude cites the prayer life of Therese of Lisieux as a way to help modern missionaries.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, affirms the essential and difficult task of admitting our own powerlessness. Rabbi Rami Shapiro names the paradox of powerlessness and surrender to God.
The fundamental and paradoxical premise of Twelve Step recovery as I experience it is this: The more clearly you realize your lack of control, the more powerless you discover yourself to be… [and] the more natural it is for you to be surrendered to God. The more surrendered to God you become, the less you struggle against the natural flow of life. The less you struggle against the flow of life, the freer you become. Radical powerlessness is radical freedom, liberating you from the need to control the ocean of life and freeing you to learn how best to navigate it.…
We are all addicted to control, and it is to this greater addiction that I wish to speak. The deepest truth of Step 1 requires us to admit that we are powerless over our lives, and that life itself is unmanageable. [2] (Schwager, n.d.)
We ponder the obstacles to doing justice in our relationships with others and Creation and seek the guidance of the Spirit to reinforce our courage to act for justice even as it requires transformation of our selfishness.
References
Cardoso, E. (2024, July 15). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/071524.html
Isaiah, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/1?10
Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/10?34
Meditation on Isaiah 1:10-17. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/07/15/1023019/
Psalms, PSALM 50 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/50?8
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. The Grace of Powerlessness. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-grace-of-powerlessness/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Have Not Come to Bring Peace, but a Sword. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jul15
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