The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to identify the forces that seek to keep us as exiles from our fullness of life through arguments and promises that are counter to our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader.
The reading from Deutero-Isaiah is part of some Exhortations to the Exiles.
Psalm 1 declares The Two Ways.
* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.
* [1:1] The way: a common biblical term for manner of living or moral conduct (Ps 32:8; 101:2, 6; Prv 2:20; 1 Kgs 8:36).
* [1:2] The law of the LORD: either the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, or, more probably, divine teaching or instruction.
* [1:4] The wicked: those who by their actions distance themselves from God’s life-giving presence. (Psalms PSALM 1, 2024)
The Gospel of Matthew continues Jesus’ Testimony to John
* [11:16–19] See Lk 7:31–35. The meaning of the parable (Mt 11:16–17) and its explanation (Mt 11:18–19b) is much disputed. A plausible view is that the children of the parable are two groups, one of which proposes different entertainments to the other that will not agree with either proposal. The first represents John, Jesus, and their disciples; the second those who reject John for his asceticism and Jesus for his table association with those despised by the religiously observant. Mt 11:19c (her works) forms an inclusion with Mt 11:2 (“the works of the Messiah”). The original form of the saying is better preserved in Lk 7:35 “…wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” There John and Jesus are the children of Wisdom; here the works of Jesus the Messiah are those of divine Wisdom, of which he is the embodiment. Some important textual witnesses, however, have essentially the same reading as in Luke. (Matthew, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)
Andy Alexander, S.J comments that Jesus must have been so discouraged by those who rejected him. He compares them to children in the marketplace, negative about everything. It is similarly sad to experience the rejection of Jesus going on today, especially by Christians. There's a tendency to not like his eating and drinking with sinners today. There's a pattern of picking and choosing what we accept from Jesus or about him. We don't much like it when he says, "Don't judge and you won't be judged." We don't seem to be attracted to the Jesus who said, "Turn the other cheek" or "Love your enemies. Do good to those who persecute you." We don't often chew his parable about the weeds in a field of wheat. (We tend to be weeders at heart.) We don't find ourselves moved by his breaking the law to comfort the sick and the sinful, women, the marginalized and ostracized. We barely hear and take in all the things he says to the religious leaders of his day. We tend to end up with a Jesus quite different with the one in the scriptures.
The more we are drawn to the real Jesus, the more we will be drawn to each other. His love for each of us draws us into a community of loved persons who share our gratitude. The differences between us don't divide us, but become blessings which enrich the whole. This community itself becomes a light in the darkness and the divisions of the world around us. His Spirit is alive among us and sets our hearts on fire for the promotion of his way of justice and equity. Unity and peace flourish in a community of Jesus' beloved. We become uncomfortable with some who have so much and some who have so little. Fighting and blaming, bad wounds in a community destined for unity and love, are healed. The wounded, those in need, the marginal, will see the difference of our Advent journey as we turn from seeing each other as adversaries, and turn to being carers of the least of Jesus' brothers and sisters. (Axexander, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The river of forgiveness washes us clean,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"This water is good, then. I mean here the grace of the Spirit. Who will give this Fountain to my heart? Let it spring up in me, let that which gives eternal life flow on me. Let that Fountain overflow on us and not flow away. For Wisdom says, 'Drink water out of your own vessels and from the fountains of your own wells, and let [not] your waters flow abroad in your streets' (Proverbs 5:15-16). How shall I keep this water so that it does not seep out or glide away? How shall I preserve my vessel, lest any crack of sin penetrating it should let the water of eternal life exude? Teach us, Lord Jesus, teach us as you taught your apostles, saying, 'Lay not up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where rust and moth destroy and where thieves break through and steal (Matthew 6:19)...
"If you seek Jesus, forsake the broken cisterns, for Christ did not make it his custom to sit by a pool but by a well. There that Samaritan woman (John 4:6) found him, she who believed, she who wished to draw water. Although you ought to have come in early morning, nevertheless if you come later, even at the sixth hour, you will find Jesus wearied with his journey. He is weary, but it is because of you, because he has long looked for you, your unbelief has long wearied him. Yet he is not offended if you only come now. He asks to drink who is about to give. But he drinks not the water of a stream flowing by, but your salvation. He drinks your good dispositions. He drinks the cup, that is, the passion that atoned for your sins, that you, drinking of his sacred blood, might quench the thirst of this world." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 1.16.182-84) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 48:17-1 comments that just as God wanted to speak to Israel, he wants to speak to us and lead us along safe paths. Why, then, can it feel so hard to hear him? It may be that other voices have our attention. So one important way to hear God’s voice is through silence. And it’s not just about closing our mouths. It’s about quieting our hearts and minds as well. Our racing thoughts or the stresses of life can flood us with fear and anxiety and distract us from the guidance that God wants to send us.
That’s why the psalmist proclaims, “Be still and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:11). So be still! Find a quiet place, away from distractions, where you can pray. You might even need to close your eyes. Then picture Jesus sitting with you. As you quiet yourself, alone with him, you may begin to recognize his presence. You might experience his love or hear him say, “Trust in me.” You might find a new sense of peace. You may even feel led to apologize to a family member or reach out to a coworker. In the silence, God will guide you.
“Lead me, Lord. I’m listening.” (Meditation on Isaiah 48:17-1, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that Deutero Isaiah refers to the Redeemer of Israel who will buy them back from Exile in Babylon and instruct them in the Law that they may have forgotten. The people of Jesus' time were not ready to consider a prophet who fasted in the desert or a Messiah who ate and drank with sinners. Friar Jude reminds us how the challenge to change our way is rejected because we do not hear what we want to hear.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explains how experiencing God can be both scary and alluring, and ultimately wonderful. In his book The Idea of the Holy, scholar Rudolph Otto (1869–1937) says that when someone has an experience of the Holy, they find themselves caught up in two opposite things at the same time: the mysterium tremendum and the mysterium fascinans, or the scary mystery and the alluring mystery. [1]
Mysticism begins when the totally transcendent image of God starts to recede, and there’s a deepening sense of God as imminent, present, here, now, safe, and even within me. In Augustine’s words, “God is more intimate to me than I am to myself” [2] or “more me than I am myself.” St. Catherine of Genoa shouted in the streets, “My deepest me is God!” [3]
To spiritually know things on a deeper level, we must overcome this gap. Then, ironically, we’ll know that Someone Else is doing the knowing through us. God is no longer “out there.” At this point, it’s not like one has a new relationship with God; it’s like one has a whole new God! “God is my counselor, and at night my innermost being instructs me,” says the Psalmist (Psalm 16:7). God is operating with us, in us, and even as us. (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the guidance of the Spirit to comprehend the situations that hold us as exiles from living to the full in truth, love, and goodness.
References
Axexander, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Archive/2021/121021.html
Matthew, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?16
Meditation on Isaiah 48:17-1. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 13, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/12/13/1150767/
Psalms PSALM 1. (2024, December 13). USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/1?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 13, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/great-mystery-and-great-intimacy/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 13, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=dec13
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