The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to pray for guidance as we apply the “Golden Rule” to our interaction with the people in our environment.
The reading from the Book of Esther is Esther’s Prayer.
Psalm 138 offers Thanksgiving and Praise.
* [Psalm 138] A thanksgiving to God, who came to the rescue of the psalmist. Divine rescue was not the result of the psalmist’s virtues but of God’s loving fidelity (Ps 138:1–3). The act is not a private transaction but a public act that stirs the surrounding nations to praise God’s greatness and care for the people (Ps 138:4–6). The psalmist, having experienced salvation, trusts that God will always be there in moments of danger (Ps 138:7–8). (Psalms, PSALM 138 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus exhorts us to Ask, Search, and Knock.
* [7:9–10] There is a resemblance between a stone and a round loaf of bread and between a serpent and the scaleless fish called barbut.
* [7:12] See Lk 6:31. This saying, known since the eighteenth century as the “Golden Rule,” is found in both positive and negative form in pagan and Jewish sources, both earlier and later than the gospel. This is the law and the prophets is an addition probably due to the evangelist. (Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)
Angela Maynard notes that the final lesson today is known as the Golden Rule. “"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.”
There is so much division, anger and unrest all over our world. I truly believe most of this could be resolved if we could take a collective deep breath and get back to the basics. Living as Jesus teaches us seems like the balm that is needed to heal the division, anger and unrest that too many are impacted by. (Maynard, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The gift of being good,” by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"He who has given us the gift of being gives us also the gift of being good. He gives to those who have turned back to Him. He even sought them out before they were converted and when they were far from his ways!" (Commentary on Psalm 103, 2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 7:7-12 comments that holy men and women through the ages have asked and knocked and sought God. Sometimes what they received didn’t look much like a gift. But they kept seeking. And in their seeking, their eyes were opened to see God’s blessing in their lives.
Our loving Father wants to share the “bread” of his blessings with each of us, but not everyone can recognize it. How can you imitate the holy men and women who have gone before us and find God’s goodness in your life?
“Father, open my eyes to see the bread you are offering me!” (Meditation on Matthew 7:7-12, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes that Esther is one of the Hebrew Testament books in various versions. Esther prays to God recognizing Covenant and her status as orphan while seeking help for the rescue of the Israelites. Matthew asserts that God provides much better than a parent. The most loving answer to prayer sometimes involves perseverance or meeting us on the Cross. Friar Jude cites the version of the Golden Rule attributed to the Jewish sage, Hillel the Elder.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces author and Lutheran minister Nadia Bolz-Weber who describes an experience of lapsing into guilt and self-incrimination during a silent retreat. She recalls how the prophet Jonah had difficulty accepting God’s grace and forgiveness for all, especially his enemies.
The image that comes to my mind as I am cry-laughing during this “silent retreat” is that of Jonah sitting alone on his own hill, questioning God’s forgiveness…. When Jonah’s enemies repent and are shown mercy by God, Jonah … says: “That’s why I didn’t want this stupid job in the first place—because I knew, God, that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” [see Jonah 4:2]. And it’s hard to manipulate a God like that….
God’s grace and mercy throws the whole reward and punishment system out the window. So sometimes I want to yell “noooooo” and reach as fast as I can to get it back. Forgiveness can sting when we don’t feel “worthy” of it, when it seems like we are getting away with something…. As if feeling bad for what I have done is the same as being good, when in fact it is not.
What if we’ve already been forgiven for the ways we’ve hurt the people we love? What if we’ve already been forgiven for not being perfect parents? What if we’ve already been forgiven for the [stuff] we haven’t even done yet?… Maybe forgiving myself isn’t something that happens once on a silent retreat but is a daily option. Give us this day our daily forgiveness, even for ourselves. (Rohr, n.d.)
Even as we are encouraged by the Gospel invitation to Seek, Ask, and Knock, we consider our experience of using the Golden Rule to guide our actions particularly involving the people we do not treat as friends.
References
Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/7?7
Maynard, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/031325.html
Meditation on Matthew 7:7-12. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/13/1225988/
Psalms, PSALM 138 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/138?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Already Forgiven. CAC Online Ministries. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/already-forgiven/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Ask and You Will Receive from Your Father in Heaven. Daily Scripture Net. Retrieved March 13, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar13
No comments:
Post a Comment