The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to accept the tension between tradition and our mission to be open to receiving challenges that expand our understanding of Divine Love for all humanity.
The reading from the Book of Wisdom recalls Moses and Passover.
* [18:5] Single boy: Moses.
* [18:9] Divine institution: the Passover. Ancestral hymns of praise: possibly the Hallel psalms, the psalms sung at the end of the Passover meal; cf. Mt 26:30; Mk 14:26. (Wisdom, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 33 praises God the Creator.
* [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (Ps 33:1–3) to praise God, who by a mere word (Ps 33:4–5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (Ps 33:6–9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (Ps 33:10–11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (Ps 33:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 33 | USCCB, n.d.)
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews celebrates the Faith of the Ancients.
* [11:1–40] This chapter draws upon the people and events of the Old Testament to paint an inspiring portrait of religious faith, firm and unyielding in the face of any obstacles that confront it. These pages rank among the most eloquent and lofty to be found in the Bible. They expand the theme announced in Heb 6:12, to which the author now returns (Heb 10:39). The material of this chapter is developed chronologically. Heb 11:3–7 draw upon the first nine chapters of Genesis (Gn 1–9); Heb 11:8–22, upon the period of the patriarchs; Heb 11:23–31, upon the time of Moses; Heb 11:32–38, upon the history of the judges, the prophets, and the Maccabean martyrs. The author gives the most extensive description of faith provided in the New Testament, though his interest does not lie in a technical, theological definition. In view of the needs of his audience he describes what authentic faith does, not what it is in itself. Through faith God guarantees the blessings to be hoped for from him, providing evidence in the gift of faith that what he promises will eventually come to pass (Heb 11:1). Because they accepted in faith God’s guarantee of the future, the biblical personages discussed in Heb 11:3–38 were themselves commended by God (Heb 11:2). Christians have even greater reason to remain firm in faith since they, unlike the Old Testament men and women of faith, have perceived the beginning of God’s fulfillment of his messianic promises (Heb 11:39–40). (Hebrews, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus praises Vigilant and Faithful Servants.
* [12:35–48] This collection of sayings relates to Luke’s understanding of the end time and the return of Jesus. Luke emphasizes for his readers the importance of being faithful to the instructions of Jesus in the period before the parousia.
* [12:45] My master is delayed in coming: this statement indicates that early Christian expectations for the imminent return of Jesus had undergone some modification. Luke cautions his readers against counting on such a delay and acting irresponsibly. Cf. the similar warning in Mt 24:48. (Luke, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)
Rev. George Meze, SJ, asks “How do we stay awake for Jesus?”
In this sense, the Happiness GPS is the voice of Jesus, gently guiding us through our conscience to do what is right: to love, to serve, to be good to him through our neighbors. Even when we miss the route, God’s GPS re-routes us, always giving us a chance to repent at every step where we fail. In following God’s command, happiness is assured in two ways: we begin to live a spiritually healthy life, and we receive and bring joy to our good Lord.
After all, God deserves our happiness too, for we were created from his happiness. Perhaps, it takes a little struggle to follow God’s GPS to find his happiness. Shall we? (Meze, 2025)
Don Schwager quotes “The true meaning of 'loins girded and lamps burning',” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"The girding of our loins (Luke 12:25) signifies the readiness of the mind to work hard in every thing praiseworthy. Those who apply themselves to bodily labors and are engaged in strenuous toil have their loins girded. The lamp apparently represents the wakefulness of the mind and intellectual cheerfulness. We say that the human mind is awake when it repels any tendency to slumber off into that carelessness that often is the means of bringing it into subjection to every kind of wickedness. When sunk in stupor, the heavenly light within the mind is liable to be endangered, or even already is in danger from a violent and impetuous blast of wind. Christ commands us to be awake. To this, his disciple also arouses us by saying, 'Be awake. Be watchful' (1 Peter 5:8). Further on, the very wise Paul also says, 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall give you light' (Ephesians 5:14)." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 92) (Schwager, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. The Book of Wisdom written in Greek is one of the last books that demonstrates that Jewish wisdom is as great as Greek Wisdom. The message from God concerning the Passover is that God will fulfill His promises. Hebrews gives a definition of faith as an act of profound trust. We believe and base life on the Person that God is. Examples of faith are Abraham and Sarah and the offering of Isaac. In the Gospel from Luke Jesus speaks not to trust in money or material things. If we trust we are vigilant, we try to leave “Nothing left unsaid, nothing left undone.” The servant does the best he can. The person who has received much will return much. Faith is not evenly present. Friar Jude reminds us that God only expects what we can do!
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes the apostle Paul’s transforming encounter with the risen Christ, which changed Paul from a vengeful zealot into a universal mystic. Paul is probably one of the most misunderstood and disliked teachers in Christianity. Fr. Richard thinks this is largely because we have tried to understand a nondual mystic with our simplistic, dualistic minds.
Paul must have wondered: “Why does he say ‘persecuting me’ when I’m persecuting these other people?” This choice of words is pivotal. Paul gradually comes to his understanding of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–13) as an organic, ontological union between Christ and those whom Christ loves—which Paul eventually realizes is everyone and every thing. This is why Paul becomes “the apostle to the nations” (or “gentiles”).
This enlightening experience taught Paul nondual consciousness, the same mystical mind that allowed Jesus to say things like “Whatever you do to these least ones, you do to me” (Matthew 25:40). Until grace achieves the same victory in our minds and hearts, we cannot really comprehend most of Jesus and Paul’s teachings—in any practical way. It will remain distant theological dogma. Before conversion, we tend to think of God as “out there.” After transformation, as Teresa of Ávila wrote, “The soul … never doubts: God was in her; she was in God.” [1] (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the guidance of the Spirit to be aware and open to promptings to grow in our relationship to God and the people we encounter.
References
Hebrews, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/11?1
Luke, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/12?32
Meze, G. (2025, August 10). Daily Reflection August 10, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-10-2025
Psalms, PSALM 33 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/33?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/mystical-conversion/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug10
Wisdom, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/18?6
No comments:
Post a Comment