Exercising Gifts for Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the connection between our gifts, love, and forgiveness.

Beside still waters

In the reading from 1 Timothy, the community leader is urged to preach and teach with confidence.

* [4:11–16] Timothy is urged to preach and teach with confidence, relying on the gifts and the mission that God has bestowed on him.1

In Psalm 111 deeds reveal God’s very self, powerful, merciful, faithful.

* [Psalm 111] A Temple singer (Ps 111:1) tells how God is revealed in Israel’s history (Ps 111:2–10). The deeds reveal God’s very self, powerful, merciful, faithful. The poem is an acrostic, each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.2

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus instructs the Pharisee Simon through the actions of a sinful woman who is forgiven.

* [7:36–50] In this story of the pardoning of the sinful woman Luke presents two different reactions to the ministry of Jesus. A Pharisee, suspecting Jesus to be a prophet, invites Jesus to a festive banquet in his house, but the Pharisee’s self-righteousness leads to little forgiveness by God and consequently little love shown toward Jesus. The sinful woman, on the other hand, manifests a faith in God (Lk 7:50) that has led her to seek forgiveness for her sins, and because so much was forgiven, she now overwhelms Jesus with her display of love; cf. the similar contrast in attitudes in Lk 18:9–14. The whole episode is a powerful lesson on the relation between forgiveness and love.3

Tom Shanahan, S.J. shares there is a modern story we may have heard that parallels this gospel account. It concerns the events in the life of John Newton (born 1725). He was a ship captain whose tasks involved transporting slaves from Africa to America.

The woman who loved so deeply after having been forgiven much and the wretch we’ve visited with today share a similar history. They recognized God’s mercy in their lives and responded with deep and abiding love. Can we wretches respond like them? Nobody wants to be called a wretch and, ironically, that’s the point. My sin and wretchedness are no match for God’s lavish love. Lord, help me to surrender to your grace be made real in the ups and downs of my life!4 

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus the Physician brings miraculous healing to the woman's sins,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).

"Healing the sick is a physician's glory. Our Lord did this to increase the disgrace of the Pharisee, who discredited the glory of our Physician. He worked signs in the streets, worked even greater signs once he entered the Pharisee’s house than those that he had worked outside. In the streets, he healed sick bodies, but inside, he healed sick souls. Outside, he had given life to the death of Lazarus. Inside, he gave life to the death of the sinful woman. He restored the living soul to a dead body that it had left, and he drove off the deadly sin from a sinful woman in whom it dwelt. That blind Pharisee, for whom wonders were not enough, discredited the common things he saw because of the wondrous things he failed to see." (excerpt from HOMILY ON OUR LORD 42.2)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 7:36-50 identifies the irony. The one who was more keenly aware of her sins ended up happier and more richly blessed.

Jesus wants to lift our burdens. He wants to remove anything that keeps us from knowing his love. But he can do that only with our cooperation. He respects us too much to force his mercy on us. Only the ones who see their sin and confess their need for him can receive the freedom this woman knew.6 

Friar Jude Winkler discusses the youthfulness of Timothy. The parable has a least two related interpretations about the connection between forgiveness and love. Friar Jude notes the salvation that Luke associates with our encounter with Jesus.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that in addition to the Bhagavad Gita, Mahatma Gandhi considered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) some of the greatest writing on nonviolence.

Gandhi disciplined himself to read daily from the Sermon on the Mount, and live according to those teachings. Because of this commitment, he helped liberate both South Africa and India from systemic violence and showed the world the power of active nonviolence. In the process, Gandhi, a Hindu, became a Christ-like figure, “the greatest Christian of modern times,” according to Martin Luther King Jr.7

Our example as disciples of Jesus may open others to the invitation of the Spirit to live in love, forgiveness, and the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount.

References

1	(n.d.). 1 Timothy, chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved September 19, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1timothy/4
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 111 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved September 19, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/111
3	(n.d.). Luke, chapter 7 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 19, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/7
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Creighton .... Retrieved September 19, 2019, from http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 19, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(2010, September 16). Meditation: Luke 7:36-50 - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 19, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2010/09/16/
	Draft title: Exercising Gifts for Love

Good Order over Chaos

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the role of an ordered life as an example to others in our communities.

Community combats chaos

The reading from the First Letter to Timothy prescribes the qualifications of various ministers.

* [3:8–13] Deacons, besides possessing the virtue of moderation (1 Tm 3:8), are to be outstanding for their faith (1 Tm 3:9) and well respected within the community (1 Tm 3:10). Women in the same role, although some interpreters take them to mean wives of deacons, must be dignified, temperate, dedicated, and not given to malicious talebearing (1 Tm 3:11). Deacons must have shown stability in marriage and have a good record with their families (1 Tm 3:12), for such experience prepares them well for the exercise of their ministry on behalf of the community (1 Tm 3:13). See further the note on Phil 1:1.1 

Psalm 101 is a Sovereign’s Pledge of Integrity and Justice.

* [Psalm 101] The king, grateful at being God’s chosen (Ps 101:1), promises to be a ruler after God’s own heart (Ps 101:2–3), allowing into the royal service only the God-fearing (Ps 101:3–8).2 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus raises the widow’s son at Nain.

* [7:11–17] In the previous incident Jesus’ power was displayed for a Gentile whose servant was dying; in this episode it is displayed toward a widowed mother whose only son has already died. Jesus’ power over death prepares for his reply to John’s disciples in Lk 7:22: “the dead are raised.” This resuscitation in alluding to the prophet Elijah’s resurrection of the only son of a widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 7:17–24) leads to the reaction of the crowd: “A great prophet has arisen in our midst” (Lk 7:16).3 

Eileen Wirth says that Catholics who abhor the scandals but are committed to staying in the Church are hungry to find a way to reform it from within.

 I also encourage everyone who wants to stay Catholic despite the current horrors to pray for the Church and for the many good bishops and priests who are among those hurt worst by the betrayals of their fellow clergy.
Today’s reading from Timothy speaks powerfully to our current situation by reminding  us that “deacons” and, yes, “women” are among those with responsibility for the Church – in other words, all of us. And pray for healing the Church. The world needs our credible witness for justice and care for the poor.4

Don Schwager quotes “The dead man who meets the Life and the Resurrection,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"The dead man was being buried, and many friends were conducting him to his tomb. Christ, the life and resurrection, meets him there. He is the Destroyer of death and of corruption. He is the One in whom we live and move and are (Acts 17:28). He is who has restored the nature of man to that which it originally was and has set free our death-fraught flesh from the bonds of death. He had mercy upon the woman, and that her tears might be stopped, he commanded saying, 'Weep not.' Immediately the cause of her weeping was done away." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 36)5

The Word Among Us meditation on Luke 7:11-17 comments that as He did for this widow, Jesus reaches out to touch us too. How will we respond?

He may wake you up in the middle of the night. Right then and there, in the dark, turn your heart to him. He may lead you to pray for a particular person or situation. Or he may simply remind you of how much he loves you. At Mass, perhaps a Scripture passage will suddenly bring clarity to a thorny issue in your family. Stop and thank him, asking for help in holding on to his word. In the middle of swirling fears about a health issue, Jesus may bring a burst of his peace into your heart and mind. Stop and receive it. Sit quietly with him, and let him calm you. He is reaching out to you, offering a message, an insight, a touch that will change you. Don’t miss out.6 

A post by Franciscan Media is a reflection on Saint Robert Bellarmine, Saint of the Day. The renewal in the Church sought by Vatican II was difficult for many Catholics. In the course of change, many felt a lack of firm guidance from those in authority.

They yearned for the stone columns of orthodoxy and an iron command with clearly defined lines of authority. Vatican II assures us in The Church in the Modern World, “There are many realities which do not change and which have their ultimate foundation in Christ, who is the same yesterday and today, yes, and forever” (#10, quoting Hebrews 13:8).
Robert Bellarmine devoted his life to the study of Scripture and Catholic doctrine. His writings help us understand that the real source of our faith is not merely a set of doctrines, but rather the person of Jesus still living in the Church today.7 

Friar Jude Winkler fleshes out some of the instructions for bishops and deacons. The leaders are to be people who show God’s grace. Friar Jude connects the emphasis of Luke on Jesus compassion to his vocation as a physician.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares verses from the Gita are the key to Gandhi’s life. . . . They tell us not what to do with our lives but what to be. And they are universal. We see essentially the same portrait in all scriptures, reflected in the lives of spiritual aspirants everywhere.

They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them, whose love for the Lord of love has consumed every selfish desire and sense craving tormenting the heart. Not agitated by grief or hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger. Fettered no more by selfish attachments, they are not elated by good fortune nor depressed by bad. Such are the seers. [3]8 

The orderly life that connects to Jesus is the fertile ground where the chaos of greed, lust, and pride is overcome.

References

1	(n.d.). 1 Timothy, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved September 17, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1timothy/3
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 101 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved September 17, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/101
3	(n.d.). Luke 7:22. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/7
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Creighton .... Retrieved September 17, 2019, from http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/09/17/
7	(n.d.). Saint Robert Bellarmine - Franciscan Media. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-robert-bellarmine/
8	(2019, September 17). Embodying Nonviolence — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 17, 2019, from https://cac.org/embodying-nonviolence-2019-09-17/

Accepting a Covenant relationship

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to seek and honour a covenant of Love that is rooted in our relationship with God that sets the ideal for our relationship to others.

Relationship building

The Prophet Ezekiel delivers a parable of infidelity that foresees God renewing the covenant of Sinai in a new and spirit-empowered way.

* [16:60] Everlasting covenant: Ezekiel foresees God renewing the covenant of Sinai in a new and spirit-empowered way that will not be fatally broken as in the present exile or force God to abandon Israel again; cf. 11:19–21; 36:25–27; 37:26–28.

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus addresses the question of marriage and divorce.

* [19:9] Moses’ concession to human sinfulness (the hardness of your hearts, Mt 19:8) is repudiated by Jesus, and the original will of the Creator is reaffirmed against that concession. (Unless the marriage is unlawful): see note on Mt 5:31–32. There is some evidence suggesting that Jesus’ absolute prohibition of divorce was paralleled in the Qumran community (see 11QTemple 57:17–19; CD 4:12b–5:14). Matthew removes Mark’s setting of this verse as spoken to the disciples alone “in the house” (Mk 10:10) and also his extension of the divorce prohibition to the case of a woman’s divorcing her husband (Mk 10:12), probably because in Palestine, unlike the places where Roman and Greek law prevailed, the woman was not allowed to initiate the divorce.

Angela Maynard reflects that marriage was intended to last ‘until death do us part.’

It’s not easy. The everyday ‘busyness’ can impact the marital relationship.  Significant disagreements can disrupt the marital relationship. Unfaithfulness to the marital vows can damage the marital relationship.  Divorce rates are at an all-time high. I believe that there are truly some situations in which a marriage cannot be salvaged.  However, it seems that the sacred vows, and promises made between the couple are sometimes forgotten.

Don Schwager quotes “Don't separate what God has joined together”, by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"Then he showed that it is a fearful thing to tamper with this law. When establishing this law, he did not say, 'Therefore, do not sever or separate' but 'What God has joined together, let man not separate.' If you quote Moses, I will quote the God of Moses, and with him I am always strong. For God from the beginning made them male and female. This law is very old, even if it appears human beings have recently discovered it. It is firmly fixed. And God did not simply bring the woman to her husband but ordered her also to leave her father and mother. And he not only ordered the man to go to the woman but also to cling to her, showing by his way of speaking that they could not be separated. And not even with this was God satisfied, but he sought also for another greater union: 'for the two shall be one flesh.'" (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 62.1)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 19:3-12 reflects that Jesus wants every marriage to succeed. He wants us to be faithful in every aspect of our lives. But he knows we are weak and wounded. He knows that we aren’t completely faithful to other commands against lying or cheating or gossip.

So if you’re married and things are going well, bless and thank the Lord. And ask him to keep you and your spouse together in his love. If you’re married and things are rough, know that Jesus is with you to strengthen you and that his grace is there to help you weather the storms. And if you’ve gone through the pain of a divorce, know that Jesus is still with you. He sees your pain. He sees all the factors that caused the division. And still he loves you and he offers you his mercy, his healing, and his companionship.

Friar Jude Winkler shares the theme from the Prophet Ezekiel that God is always loving us. The difficulty of respecting the ideal of Law and being compassionate at the same time has been a challenge from Jesus time and is one of Pope Francis active concerns. Friar Jude mentions those who divorce and not remarry and those who are celibates for the sake of the Kingdom.

The Jewish Encyclopedia outlines some of the history of divorce and comments that Jesus seems to have held the view of the school of Shammai (Matt. xix. 3-9) rather than the opinion of Rabbi Hillel.

The earliest restrictions of this right are found in the Deuteronomic code. In two cases the law provided that the husband "shall not be at liberty to put her away all his days": (1) if he falsely accused her of antenuptial incontinence (Deut. xxii. 13-19); (2) if he had ravished her before marriage (Deut. xxii. 28, 29). In the Mishnaic period the theory of the law that the husband could divorce his wife at will was challenged by the school of Shammai. It interpreted the text of Deut. xxiv. 1 in such a manner as to reach the conclusion that the husband could not divorce his wife except for cause, and that the cause must be sexual immorality (Git. ix. 10; Yer. Soṭah i. 1, 16b). The school of Hillel, however, held that the husband need not assign any reason whatever; that any act on her part which displeased him entitled him to give her a bill of divorce (Giṭ. ib.). The opinion of the school of Hillel prevailed. Philo of Alexandria ("Of Special Laws Relating to Adultery," etc., ch. v.; English ed., ii. 310, 311) and Josephus ("Ant." iv. 8) held this opinion. Jesus seems to have held the view of the school of Shammai (Matt. xix. 3-9)

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments on the Bhagavad Gita that calls the active person to a life of interiority and soul discovery by gradually detaching from all the fruits of action and doing everything purely for the love of God. 

Jesus says the same thing in several places (Mark 12:30, for example): “You shall love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Jesus even counsels the same love toward the neighbor (Matthew 22:39). The only way to integrate action and contemplation is to go ahead and do your action, but every day to ask yourself why you’re doing it. Is it to make money? Is it to have a good reputation? Is it to keep busy? Or is it for the love of God? Then you will discover the true Doer!

The motivation for our doing and making promises needs frequent examination. Our full life is found in living a covenant of love.

References

(n.d.). Ezekiel, chapter 16 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 17, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/16
(n.d.). Matthew 19. Retrieved August 17, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew19.htm

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved August 17, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 17, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Saint Stephen of Hungary (Optional Memorial - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved August 17, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). DIVORCE - JewishEncyclopedia.com. Retrieved August 17, 2018, from http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5238-divorce
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 17, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Action, parable and a Way of forgiveness

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today urge us to look more deeply into the actions, slogans and stories we encounter for opportunities to witness to Jesus Way.

Stories that heal

The Prophet Ezekiel performs acts symbolic of the Exile in hopes of attracting the attention of his people to the message from God.

* [12:3–10] An exile’s bag contains bare necessities, probably no more than a bowl, a mat, and a waterskin. The prophet’s action foreshadows the fate of ruler and people (vv. 11–14).

The use of the parable of the unforgiving servant by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew may reset our sense of entitlement and restore our humility and thanksgiving.

* [18:21–35] The final section of the [Church Order] discourse deals with the forgiveness that the disciples are to give to their fellow disciples who sin against them. To the question of Peter how often forgiveness is to be granted (Mt 18:21), Jesus answers that it is to be given without limit (Mt 18:22) and illustrates this with the parable of the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:23–34), warning that his heavenly Father will give those who do not forgive the same treatment as that given to the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:35). Mt 18:21–22 correspond to Lk 17:4; the parable and the final warning are peculiar to Matthew. That the parable did not originally belong to this context is suggested by the fact that it really does not deal with repeated forgiveness, which is the point of Peter’s question and Jesus’ reply.

Brian Phillips explains the benefit of reading Scripture deeply and contemplatively, as he outlines five discourses in the Gospel of Matthew.

Beyond the obvious benefits that come to any Christian who grows in his understanding of Scripture, the months I have spent in St. Matthew’s Gospel have reminded me of the benefits of reading deeply and contemplatively, not only with Scripture, but with great literature.  Paying attention to repetitions, literary devices, identifying parallels, and pursuing types and patterns yields tremendous reward. Making comparisons and connections brings greater clarity to all of our reading and guides us in the cultivation of wisdom and virtue in ourselves and our hearers.

Barbara Dilly adds the effect of slogans to the actions and parables of the texts today.

So often those of us who are rich and powerful go around announcing that God is on our side; and not even the rich or the powerful, but those who want to be make such claims.  My neighbor has a big sign on his house that says “God, Guns, and Guts Made America Free.” While I am certainly not going to suggest that my neighbor is demonstrating blatant and disdainful pride, I wonder if he ever prays for “liberty and justice” for all?  I think we still have a lot of work to do in achieving those desired ends. And I think it will take a lot more humility than pride to realize freedom and justice for all in America. It’s not a done deal. We still need God’s justice a lot more than some people would like to admit.

Don Schwager quotes Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD) on the topic of how often shall I forgive?

"When Peter asked him whether he should forgive his brother sinning against him up to seven times, the Lord replied, 'Not up to seven times but up to seventy times seven times'” In every way he teaches us to be like him in humility and goodness. In weakening and breaking the impulses of our rampant passions he strengthens us by the example of his leniency, by granting us in faith pardon of all our sins. For the vices of our nature did not merit pardon. Therefore all pardon comes from him. In fact, he pardons even those sins that remain in one after confession. The penalty to be paid through Cain was established at sevenfold, but that sin was against a man, against his brother Abel, to the point of murder (Genesis 4:8). But in Lamech the penalty was established at seventy times seven times (Genesis 4:24), and, as we believe, the penalty was established on those responsible for the Lord’s Passion. But the Lord through the confession of believers grants pardon for this crime. By the gift of baptism he grants the grace of salvation to his revilers and persecutors. How much more is it necessary, he shows, that pardon be returned by us without measure or number. And we should not think how many times we forgive, but we should cease to be angry with those who sin against us, as often as the occasion for anger exists. Pardon’s frequency shows us that in our case there is never a time for anger, since God pardons us for all sins in their entirety by his gift rather than by our merit. Nor should we be excused from the requirement of giving pardon that number of times [i.e., seventy times seven], since through the grace of the gospel God has granted us pardon without measure." (excerpt from ON MATTHEW 18.10)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:21–19:1 comments how many angry or resentful thoughts against people are able to bounce around in our heads. It’s not that we like having these negative thoughts. But we may not know how to get free of them, or we may not be ready to forgive.

When it comes to larger hurts, it can be difficult if not impossible to forgive completely. But here are four simple steps we can take that may help us: first, thank Jesus for being so merciful to you. Second, tell Jesus that you want to forgive the one who hurt you, but that it hurts too much to forgive just now. Third, know that Jesus is with you. He knows how much you are hurting. He understands. He still loves you. Finally, ask Jesus for the grace to forgive over time.
Sometimes the deep hurts of life can take months or years to be healed. Jesus knows this, and he understands. He is infinitely patient, just as he is infinitely generous with his own grace and mercy.

Friar Jude Winkler describes the situation in Babylon as Ezekiel acts out as an exile prior to the 587 BCE removal of people from Jerusalem to Babylon. Forgiveness is based on the need of the other for forgiveness. The numbers in the Gospel are interpreted as an exhortation to forgive others an infinite number of times.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, connects several central ideas affirmed by Jesus to those already formed in the ancient Hindu texts Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Three of these ideas are advaita, karma, and maya.

I am convinced that Jesus taught the karmic world view, but many Christians understood him inside a reward and punishment framework. Here are just a couple illustrations: “If you show mercy, mercy will be shown to you” (Matthew 5:7, Luke 6:37); “The standard you use will be used for you” (Mark 4:24).

Action examples, parables and even slogans are opportunities to look deeper, and hopefully see that all things are parts of much larger ecosystems of connection and life. 

References

(n.d.). Ezekiel, chapter 12 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/12

(n.d.). Matthew 18:21-35. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew18.htm
(2014, May 22). The 5 Discourses of Jesus | Circe Institute. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://www.circeinstitute.org/blog/5-discourses-jesus
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved August 16, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 16, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Gifts Wisdom Gita and Grace