Generosity Hope and Repentance

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today prompt us to reflect on our action as shepherds when prompted by the Spirit to be generous in offering hope and love to others.

Good Shepherds

The reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel proclaims God as the True Shepherd.

* [34:2] Shepherds: the leaders of the people. A frequent title for kings and deities in the ancient Near East; the ideal ruler took care of his subjects and anticipated their needs. Ezekiel’s oracle broadens the reference to include the whole class of Jerusalem’s leaders (v. 17). The prophet assures his audience, the exiles in Babylon, that God holds these leaders responsible for what has happened to Jerusalem and will give Israel a new shepherd worthy of the title. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 34, n.d.)

Psalm 23 describes the action of the Divine Shepherd.

* [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).

* [23:1] My shepherd: God as good shepherd is common in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Ez 34:11–16; Jn 10:11–18). (Psalms, PSALM 23, n.d.)

The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans comments that in Faith, Hope, and Love. we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son.

* [5:1–11] Popular piety frequently construed reverses and troubles as punishment for sin; cf. Jn 9:2. Paul therefore assures believers that God’s justifying action in Jesus Christ is a declaration of peace. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ displays God’s initiative in certifying humanity for unimpeded access into the divine presence. Reconciliation is God’s gift of pardon to the entire human race. Through faith one benefits personally from this pardon or, in Paul’s term, is justified. The ultimate aim of God is to liberate believers from the pre-Christian self as described in Rom 1–3. Since this liberation will first find completion in the believer’s resurrection, salvation is described as future in Rom 5:10. Because this fullness of salvation belongs to the future it is called the Christian hope. Paul’s Greek term for hope does not, however, suggest a note of uncertainty, to the effect: “I wonder whether God really means it.” Rather, God’s promise in the gospel fills believers with expectation and anticipation for the climactic gift of unalloyed commitment in the holy Spirit to the performance of the will of God. The persecutions that attend Christian commitment are to teach believers patience and to strengthen this hope, which will not disappoint them because the holy Spirit dwells in their hearts and imbues them with God’s love (Rom 5:5). (Romans, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches the Parable of the Lost Sheep. 

* [15:1–32] To the parable of the lost sheep (Lk 15:1–7) that Luke shares with Matthew (Mt 18:12–14), Luke adds two parables (the lost coin, Lk 15:8–10; the prodigal son, Lk 15:11–32) from his own special tradition to illustrate Jesus’ particular concern for the lost and God’s love for the repentant sinner. (Luke, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)

Tamora Whitney comments that even if the shepherd might not feel the loss of one sheep out of a hundred, what would happen to the sheep that went astray? It would be in danger, out of the protection of its community. The shepherd has a responsibility to protect all the flock. The shepherd who finds and regains the lost sheep not only feels joy at regaining his property that might be lost but also relief in knowing that the sheep is now safe with the others.

God rejoices in the return of one of his own who was thought to be lost but is returned. But it’s not only because God wants a bigger following, but because he realizes that we, like sheep, out of our community are lost and in danger. Returned to the fold we can be safe in his protection in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus is Son of David and Son of God,” by Cyril of Alexandria, 375-444 A.D.

"We also will ask the Pharisees of today a similar question. They deny that he who was born of the holy Virgin is very Son of God the Father and himself also God. They also divide the one Christ into two sons. Let these people explain to us how David's Son is his Lord, not so much as to human lordship as divine. To sit at the right hand of the Father is the assurance and pledge of supreme glory. Those who share the same throne are equal also in dignity, and those who are crowned with equal honors are understood of course to be equal in nature. To sit by God can signify nothing else than sovereign authority. The throne declares to us that Christ possesses power over everything and supremacy by right of his substance. How is the Son of David David's Lord, seated at the right hand of God the Father and on the throne of Deity? Is it not altogether according to the unerring word of the mystery that the Word as God sprung from the very substance of God the Father? Being in his likeness and equal with him, he became flesh. He became man, perfectly and yet without departing from the incomparable excellence of the divine dignities. He continued in that state in which he had always been. He still was God, although he became flesh and in form like us. He is David's Lord therefore according to that which belongs to his divine glory, nature and sovereignty. He is his son according to the flesh." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 137.52) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 15:3-7 comments that not only did God come as a human being to teach and guide us, however; he also came to save us by laying down his life for us. That’s what the circle of thorns in the Sacred Heart image brings to mind. Through his passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus ensured that none of us would have to be lost forever. Just as a good shepherd protects his flock from the dangers of the wilderness, Jesus rescued us from Satan, sin, and death. He rescued us even when it meant a crown of thorns, a brutal scourging, and an excruciating death on the cross.

As Jesus showed us in his parable of the lost sheep, God’s love and mercy are without limits. He isn’t angry that the lost sheep made the mistake of wandering away in the first place. No, his only desire is to find that lost one and carry it on his shoulders back to the rest of the flock. So on this great feast, gaze on the image of the Sacred Heart and thank the Good Shepherd with all your heart for what he has done for you. “Jesus, Good Shepherd, I praise and thank you for your never-ending love and mercy!” (Meditation on Luke 15:3-7, n.d.)

 Fr. Don Miller, OFM, shares the story of the Sacred Heart.

A Jewish midrash on the Exodus account of Moses’s encounter with God compares the burning bush to the human heart: the only created thing which can burn without being consumed. Yet nothing seems to be harder for human beings to believe in than unconditional love—love that is neither deserved nor earned. The Sacred Heart of Jesus, aflame with an unquenchable fire, stands today against lingering traces of Jansenism as a powerful symbol of Christ’s unquenchable love for the whole human race. (Story of the Sacred Heart, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler describes how Ezekiel identifies the kings and priests who had exploited the flock. During the Feast of Dedication, Jesus applied the Good Shepherd to Himself. Friar Jude reminds us that the most broken need our attention and God reaches out in Jesus with Love.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how we learn to navigate our emotions in a healthy way and find ourselves grounded more deeply in the love of God. We can waste a whole day (or longer) feeding that hurt until it seems to have a life of its own and, in fact, “possesses” us. At that point, it becomes what Eckhart Tolle rightly calls our “pain-body.” Tolle defines this “accumulated pain” as “a negative energy field that occupies your body and mind.” [1] In this space, we seem to have a kneejerk, self-protective reaction to everything—and everyone—around us. Fr Richard emphasizes the word reaction here because there’s no clear, conscious decision to think or act in this way. It just happens and we are seemingly powerless to stop it. By doing healing work and by practicing meditation, we learn to stop identifying with the pain and instead calmly relate to it in a compassionate way.

For example, in centering prayer, we observe the hurt as it arises in our stream of consciousness, but we don’t jump on the boat and give it energy. Instead, we name it (“resentment toward my spouse”), then we let go of it, and let the boat float down the river. We have the power to say, “That’s not me. I don’t need that today. I have no need to feed this resentment. I know who I am without it.” This is the beginning of emotional sobriety. [2] Many of us think we are converted to Christ, but without the conversion of our emotional reactions, we remain much like everyone else. If we’ve been eating a regular meal of resentment toward our spouse, our boss, our parents, or “the world,” the boat’s going to come back around in the next minute because it’s accustomed to us filling our plate. But we must be able to ask and to discover, “Who was I before I resented my spouse? And even before that?” This is the primary way we learn to live in our True Self, where we are led by a foundational “yes,” not by the petty push backs of “no.” (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit to become aware of our attitudes that are blocking our loving response to the needs of lost sheep we encounter on our journey.

References

Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/062422.html 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 34. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/34?11 

Luke, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/15?3 

Meditation on Luke 15:3-7. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/06/24/418990/ 

Psalms, PSALM 23. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/23?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Responding Instead of Reacting — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/responding-instead-of-reacting-2022-06-24/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/5?5 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=jun24a 

Story of the Sacred Heart. (n.d.). Franciscan Media. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/franciscan-spirit-blog/story-of-the-sacred-heart 

Fruit of Mercy and Praise

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine our life story and contemplate the mercy we have experienced that helped build strength in our foundation of love, faith and hope.

Reflect on mercy

 

The reading from the First Letter to Timothy proclaims ‘I received mercy’.

* [1:15] This saying is trustworthy: this phrase regularly introduced in the Pastorals a basic truth of early Christian faith; cf. 1 Tm 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tm 2:11; Ti 3:8.1

 

Psalm 113 praises God as the Helper of the needy.

* [Psalm 113] A hymn exhorting the congregation to praise God’s name, i.e., the way in which God is present in the world; the name is mentioned three times in Ps 113:1–3. The divine name is especially honored in the Temple (Ps 113:1) but its recognition is not limited by time (Ps 113:2) and space (Ps 113:3), for God is everywhere active (Ps 113:4–5) especially in rescuing the lowly faithful (Ps 113:7–9).2

 

In the Gospel of Luke, the Sermon on the Plain uses the example of a tree and its fruit to present two foundations for full life.

* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity.3

 

  Scott McClure seeks to underscore what seems to him to be a single, unified message emanating from the readings today. As God is merciful and as we are to give praise to God, so we should be merciful. And what is the fruit of this tree of mercy? Peace.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Residing and writing in the United States, this day - September 11 - bears a special significance each year. Despite the arbitrariness of time, that today marks twenty years since September 11, 2001 makes me pause perhaps a bit longer. It was such a tragic day. I ask myself: is our world more peaceful twenty years later? Are we being peacemakers? Am I? If every tree is known by its own fruit, what fruit are we seeing in 2021? 

Make no mistake, we are all God's beloved children. This is our true identity. Now, let us show it. Let us live this identity - live mercy - so that people may say, There, see those children of God. We will be known by our fruit. 4 

Don Schwager quotes “Scripture is the field where we build our house,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"In a certain place in the Gospel, the Lord says that the wise hearer of his word ought to be like a man who, wishing to build, digs rather deeply until he comes to bedrock. There without anxiety he establishes what he builds against the onrush of a flood, so that when it comes, rather it may be pushed back by the solidity of the building than that house collapse by the impact. Let us consider the Scripture of God as being a field where we want to build something. Let us not be lazy or content with the surface. Let us dig more deeply until we come to rock: 'Now the rock was Christ' (1 Corinthians 10:4)." (excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 23.1)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Timothy 1:15-17 notes that Paul understood that he would always struggle with sinful drives, even after he had been baptized. He knew that Jesus came to save sinners—and that included not only criminals but “upstanding” citizens like himself. Paul’s conversion didn’t stop on that road; it was just beginning! Salvation was an ongoing process for him, as it is for all of us. Perhaps Pope Francis expressed it best when he once described himself by saying, “I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon with mercy."

Throughout his whole life, Paul managed to keep holding on to these two profound truths at the same time. Yes, he was a sinner. And yes, he was a beloved child of God. These are the truths he urged Timothy to hold on to. They are the truths he urges us to hold on to as well. So let’s rejoice with Paul in the seeming paradox of our “dual” identity: sinners who have received God’s mercy! “Lord, help me to be grateful that even though I am a sinner, I am your child!”6 

Friar Jude Winkler notes that the author of the Letter to Timothy shares that God forgave Paul’s sins with the desire not to punish but to welcome him to share in salvation. “I have heard that before” is a phrase we might attribute to God when we confess our sins. Friar Jude reminds us the fruit of authentic conversion is seen in our actions.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, realizes how counterintuitive sitting and being and noticing is for most of us, yet it is only in the “naked now” that we can participate in the fullness of life. He shares a practice from Eckhart Tolle that may help us to experience this freedom to “fall.”

Forget about your life situation for a while and pay attention to your life.

What is the difference?

Your life situation exists in time.

Your life is now.

Your life situation is mind-stuff.

Your life is real.

Find the “narrow gate that leads to life.” It is called the Now. Narrow your life down to this moment. Your life situation may be full of problems—most life situations are—but find out if you have any problem at this moment. Not tomorrow or in ten minutes, but now. Do you have a problem now?7 

Our faith journey is one of ups and downs as we struggle with acting on the prompting of the Spirit to bear the fruit of authentic Christian spirituality.

 

References

1	(n.d.). 1 Timothy, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1timothy/1
2	(n.d.). USCCB - NAB - Psalm 113. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.lantius.org/leew/project/bible/psalms/psalm113.htm
3	(n.d.). Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/091121.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=sep11
6	(2021, September 10). Meditation: 1 Timothy 1:15-17 - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/09/11/196865/
7	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: 2021 - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://cac.org/life-as-participation-weekly-summary-2021-09-11/