Penance Providence and Peace

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to consider the role of Penance, to reflect on our shortcomings, and how we are called to rely on Providence in our mission to live as an example of Jesus' Way of peace.

Return and Reflection

The Reading from the Book of Ezra proclaims a Penitential Prayer.

* [9:6–15] The prayer attributed to Ezra is a communal confession of sin, of a kind characteristic of the Second Temple period (cf. Neh 9:6–37; Dn 9:4–19; 1QS 1:4–2:1), but adapted to the present situation. (Ezra, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

The response from the Book of Tobit is a hymn of praise.

* [13:1–18] Tobit’s hymn of praise is divided into two parts. The first part (vv. 1–8) is a song of praise that echoes themes from the psalms; (Tobit, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus declares The Mission of the Twelve

* [9:1–6] Armed with the power and authority that Jesus himself has been displaying in the previous episodes, the Twelve are now sent out to continue the work that Jesus has been performing throughout his Galilean ministry: (1) proclaiming the kingdom (Lk 4:43; 8:1); (2) exorcising demons (Lk 4:33–37, 41; 8:26–39) and (3) healing the sick (Lk 4:38–40; 5:12–16, 17–26; 6:6–10; 7:1–10, 17, 22; Lk 8:40–56).

* [9:3] Take nothing for the journey: the absolute detachment required of the disciple (Lk 14:33) leads to complete reliance on God (Lk 12:22–31).

* [9:5] Shake the dust from your feet: see note on Mt 10:14. (Luke, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

Kimberly Grassmeyer comments that Jesus proclaimed His message as widely as one human could in only a few short years, with limited geographic mobility, and prior to the advent of the printing press, or social media.  One Holy man. 

 

That one man then blessed the twelve, giving them the ‘power and authority’ to proclaim and to heal.  (NB, He also instructed them to simply walk away from those whose hearts were not open.  NOT to hate or vilify them, not to “throw shade”, and certainly not to do harm.  Rather, quite simply: “when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them”.)  (Grassmeyer, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus gave power and authority to his apostles,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"The grace bestowed upon the holy apostles is worthy of all admiration. But the bountifulness of the Giver surpasses all praise and admiration. He gives them, as I said, his own glory. They receive authority over the evil spirits. They reduce to nothing the pride of the devil that was so highly exalted and arrogant. They render ineffectual the demon's wickedness. By the might and efficacy of the Holy Spirit, burning them as if they were on fire, they make the devil come forth with groans and weeping from those whom he had possessed... He glorified his disciples, therefore, by giving them authority and power over the evil spirits and over sicknesses. Did he honor them without reason and make them famous without any logical cause? How can this be true? It was necessary, most necessary, that they should be able to work miracles, having been publicly appointed ministers of sacred proclamations. By means of their works, they then could convince men that they were the ministers of God and mediators of all beneath the heaven. The apostles then could invite them all to reconciliation and justification by faith and point out the way of salvation and of life that is this justification." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 47) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Ezra calls for penitential practice because the people have turned against God even though they have been returned from exile in Babylon for several generations. Ezra initiates a reform of the practice of religion. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus sends out missionaries and to cast out demons and cure disease. Friar Jude reminds us of their dependence on the Providence of God for hospitality and generosity but to leave the area if they are rejected.

Fr. Mike Schmitz introduces the books of Ezra and Haggai, explaining the Israelites' return to the promised land. He also warns us against apathy and indifference in our relationship with God, as we see Israel display towards the temple. The action of Darius (in Isaiah 45) has been compared to the action of the 45th US President (Donald Trump), by some who see a non-believer acting to free and support believers.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Minister Elle Dowd, an anti-racist white activist, who challenges the notion that being a peacemaker means being “nice”. Dowd reflects on the desire to reduce tension instead of learning what it might have to teach.

Direct action intentionally interrupts our daily flow and rhythm in an attempt to raise tension. This tension isn’t new. It isn’t being created out of thin air. It has always existed for our siblings of color.  

For people of color and other oppressed people, the tension caused by marginalization is ever present with very real consequences…. Racism is like being force-fed a poison. Direct action is what happens when people refuse to drink that poison and instead bring a bottle of it to the doorstep of those force-feeding them and demand that they gaze upon the reality of it.  

Direct action doesn’t create new tension. It redistributes the tension that is already there and puts it back where it belongs—at the source.  

Many people—white people, in particular—have little tolerance for tension. We have been taught to avoid tension. Our conditioning has trained us to recoil from discomfort, to think of it as an inherently bad thing, something to sidestep and evade at all costs. Instead of leaning into tension to see what we can learn from it, we often avoid it. But when we do this, when we turn away from tension, we fail to see the gift that this tension can be in revealing the truth. We miss out on the clarity it brings with it, the opportunity to move forward.  (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit to navigate the tension between responding to our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader and the social prejudice against action supported by Providence.

References

Ezra, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 24, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezra/9?5 

Grassmeyer, K. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved September 24, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-24-2025 

Luke, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 24, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/9?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Peacemaking Is Not Niceness. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 24, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/peacemaking-is-not-niceness/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Gave Them Authority over All Demons and Diseases. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 24, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=sep24 

Tobit, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 24, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/13?2 

Children Degreed to Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to openness to the action of the Divine in every person who acts with love towards others.

Living Love

The Reading from the Book of Ezra declares The Decree of Darius.

Psalm 122 is sung by pilgrims visiting Jerusalem.

* [Psalm 122] A song of Zion, sung by pilgrims obeying the law to visit Jerusalem three times on a journey. The singer anticipates joining the procession into the city (Ps 122:1–3). Jerusalem is a place of encounter, where the people praise God (Ps 122:4) and hear the divine justice mediated by the king (Ps 122:5). The very buildings bespeak God’s power (cf. Ps 48:13–15). May the grace of this place transform the people’s lives (Ps 122:6–9)! (Psalms, PSALM 122, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus and His Family are introduced.

* [8:19] His brothers: see note on Mk 6:3.

* [8:21] The family of Jesus is not constituted by physical relationship with him but by obedience to the word of God. In this, Luke agrees with the Marcan parallel (Mk 3:31–35), although by omitting Mk 3:33 and especially Mk 3:20–21 Luke has softened the Marcan picture of Jesus’ natural family. Probably he did this because Mary has already been presented in Lk 1:38 as the obedient handmaid of the Lord who fulfills the requirement for belonging to the eschatological family of Jesus; cf. also Lk 11:27–28. (Luke, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)

Edward Morse sees Jesus' response in the Gospel, not as a rebuke to his family, but as an invitation to the rest of us.

The people of Israel suffered exile for not following what they had been taught, but they also received mercy and deliverance.  Our Lord reminds us that we, too, are called to be in his family, to have close and tight kinship bonds that are unbreakable.  We expected Jesus to do something for his family because of the strength of that relationship, but he used this moment to teach us that we can have this relationship, too, by following him and doing what he teaches. 

Lord, help us to listen, and then to do what is right because of our relationship with you.  Help us to love and honor our families, but also the greater family into which we are adopted through faith, made possible by your Holy sacrifice.  Thanks be to God. (Morse, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Those who listen and obey God's word become true children of God,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"The present lesson teaches us that obedience and listening to God are the causes of every blessing. Some entered and spoke respectfully about Christ's holy mother and his brothers. He answered in these words, 'My mother and my brothers are they who hear the word of God and do it.' Now do not let any one imagine that Christ scorned the honor due to his mother or contemptuously disregarded the love owed to his brothers. He spoke the law by Moses and clearly said, 'Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you' (Deuteronomy 5:16). How, I ask, could he have rejected the love due to brothers, who even commanded us to love not merely our brothers but also those who are enemies to us? He says, 'Love your enemies' (Matthew 5:44).

"What does Christ want to teach? His object is to exalt highly his love toward those who are willing to bow the neck to his commands. I will explain the way he does this. The greatest honors and the most complete affection are what we all owe to our mothers and brothers. If he says that they who hear his word and do it are his mother and brothers, is it not plain to every one that he bestows on those who follow him a love thorough and worthy of their acceptance? He would make them readily embrace the desire of yielding themselves to his words and of submitting their mind to his yoke, by means of a complete obedience." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 42) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments how Darius allows for reconstruction of the Temple by remitting taxes owed by the released exiles.They kept Passover in the land of home. In Luke, Jesus is told His brothers (Roman Catholic Tradition understands them as cousins) are standing outside. Jesus declares brothers and sisters as those who have heard and obey The Word. Friar Jude contrasts the treatment of Jesus' family in Mark and Luke.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, offers a summary of Martin Luther King Jr.s principles of nonviolence.

1. Nonviolence is a way of strength and not a way for cowards

2. The goal of nonviolence is always winning the friendship and the understanding of the supposed opponent, not their humiliation or personal defeat.  

3. The opponent must be seen not so much as an evil person, but as a symbol of a much greater systemic evil—of which they also are a victim! We must aim our efforts at that greater evil, which is harming all of us, rather than at the opponent.  

4. There is a moral power in voluntarily suffering for the sake of others. Christians call it the “myth of redemptive suffering,” whereas almost all of history is based on the opposite, the “myth of redemptive violence.”  

5. This love ethic must be at the center of our whole life, or it cannot be effective or real in the crucial moments of conflict.  

6. Nonviolence relies on a kind of cosmic optimism which trusts that the universe/reality/God is finally and fully on the side of justice and truth. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the guidance of the Spirit to hear the Word of God and to base our actions in relationships on Love for All.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/8?19 

Morse, E. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-23-2025 

Psalms, PSALM 122. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/122?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/kings-principles-of-nonviolence/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Hear the Word of God and Do It. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 23, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=sep23