Peace and Providence

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the gift of the Word of God and our response to share that gift with others.

Sharing Peace

 

The reading from the Book of Nehemiah exhorts ‘Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.’

* [8:1–18] Chronologically this belongs after Ezr 8:36. The gloss mentioning Nehemiah in Neh 8:9 was inserted in this Ezra section after the dislocation of several parts of Ezra-Nehemiah had occurred. There is no clear evidence of a simultaneous presence of Nehemiah and Ezra in Jerusalem; Neh 12:26, 36 are also scribal glosses.1

 

Psalm 19 praises God’s Glory in Creation and the Law.

* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem.2

 

The Gospel of Luke offers Jesus instructions for the Mission of the Seventy.

* [10:4] Carry no money bag…greet no one along the way: because of the urgency of the mission and the singlemindedness required of missionaries, attachment to material possessions should be avoided and even customary greetings should not distract from the fulfillment of the task.3 

Tamora Whitney concludes that the people in the first reading found joy in the word of God, and the ones in the Gospel who would reject the word will have it worse than the city of Sodom, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

In the Gospel Jesus is sending out disciples ahead of him to prepare the people, in essence, for the word of God. He sends them out to scope out the place, see who will be receptive to the word, and who will reject it. And unlike the first reading, the whole of the people are not listening attentively and weeping with joy at the information.  This is dangerous work and takes serious devotion.  Those who undertake this journey could be walking into their deaths.  Jesus says, “behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”  This is not an easy task Jesus is asking, but he is asking his friends to lay down their lives for him.  This takes the utmost devotion.  It would be easier to walk away.  It would be easier to deny Christ.  What devotion it takes for these friends to risk life and limb.  Not many people have the devotion it takes. "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.”  There is much work to be done, and enough work for many people, but few will make that commitment, few have that devotion.4 

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus the Good Shepherd changes wolves into sheep,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"How then does [Jesus] command the holy apostles, who are innocent men and 'sheep,' to seek the company of wolves, and go to them of their own will? Is not the danger apparent? Are they not set up as ready prey for their attacks? How can a sheep prevail over a wolf? How can one so peaceful conquer the savageness of beasts of prey? 'Yes,' he says, 'for they all have me as their Shepherd: small and great, people and princes, teachers and students. I will be with you, help you, and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts. I will change wolves into sheep, and I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the persecuted. I will make those who wrong my ministers to be sharers in their pious designs. I make and unmake all things, and nothing can resist my will.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 61)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 10:1-12 comments that we know that Jesus wants to give us his peace as we draw close to him in prayer. We know that he promises us a peace that the world cannot give to us. But we often forget that Jesus doesn’t want us to keep this peace all to ourselves. He wants us to share it with everyone we meet so that it will spread. And we share it, not by telling everyone how peaceful we feel, but by simply remaining close to Jesus and letting his peace flow out of us.

People notice when someone seems centered and calm in difficult situations. It’s true for you as well. Your peace can flow to the people you encounter in the supermarket, at work, in the parking lot, or in your home. You can make a difference! So yes, continue to ask Jesus to give you his peace and to make you into a more peaceful person. But remember also to give that peace to people wherever you go. “Lord, make me a channel of your peace to everyone I will meet today.”6 

Friar Jude Winkler notes the events in the Book of Nehemiah occur about fifty years after the Babylonian exile as the people are recommitted to the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Sending the disciples is unique to the Gospel of Luke. Friar Jude reminds us to do our best and rejoice even when our efforts appear to be rejected.

 

Franciscan media comments that Jerome is frequently remembered for his bad temper! It is true that he had a very bad temper and could use a vitriolic pen, but his love for God and his son Jesus Christ was extraordinarily intense; anyone who taught error was an enemy of God and truth, and Saint Jerome went after him or her with his mighty and sometimes sarcastic pen. He was above all a Scripture scholar, translating most of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. Jerome also wrote commentaries which are a great source of scriptural inspiration for us today. He was an avid student, a thorough scholar, a prodigious letter-writer and a consultant to monk, bishop, and pope. Saint Augustine said of him, “What Jerome is ignorant of, no mortal has ever known.”

Jerome was a strong, outspoken man. He had the virtues and the unpleasant fruits of being a fearless critic and all the usual moral problems of a man. He was, as someone has said, no admirer of moderation whether in virtue or against evil. He was swift to anger, but also swift to feel remorse, even more severe on his own shortcomings than on those of others. A pope is said to have remarked, on seeing a picture of Jerome striking his breast with a stone, “You do well to carry that stone, for without it the Church would never have canonized you” (Butler's Lives of the Saints).7

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on the well-known story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–35), a parable Jesus used to teach us what common-sense compassion looks like in our everyday lives.

What Jesus is doing in this beautiful story is defining what love of neighbor is: it is the concrete practice of love and caring. We already know this law of compassion, because it is written in our hearts. Our common sense knows what we are supposed to do, and we still don’t do it. We contradict our own good common sense when we seek ritual purity or any kind of moral superiority instead of loving who and what is right in front of us.8 

Our piety, study, and action form a foundation to act in accord with Providence as labourers in the field.

 

References

 

1	(n.d.). Nehemiah, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/nehemiah/8
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19
3	n.d.). Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/093021.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=sep30
6	(2021, September 30). Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Meditations for September 30 .... Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/09/30/204568/
7	(n.d.). Saint Jerome | Franciscan Media. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-jerome
8	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: 2021 - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://cac.org/common-sense-compassion-2021-09-30/

Grace and healing

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of our thanksgiving for grace acting through healing.

Place for grace

The reading from the Letter to the Colossians begins with a Pauline thanksgiving for the grace exhibited in the community.

* [1:3–8] On thanksgiving at the start of a letter, see note on Rom 1:8. The apostle, recalling his own prayers for them and the good report about them he has received (Col 1:3–4), congratulates the Colossians upon their acceptance of Christ and their faithful efforts to live the gospel (Col 3:6–8). To encourage them he mentions the success of the gospel elsewhere (Col 1:6) and assures them that his knowledge of their community is accurate, since he has been in personal contact with Epaphras (Col 1:7–8), who likely had evangelized Colossae and other cities in the Lycus Valley of Asia Minor (cf. Col 4:12, 13; Phlm 23). On faith, love, and hope (Col 1:4, 5, 8), see note on 1 Cor 13:13; cf. 1 Thes 1:3; 5:8.1

Psalm 52 declares that like an olive tree the righteous will flourish.

* [52:10] Like an olive tree: the righteous will flourish in the house of God like a well-watered olive tree, cf. Ps 92:14; 128:3.2 

The journey of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke includes cure of Simon’s mother-in-law among other healings as the “Son of God” leaves Capernaum.

* [4:38] The house of Simon: because of Luke’s arrangement of material, the reader has not yet been introduced to Simon (cf. Mk 1:16–18, 29–31). Situated as it is before the call of Simon (Lk 5:1–11), it helps the reader to understand Simon’s eagerness to do what Jesus says (Lk 5:5) and to follow him (Lk 5:11).3

Amy Hoover shares that today was simply an invitation for her to consider her response to the healing and mercy of God.

It strikes me that Simon’s mother-in-law is “paying it forward” so to speak.  She is using the gifts she has, preparing and serving food, to express her gratitude and in turn, minister and proclaim the Good News.  My prayer with this scripture challenged me to consider how I “pay it forward” when I received not only God’s love and mercy but gifts from others as well, in effect manifesting the continual incarnation of God.4 

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus the Chief Physician,” by St Jerome (347-420 AD).

"'Now Simon's mother-in-law was kept in her bed sick with a fever.' May Christ come to our house and enter in and by his command cure the fever of our sins. Each one of us is sick with a fever. Whenever I give way to anger, I have a fever. There are as many fevers as there are faults and vices. Let us beg the apostles to intercede for us with Jesus, that he may come to us and touch our hand. If he does so, at once our fever is gone. He is an excellent physician and truly the chief Physician. Moses is a physician. Isaiah is a physician. All the saints are physicians, but he is the chief Physician." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MARK 75.1)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Colossians 1:1-8 points out all that was going well for them. Paul was paving the way for the correction he would have to give them later. By focusing first on thanksgiving, Paul kept God’s blessings in the forefront of his mind—and theirs as well.

Like moistening or waxing the end of a thread to help it fit through the eye of a needle, thanksgiving can help us sharpen and focus our intercessory prayer. When we start praying for a situation by giving thanks for all the good that God is already doing there, our hope is built up. So is our trust in God’s plan as well as our confidence that he will intervene according to his own wisdom and timing.6 

Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr. explains the purpose and distinctive features of the Letter to the Colossians.

The Colossian epistle addressed Christians who had come under the influence of a false teaching that mixed elements of Greek philosophy with Judaism. In part, this movement taught that the Colossian Christians were subject to a variety of spiritual forces that needed to be placated through veneration, asceticism and the observance of special holy days.7

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the authorship of the letters to the Colossians and Ephesians. The language in the Gospel may reveal Luke as a physician. Friar Jude notes the “higher Christology” in the declaration of Jesus as “Son of God” by a spiritual being.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955) who was a Jesuit paleontologist and mystic whose writings were suppressed by Catholic authorities during his lifetime. Today there’s a growing appreciation for his work which brings science and religion together and mobilizes Christians to participate with God in the process of bringing the universe to its fulfillment in Christ. In particular, Franciscans resonate with Teilhard. Fr Richard first discovered him in college in the early 1960s, during the heady years of the Second Vatican Council, when he filled Richard Rohr with a cosmic, earthy vision for his life. What did Teilhard mean by “the cosmic Christ”? Dr. Beatrice Bruteau (1930–2014) explained.

The central conception in Teilhard’s notion of the cosmic Christ is that “the universe forms one natural whole, which finally can subsist only by dependence from [Christ]. That’s the main thing.” [1] Teilhard sees himself as “the evangelist” of “Christ in the universe,” one who preaches Christ as containing “all the unyielding immensity and grandeur of the world.” [2] His “fundamental vision” [3] as expressed in The Divine Milieu is of Christ as All-in-everything, in its reality and in its future.8 

Our experience of grace and healing may be in our family and friends, in our own difficulties, and in contemplation of the “order” of the universe and nature.

References

1	(n.d.). Colossians, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/colossians/1
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 52 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/52
3	(n.d.). Luke, chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 4, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/4:85
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Creighton .... Retrieved September 4, 2019, from http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 4, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). 22nd Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved September 4, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/09/04/
7	(n.d.). Overview of the Book of Colossians - Reformed Answers. Retrieved September 4, 2019, from http://reformedanswers.org/answer.asp/file/41475
8	(2019, September 4). All-in-Everything — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 4, 2019, from https://cac.org/all-in-everything-2019-09-04/

Blessed by our Parents

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite us to contemplate the role of our parents and grandparents in forming our spiritual and moral lives.

Grandparent adventure

It is the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The reading from the Book of Sirach offers praise of Israel’s great ancestors.

 * [44:1–15] The reader is here introduced to those people of Israel, later mentioned by name, who through various achievements and beneficial social activities have acquired great renown (vv. 1–8, 14–15); and also to those who, though forgotten, endure through the fruit of their virtues and through their families because of God’s covenant with them (vv. 9–15).1

Psalm 132 declares God’s promise of favor to the Davidic dynasty (Ps 132:11–12) and to Zion (Ps 132:13–17).

* [Psalm 132] A song for a liturgical ceremony in which the ark, the throne of Israel’s God, was carried in procession to the Temple. The singer asks that David’s care for the proper housing of the ark be regarded with favor (Ps 132:1–5), and tells how it was brought to Jerusalem (Ps 132:6–10). There follows God’s promise of favor to the Davidic dynasty (Ps 132:11–12) and to Zion (Ps 132:13–17). The transfer of the ark to the tent in Jerusalem is described in 2 Sm 6.2 

The Gospel from Matthew presents Jesus Word on the privilege of discipleship.

* [13:16–17] Unlike the unbelieving crowds, the disciples have seen that which the prophets and the righteous of the Old Testament longed to see without having their longing fulfilled.3 

Maureen McCann Waldron comments that being faithful isn’t about the grand gestures or the extraordinary. It is really about the smallest everyday moments in life. Getting children to daycare. Making sure an older parent gets to the doctor. Not getting annoyed at a tiresome co-worker. Making a meal with love. Doing laundry again. And again.

Yet in that hard life, Anne and Joachim were faithful.  They prayed and went to the synagogue together where they would have listened to the scripture.  And they taught Mary what it means to be faithful. To say Yes to a life of lugging water, gathering firewood and washing clothes.  There was no glamour about it, but she learned that God was always with her. She learned to rely on God’s support. She was prepared to say Yes.4 

Don Schwager quotes “God's word is like good seed sown in the heart,” by Saint Jerome (347-420 AD) and he applies it to the Gospel for the Liturgy celebrated when today is not a feast day. (Matthew 13:18-23).

"'And the one sown upon good ground is he who hears the word, understands it and bears fruit.' Even as on bad ground there were three diverse situations (by the path, upon rocky ground and among thorns), so too on good ground the diversity is of three types: fruit of one hundredfold, sixtyfold and thirtyfold. Both in one and the other there is a change that takes place in the will, not in the nature itself. In both the unbelievers and believers it is the heart that receives the seed. 'The wicked one comes,' he says, 'and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.' In the second and third cases, he says, 'That is he who hears the word.' In the explanation of the good ground, he is the one who hears the word. First we must listen, then understand; after understanding, we must bear the fruits of good teaching and yield fruit either one hundredfold, sixtyfold or thirtyfold." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 2.13.23)5 

A post by Franciscan Media reflects on Saints Joachim and Anne. The heroism and holiness of these people however, is inferred from the whole family atmosphere around Mary in the Scriptures. Whether we rely on the legends about Mary’s childhood or make guesses from the information in the Bible, we see in her a fulfillment of many generations of prayerful persons, herself steeped in the religious traditions of her people.

 This is the “feast of grandparents.” It reminds grandparents of their responsibility to establish a tone for generations to come: They must make the traditions live and offer them as a promise to little children. But the feast has a message for the younger generation as well. It reminds the young that older people’s greater perspective, depth of experience, and appreciation of life’s profound rhythms are all part of a wisdom not to be taken lightly or ignored.6

Emily Budden shares that to symbolize the Mi’kmaq people’s allegiance to the French and as a sign of good faith, Grand Chief Membertou and 21 of his family members were baptized in 1610. In 1628, the Mi’kmaq adopted St. Anne as their patron saint, but in doing so remained true to their Mi’kmaq ways by continuing to hold Mawio’mi (a traditional gathering; a time for reflection, joy, sharing, goodwill, and the opportunity to connect with the Great Spirit) in traditional gathering places.

Source: https://2eyedhealth.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/chapel-island-photo.jpg?w=300&h=225

A photo of Chapel Island with ribbons of Saint Anne’s cloth.

So next time you are caring for a patient of Mi’Kmaq decent, take note of their ribbon and treat it with pride and respect, for it may be their only source of strength during this difficult time.7

A Google search for “St Anne Parish in Nova Scotia” brings several parish locations Eglise Ste. Anne is the oldest Acadian parish on mainland Nova Scotia. Acadians returning from exile had settled the area in 1767 and built a small chapel for worship. In 1799, Father Jean Mandé Sigogne arrived and officially founded the parish of Ste-Anne. The Beaton Institute has a photo of my parish as a boy, St Anne’s Church in Glace Bay.

Beaton Institute: St Anne's Parish, Glace Bay

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the blessing of the Ten Commandments in freeing the people from living in terror about what God wanted of His people.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM invites us to read Howard Thurman’s thoughts on race and relationships.

On the other hand, if Christians practice brotherhood among Christians, this would be one limited step in the direction of a new order among men. Think of what this would mean. Wherever one Christian met or dealt with another Christian, there would be a socially redemptive encounter. They would be like the Gulf Stream or the Japanese Current tempering and softening the climate in all directions. Indeed the Christian would be a leaven at all levels of the community and in public and private living. Of course, such a situation may lend itself to all kinds of exploitation and betrayals—but the Christian would be one of the bulwarks of integrity in human relations in an immoral society.8 

If being Christian does not demand that all Christians love each other and thereby become deeply engaged in experiencing themselves as human beings, it would seem futile to expect that Christians as Christians would be concerned about the secular community in its gross practices of prejudice and discrimination.

References

1	(n.d.). Sirach, chapter 44 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/sirach/44
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 132 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/132
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 13 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved July 26, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 26, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Saints Joachim and Anne - Franciscan Media. Retrieved July 26, 2019, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saints-joachim-and-anne/
7	(2014, October 29). Saint Anne – Grandmother of the Mi'kmaq | Two-Eyed Seeing for Health. Retrieved July 26, 2019, from https://2eyedhealth.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/saint-anne-grandmother-of-the-mikmaq/
8	(2019, July 26). Being Christian — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 26, 2019, from https://cac.org/being-christian-2019-07-26/

Passion despair rejection and empathy