Healing and Fullness of Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to seek the guidance of the Spirit to discern the path of fullness of life in the midst of competing distractions that originate in human desire.

Discern the Path to Fullness

The reading from the Letter to the Colossians, proclaims Fullness of Life in Christ.

* [2:4–23] In face of the threat posed by false teachers (Col 2:4), the Colossians are admonished to adhere to the gospel as it was first preached to them (Col 2:6), steeping themselves in it with grateful hearts (Col 2:7). They must reject religious teachings originating in any source except the gospel (Col 2:8) because in Christ alone will they have access to God, the deity (Col 2:9). So fully has Christ enlightened them that they need no other source of religious knowledge or virtue (Col 2:10). They do not require circumcision (Col 2:11), for in baptism their whole being has been affected by Christ (Col 2:12) through forgiveness of sin and resurrection to a new life (Col 2:13; cf. Col 3:1 and Rom 6:1–11). On the cross Christ canceled the record of the debt that stood against us with all its claims (Col 2:14), i.e., he eliminated the law (cf. Eph 2:15) that human beings could not observe—and that could not save them. He forgave sins against the law (Col 2:14) and exposed as false and misleading (Col 2:15) all other powers (cf. Col 1:16) that purport to offer salvation. Therefore, the Colossians are not to accept judgments from such teachers on food and drink or to keep certain religious festivals or engage in certain cultic practices (Col 2:16), for the Colossians would thereby risk severing themselves from Christ (Col 2:19). If, when they accepted the gospel, they believed in Christ as their savior, they must be convinced that their salvation cannot be achieved by appeasing ruling spirits through dietary practices or through a wisdom gained simply by means of harsh asceticism (Col 2:20–23). (Colossians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 145 praises the Greatness and the Goodness of God.

* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. (Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles and Jesus Teaches and Heals.

* [6:12] Spent the night in prayer: see note on Lk 3:21.

* [6:13] He chose Twelve: the identification of this group as the Twelve is a part of early Christian tradition (see 1 Cor 15:5), and in Matthew and Luke, the Twelve are associated with the twelve tribes of Israel (Lk 22:29–30; Mt 19:28). After the fall of Judas from his position among the Twelve, the need is felt on the part of the early community to reconstitute this group before the Christian mission begins at Pentecost (Acts 1:15–26). From Luke’s perspective, they are an important group who because of their association with Jesus from the time of his baptism to his ascension (Acts 1:21–22) provide the continuity between the historical Jesus and the church of Luke’s day and who as the original eyewitnesses guarantee the fidelity of the church’s beliefs and practices to the teachings of Jesus (Lk 1:1–4). Whom he also named apostles: only Luke among the gospel writers attributes to Jesus the bestowal of the name apostles upon the Twelve. See note on Mt 10:2–4. “Apostle” becomes a technical term in early Christianity for a missionary sent out to preach the word of God. Although Luke seems to want to restrict the title to the Twelve (only in Acts 4:4, 14 are Paul and Barnabas termed apostles), other places in the New Testament show an awareness that the term was more widely applied (1 Cor 15:5–7; Gal 1:19; 1 Cor 1:1; 9:1; Rom 16:7).

* [6:14] Simon, whom he named Peter: see note on Mk 3:16.

* [6:15] Simon who was called a Zealot: the Zealots were the instigators of the First Revolt of Palestinian Jews against Rome in A.D. 66–70. Because the existence of the Zealots as a distinct group during the lifetime of Jesus is the subject of debate, the meaning of the identification of Simon as a Zealot is unclear.

* [6:16] Judas Iscariot: the name Iscariot may mean “man from Kerioth.”

* [6:17] The coastal region of Tyre and Sidon: not only Jews from Judea and Jerusalem, but even Gentiles from outside Palestine come to hear Jesus (see Lk 2:31–32; 3:6; 4:24–27). (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Scott McClure comments that our desire is important. It is part of who we are and comes from deep inside us. It is the well from which we reciprocate God's call with a response.

The desire to be loved, to be accepted, to be healed, to be seen for who we are, to come to know ourselves, to love others... I could go on. The crowds who surround Jesus in today's gospel are acting from this deep desire. They are desperate for what he can give - and only he can give.

I still ask God in prayer, What do you want of me? Perhaps we can take a cue from the crowd who shared that same level ground with Jesus, and simply reach out - out of our deep desire - trusting that God's power will come forth with what we need. (McClure, 2023)

Don Schwager comments “Jesus chose fishermen and tax collectors to be apostles,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"It says, 'He called his disciples, and he chose twelve of them,' whom he appointed sowers of the faith, to spread the help of human salvation throughout the world. At the same time, observe the heavenly counsel. He chose not wise men, nor rich men, nor nobles, but fishermen and tax collectors, whom he would direct, lest they seem to have seduced some by wisdom, or bought them with riches, or attracted them to their own grace with the authority of power and nobility. He did this so that the reasoning of truth, not the grace of disputation, should prevail."(excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.44) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:12-19 comments that we don’t always know the challenges that lie ahead, but our Father does, and as we pray, he will equip us with the grace and strength we need to meet those challenges. He will give us the wisdom to make decisions for our lives that help us to fulfill the mission he has given to us. Above all, he will reassure us of his great love for us.

We might already know the importance of spending time with the Lord, but even so, we might rush through prayer on busy days or even be tempted to skip it altogether when we feel overwhelmed. Yet this is when we need prayer the most. So the next time you are tempted to miss your prayer time, imagine Jesus on the mountain, calling you to himself. He wants to spend time with you. Make time to be with him.

“Lord, remind me of how much I need you, even on my busiest days.” (Meditation on Luke 6:12-19, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler discusses the concern of the author of Colossians concerning empty philosophy, esoteric thought of Gnosticism, and efforts towards Judaising Gentile converts. Jesus is the fullness of revelation of who God is. Friar Jude reminds us that in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus prays before every important event to fulfill the will of the Father that the mission be towards everybody including Gentiles.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that Dorothy Day (1897–1980) lived on the edge of the inside, and the deep love she had for her church and nation expressed itself in passionate critique. Writer Julie Leininger Pycior describes a moment of prophetic challenge Day offered during a conference session on Women and the Eucharist.

Speaking with an anguish made even more dramatic by her careful, understated manner, Day said, “And here we are on August 6th.” Acknowledging other holocausts, notably the Turkish attacks on the Armenians and the Nazi persecution of Jews, “God’s chosen people,” she then sounded like a prophet. “It is a fearful thought that unless we do penance, we will perish,” she firmly stated, reminding her listeners that, at that very moment, military leaders were processing into the cathedral nearby.… She called for “fasting, as a personal act of penance, for the sin of our country, which we love.” Asking why that religious service could not have been held on a different date, “I plead,” she said, “that we will regard that military Mass, and all our Masses today, as an act of penance, begging God to forgive us.” That her audience broke into resounding applause only partly salved Day’s wounded heart, which suffered an actual physical attack a few weeks later. (Rohr, 2023)

We have our relationship with Christ through prayer and the Spirit to guide the choices that influence our living in fullness.

References

Colossians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/2? 

Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6? 

McClure, S. (2023, September 12). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/091223.html 

Meditation on Luke 6:12-19. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/09/12/781134/ 

Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, September 12). Love and Criticism — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/love-and-criticism-2023-09-12/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Chose Twelve Apostles. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 12, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=sep12 

 

Greed and Need

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to respond as Jesus to the needs of those we may have shunned for our own comfort or to satisfy our own sense of self righteousness.

Need for Mercy

The reading from the Prophet Amos is his fourth vision of the summer fruit. 

* [8:1–2] End-of-summer fruit…the end has come: the English translation attempts to capture the wordplay of the Hebrew. The Hebrew word for “fruit picked late in the season” is qayis, while the word for “end” is qes. (Amos, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)

Psalm 119 praises the Glories of God’s Law.

* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. (Psalms, PSALM 119, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew describes the calling of Matthew.

* [9:13] Go and learn…not sacrifice: Matthew adds the prophetic statement of Hos 6:6 to the Marcan account (see also Mt 12:7). If mercy is superior to the temple sacrifices, how much more to the laws of ritual impurity. (Matthew, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

Andy Alexander, S.J., comments that Jesus was challenging their thinking about being religious and he is challenging ours. It is so consoling for all of us who are sinners. God doesn't love us because we earn it, deserve it, or prove how good we are. God loves us because we need loving, because we need forgiving, because we can't earn his love. And, because we have experienced ourselves as "love-sinners," - that is who we are - we are moved by grace to love other sinners, too.

Being a sinner who is healed by God's love allows us, blesses us, to love the same way - through compassion, forgiveness, and accompaniment. This self-sacrificing love sends us to be for and with those who need loving - even those who don't seem to deserve it - starting with people in our families, in our churches, and those with whom we work.

How much grace would flow from each of us responding to the call to eat and drink with a few sinners tonight, and to enjoy them, affirm them and love them as Jesus did?

O Lord, may your grace, which brought this grace to our hearts and opened them, bring it to great fruitfulness in love and charity, in ways we can't even imagine. Amen. (Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Matthew did not delay when called by Jesus,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).

"The Lord, about to give salvation to all sinners believing in him, willingly chose Matthew the former publican. The gift of his esteem for Matthew stands as an example for our salvation. Every sinner must be chosen by God and can receive the grace of eternal salvation if one is not without a religious mind and a devout heart. So Matthew was chosen willingly by God. And though he is immersed in worldly affairs, because of his sincere religious devotion he is judged worthy to be called forth by the Lord ("Follow me"), who by virtue of his divine nature knows the hidden recesses of the heart. From what follows, we know that Matthew was accepted by the Lord not by reason of his status but of his faith and devotion. As soon as the Lord says to him, "Follow me," he does not linger or delay, but thereupon "he arose and followed him." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 45.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Amos 8:4-6, 9-12 comments that we know that God loves us and wants us to love him and put him first in our lives. We also know that he wants us to love and care for one another. But sometimes the “requirements” of faith seem burdensome. They become something to “get through” so that we can do what we really want.

At times like these, remember what a privilege and a blessing worshipping God can be! Remember how lifting your heart to the Lord also lifts your burdens. Remember how much he loves you and how worthy he is of your praise. Above all, remember that God is giving you a chance to encounter him. And that can soften your heart and change the way you approach your whole day. “Lord, thank you for the privilege of worshipping you!” (Meditation on Amos 8:4-6, 9-12, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the attacks of Amos towards the practices of the rich particularly in the light of having to suspend commerce for the new moon observances. Most of the faults we encounter are against our neighbor. We neglect the vertical and horizontal aspect of our faith that seeks mercy for those suffering a famine for the Word of God. Friar Jude reminds us the sick, made lonely by their sin, need a physician  who shows the Love of God to those who need it.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, values how Judaism and the Hebrew Scriptures introduced the gift of self-critical thinking into one’s relationship with God. The Jewish people, contrary to what might be expected, chose to present their arrogant and evil kings and their very critical prophets as part of their Holy Scriptures. They include stories and prophecies that do not tell the Jewish people how wonderful they are but, rather, how terrible they are! It is the birth of self-critical thinking and thus moves consciousness forward. No other religion has been known for such capacity for self-criticism, down to our own time. The Jewish rabbi and noted theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel understood such self-critical thinking and dissent as central to Judaism and to all vibrant and healthy religion.

Inherent to all traditional religion is the peril of stagnation. What becomes settled and established may easily turn foul. Insight is replaced by clichés, elasticity by obstinacy, spontaneity by habit. Acts of dissent prove to be acts of renewal. It is therefore of vital importance for religious people to voice and to appreciate dissent. And dissent implies self-examination, critique, discontent. Dissent is indigenous to Judaism. The prophets of ancient Israel who rebelled against a religion that would merely serve the self-interest or survival of the people continue to stand out as inspiration and example of dissent to this very day. An outstanding feature dominating all Jewish books composed during the first five hundred years of our era is the fact that together with the normative view a dissenting view is nearly always offered, whether in theology or in law. Dissent continued during the finest periods of Jewish history: great scholars sharply disagreed with Maimonides; Hasidism, which brought so much illumination and inspiration into Jewish life, was a movement of dissent. . . . Creative dissent comes out of love and faith, offering positive alternatives, a vision. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We ask the Spirit to help us examine the attitudes that separate us from addressing the needs of people we fail to recognize on our journey.

References

Amos, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/amos/8?4 

Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. (n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/070122.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?9 

Meditation on Amos 8:4-6, 9-12. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/07/01/428553/ 

Psalms, PSALM 119. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Holy Dissent. Daily Meditations Archive: 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/holy-dissent-2022-07-01/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Desire Mercy - Not Sacrifice. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=jul1