Faith and New Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek the guidance of the Spirit as we work to heal the divisions between people in our environment that impede our fullness of life.

Healing Divisions

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians proclaims the kerygma of the Resurrection of Christ.

* [15:1–11] Paul recalls the tradition (1 Cor 15:3–7), which he can presuppose as common ground and which provides a starting point for his argument. This is the fundamental content of all Christian preaching and belief (1 Cor 15:1–2, 11).

* [15:3–7] The language by which Paul expresses the essence of the “gospel” (1 Cor 15:1) is not his own but is drawn from older credal formulas. This credo highlights Jesus’ death for our sins (confirmed by his burial) and Jesus’ resurrection (confirmed by his appearances) and presents both of them as fulfillment of prophecy. In accordance with the scriptures: conformity of Jesus’ passion with the scriptures is asserted in Mt 16:1; Lk 24:25–27, 32, 44–46. Application of some Old Testament texts (Ps 2:7; 16:8–11) to his resurrection is illustrated by Acts 2:27–31; 13:29–39; and Is 52:13–53:12 and Hos 6:2 may also have been envisaged.

* [15:9–11] A persecutor may have appeared disqualified (ouk…hikanos) from apostleship, but in fact God’s grace has qualified him. Cf. the remarks in 2 Corinthians about his qualifications (2 Cor 2:16; 3:5) and his greater labors (2 Cor 11:23). These verses are parenthetical, but a nerve has been touched (the references to his abnormal birth and his activity as a persecutor may echo taunts from Paul’s opponents), and he is instinctively moved to self-defense. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 118 is a Song of Victory.

* [Psalm 118] A thanksgiving liturgy accompanying a procession of the king and the people into the Temple precincts. After an invocation in the form of a litany (Ps 118:1–4), the psalmist (very likely speaking in the name of the community) describes how the people confidently implored God’s help (Ps 118:5–9) when hostile peoples threatened its life (Ps 118:10–14); vividly God’s rescue is recounted (Ps 118:15–18). Then follows a possible dialogue at the Temple gates between the priests and the psalmist as the latter enters to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice (Ps 118:19–25). Finally, the priests impart their blessing (Ps 118:26–27), and the psalmist sings in gratitude (Ps 118:28–29). (Psalms, PSALM 118 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus forgives a Sinful Woman.

* [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.

* [7:36] Reclined at table: the normal posture of guests at a banquet. Other oriental banquet customs alluded to in this story include the reception by the host with a kiss (Lk 7:45), washing the feet of the guests (Lk 7:44), and the anointing of the guests’ heads (Lk 7:46).

* [7:41] Days’ wages: one denarius is the normal daily wage of a laborer.

* [7:47] Her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love: literally, “her many sins have been forgiven, seeing that she has loved much.” That the woman’s sins have been forgiven is attested by the great love she shows toward Jesus. Her love is the consequence of her forgiveness. This is also the meaning demanded by the parable in Lk 7:41–43. (Luke, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Matthew Walsh, S.J. comments that in addition to forgiveness, which Jesus offers freely, there is another important lesson on hospitality.

Simon did not offer the hospitality that the woman did: she bathed Jesus feet with her tears and dried them with her hair; she anointed his feet with ointment and kissed his feet. Simon offered none of these. But there is another side to the coin of hospitality, namely that Jesus receives the love and care of the woman. He also assures her of the forgiveness of her sins. And so, we can see that this loving hospitality goes in both directions. The woman offers Jesus her hospitality; Jesus assures her that she is forgiven and loved by God. (Walsh, n.d.)

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) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 comments that God’s grace was, for Paul, also an experience of his mercy and love. Jesus didn’t condemn Paul for his sins. He led him to repentance and gave him new understanding. In changing Paul, Jesus didn’t turn him into a robot with no free will. Neither did he erase Paul’s personality. Rather, he loved Paul as God had created him. And out of that love, he redeemed him and made him a son of God. Paul went on to use his gifts and talents, his temperament, and even his weaknesses to build God’s kingdom.

So Paul’s testimony is credible. By the grace of God you are what you are, he tells you: a beloved child of God. That grace is powerful and effective; it fills you with God’s love and mercy. It has changed you, and it is still changing you today.

Rejoice! God has made you his own!

“By your grace, O God, I am what I am. Thank you!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that the Greek audience to which Paul writes is not comfortable with the resurrection of a physical body when their philosophy considers the spiritual world to be pure and the material world to be corrupt. The citing of hundreds of witnesses to Jesus Resurrection is a gutsy proclamation. Friar Jude reminds us that the “saving” of the woman is not a matter of perfection but of being vulnerable to falling into self hatred and selfishness of sin.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces peace activist Father John Dear who describes nonviolence as an expression of who we are more than something we do. He names how the nonviolence exemplified by Jesus, Mohandas Gandhi, and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. can disarm our systems and world.

The visionary nonviolence taught by Gandhi and King flows from our disarmed hearts, from our inner depths, where we renounce our inner violence, let God disarm us and cultivate interior nonviolence, then moves us to practice meticulous interpersonal nonviolence with our families, neighbors, co-workers, communities, cities, nation, all creatures, and Mother Earth. As we face the structures of violence head on with the power of organized nonviolence, we build grassroots, bottom up, people-power movements to end tyranny and injustice and institutionalize nonviolent democracy and social, economic, racial, and environmental justice. When organized on large national and global levels, active nonviolence can peacefully transform entire societies, even the world, as Gandhi demonstrated in India’s revolution, as the civil rights movement showed, as the growing women’s, LGBTQ, and environmental movements demonstrate, as the People Power movement showed in the Philippines, and as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the churches of South Africa showed against apartheid. Gandhi said that nonviolence, when it is harnessed, becomes contagious and can disarm the world. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the structures of division in our society and gratefully receive the prompting of the Spirit to move us toward compassion, mercy, acceptance, and love for the people we encounter on our journey.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/7 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/09/19/1076016/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/15?1 

Psalms, PSALM 118 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/118?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Transformative Nonviolence. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/transformative-nonviolence/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Which Will Love Him More? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=sep19 

Walsh, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/091924.html 

The Word of Service

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine our motives for service as we seek to be open to accepting the Way offered to us in Christ.

Word and Service

The reading from the First Letter of Peter instructs us to revere the good news.

* [1:19] Christians have received the redemption prophesied by Isaiah (Is 52:3), through the blood (Jewish symbol of life) of the spotless lamb (Is 53:7, 10; Jn 1:29; Rom 3:24–25; cf. 1 Cor 6:20).

* [1:22–25] The new birth of Christians (1 Pt 1:23) derives from Christ, the imperishable seed or sowing that produces a new and lasting existence in those who accept the gospel (1 Pt 1:24–25), with the consequent duty of loving one another (1 Pt 1:22).

* [1:23] The living and abiding word of God: or, “the word of the living and abiding God.” (1 Peter, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Psalm 147 praises God’s Care for Jerusalem.

* [Psalm 147] The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1–6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water. (Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus foretells His Death and Resurrection, a Third Time, and handles the request of James and John.

* [10:38–40] Can you drink the cup…I am baptized?: the metaphor of drinking the cup is used in the Old Testament to refer to acceptance of the destiny assigned by God; see note on Ps 11:6. In Jesus’ case, this involves divine judgment on sin that Jesus the innocent one is to expiate on behalf of the guilty (Mk 14:24; Is 53:5). His baptism is to be his crucifixion and death for the salvation of the human race; cf. Lk 12:50. The request of James and John for a share in the glory (Mk 10:35–37) must of necessity involve a share in Jesus’ sufferings, the endurance of tribulation and suffering for the gospel (Mk 10:39). The authority of assigning places of honor in the kingdom is reserved to God (Mk 10:40).

* [10:42–45] Whatever authority is to be exercised by the disciples must, like that of Jesus, be rendered as service to others (Mk 10:45) rather than for personal aggrandizement (Mk 10:42–44). The service of Jesus is his passion and death for the sins of the human race (Mk 10:45); cf. Mk 14:24; Is 53:11–12; Mt 26:28; Lk 22:19–20. (Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cindy Costanzo comments that in Jesus’s message to his Apostles, he is loving, patient, kind and so understanding. He understands how our ego can get in the way of everything. Work-sports-family-service-religion-spirituality.

 

These Gospel readings provide an opportunity to reflect on the meanings of "faithful service". A devoted and helpful follower; to be humble before God; to be ready to act when God nudges or provides inspiration; to help meet the needs of others; to remember it is not about money or rewards or ego; to generously offer skills and strengths to those who need help without exception and without prejudices.  These meanings evoke many memories of kind and selfless acts of service I have observed for the past days, weeks and months. (Costanzo, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The way to glory and honor,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Ponder how profound this is. They were conferring with him about glory. He intended to precede loftiness with humility and, only through humility, to ready the way for loftiness itself. For, of course, even those disciples who wanted to sit, the one on his right, the other on his left, were looking to glory (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-40). They were on the lookout, but did not see by what way. In order that they might come to their homeland in due order, the Lord called them back to the narrow way. For the homeland is on high and the way to it is lowly. The homeland is life in Christ; the way is dying with Christ (Matthew 6:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17-33). The way is suffering with Christ; the goal is abiding with him eternally. Why do you seek the homeland if you are not seeking the way to it?" (excerpt from TRACTATE ON JOHN 28.5.2.13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25 comments that whatever our challenges, remember that “your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:21). Jesus has offered his very life, his own blood “as of a spotless unblemished Lamb,” to set you free (1:19). It’s this life—pure, divine, freely given—that has broken the power of sin and death. The forces that held you captive have been defeated.

Whenever you find yourself indulging in “futile conduct,” turn to the Lord. Believe in the objective truth: Jesus has ransomed you. Get a friend or spiritual mentor to pray with you. They can help support you in faith. Receive God’s forgiveness and grace in prayer and in Confession. That’s where you’ll find God’s strength to keep going, even in the face of sins that seem hard to overcome. With each act of faith in Jesus’ work on your behalf, you are taking another step down the road toward the freedom that Jesus has won for you.

“Jesus, thank you for ransoming me! Help me to walk in freedom.” (Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Peter asserts that the work of Jesus to bring us back from the sinful world is intended for all eternity. The response of James and John, and perhaps the other apostles, to Jesus' coming Passion is focused on “What’s in it for us?”  Friar Jude reminds us that the promise of the Cross is that we take up the true leadership of service of our entire life.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Advocate Carl Siciliano who recounts how relationship with his LGBTQ community has often placed him at odds with what Christian churches have taught.

Thomas Merton wrote of an “eternal conflict” [1] within Christianity—a conflict between those who become self-righteous and judgmental of the sins of others and those who learn to humbly accept their essential unity with their fellow humans. I hope the Church will come to such humility and repent of the terrible harm it has done to queer people, especially queer children. I don’t know if I will live to see that. All I know is I cannot imagine how the harmful elements of the Church can be healed if I cannot uproot the rage and division in my own heart. I’m tired of being angry. 

We are reminded today that we need to contemplate with the help of the Spirit, the Way of kindness and compassion we must take to truly bring Christ into the conflicts of our journey. 

References

Costanzo, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052924.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/10?32 

Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/05/29/980808/ 

1 Peter, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1? 

Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/147?12 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=may29