Open to Hearing

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek increased understanding of areas in which we have not heard the cry of earth and the cry of the poor and to accept our mission to share our faith with others.

Hearing the need

 

In the reading from the First Book of Kings, Ahijah announces Jeroboam’s Kingship.

* [11:26–43] The last major unit of the Solomon story tells how the prophet Ahijah announces the divine intention to take the larger part of Solomon’s kingdom from his control and give it to Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant. This counterbalances the first unit of the story, 1:1–2:12a, where another prophet, Nathan, managed to influence the royal succession and obtain the throne for Solomon. The unit is also the first part of the story of Jeroboam (11:26–14:20). It thus acts as a literary hinge connecting the two stories. Chronicles contains a death notice for Solomon in 2 Chr 9:29–31.1

 

Psalm 81 praises God’s appeal to stubborn Israel.

* [Psalm 81] At a pilgrimage feast, probably harvest in the fall, the people assemble in the Temple in accord with the Sinai ordinances (Ps 81:2–6). They hear a divine word (mediated by a Temple speaker) telling how God rescued them from slavery in Egypt (Ps 81:7–9), gave them the fundamental commandment of fidelity (Ps 81:9–11), which would bring punishment if they refused to obey (Ps 81:12–13). But if Israel repents, God will be with them once again, bestowing protection and fertility (Ps 81:14–16).2

 

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus cures a deaf man.

* [7:36] The more they proclaimed it: the same verb proclaim attributed here to the crowd in relation to the miracles of Jesus is elsewhere used in Mark for the preaching of the gospel on the part of Jesus, of his disciples, and of the Christian community (Mk 1:14; 13:10; 14:9). Implied in the action of the crowd is a recognition of the salvific mission of Jesus; see note on Mt 11:5–6.3

 

George Butterfield refers to the motif in Mark’s Gospel known as the Messianic Secret and asks if it could be that Jesus simply wants to minister to people and has no interest in making a name for himself?

In the very first chapter of Mark, I believe we get a hint as to why Jesus does this. Jesus ministers in Capernaum. It says that the whole town was gathered at the door. He cured the sick and cast out demons. Early in the morning he went outside of town to pray. Simon and the others went looking for him and, on finding him, said, “Everyone is looking for you” (Mk. 1:37). You have this city in the palm of your hands. You can make a name for yourself. Jesus’ response? Let’s get out of here. My purpose, my desire, is to reach out to the people, not to hit it big. “For this purpose have I come” (v. 38).4

 

  Don Schwager quotes “The touch of the Lord,” by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).

"That power which may not be handled came down and clothed itself in members that may be touched, that the desperate may draw near to him, that in touching his humanity they may discern his divinity. For that speechless man the Lord healed with the fingers of his body. He put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue. At that moment with fingers that may be touched, he touched the Godhead that may not be touched. Immediately this loosed the string of his tongue (Mark 7:32-37), and opened the clogged doors of his ears. For the very architect of the body itself and artificer of all flesh had come personally to him, and with his gentle voice tenderly opened up his obstructed ears. Then his mouth, which had been so closed up that it could not give birth to a word, gave birth to praise him who made its barrenness fruitful. The One who immediately had given to Adam speech without teaching, gave speech to him so that he could speak easily a language that is learned only with difficulty (Genesis 1:27-28). (excerpt from HOMILY ON OUR LORD 10.3)5

 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 7:31-37 comments that our heavenly Father loves it when we trust him. He wants to give his children good things—and not only good things. Sometimes he wants to give us miracles. So take him at his word! Ask him for the healing of a loved one. Ask him for our own healing. Ask him to intervene in a situation that seems hopeless. And leave the results to him, trusting that he will do what is best.

Most importantly, don’t think that your faith is too weak for God to care about you. Exercise the faith you have and believe that God can work. Keep asking him for what you need. It’s not that he requires your extra prayers to act—but you need them, to stretch your faith and to grow closer to him. “Lord, I believe you can do the impossible. Please give me the faith to ask for it!”6

 

On the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, Bishop Robert Barron recalls a portion of the video series, Catholicism (https://youtu.be/dwx8g8z7FUo).

 

Friar Jude Winkler explains the division of the tribes of Israel between Jeroboam and the descendants of David. The role of spit in healing is noted. Friar Jude reminds us that pagans, in Mark’s Gospel, recognize the authority of God in the person of Jesus.

 

CAC teacher Barbara Holmes recounts her visit to Fellowship Church, a visionary, multi-racial church co-founded in 1944 by Howard Thurman and his wife Sue Bailey Thurman. Howard Thurman (1900­–1981) writes about the conviction that shared worship and encounter with divine presence could unite diverse people.

Sue and I knew that all our accumulated experiences of the past had given us two crucial gifts for this undertaking: a profound conviction that meaningful and creative experiences between peoples can be more compelling than all the ideas, concepts, faiths, fears, ideologies, and prejudices that divide them; and absolute faith that if such experiences can be multiplied and sustained over a time interval of sufficient duration any barrier that separates one person from another can be undermined and eliminated. We were sure that the ground of such meaningful experiences could be provided by the widest possible associations around common interest and common concerns. . . . One basic discovery was constantly surfacing—meaningful experiences of unity among peoples were more compelling than all that divided and separated. The sense of Presence was being manifest which in time would bring one to his or her own altar stairs leading each in his [or her] own way like Jacob’s ladder from earth to heaven. [2]7

 

The Spirit guides us to experience that opens us to hear others and to speak about our relationship with God.

 

References

1	(n.d.). 1 Kings, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/11
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 81 | USCCB. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/81
3	(n.d.). Mark, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/7
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/021122.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=feb11
6	(n.d.). Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Meditations for February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/02/11/311130/
7	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://cac.org/the-experience-of-god-unites-us-2022-02-11/

 

Partiality Prophets and Prejudice

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today warn us about attitudes of partiality and prejudice and challenge us to contemplate the origins of these temptations in our bodily experience.

Partiality and Prejudice

The reading from the Letter of James is a warning against partiality, particularly towards the wealthy.

 * [2:4] When Christians show favoritism to the rich they are guilty of the worst kind of prejudice and discrimination. The author says that such Christians set themselves up as judges who judge not by divine law but by the basest, self-serving motives.1

In Psalm 34, the psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued, can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone.

 * [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12). God will make them powerful (Ps 34:5–11) and give them protection (Ps 34:12–22).2

Peter makes a declaration about Jesus as Messiah in the Gospel of Mark and shows his confusion when Jesus foretells His death and resurrection.

 * [8:27–30] This episode is the turning point in Mark’s account of Jesus in his public ministry. Popular opinions concur in regarding him as a prophet. The disciples by contrast believe him to be the Messiah. Jesus acknowledges this identification but prohibits them from making his messianic office known to avoid confusing it with ambiguous contemporary ideas on the nature of that office. See further the notes on Mt 16:13–20.3

Steve Scholer comments that God calls us to follow his example and to form our conclusions about people based not on appearances, but on how they live their lives. He gave this very advice to Samuel when he said “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

 As we go about our busy lives, let us practice looking beyond outward appearances and to try and discern if the Holy Spirit is dwelling within the people we meet, whether they be dressed in fine or shabby clothes. Let us look to their hearts and how they conduct themselves, just as God does. Trust me when I say it will require more time and attention on our part to make this sort of informed decision, but there might be an added benefit. In the process of looking more deeply at those we meet; we might also look more deeply at how we conduct our own lives and what fills our hearts.  Hopefully, in the words of James we will be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him.4

Don Schwager quotes “Peter confesses that Jesus is God's Anointed Son and Savior of all,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

 "You see the skillfulness of the question. He [Jesus] did not at once say, 'Who do you say that I am?' He refers to the rumor of those that were outside their company. Then, having rejected it and shown it unsound, he might bring them back to the true opinion. It happened that way. When the disciples had said, 'Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, that some prophet of those in old time has risen up,' he said to them, 'But you, who do you say that I am?' Oh! how full of meaning is that word you! He separates them from all others, that they may also avoid the opinions of others. In this way, they will not conceive an unworthy idea about him or entertain confused and wavering thoughts. Then they will not also imagine that John had risen again, or one of the prophets. 'You,' he says, 'who have been chosen,' who by my decree have been called to the apostleship, who are the witnesses of my miracles. Who do you say that I am?'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 49)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on James 2:1-9 notes that in his biography of St. Francis of Assisi, British author G. K. Chesterton uses an analogy to show how Francis’ whole way of thinking had changed as a result of his conversion. Deep in prayer in a cave outside the city, the young Francis surrendered his expectations of a worldly career with its honors and chose to live for the honor of God instead. When he came out of the cave, everything had turned upside down for him. It was, Chesterton wrote, as though Francis were “walking on his hands.”

 Keeping our eyes fixed on the cross is one key to flipping our perspective. The more we see the love of the One who emptied himself, the more we will see the world differently. The more we see how Jesus reached out to people in need, the more we will be moved to give generously of ourselves. Like St. Francis, we will begin to treat every person, rich and poor, with the dignity and love they deserve.6

Friar Jude Winkler refers to Jesus attention to the anawim, the poor of the Lord, when he approaches the difficult subject of addressing the large donor. At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus instructs messianic secret to counter misunderstanding of a conquering Messiah. Friar Jude reminds us that the confusion of the apostles in Mark is connected to a desire for power and privilege over service as disciples of Jesus.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that in the West, we rely predominantly on “head” knowledge, but our hearts offer us plenty of information as well through powerful experience of awe and empathy, joy and heartbreak (even if we choose to dismiss it most of the time). But it seems to Fr. Richard that we have lost or ignored the wisdom of the body almost completely. He has often taught that if we are not transformed by our pain, we will almost certainly transmit it to those around us, and he is learning that we pass it on to future generations as well. Author and therapist Resmaa Menakem speaks directly about “bodily knowing” and the transmission of trauma from a historical and corporate perspective. Our tendency, reacting without contemplation, is to respond for our own self interest and act out of a pre judgement of others that is often not based in the compassion, empathy, mercy and love of Christ.

References

1	(n.d.). James, chapter 2 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/2
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 34 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34
3	(n.d.). Mark, chapter 8 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/8
4	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). 6th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic .... Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/2/20/
7	(2020, February 16). Mind Body Heart — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://cac.org/themes/mind-body-heart/

An excellent ministry

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today connect with Jesus humanity and His Divinity. The Letter to the Hebrews compares the heavenly priesthood of Jesus to the priesthood of the Hebrew Testament. In the Gospel from Mark, the healing mercy of Jesus draws people from all regions to seek to touch Him. John Shea, S.J. reminds that “Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7.25) Don Schwager quotes “Faith works by love,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D. The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 3:7-12 considers what Jesus was doing. As the Messiah, he came to bring healing, a new reign, and redemption, but he knew that the people would have a hard time understanding that the blessings would be released only after his death and resurrection. That’s why it was so important to keep his “messianic secret” until the right moment. Otherwise, people might get so caught up in the miracles that they would lose sight of his long-term goal of redemption through the cross. A post by Franciscan Media reflects that Francis de Sales took seriously the words of Christ, “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart.” Friar Jude Winkler shares the pattern of the Letter to the Hebrews that emphasizes that the Hebrew high priest was a pattern for Jesus priesthood. In the Mass we move out of time to be present with Jesus at the Last Supper, on the Cross, and in Resurrection. Friar Jude explains the recognition of Jesus as the Son of God by pagans in the Gospel of Mark. Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that sometimes it seems like Christianity’s only mission is to keep announcing its vision and philosophy. This is what happens when power and empire take over the message. The Memorial of St Francis de Sales is an opportunity to reflect on transformation to practice Life in the Spirit as in Jesus example lived by this saint in humility and generosity.

Corrected vision hearing and speech

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge our partiality to those who stand out in our secular society.

Hearing from the privileged

We are urged to seek correction of our understanding through our relationship with Jesus as healer. The Prophet Isaiah describes the deliverance of Israel in terms of abundant life in people and nature.

* [35:1–10] This chapter contains a number of themes similar to those in Deutero-Isaiah (chaps. 40–55), for example, the blossoming of the wilderness (vv. 1–2; cf. 41:18–19), which is now well-irrigated (v. 7; cf. 43:19–20); sight to the blind (vv. 5–6; cf. 42:7, 16); a highway in the wilderness (v. 8; cf. 41:3); and the return of the redeemed/ransomed to Zion (vv. 9–10; cf. 51:11). Nevertheless, it forms a unit with chap. 34 (see note on 34:1–35:10) and reflects, along with that chapter, themes found in chaps. 1–33.

The Letter of James focuses on the Sin of Partiality.

* [2:4] When Christians show favoritism to the rich they are guilty of the worst kind of prejudice and discrimination. The author says that such Christians set themselves up as judges who judge not by divine law but by the basest, self-serving motives.

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus corrects vision, hearing and speech and reminds us of our inability to completely understand His message.

* [7:24–37] The withdrawal of Jesus to the district of Tyre may have been for a respite (Mk 7:24), but he soon moved onward to Sidon and, by way of the Sea of Galilee, to the Decapolis. These districts provided a Gentile setting for the extension of his ministry of healing because the people there acknowledged his power (Mk 7:29, 37). The actions attributed to Jesus (Mk 7:33–35) were also used by healers of the time.

Caritas Canada cites the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching for an understanding of the preferential option for the poor. The article quotes Saint John Paul II.

The needs of the poor take priority over the desires of the rich; the rights of workers over the maximization of profits; the preservation of the environment over uncontrolled industrial expansion; production to meet social needs over production for military purposes.- Saint John Paul II, Address on Christian Unity in a Technological Age, Toronto, 1984

The Messianic Secret connected with the Gospel of Mark is discussed by Peter Feldmeier who offers an explanation that Jesus’ full identity and mission was a secret to all, including his disciples. Framing the matter this way gives us some insight into the healing story in today's’ reading, as well as the next one in which a blind man is given sight (Mark 8:22-26). The afflictions healed mirror the disciples themselves, who are too often both deaf and blind.

The messianic secret can be alive and well in our lives. While some religious people may be more generous and moral than nonreligious folk, most are not dramatically so. The sociologist Christian Smith argues that most religious people in effect live a faith he calls “moral therapeutic deism.” It boils down to this: God wants them to be happy and modestly moral; God makes few demands on them; God promises heaven to anyone who is not egregiously evil; and God is not imagined to be actively part of a person’s everyday life. Religious skeptics rightly ask: What real difference in your life does being a Christian make?

Jeanne Schuler connects to the psalmist (Psalm 146.6-10) to ask how do we get closer to God’s kingdom?

In God’s kingdom, the poor are seated first.  The afflicted are gently raised up, and those cast into ditches are rescued.  Barriers fall and rigid hierarchies come apart. Touched by the spirit, what is broken heals. Even nature shares in this surge of energy.  As healing spreads, we burst forth like mountain streams. “Let me tell you who I am. Please share our meal.” The call of justice persists.  It runs deeper than we can imagine. In God’s kingdom, the highbrows look up from their critiques, and we who are rich loosen our grip on what consumes us.

Don Schwager quotes “The touch of the Lord”, by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD).

"That power which may not be handled came down and clothed itself in members that may be touched, that the desperate may draw near to him, that in touching his humanity they may discern his divinity. For that speechless man the Lord healed with the fingers of his body. He put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue. At that moment with fingers that may be touched, he touched the Godhead that may not be touched. Immediately this loosed the string of his tongue (Mark 7:32-37), and opened the clogged doors of his ears. For the very architect of the body itself and artificer of all flesh had come personally to him, and with his gentle voice tenderly opened up his obstructed ears. Then his mouth which had been so closed up that it could not give birth to a word, gave birth to praise him who made its barrenness fruitful. The One who immediately had given to Adam speech without teaching, gave speech to him so that he could speak easily a language that is learned only with difficulty (Genesis 1:27-28). (excerpt from HOMILY ON OUR LORD 10.3)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Isaiah 35:4-7 guotes St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a twelfth-century monk from France, who explained:

Storing the water

The man who is wise . . . will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal.

We pour ourselves out every day: for our children, for our aging parents, for our coworkers, and for our neighbors. But if we spend all of our time taking care of everyone else, we’ll end up physically exhausted and spiritually depleted.
There’s nothing wrong with taking five or ten minutes each day to soak up the love and mercy of God. There’s nothing wrong with becoming a reservoir instead of a canal. God’s extravagant promises are for you just as much as they are for everyone else.

Friar Jude Winkler understands from Isaiah that the oppressed will be healed and called to live in the Glory of God. The Letter of James inspires the conclusion that Words have Power. Friar Jude notes that Jesus is healing among the pagans who are also sheep without a shepherd.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that the desert fathers and mothers focused more on the how than the what. Their spirituality was very practical: virtue and prayer-based. The Patristic Period emphasized the what—the rational, philosophical, and theological foundations for the young Christian religion. He begins to explore The Patristic Period and the early Eastern theologians’ views on Christ, Trinity, theosis, universal salvation, and hesychasm (prayer of rest).

Alexandria in Egyptian Africa was a primary center for learning and culture across many fields—philosophy, art, medicine, literature, and science—during the Hellenistic and Roman periods (310 BCE–330 CE). The library in Alexandria was probably the largest in the ancient world. Greek, Eastern, Jewish, and Christian thought intersected in this environment, bringing together diverse perspectives and many saints and scholars.

The vision we share as Christian disciples calls us to hear and speak for the anawim. We often stumble like Jesus disciples. We have developed social teaching and theology to guide our discernment.

References


(n.d.). Isaiah chapter 35 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/35
(n.d.). James chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/2
(n.d.). Mark chapter 7 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/7
(n.d.). Preferential option for the Poor | Development and Peace. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from https://www.devp.org/en/cst/preferential-option
(2012, August 27). The Messianic Secret | America Magazine. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from https://www.americamagazine.org/content/the-word/messianic-secret
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved September 9, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
(n.d.). The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast) - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved September 9, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/