Gathering to experience awe in the ordinary

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today encourage us to find awe in our ordinary experience, especially that of gathering to celebrate events that are significant to friends and family.


The CCCB selects Sirach 44.1, 8, 10-15  A Hymn in Honour of Our Ancestors as the first reading for the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne.

The Gospel today, chosen by the CCCB, is Matthew 13.16-17 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.

Diane Jorgensen asks who or what awakens our capacity for awed experience of the ordinary?

Mary Catherine Bateson, writer and cultural anthropologist (and contemporary prophet), wrote in Peripheral Visions: “As a society we have become so addicted to entertainment that we have buried the capacity for awed experience of the ordinary.  Perhaps the sense of the sacred is more threatened by learned patterns of boredom than it is by blasphemies.” Tough for us to hear.

Don Schwager asks, in the words of St Augustine, Do we want to grow in our knowledge of God?

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) once said: "I believe, in order to understand; and I understand, the better to believe." Both faith and understanding are gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to hear God's word with clarity so we can know God better and grow in the knowledge of his love and truth. Jesus, however, had to warn his disciples that not everyone would understand his teaching.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 13:10-17 suggests that most of us are dealing with at least one challenging situation.

Maybe a relationship has gone sour, but you’re afraid to make the first move and seek forgiveness. Perhaps you want to pray with a friend for healing, but you’re nervous about his response. Or maybe you want to go to Confession, but you are afraid of how you will be received. These are the times when Jesus says, “Step out of the boat! It may look like there is nothing underneath, but I will hold you up.”

The reflection posted by Franciscan Media on Saints Joachim and Anne connects them to 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.

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Jesus used parables to explain the kingdom in the simplest way to have His audience accept responsibility for the message. Every blessing requires a response. We need to share our blessings of awe experience with others.

St Anne and the family

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that the Eucharistic meal is meant to be a microcosmic event, summarizing at one table what is true in the whole macrocosm: We are one, we are equal in dignity, we all eat of the same divine food, and Jesus is still and always “eating with sinners” (for which people hated him) just as he did when on Earth.

Yes, we are to recognize Jesus himself in the Eucharist, but we are also to “recognize the Body” (see 1 Corinthians 11:29) of those present as the Body of Christ, too (as Paul goes on to describe at great length in 1 Corinthians 12). There is no true Eucharist without a living assembly because we are being saved together and as one. The message is corporate and historical.

Gathering to honour heritage, family, and ancestors is an opportunity to connect with transcendence and awe as our spirit is given opportunity to stretch beyond the usual limitations we place on time and space.

References


(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 13 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 26, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved July 26, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 26, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Saint James, Apostle (Feast) - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved July 26, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Saints Joachim and Anne – Franciscan Media. Retrieved July 26, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saints-joachim-and-anne/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 26, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Faithful Folowers for 400 years

The Roman Catholic Lectionary for the 13th Sunday in ordinary time offers four texts which can take meditation in many directions. Today a Mass was celebrated on Halifax Common with the people of the Mi'kmaq 1st Nation. Archbishop Martin Currie spoke of the way the faith has been kept by the Mi'kmaq for 400 years. In particular, he mentioned that after the expulsion of the Acadians in 1755 most of the Catholics in Atlantic Canada were Mi'kmaq. Richard Rohr has presented the idea that the understanding of the Divine forgiving, loving and indwelling Spirit comes most certainly in one’s life through living great love or great suffering. Unfortunately, some of the great suffering of the Mi'kmaq people has been at the hands of the Church which attempts to understand and live as Jesus disciples. The question of worthiness of discipleship which is hinted at in the texts is easy seen as not applying to the Mi'kmaq faithful. They are more those who “have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb”. We are reminded of many of the paradox of the Way. The humble, faithful, quiet, meek and gentle have the intimacy with the Spirit. The sheep are led by the Lamb.

Nations Reconcile and Restore

The psalmist in the texts for today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary calls on the Lord “Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise your name.” This lament follows the description of the desolation which overcomes the people who lose track of the work of the Divine in their lives. The humiliation expressed in these texts is countered by the restoration of health of the centurion’s son and the mother-in-law of Peter. Jesus acts in communion with the faith of the healed and the observers to bring health He reaches out to the family of the centurion, who is an outsider and an infidel to Judaism From our perspective, 2000 years later, The Roman Catholic Church has benefited from the “Roman” influence in Church history. (Certainly, a list of misfortunate events and attitude can also be linked to Roman influence, including the very ‘authority’ model presented to Jesus by the centurion). This week descendents aboriginal people and the European people gathered on the Halifax common to commemorate 400 years since the “Baptism” of Grand Chief Membertou. The Mi'kmaq have contributed much to Atlantic Canada Catholicism over the centuries. The faithful in Mi'kmaq communities inspire others by the depth of their devotion. A special gift of Mi'kmaq to Christianity is the devotion to St Anne, mother of Mary. The maternal tradition in Mi'kmaq culture is strong. This is a life filled viewpoint for all Christians to consider. The response of the people in Halifax Common hopefully indicates a change of heart of the ‘majority culture’ towards the people whose ancestors helped the original Europeans survive the winters of this sometimes cold and unforgiving landscape.