Visions and Virtue

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to welcome contemplation of visions of Divine Presence to inspire us to “Come and See” Jesus in action on our journey.

Come and See

The reading from the Book of Revelation presents a Vision of the New Jerusalem.

* [21:9–22:5] Symbolic descriptions of the new Jerusalem, the church. Most of the images are borrowed from Ez 40–48.

* [21:9] The bride, the wife of the Lamb: the church (Rev 21:2), the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:10); cf. 2 Cor 11:2.

* [21:14] Courses of stones,apostles: literally, “twelve foundations”; cf. Eph 2:19–20. (Revelation, CHAPTER 21 | 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 John, Nathaniel is invited to Come and See.

* [1:47] A true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him: Jacob was the first to bear the name “Israel” (Gn 32:29), but Jacob was a man of duplicity (Gn 27:35–36).

* [1:48] Under the fig tree: a symbol of messianic peace (cf. Mi 4:4; Zec 3:10).

* [1:49] Son of God: this title is used in the Old Testament, among other ways, as a title of adoption for the Davidic king (2 Sm 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:27), and thus here, with King of Israel, in a messianic sense. For the evangelist, Son of God also points to Jesus’ divinity (cf. Jn 20:28).

* [1:50] Possibly a statement: “You [singular] believe because I saw you under the fig tree.”

* [1:51] The double “Amen” is characteristic of John. You is plural in Greek. The allusion is to Jacob’s ladder (Gn 28:12). (John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cynthia Schmersal expresses gratitude for the miracle of being invited into the intimacy of a friendship with the Source of all, the Creator of the universe and of each of us.

This day, my great prayer is that each one of us may experience ourselves, like Nathaniel in today’s Gospel, as truly seen by Jesus and drawn ever more deeply into authentic friendship with Him. May this friendship continue to free and form us; may it transform us ever more completely into the fullness of God’s dream that we were created to realize, fashioning us more and more completely as harbingers of the goodness and glory of God’s kin-dom. (Schmersal, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Lord of Angels,” by John Chrysostom 347-407 AD).

"Do you see how he [Jesus] leads him [Nathanael] up little by little from the earth and causes him no longer to imagine him as merely a man? For one to whom angels minister and on whom angels ascend and descend, how could he be a man? This is why he said, 'You shall see greater things than these.' And to prove this, he introduces the ministry of angels. What he means is something like this: Does this, O Nathanael, seem to you a great matter, and have you for this confessed me to be King of Israel? What then will you say when you see 'angels ascending and descending on me'? He persuades him by these words to receive him as Lord also of the angels. For on him as on the king's own son, the royal ministers ascended and descended, once at the season of the crucifixion, again at the time of the resurrection and the ascension, and before this also, when they 'came and ministered to him' (Matthew 4:11). They also ascended and descended when they proclaimed the good news of his birth and cried, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace' (Luke 2:14), when they came to Mary and also when they came to Joseph... Our Lord made the present a proof of the future. After the powers he had already shown, Nathanael would readily believe that much more would follow." (excerpt from the Homilies On the Gospel of John 21.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Revelation 21:9-14 comments that each and every one of us is essential to the life of the Church and has a share in its mission. Just as Jesus sent out his first disciples, so today he is sending us out to serve the poor, to sacrifice for the sake of those in need, and to testify to the good news of salvation.

Remember the words you hear at the end of each Sunday Mass. Go and make disciples. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Go, you are sent forth. Go where and how the Lord sends you. And take courage in knowing that the great apostles, including Bartholomew himself, are supporting you and interceding for you.

“Jesus, I want to be like Bartholomew and answer your call!” (Meditation on Revelation 21:9-14, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the societal relationship with God proclaimed in the visions of the New Jerusalem from Revelation. Nathaniel, also named Bartholomew, experiences. Like Jacob, a struggle with God as Jesus recognizes him as a true child of Israel. Friar Jude reminds us that the secrets of heaven are revealed to persons of integrity.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces writer-activist Lydia Wylie-Kellermann who considers how children offer us an opportunity to both give and receive wisdom necessary for life to flourish.

Having kids has been one way for me to pour out my love in celebration of life. It has not made the grief lighter … perhaps it has deepened it. But it has also expanded my hope, my joy, my longings, and my insistence on what is possible in this moment. Community and imagination are powerful forces and gosh do these kids know how to call upon it. Don’t look away from death, but in its midst, choose life. Choose life. Choose life. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the attitude that best opens our awe and wonder to the Presence of God and find it in the children we have been blessed to know.

References

John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?45 

Meditation on Revelation 21:9-14. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/08/24/1059226/ 

Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145?10 

Revelation, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/revelation/21?9 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-wisdom-of-mentors-weekly-summary/ 

Schmersal, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082424.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Come and See. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=aug24a 

Love and Truth

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today urge us to radical Love as the path to fullness of life.

Places of Revelation

The reading from the First Letter of John exhorts us to Love One Another.

* [3:11–18] Love, even to the point of self-sacrifice, is the point of the commandment. The story of Cain and Abel (1 Jn 3:12–15; Gn 4:1–16) presents the rivalry of two brothers, in a contrast of evil and righteousness, where envy led to murder. For Christians, proof of deliverance is love toward others, after the example of Christ. This includes concrete acts of charity, out of our material abundance.

* [3:19–24] Living a life of faith in Jesus and of Christian love assures us of abiding in God no matter what our feelings may at times tell us. Our obedience gives us confidence in prayer and trust in God’s judgment. This obedience includes our belief in Christ and love for one another. (1 John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

In Psalm 100, all lands are summoned to Praise God.

* [Psalm 100] A hymn inviting the people to enter the Temple courts with thank offerings for the God who created them.

* [100:3] Although the people call on all the nations of the world to join in their hymn, they are conscious of being the chosen people of God. (Psalms, PSALM 100 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus calls Philip and Nathaniel.

* [1:43] He: grammatically, could be Peter, but logically is probably Jesus.

* [1:47] A true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him: Jacob was the first to bear the name “Israel” (Gn 32:29), but Jacob was a man of duplicity (Gn 27:35–36).

* [1:48] Under the fig tree: a symbol of messianic peace (cf. Mi 4:4; Zec 3:10).

* [1:49] Son of God: this title is used in the Old Testament, among other ways, as a title of adoption for the Davidic king (2 Sm 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:27), and thus here, with King of Israel, in a messianic sense. For the evangelist, Son of God also points to Jesus’ divinity (cf. Jn 20:28).

* [1:50] Possibly a statement: “You [singular] believe because I saw you under the fig tree.”

* [1:51] The double “Amen” is characteristic of John. You is plural in Greek. The allusion is to Jacob’s ladder (Gn 28:12). (John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Angela Maynard comments God created us and when he calls us, he knows exactly who he is calling and why. It takes faith and patience for us to understand how God works.

I distinctly recall an interaction I had with an undergraduate student who aspired to be a physician. Despite doing everything right, they were not accepted into medical school on their first application. They were really hurting. You see this student really prepared to have a stellar application—successfully dealt with academic rigor, volunteered, shadowed physicians, and is really an outstanding human dedicated to caring for others. Besides a big hug and a safe place to be emotional, I reminded them that this did not mean that they would not become a physician, but the path might look a bit different. Fast forward, this person is now a physician and can attest that the path looked different but acknowledges gratitude for the experiences that were encountered on the detour. God knew that this person’s gifts were needed elsewhere for a bit. So, this was a personal calling. As I mentioned, I have learned this personally too. I firmly believe that God calls us to be where we are supposed to be at the right time. Our faith and the word of God will guide us along the path. (Maynard, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “The Lord of Angels,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"Do you see how he [Jesus] leads him [Nathanael] up little by little from the earth and causes him no longer to imagine him as merely a man? For one to whom angels minister and on whom angels ascend and descend, how could he be a man? This is why he said, 'You shall see greater things than these.' And to prove this, he introduces the ministry of angels. What he means is something like this: Does this, O Nathanael, seem to you a great matter, and have you for this confessed me to be King of Israel? What then will you say when you see 'angels ascending and descending on me'? He persuades him by these words to receive him as Lord also of the angels. For on him as on the king's own son, the royal ministers ascended and descended, once at the season of the crucifixion, again at the time of the resurrection and the ascension, and before this also, when they 'came and ministered to him' (Matthew 4:11). They also ascended and descended when they proclaimed the good news of his birth and cried, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace' (Luke 2:14), when they came to Mary and also when they came to Joseph... Our Lord made the present a proof of the future. After the powers he had already shown, Nathanael would readily believe that much more would follow." (excerpt from the Homilies On the Gospel of John 21.1) (Schwager, 2021)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 John 3:11-21 comments that holding on to hatred can sometimes feel like the easiest option. That’s because hatred is deceptive. It convinces us to avoid addressing whatever is prompting our negative emotions. It tells us that we have every right to hate someone and that we don’t need to consider their perspective or their situation. Better to remain locked in this dark abyss rather than work our way out. But St. John is asking us to put aside these extreme feelings and replace our hatred with the love and compassion of the Lord.

That’s not to say letting go of hatred is easy. It can be very hard! But there is one way we can begin to chip away at it, and it involves both prayer and action. First, make it a point to pray for the person—and for yourself. Ask the Spirit to help you bless that person and to see them as Jesus sees them. Then follow up your prayer with action. Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Ask the Lord to forgive you for harboring hatred and for the grace to forgive the person who has hurt you.

“This is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another” (1 John 3:11). Through the persistent practice of prayer and reconciliation, we can find the freedom we all long for: the freedom to love.

“Lord, teach me to put aside all hatred so that I can love every one of my brothers and sisters.” (Meditation on 1 John 3:11-21, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes the exhortation in 1 John to reject our evil ways and to love willing to die for others. The Love of God is expressed in the forgiveness of our sins. Friar Jude reminds us of the challenges of Jacob before he was honest with God and received the name Israel as Jesus is recognized by Nathanel as the Son of God.

Barbara Holmes introduces Steven Charleston who writes about the Paiute prophet Wovoka (c. 1856–1932) who received a spiritual vision of the earth’s renewal. That the vision of a renewal and reconciliation for all life—remained at the center of what motivated hope in the hearts of Native people from across the wide spectrum of languages and cultures. The essence of the vision was hope, not fear.

Wovoka’s dance reminds me that there are times in life when we must have the willingness to go beyond what we think is possible. We have never encountered a world like this before; how will we survive it, much less transform it? The silent drum forces me to recognize that in this dance we are moving into uncharted territory. We are stepping off the familiar into the unknown. We are creating a dance ground where none has existed before. The willingness, the faith, to take such a step is the haunting silence of the Ghost Dance. (Holmes, 2024)

We implore the Spirit of God to fill us with hope as we struggle to make Love our action towards all people in our environment.

References

Holmes, B. (2024, January 5). The Dance of Hope — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-dance-of-hope/ 

John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1? 

Maynard, A. (2024, January 5). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/010524.html 

Meditation on 1 John 3:11-21. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/05/867369/ 

1 John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/3?11 

Psalms, PSALM 100 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/100?1 

Schwager, D. (2021, September 22). Come and See. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan5