Strife and Joy

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, contrast the struggle as workers in Jesus' vineyard, with the deep joy that comes to us from our relationship with Christ.

Joy in the Struggle

In the reading from the Prophet Jeremiah he complains again and is reassured.

* [15:13–14] Though the wording of these verses is close to that in 17:3–4, the present passage is evidently God’s word to Jeremiah, whereas 17:3–4 is evidently a word of judgment on Judah. It is noteworthy that the references to “you” in the present passage are singular, until a shift to plural in “against you” in the last line; this “you” is then doubtless a reference to both the prophet and his enemies. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 59 is a prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.

* [Psalm 59] A lament in two parts (Ps 59:2–9, 11b–17), each ending in a refrain (Ps 59:10, 18). Both parts alternate prayer for vindication (Ps 59:2–3, 4b–5, 11b–14) with vivid depictions of the psalmist’s enemies (Ps 59:4–5a, 7–8, 15–16). The near curse in Ps 59:12–13 is not a crude desire for revenge but a wish that God’s just rule over human affairs be recognized now. (Psalms, PSALM 59 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents Three Parables

* [13:44–50] The first two of the last three parables of the discourse have the same point. The person who finds a buried treasure and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price sell all that they have to acquire these finds; similarly, the one who understands the supreme value of the kingdom gives up whatever he must to obtain it. The joy with which this is done is made explicit in the first parable, but it may be presumed in the second also. (Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cynthia Schmersal finds herself romanticizing or glossing over the gritty realities of St. Ignatius’ pilgrim journey – his thwarted plans, his struggles – exterior and interior, and his invitations to humility.

On his Feast this year, in our remembering and our celebrating, may we also acknowledge the complexity of St. Ignatius’ life and of our own lives, lovingly and ever so gently attending to the spaces in our lives that cry out “Woe to me, mother that you gave me birth!”, that question “Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?” May we – trusting in our identities as beloved pearls of great price and in the One who is indeed our refuge – turn to our God and hear – in the depths of our being – the abiding assurance “I am with you." (Schmersal, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Finding the pearl of great price,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Now among the words of all kinds that profess to announce truth, and among those who report them, he seeks pearls. Think of the prophets as, so to speak, the pearls that receive the dew of heaven and become pregnant with the word of truth from heaven. They are goodly pearls that, according to the phrase here set forth, the merchant seeks. And the chief of the pearls, on the finding of which the rest are found with it, is the very costly pearl, the Christ of God, the Word that is superior to the precious letters and thoughts in the law and the prophets. When one finds this pearl all the rest are easily released. Suppose, then, that one is not a disciple of Christ. He possesses no pearls at all, much less the very costly pearl, as distinguished from those that are cloudy or darkened." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 18.8) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46 comments that Ignatius renounced his past ambitions and turned his relentless zeal toward the quest for holiness. Out of love for Christ, he rigorously pursued prayer, penance, and contemplation. In 1522, he confessed his sins, gave away his fine clothes, and left his sword at an altar in the shrine of Montserrat. Together with several companions, he formed the Society of Jesus in 1539 and brought many people to faith in the Lord. Even today, Ignatius’ witness continues to inspire men and women to prize Jesus above all else and follow him unreservedly.

God may not be calling you to live as Ignatius did, but he does want you to find the pearl of great price. He wants you to taste the goodness of his Son Jesus and experience his love. He wants you to discover that nothing compares with knowing him. So open your heart to the Lord today. Ask the Spirit to help you love Jesus singleheartedly. By his grace, you can “sell all you have” to follow Christ and spread the good news of his love. It’s worth it!

“Thank you, Jesus, for being my pearl of great price.” (Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler introduces the confessions of Jeremiah that challenge God about the persecution that he endures as a possible betrayal by God. Our mission is to do our best and realize that failure to human eyes may be success in the eyes of faith. Friar Jude reminds us that the use of the Kingdom of Heaven phrase likely indicates a final editing of Matthew’s Gospel by a converted Pharisee.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces theologian Dorothee Sölle (1929–2003) who understood God’s kingdom as good news for women and all oppressed people.

The Jesus movement lived in conflict with its society. Jesus expected the reversal of all social oppositions through God’s intervention, and this expectation—“the kingdom of God is at hand”—characterized the movement. All those who were outsiders according to the norms of society and held to be “impure” according to the law—the poor, the landless, public sinners, tax collectors, and women—were accepted here. “The last will be first” [Matthew 20:16] is a keynote permeating the whole message of Jesus. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

We contemplate our journey and process the setbacks and struggles in the light of the joy that comes from our relationship with selfless love that is the treasure of immeasurable value.

References

Jeremiah, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/15?10 

Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13?44 

Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/07/31/1036536/ 

Psalms, PSALM 59 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/59?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. The Last Shall Be First. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-last-shall-be-first/ 

Schmersal, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/073124.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Joy in Finding Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jul31 

Faith Works

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that we may need to reflect on how the practice of our faith aligns with deepening our relationship with God.

Action and faith

The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah reveals he complains again and is reassured.

 * [15:13–14] Though the wording of these verses is close to that in 17:3–4, the present passage is evidently God’s word to Jeremiah, whereas 17:3–4 is evidently a word of judgment on Judah. It is noteworthy that the references to “you” in the present passage are singular, until a shift to plural in “against you” in the last line; this “you” is then doubtless a reference to both the prophet and his enemies.1

Psalm 59 is a prayer for deliverance from enemies.

 * [Psalm 59] A lament in two parts (Ps 59:2–9, 11b–17), each ending in a refrain (Ps 59:10, 18). Both parts alternate prayer for vindication (Ps 59:2–3, 4b–5, 11b–14) with vivid depictions of the psalmist’s enemies (Ps 59:4–5a, 7–8, 15–16). The near curse in Ps 59:12–13 is not a crude desire for revenge but a wish that God’s just rule over human affairs be recognized now.2

In the Gospel of John, Martha confesses Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.

 * [11:1–44] The raising of Lazarus, the longest continuous narrative in John outside of the passion account, is the climax of the signs. It leads directly to the decision of the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus. The theme of life predominates. Lazarus is a token of the real life that Jesus dead and raised will give to all who believe in him. Johannine irony is found in the fact that Jesus’ gift of life leads to his own death. The story is not found in the synoptics, but cf. Mk 5:21 and parallels; Lk 7:11–17. There are also parallels between this story and Luke’s parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus (Lk 16:19–31). In both a man named Lazarus dies; in Luke, there is a request that he return to convince his contemporaries of the need for faith and repentance, while in John, Lazarus does return and some believe but others do not.3

In the alternate Gospel passage from Luke, Jesus visits Martha and Mary.

 * [10:38–42] The story of Martha and Mary further illustrates the importance of hearing the words of the teacher and the concern with women in Luke.4

Tamora Whitney can relate to Martha. She’s doing all the necessary stuff, serving, making sure everyone is fed, but she feels like she’s missing out on some good stuff. Mary gets to sit and enjoy the guests while Martha makes sure the guests are provided for. We end today with Martha’s profession of faith.

 I can’t really say we aren’t getting the good stuff, even though the ending of that story is pretty amazing, because the ending we get today is her recognition, and faith, and trust. And the care and service she gives her guest is repaid, and her faith is justified.5

Don Schwager quotes “The Body of Christ needs hearers and doers of the Word,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

 "'Virtue does not have a single form. In the example of Martha and Mary, there is added the busy devotion of the one and the pious attention of the other to the Word of God, which, if it agrees with faith, is preferred even to the very works, as it is written: 'Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.' So let us also strive to have what no one can take away from us, so that not careless but diligent hearing may be granted to us. For even the seeds of the heavenly Word itself are likely to be taken away if they are sowed by the wayside (Luke 8:5,12). Let the desire for wisdom lead you as it did Mary. It is a greater and more perfect work. Do not let service divert the knowledge of the heavenly Word... Nor is Martha rebuked in her good serving, but Mary is preferred because she has chosen the better part for herself, for Jesus abounds with many blessings and bestows many gifts. And therefore the wiser chooses what she perceives as foremost."(excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 7.83-86)6

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 11:19-27 notes that in today’s Gospel, we meet a more mature Martha. She’s not so overcome by worry. She recognizes that God is working through Jesus, and she believes that God will give Jesus whatever he asks (John 11:22). She hasn’t yet grasped that he can raise Lazarus from the dead, but she believes that Jesus is the Messiah. She recognizes that he comes from God, and this strengthens her faith.

 Faith is more than passively trusting in God though. It’s actively believing that he can do miracles. Martha can help you understand this type of faith. She came to believe that Jesus could do anything, and she told him so. You can do that too, by asking God for help in a challenging situation. Ask him for a miracle: healing for a loved one, the conversion of a friend, a new job. Ask in confidence, but also trust that Jesus in his wisdom will answer your prayer in the best possible way.7

Friar Jude Winkler explains the challenges faced by Jeremiah and his family in following the directives in Deuteronomy. Jesus promises us a cross to learn love. The powerful profession of faith by a woman in John and the need for our attention to our guests in Luke are underlined by Friar Jude.

StAnthonyCompanions · July 29, 2020

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh (born 1926) is one of the world’s most influential spiritual teachers. During the Vietnam War, his work for peace brought him into friendship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thomas Merton, and other Christians who shared his belief that peace must be who we are, not just something we demand.

 Our world is something like a small boat. Compared with the cosmos, our planet is a very small boat. We are about to panic because our situation is no better than the situation of the small boat in the sea. . . . Humankind has become a very dangerous species. We need people who can sit still and be able to smile, who can walk peacefully. We need people like that in order to save us. Mahayana Buddhism says that you are that person. . . .When you understand, you cannot help but love. . . . To develop understanding, you have to practice looking at all living beings with the eyes of compassion. When you understand, you love. And when you love, you naturally act in a way that can relieve the suffering of people.8

In peace, our faith is guided by the Spirit to balance our contemplation and works.

References

1	(n.d.). Jeremiah, chapter 15 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved July 29, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/15
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 59. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/59
3	(n.d.). John, chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/11
4	(n.d.). Luke, chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/10
5	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved July 29, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture .... Retrieved July 29, 2020, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2020&date=jul29b
7	(n.d.). Saint Martha (Memorial) - The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 29, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/07/29/174304/
8	(n.d.). Look with the Eyes of Compassion — Center for Action and .... Retrieved July 29, 2020, from https://cac.org/look-with-the-eyes-of-compassion-2020-07-29/