Deliverance and Rejoicing

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to recognize the times of desolation on our journey even as we celebrate the joy and love that we have experienced as disciples of Jesus.

Rejoicing in Community

The reading from the Prophet Baruch offers encouragement for Israel.

* [4:5–5:9] The poet addresses the exiles (vv. 5–9a), and then Zion personified is introduced, speaking to the nations and mourning the loss of her children (vv. 9b–16). She then addresses the exiles (vv. 17–29). Finally (4:30–5:9) the poet issues three calls to Jerusalem (4:30, 36; 5:5): she will see her children returning (4:22, 36–37; 5:5). (Baruch, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 69 is a prayer for Deliverance from Persecution.

* [Psalm 69] A lament complaining of suffering in language both metaphorical (Ps 69:2–3, 15–16, the waters of chaos) and literal (Ps 69:4, 5, 9, 11–13, exhaustion, alienation from family and community, false accusation). In the second part the psalmist prays with special emphasis that the enemies be punished for all to see (Ps 69:23–29). Despite the pain, the psalmist does not lose hope that all be set right, and promises public praise (Ps 69:30–36). The Psalm, which depicts the suffering of the innocent just person vividly, is cited often by the New Testament especially in the passion accounts, e.g., Ps 69:5 in Jn 15:25; Ps 69:22 in Mk 15:23, 36 and parallels and in Jn 19:29. The Psalm prays not so much for personal vengeance as for public vindication of God’s justice. There was, at this time, no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place. Redress had to take place now, in the sight of all. (Psalms, PSALM 69, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus rejoices at the Return of the Seventy. 

* [10:18] I have observed Satan fall like lightning: the effect of the mission of the seventy-two is characterized by the Lucan Jesus as a symbolic fall of Satan. As the kingdom of God is gradually being established, evil in all its forms is being defeated; the dominion of Satan over humanity is at an end.

* [10:21] Revealed them to the childlike: a restatement of the theme announced in Lk 8:10: the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed to the disciples. See also note on Mt 11:25–27. (Luke, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)

Nancy Shirley offers a reflection,on the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, about the rosary.  It reminds us how the rosary has been an intricate part of many lives. 

It causes me to think of how I can put it back into my life in some ways that I have let lapsed.  Perhaps this rambling will cause others to think back to their very first rosary or one that was from a special place (I have some from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Medjugorje that I have on display) and go find them, hold them, pray with them; look at them with new eyes and see the “jewels” that they are and the promise that they hold.

You may be as surprised as I was with who sings this beautiful song: Miracle of the Rosary .. (Shirley, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “The power of the Kingdom of God,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"He also gave the holy apostles power and might even to raise the dead, cleanse lepers, heal the sick, and by the laying on of hands to call down from heaven the Holy Spirit on anyone they wanted. He gave them power to bind and to loose people's sins. His words are 'I say to you, whatever you will bind on earth, will be bound in heaven (Matthew 18:18). Whatever you will loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven.' These are the things we see ourselves possessing. Blessed are our eyes and the eyes of those of all who love him. We have heard his wonderful teaching. He has given us the knowledge of God the Father, and he has shown him to us in his own nature. The things that were by Moses were only types and symbols. Christ has revealed the truth to us. He has taught us that not by blood and smoke, but rather by spiritual sacrifices, we must honor him who is spiritual, immaterial and above all understanding."(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 67) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 10:17-24 comments about Francis of Assisi, Faustina Kowalska, and Teresa of Ávila, all October saints (October 4, 5, and 15). They are all admired for their deep faith and wisdom, yet none of them were known as a mighty healer of the sick. And like Thérèse, they all suffered from painful illnesses with little relief. Yet they knew that their names were written in heaven, and that knowledge gave them confidence, peace, and joy, regardless of their health.

So yes, pray for miracles, for yourself and others. But don’t base your faith on the outcome. Instead, rejoice that your name is written in heaven. Rejoice that Jesus wants to bring you to his side—right next to all the saints!

“Jesus, thank you for the greatest of all gifts: the gift of heaven!” (Meditation on Luke 10:17-24, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler shares how Baruch asserts to the Babylonian exiles that the mercy of God is greater than the sinfulness for which they have been punished. The Gospel of Luke urges us to rejoice in our attachment to Christ which is deeply experienced in childlike trust. Friar Jude declares that we live in a blessed age of forgiveness, charity, and acceptance of difference in our midst.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces CAC teacher James Finley who offers a prayer for wholeness and healing.

Lord God, we thank you for the gift of the desire to be ever more clear and intimate in our awareness of your intimacy with us that’s sustaining us breath by breath by breath. We thank you for this.… We thank you for the desire not to break the thread of that connectedness with you as we go through the day, facing what we need to face, walking what we need to walk through.… We’re interiorly moved by your grace to reach out and touch the hurting places with love, that the suffering might dissolve in love, and to continue touching the hurting places with love until only love is left, and to be patient with this, and to be childlike, and to be open and faithful to this mysterious process in which we incarnate your healing presence in the midst of our lives. And we ask for this through your Son, Jesus. Amen. (Rohr, 2023)

We are grateful for the times of reconciliation that have renewed joy on our journey as the Spirit prompts us to love, compassion, and generosity.

References

Baruch, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/baruch/4?5 

Luke, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10?17 

Meditation on Luke 10:17-24. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/10/07/800336/ 

Psalms, PSALM 69. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/69?33 

Rohr, R. (2023, October 7). Wholeness and Healing: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/wholeness-and-healing-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=oct7 

Shirley, N. (2023, October 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved October 7, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/100723.html 

Prayer to see the Way

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with the tension between good and evil in our lives that finds consolation in our trust in prayer.

Prayer and Trust

 

The reading from the Book of Malachi describes the reward of the faithful on the Great Day of the Lord.

* [3:14] As mourners: the adverb translated “as mourners” means something like “with a long face.” * [3:16] Record book: see note on Ex 32:32.1 

Psalm 1 presents the Two Ways.

* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.2 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches about perseverance in Prayer.

* [11:1–13] Luke presents three episodes concerned with prayer. The first (Lk 11:1–4) recounts Jesus teaching his disciples the Christian communal prayer, the “Our Father”; the second (Lk 11:5–8), the importance of persistence in prayer; the third (Lk 11:9–13), the effectiveness of prayer.3 

Nancy Shirley thinks the challenge for most of us is understanding God’s time is not our time.  Of course, as we age, we experience more and more losses -- our friends, our career, some of our abilities, and the most difficult of all, our beloved spouses – some become bitter, angry, and full of despair, yet some find even more solace in their prayers.  What makes the difference?  How do we help them open their hearts to God and feel His presence?

Amid all this, I had some serendipitous yet very soul-filling conversations with a colleague.  It began with noticing some books that were being read and striking up a conversation and then some discussions about resources for students.  Soon we were sharing views and experiences with God in our lives.  She presented a beautiful thought about us in our myopic worlds sitting with a variety of puzzle pieces in our hands, studying them, trying to make sense of them and figure how they went together.  However, different from when we put together a jigsaw puzzle looking at the picture on the cover of the box, for we have no picture to look, no way to know what the finished product should look like.  Only God has the entire picture  . . .  we stumble and think we somehow can finish it yet when we let go and let God the pieces will fall into the right places.  This brought us to a great discussion of TrusT. I shared what I have shared in reflections that TrusT begins and ends with the cross.4 

Don Schwager quotes “Ask by praying, seek by proper living, knock by persevering,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"Desiring that we arrive at the joys of the heavenly kingdom, our Lord and Savior taught us to ask these joys of him and promised that he would give them to us if we asked for them. 'Ask,' he said, 'and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.' Dearly beloved..., we earnestly and with our whole heart must ponder these words of our Lord. He bears witness that the kingdom of heaven is not given to, found by and opened to those who are idle and unoccupied but to those who ask for it, seek after it and knock at its gates. The gate of the kingdom must be asked for by praying. It must be sought after by living properly. It must be knocked at by persevering." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.51.20)5 

The Word Among Us for October 7, 2021 comments that the qualities of wonderful friendships here on earth show a dynamic, gritty picture of love, don’t they? It’s like Jesus’ parable, where the sleepy-eyed man shares his family’s provisions because his friend knocks persistently, not because he likes to be awakened at midnight.

Your heavenly Father is a dynamic, real-life friend. He is your dearest friend, even if he sometimes seems “slow to answer the door.” But Jesus urges us not to give up, not to mistrust him, and never to stop asking the Father for what we need. Because in the end, he will give us every good gift! “Father, give me the grace to trust you more than any other friend.”6

 

Friar Jude Winkler contrasts recognition of God with arrogance as Malachi points to a day of reckoning. Hospitality was often required at midnight in the warm climate where people travelled at night. Friar Jude reminds us that God, as a parent, will not give us what would be destructive to us.

 

Franciscan media comments, on the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, that the development of the rosary has a long history. First a practice developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus’ life was attached to each Hail Mary.

The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death, and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus’ Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glory Bes remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity. The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.7 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares a reflection connected with the theological and scientific work of Ilia Delio that honors both her Franciscan theology and her personal relationship with a beloved pet.

I did not have to wonder whether or not Mango had a soul. I knew it implicitly by the way he listened to me talking or thinking aloud, the way he sat on my office chair waiting for me to finish writing so he could eat, or simply the way he looked at me—eye to eye—in the early morning, at the start of a new day. Soul existence is expressed in the language of love. . . . Love makes us something; it makes us alive and draws us in to the dynamism of life, sustaining life’s flow despite many layers of sufferings and disappointments. . . . If God is love, then the vitality of love, even the love of a furry creature, is the dynamic presence of God. . . . Every creature is born out of the love of God, sustained in love, and transformed in love. Every sparrow that falls to the ground is known and loved by God (cf. Matthew 10:29); the Spirit of God is present in love to each creature here and now so that all creaturely life shares in cosmic communion. . . .8 

Our vision of the Way forward may be obscured by the trials and temptations of the day. We move toward clarity in prayer and trust that God will provide what we need.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Malachi, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/malachi/3
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/1
3	(n.d.). Luke, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/11
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/100721.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=oct7
6	(n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/10/07/214456/
7	(n.d.). Our Lady of the Rosary | Franciscan Media. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/our-lady-of-the-rosary
8	(n.d.). The Emotional Intelligence of Animals - Center for Action and .... Retrieved October 7, 2021, from https://cac.org/ensouled-animals-2021-10-07/