The Family of Faith

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to ponder the understanding of our relationship to Christ as brothers and sisters in faith, hope, and love who continue His Way of relationship with all people.

Family and Faith

The Reading from the Prophet Micah is a prayer that God will care for the people as in ancient days.

* [7:14–17] A prayer that God will care for the people as in ancient days (v. 14) is answered (vv. 15–17) when the Lord promises to do marvelous things. The nations shall be afraid and turn to the Lord.

* [7:18–20] The final lines of the book contain a hymn of praise for the incomparable God, who pardons sin and delights in mercy. Thus the remnant, those left after the exile, is confident in God’s compassion and in the ancient promises sworn to the ancestors. (Micah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 85 presents a national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness.

* [Psalm 85] A national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness (Ps 85:2–4) and begging for forgiveness and grace now (Ps 85:5–8). A speaker represents the people who wait humbly with open hearts (Ps 85:9–10): God will be active on their behalf (Ps 85:11–13). The situation suggests the conditions of Judea during the early postexilic period, the fifth century B.C.; the thoughts are similar to those of postexilic prophets (Hg 1:5–11; 2:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus proclaims The True Family of Jesus.

* [12:46–50] See Mk 3:31–35. Matthew has omitted Mk 3:20–21 which is taken up in Mk 3:31 (see note on Mt 12:22–32), yet the point of the story is the same in both gospels: natural kinship with Jesus counts for nothing; only one who does the will of his heavenly Father belongs to his true family.

* [12:47] This verse is omitted in some important textual witnesses, including Codex Sinaiticus (original reading) and Codex Vaticanus. (Matthew, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “My mother through faith,” by Gregory the Great (540-604 AD).

"If someone can become the brother of the Lord by coming to faith, we must ask how one can become also his mother. We must realize that the one who is Christ's brother and sister by believing becomes his mother by preaching. It is as though one brings forth the Lord and infuses him in the hearts of one's listeners. And that person becomes his mother if through one's voice the love of the Lord is generated in the mind of his neighbor. (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 3.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the Prophet Micah speaks the Lord as shepherd of Israel with a staff that indicates the original territories will be returned to Israel. Just as the people can see the faithfulness of the promises, God is always faithful. Matthew declares the mother and brothers of Jesus are those who do the will of the Father. We belong as brothers and sisters of Jesus by faith more than blood. Catholics consider the “brothers and sisters” in the Gospel are cousins often as close as siblings in Jesus' time. Orthodox Christians accept they are half brothers and sisters through the remarriage of Joseph. Some Protestant communities hold they are full brothers and sisters. Friar Jude notes that Roman Catholics hold to an ancient tradition of Jesus as the only son of Mary.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 comments that in the centuries after Micah, God did show the people marvelous signs when they cried out to him. But all these signs found their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus.

The signs are all around. And like the signs that Micah prayed for, they are all meant to point you to the greatest and most powerful of all signs: the sign of a Savior who gave up his very life to set you free.

God has done wonderful things for us. May we never grow weary of recalling them. And may we never forget his most powerful marvel: the sign of his cross!

“Lord, I am amazed at all that you have done and continue to do in my life!” (Meditation on Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, recounts how he came to know the work of Thomas Merton (1915–1968). Amidst the societal disruptions of the 1960s, it was not enough for him to simply pray. He also devoted himself to action—writing, teaching, and collaborating with others—though he never lost his deep yearning for solitude and contemplation. [1]

The monastic flight from the world [or what Father Richard calls ‘the system’] into the desert is not a mere refusal to know anything about the world, but a total rejection of all standards of judgment which imply attachment to a history of delusion, egoism and sin … a definitive refusal to participate in those activities which have no other fruit than to prolong the reign of untruth, greed, cruelty and arrogance…. 

Therefore it seems to me to be a solemn obligation of conscience at this moment of history to take the positions which are … in vital relation with the obligations I assumed when I took my monastic vows. To have a vow of poverty seems to me illusory if I do not in some way identify myself with the cause of people who are denied their rights and forced, for the most part, to live in abject misery. To have a vow of obedience seems to me to be absurd if it does not imply a deep concern for the most fundamental of all expressions of God’s will: the love of [God’s] truth and of our neighbor. [2]

References:

[1] Adapted from Richard Rohr, The Art of Letting Go: Living the Wisdom of Saint Francis, (Sounds True, 2010).

[2] Adapted from Thomas Merton, Seeds of Destruction (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1980), xiii, xiv–xv, xv–xvi. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to inform our faith and action with the understanding of family as expressed by Jesus to his society and in our mission to act as members of a community that seeks to do the “will of the Father”.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/12? 

Meditation on Micah 7:14-15, 18-20. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/07/21/1627733/ 

Micah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/micah/7? 

Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/85? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Thomas Merton: A Monk in Action. Thomas Merton: A Monk in Action. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/thomas-merton-a-monk-in-action/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Are My Brothers and Sisters? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

A New Life to Celebrate

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with the tension we sometimes experience between our comfort with familiar ways and understanding and the challenge of embracing new life in unknown relationships of New Life.

Old and New

 

The reading from the Letter to the Colossians is a hymn to the Supremacy of Christ.

* [1:15–20] As the poetic arrangement indicates, these lines are probably an early Christian hymn, known to the Colossians and taken up into the letter from liturgical use (cf. Phil 2:6–11; 1 Tm 3:16). They present Christ as the mediator of creation (Col 1:15–18a) and of redemption (Col 1:18b–20). There is a parallelism between firstborn of all creation (Col 1:15) and firstborn from the dead (Col 1:18). While many of the phrases were at home in Greek philosophical use and even in gnosticism, the basic ideas also reflect Old Testament themes about Wisdom found in Prv 8:22–31; Wis 7:22–8:1; and Sir 1:4. See also notes on what is possibly a hymn in Jn 1:1–18.1 

Psalm 100  summons all lands 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.2

 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus addresses the question about Fasting.

* [5:39] The old is good: this saying is meant to be ironic and offers an explanation for the rejection by some of the new wine that Jesus offers: satisfaction with old forms will prevent one from sampling the new.3 

Ed Morse comments that the love that sustains us through difficulties and trials usually does not come all at once, but little by little. Trials test us, which can help us grow if we are open to them. Trials may prove that we can bear up, building our confidence for even greater ones ahead. Or they may simply illustrate where we remain weak, showing us we need more training and building our humility and reliance upon God.  The saints show us this path by their stories about growing into sainthood.

We like the thrill of adventure, but not the difficulties it might present.  We want a roller coaster that provides safe thrills, but no danger.  But that is not real life.  To avoid risk, we will naturally prefer the old wine and the old paths that we know, but perhaps we are being called to taste new wine that will be even better than the old! Are we open to the prospects of an adventure with God?4

 

Don Schwager quotes “Christ will send you wise men and scribes,” by Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D.

"A scribe is one who, through continual reading of the Old and New Testaments, has laid up for himself a storehouse of knowledge. Thus Christ blesses those who have gathered in themselves the education both of the law and of the gospel, so as to 'bring forth from their treasure things both new and old.' And Christ compares such people with a scribe, just as in another place he says, 'I will send you wise men and scribes' (Matthew 23:34)"(excerpt from FRAGMENT 172)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Colossians 1:15-20 suggests that today’s lyrical hymn from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians gives us a terrific launching point for pondering who Jesus is.

"Jesus, you are greater than I could ever imagine on my own. Thank you for the gift of the Scriptures that helps me lift my mind so that I can meditate on you and give you praise!” "Jesus, I bow to you in humble adoration.”6 

Friar Jude Winkler expands the hymn in Colossians referring to Jesus as “ikon” that re-presents to us, as Wisdom present at Creation, and the “fullness” of God. Mourning the loss of a loved one is one reason to fast. Friar Jude reminds us of the distaste of Jewish tradition for “mixing” as Jesus invites us to the new wine of the Kingdom even as we suggest that the old wine tastes better.

 

Franciscan Media notes that an Anglican historian has written: “It is impossible to conceive what would have been the confusion, the lawlessness, the chaotic state of the Middle Ages without the medieval papacy; and of the medieval papacy, the real father is Gregory the Great.”

Gregory was content to be a monk, but he willingly served the Church in other ways when asked. He sacrificed his own preferences in many ways, especially when he was called to be Bishop of Rome. Once he was called to public service, Gregory gave his considerable energies completely to this work. Gregory's description of bishops as physicians fits in well with Pope Francis' description of the Church as a "field hospital."7

 

Cynthia Bourgeault shares how her early exposure to a simple form of quiet prayer impacted her spiritual journey.

I was also one of the relatively rare few who also had it patterned into me that prayer was listening to God. Not even listening for messages, exactly, like the child Samuel in my favorite Old Testament story [1 Samuel 3:3–10], but just being there, quietly gathered in God’s presence. This learning came not from my formal Sunday School training, but through the good fortune of spending my first six school years in a Quaker school, where weekly silent “meeting for worship” was as an invariable part of the rhythm of life as schoolwork or recess. I can still remember trooping together, class by class, into the cavernous two-story meetinghouse and taking our places on the long, narrow benches once occupied by elders of yore. Occasionally, there would be a scriptural verse or thought offered, but for long stretches there was simply silence. And in that silence, as I gazed up at the sunlight sparkling through those high upper windows, or followed a secret tug drawing me down into my own heart, I began to know a prayer much deeper than “talking to God.” Somewhere in those depths of silence I came upon my first experiences of God as a loving presence that was always near, and prayer as a simple trust in that presence.8 

'Thinking Faith reminds us that as we attend to creation, we might notice within ourselves a desire to act more gently toward this created world, to exercise more self-control over our consumption, recognising that we do have an impact on the created world.' How might the gift of wisdom help us to respond to the ‘cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’?

 

The “new wine” of full life offered by Jesus disturbs our comfort with the way we are, even as the Spirit prompts us to be open to life in the Kingdom.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Colossians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/1
2	(n.d.). Psalm 100 - USCCB. Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/100
3	(n.d.). Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/5
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090321.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
6	(n.d.). Daily Meditation: Colossians 1:15-20 - The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/
7	(n.d.). Saint Gregory the Great | Franciscan Media. Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-gregory-the-great
8	(n.d.). Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations - Center for Action and .... Retrieved September 3, 2021, from https://cac.org/simple-trust-in-gods-presence-2021-09-03/

Preaching the Franciscan "Divine Spark" against expectations

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, the memorial of St. Gregory the Great, urge us to contemplate how being disciples of Jesus is to present to the world a life model that often runs against modern expectations.


Paul realizes that the Letter to the Corinthians must not be based on “Greek wisdom” but on the counter cultural message of Jesus Cross.

* [2:4] Among many manuscript readings here the best is either “not with the persuasion of wisdom” or “not with persuasive words of wisdom,” which differ only by a nuance. Whichever reading is accepted, the inefficacy of human wisdom for salvation is contrasted with the power of the cross.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus challenges the expectations of the worshipers in his home synagogue by declaring His mission as a prophet to bring life to the Gentiles.

* [4:16–30] Luke has transposed to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry an incident from his Marcan source, which situated it near the end of the Galilean ministry (Mk 6:1–6a). In doing so, Luke turns the initial admiration (Lk 4:22) and subsequent rejection of Jesus (Lk 4:28–29) into a foreshadowing of the whole future ministry of Jesus. Moreover, the rejection of Jesus in his own hometown hints at the greater rejection of him by Israel (Acts 13:46).

Tom Purcell comments that Jesus challenges His listeners then, and now, to look beyond their (and our) own preconceived ideas about salvation and charity and to see with open eyes and hearts and minds our fellow pilgrims in this life.

What would Jesus say and do?  Are we strong enough to answer that question truthfully and to follow His example?  Can we resist the cacophony of culture to be focused on ourselves instead of reaching out to others?  Can we follow the examples of Elijah and Elisha and bring solace to those outside our own circles and countries?  Can we see ourselves as part of a community that is more than our family and clan and tribe? Can we forgive the debts of others and share our surplus with those in need regardless of who they are and where they live?
And so my prayer today is for the gift of simple sight – the sight of a trusting child, that is not clouded by prejudices and uncertainties and biases, but pure in seeing the divine spark that resides in each of us as a gift from our Creator.

Christopher McCauley of Stillpoint: The Center for Christian Spirituality, and Daniel P. Horan discuss the Spiritual Life and Work of Francis of Assisi and Thomas Merton and the “divine spark” in Franciscan Theology and in the True Self of Thomas Merton. (About half way through the interview).

Don Schwager quotes Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) “By reading Isaiah, Jesus shows he is God and Man”.

"Now it was necessary that he should manifest himself to the Israelites and that the mystery of his incarnation should now shine forth to those who did not know him. Now that God the Father had anointed him to save the world, he very wisely orders this also [that his fame should now spread widely]. This favor he grants first to the people of Nazareth, because, humanly speaking, he had grown up among them. Having entered the synagogue, therefore, he takes the book to read. Having opened it, he selects a passage in the Prophets which declares the mystery concerning him. By these words he himself tells us very clearly by the voice of the prophet that he would both be made man and come to save the world. For we affirm that the Son was anointed in no other way than by having become like us according to the flesh and taking our nature. Being at once God and man, he both gives the Spirit to the creation in his divine nature and receives it from God the Father in his human nature. It is he who sanctifies the whole creation, both by shining forth from the Holy Father and by bestowing the Spirit. He himself pours forth his own Spirit on the powers above and on those who recognized his appearing. (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 12)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 shares that  God is pleased when we use our gifts to build his Church, but that doesn’t mean he loves us any more than before. Intelligence, strength, and other abilities are simply attributes God expects us to develop and put to good use.

St. Paul makes this point in today’s first reading. Pointing to his own story, he tells the Corinthians that he came to them aware of his weaknesses so that the “power of God” might be revealed (1 Corinthians 2:5). Now, Paul had many gifts: he himself was strong, intelligent, persuasive, and steadfast. But he also had his fair share of negative qualities. He had a short temper, he sometimes didn’t get along with the other disciples, and his zeal for the gospel could sometimes get the better of him. But despite his weaknesses—and despite his strengths—what really mattered when he came to Corinth was his reliance on the “power of God,” on the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:5).

A Post by Franciscan Media about Saint Gregory the Great, Saint of the Day for September 3, notes that  Gregory’s description of bishops as physicians fits in well with Pope Francis’ description of the Church as a “field hospital.”

Gregory was direct and firm. He removed unworthy priests from office, forbade taking money for many services, emptied the papal treasury to ransom prisoners of the Lombards and to care for persecuted Jews and the victims of plague and famine. He was very concerned about the conversion of England, sending 40 monks from his own monastery. He is known for his reform of the liturgy, and for strengthening respect for doctrine.

Friar Jude Winkler notes the fear and tremulation of Paul as he spoke the wisdom of the Cross to the Corinthians instead of Stoic philosophy as in Athens. Jesus is the Jubilee. Citing Elijah and Elisha shows Jesus is already reaching for the pagans, the audience for Luke’s Gospel.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, observes that values like nonparticipation in war, simple living, inclusivity, and love of enemies could be more easily understood when Christians were gathering secretly in the catacombs, when their faith was untouched by empire, rationalization, and compromise.

The failing Roman Empire needed an emperor, and Jesus was used to fill the power gap. In effect, we Christians took Jesus out of the Trinity and made him into God on a throne. An imperial system needs law and order and clear belonging systems more than it wants mercy, meekness, or transformation. Much of Jesus’ teaching about simple living, nonviolence, inclusivity, and love of enemies became incomprehensible. Relationship—the shape of God as Trinity—was no longer as important. Christianity’s view of God changed: the Father became angry and distant, Jesus was reduced to an organizing principle, and for all practical and dynamic purposes, the Holy Spirit was forgotten.

The expectations we hold for religion and our relationship with God are shaped by our understanding of historical events and our experience with people in positions of power in our Church structures. Our true experience of fullness of life is in living in relationship with Jesus.

References


(n.d.). 1 Corinthians 2:9. Retrieved September 3, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/1corinthians2.htm
(n.d.). Luke chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 3, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/4:85
(n.d.). Online Ministries Home Page - Creighton University. Retrieved September 3, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/preparing.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 3, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
(n.d.). 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved September 3, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Saint Gregory the Great – Franciscan Media. Retrieved September 3, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-gregory-the-great/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 3, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/