Kings and Sinners

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek the guidance of the Spirit to seek and choose leaders who are shepherds who smell like their sheep.

Our choice of leaders

In the reading from the First Book of Samuel, Saul is chosen to be King.

* [10:1] The sign: the role of the new ruler is confirmed by specific signs; cf. Ex 7:9. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)

Psalm 21 is a thanksgiving for Victory.

* [Psalm 21] The first part of this royal Psalm is a thanksgiving (Ps 21:2–8), and the second is a promise that the king will triumph over his enemies (Ps 21:9–13). The king’s confident prayer (Ps 21:3–5) and trust in God (Ps 21:8) enable him to receive the divine gifts of vitality, peace, and military success. Ps 21:14 reprises Ps 21:2. When kings ceased in Israel after the sixth century B.C, the Psalm was sung of a future Davidic king. (Psalms, PSALM 21 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus calls Levi.

* [2:14] As he passed by: see note on Mk 1:16–20. Levi, son of Alphaeus: see note on Mt 9:9. Customs post: such tax collectors paid a fixed sum for the right to collect customs duties within their districts. Since whatever they could collect above this amount constituted their profit, the abuse of extortion was widespread among them. Hence, Jewish customs officials were regarded as sinners (Mk 2:16), outcasts of society, and disgraced along with their families. He got up and followed him: i.e., became a disciple of Jesus.

* [2:15] In his house: cf. Mk 2:1; Mt 9:10. Lk 5:29 clearly calls it Levi’s house.

* [2:16–17] This and the following conflict stories reflect a similar pattern: a statement of fact, a question of protest, and a reply by Jesus.

* [2:17] Do not need a physician: this maxim of Jesus with its implied irony was uttered to silence his adversaries who objected that he ate with tax collectors and sinners (Mk 2:16). Because the scribes and Pharisees were self-righteous, they were not capable of responding to Jesus’ call to repentance and faith in the gospel. (Mark, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)

Jay Carney comments that we are only in the second chapter of Mark, and already Jesus’s Reign of God is flipping the religious status quo on its head.

Today’s readings remind us that appearances can be deceiving. For all of his physical prowess and good looks, King Saul ends up as a tragic, broken, jealous man, abandoned by YHWH and Samuel alike. In contrast, the social outcasts of first-century Galilee end up sharing a table banquet with the true Messiah. Such are the reversals of the Reign of God.

What “reign of God reversal” is God calling you to notice today? (Carney, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “No physician can avoid the arena of sickness,” by Gregory of Nazianzus (330 - 390 AD).

"When Jesus is attacked for mixing with sinners, and taking as his disciple a despised tax collector, one might ask: What could he possibly gain by doing so? (Luke 15:2) Only the salvation of sinners. To blame Jesus for mingling with sinners would be like blaming a physician for stooping down over suffering and putting up with vile smells in order to heal the sick." (excerpt from ORATION 45, ON HOLY EASTER 26) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us  Meditation on 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 comments that there are times when, like Saul, we may feel as if our circumstances have us wandering aimlessly.

Remember, the Lord goes before you. He is the One who sees your winding road. At every step, he is ready to help you, guide you, and bring you closer to him. He knows you best and loves you the most.

“Lord God, thank you that you know me and have a plan for my life. Help me to trust that you’re with me on my winding path.” (Meditation on 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that when Saul can’t find the donkeys, he goes to the seer and is anointed and chosen charismatically as the first King of Israel. Jesus shares table hospitality with people the Pharisees considered contagious with sin. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus interacted with sinners as people who were sick and required healing of body and spirit.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Buddhist teacher Oren Jay Sofer who considers how we engage with the world’s suffering. Sofer recommends beginning with the grounding practice of attention.

Contemplative practice is one powerful way to reclaim attention. Rest your attention with an anchor, a home base for meditation such as the breath, a sensation, an image, a sound, or a mantra. An anchor is a primary meditation object to help steady your attention and limit mind-wandering, like an anchor for a ship.… This mental action—recognizing that attention has wandered and then consciously redirecting it—strengthens your capacity to pay attention and develops a host of other skillful qualities, including patience, kindness, and concentration.…

The more you cultivate this quality of attention, the more you build inner resources. I am not encouraging you to avoid the painful realities of life and look only at what’s uplifting. The idea here is to strengthen your capacity to choose what you attend to. Then—when you turn to face pain, distress, and hardship—instead of feeling helpless or demoralized, you will have more energy, confidence, and clarity to meet the challenge. (Rohr, 2024)

We are sometimes very disappointed by the failure of those we choose to lead us to live up to the piety, study, and action that the Spirit inspires in the followers of Jesus.

References

Carney, J. (2024, January 13). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/011324.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/2?13 

Meditation on 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/13/874221/ 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/10 

Psalms, PSALM 21 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/21 

Rohr, R. (2024, January 13). Engaging with a World on Fire: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/engaging-with-a-world-on-fire-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Many Sinners Were Sitting with Jesus. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan13 

Attention and Deeds

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to raise our attention to the Way of love and peace that so needs to be practiced in our environment.

Attention to Our Way

The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is an exhortation to the Exiles.

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. (Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus addresses our inattention.

* [11:16–19] See Lk 7:31–35. The meaning of the parable (Mt 11:16–17) and its explanation (Mt 11:18–19b) is much disputed. A plausible view is that the children of the parable are two groups, one of which proposes different entertainments to the other that will not agree with either proposal. The first represents John, Jesus, and their disciples; the second those who reject John for his asceticism and Jesus for his table association with those despised by the religiously observant. Mt 11:19c (her works) forms an inclusion with Mt 11:2 (“the works of the Messiah”). The original form of the saying is better preserved in Lk 7:35 “…wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” There John and Jesus are the children of Wisdom; here the works of Jesus the Messiah are those of divine Wisdom, of which he is the embodiment. Some important textual witnesses, however, have essentially the same reading as in Luke. (Matthew, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Michael Kavan reminds ourselves of the importance of taking time to pause from our hectic holiday routines. Set aside time now and then to listen for and to God’s words. And rather than finding reasons to reject His message as the people did with John and the Son of Man, let us reflect on how we can best convert His words into works during the holiday season and, to do so based on what Jesus taught us to do and modeled for us.

As we remember from John 13 – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” And this holds true whether the other be a tax collector, a sinner, someone with a different lifestyle, or someone with divergent religious or political beliefs – be it Jew or Palestinian. These are times filled with misunderstandings and conflicts. It is so important for us to focus on listening to others and to the Word of God, and then acting on what Jesus taught us. Let us be understanding, empathic, and peace loving in all we do. Let us work with, and not against, others to create a better community, nation, and world – for it will be through these works that we will be vindicated. (Kavan, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “The river of forgiveness washes us clean,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"This water is good, then. I mean here the grace of the Spirit. Who will give this Fountain to my heart? Let it spring up in me, let that which gives eternal life flow on me. Let that Fountain overflow on us and not flow away. For Wisdom says, 'Drink water out of your own vessels and from the fountains of your own wells, and let [not] your waters flow abroad in your streets' (Proverbs 5:15-16). How shall I keep this water so that it does not seep out or glide away? How shall I preserve my vessel, lest any crack of sin penetrating it should let the water of eternal life exude? Teach us, Lord Jesus, teach us as you taught your apostles, saying, 'Lay not up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where rust and moth destroy and where thieves break through and steal (Matthew 6:19)...

"If you seek Jesus, forsake the broken cisterns, for Christ did not make it his custom to sit by a pool but by a well. There that Samaritan woman (John 4:6) found him, she who believed, she who wished to draw water. Although you ought to have come in early morning, nevertheless if you come later, even at the sixth hour, you will find Jesus wearied with his journey. He is weary, but it is because of you, because he has long looked for you, your unbelief has long wearied him. Yet he is not offended if you only come now. He asks to drink who is about to give. But he drinks not the water of a stream flowing by, but your salvation. He drinks your good dispositions. He drinks the cup, that is, the passion that atoned for your sins, that you, drinking of his sacred blood, might quench the thirst of this world." (excerpt from ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 1.16.182-84) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 11:16-19 asks what was Jesus’ answer to such a negative outlook? His “works” (Matthew 11:19).

This is what Advent calls us to do: remove the sunglasses of our negativity and look for the beautiful, positive evidence that Jesus, our Redeemer, has come into this world to save us. Just as light dispels darkness, the wisdom of God’s love can lift the clouds of cynicism or pessimism from our eyes.

The signs are all around you. They’re even within your own heart! Today, ask the Holy Spirit to help you see them, embrace the wisdom and hope they bring, and let them move you to rejoice.

“Come, Holy Spirit! Help me see your good works more clearly today.” (Meditation on Matthew 11:16-19, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes how God speaks to Israel as the goel, who teaches them what is good. The Exiles hunger for the commandments of the Lord to bring them peace and prosperity. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel, calls us to surrender to God who reveals God’s Self to us by taking us by surprise.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, finds a hopeful vision for universal restoration in the Scriptures. 

Many do not feel a need for creation to have any form, direction, or purpose. After all, many scientists do not seem to ask such ultimate questions. Evolutionists observe the evidence and the data and say the universe is clearly unfolding and still expanding at ever faster rates, although they do not know the final goal of this expansion. But Christians should believe that the overarching vision does have a shape and meaning—which is revealed from its inception as “good, good, good, good, good” and even “very good” (Genesis 1:10–31). The biblical symbol of the Universal and Eternal Christ, standing at both ends of cosmic time, was intended to assure us that the clear and full trajectory of the world we know is an unfolding of consciousness with “all creation groaning in this one great act of giving birth” (Romans 8:22). [1] (Rohr, 2023)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit to lift the negativity that may pervade our view of the world and reveal the Way we might respond to the call of love, compassion, and joy.

References

Kavan, M. (2023, December 15). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/121523.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?16 

Meditation on Matthew 11:16-19. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/12/15/848814/ 

Psalms, PSALM 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/1?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, December 15). Going Somewhere Good — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/going-somewhere-good/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=dec15