Judgement and Guides

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to give thanks for our relationship with Christ and reflection on the distractions and self instruction that may be leading us away from His Guidance.

Impact on Judgement

The reading from Second Thessalonians expresses Thanksgiving and alludes to the Judgement at Christ’s Coming.

* [1:1–2] On the address, see note on Rom 1:1–7 and cf. 1 Thes 1:1.

* [1:3–12] On the thanksgiving, see note on Rom 1:8 and cf. 1 Thes 1:2–10. Paul’s gratitude to God for the faith and love of the Thessalonians (2 Thes 1:3) and his Christian pride in their faithful endurance (2 Thes 1:4–5) contrast with the condemnation announced for those who afflict them, a judgment to be carried out at the parousia (2 Thes 1:6–10), which is described in vivid language drawn from Old Testament apocalyptic. A prayer for the fulfillment of God’s purpose in the Thessalonians (2 Thes 1:11–12) completes the section, as is customary in a Pauline letter (cf. 1 Thes 1:2–3).

* [1:10] Among his holy ones: in the Old Testament, this term can refer to an angelic throng (cf. also Jude 14), but here, in parallel with among all who have believed, it can refer to the triumphant people of God.

* [1:12] The grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ: the Greek can also be translated, “the grace of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 96 offers praise to God Who Comes in Judgement.

* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33. (Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus calls out the Blind Guides

* [23:13–36] This series of seven “woes,” directed against the scribes and Pharisees and addressed to them, is the heart of the speech. The phrase woe to occurs often in the prophetic and apocalyptic literature, expressing horror of a sin and punishment for those who commit it. Hypocrites: see note on Mt 6:2. The hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees consists in the difference between their speech and action (Mt 23:3) and in demonstrations of piety that have no other purpose than to enhance their reputation as religious persons (Mt 23:5).

* [23:13] You lock the kingdom of heaven: cf. Mt 16:19 where Jesus tells Peter that he will give him the keys to the kingdom of heaven. The purpose of the authority expressed by that metaphor is to give entrance into the kingdom (the kingdom is closed only to those who reject the authority); here the charge is made that the authority of the scribes and Pharisees is exercised in such a way as to be an obstacle to entrance. Cf. Lk 11:52 where the accusation against the “scholars of the law” (Matthew’s scribes) is that they “have taken away the key of knowledge.”

* [23:14] Some manuscripts add a verse here or after Mt 23:12, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. Because of this, you will receive a very severe condemnation.” Cf. Mk 12:40; Lk 20:47. This “woe” is almost identical with Mk 12:40 and seems to be an interpolation derived from that text.

* [23:15] In the first century A.D. until the First Jewish Revolt against Rome (A.D. 66–70), many Pharisees conducted a vigorous missionary campaign among Gentiles. Convert: literally, “proselyte,” a Gentile who accepted Judaism fully by submitting to circumcision and all other requirements of Mosaic law. Child of Gehenna: worthy of everlasting punishment; for Gehenna, see note on Mt 5:22. Twice as much as yourselves: possibly this refers simply to the zeal of the convert, surpassing that of the one who converted him.

* [23:16–22] An attack on the casuistry that declared some oaths binding (one is obligated) and others not (it means nothing) and held the binding oath to be the one made by something of lesser value (the gold; the gift on the altar). Such teaching, which inverts the order of values, reveals the teachers to be blind guides; cf. Mt 15:14. Since the Matthean Jesus forbids all oaths to his disciples (Mt 5:33–37), this woe does not set up a standard for Christian moral conduct, but ridicules the Pharisees on their own terms. (Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB, n.d.)

Michael Kavan asks himself – Like the scribes and Pharisees, “have I set up impediments in my life that keep me from accepting Jesus as the Christ and from entering the Kingdom of heaven?”

Is it arrogancy, hypocrisy, showmanship, or flat out not abiding by my sacramental oath to love God and to do so with all my heart. I pray that through humility and reflection that I may better understand my faults and better prepare to honor God in the manner that Jesus taught us. (Kavan, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Shutting the Kingdom of Heaven,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)

"There are those who dare to say that God is not good because of the curses in his law that he places against their sin. And yet the one who is truly the Son of God who gave that same law is also the same one who put blessings into the law. The same God who provides blessings for those who are saved in a similar way applies curses which he placed in the law against sinners. 'Woe,' he says. Woe to you and to those hearing these things who plead the God of the law and yet do not understand that these words were spoken by God in a kindly way. So we understand why Jesus said, 'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees.' They believe that it is in fact a good thing to pronounce these curses against sinners. They consider the arrangement of the law's curses to be a part of God's design. The chiding father frequently urges his advice on his son for his improvement - advice that may seem to be a curse. He does not wish the curses to be actualized, however, but rather he desires to avert him from even more such curses." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 23:13-22 comments that one way we can “lock” ourselves out of God’s kingdom is to get so caught up in worldly pleasures and concerns that this world becomes the kingdom we inhabit most of the time. That could lead us to neglect our daily time with the Lord or even to skip Mass at times. As a result, we end up missing the opportunity to receive the mercy, grace, and nourishment that we need to live as citizens of heaven.

Many of the Pharisees and scribes missed out on the invitation that Jesus was offering them to enter into the new kingdom he was inaugurating. But you don’t have to. Every day you face the choice of whether you will embrace God’s kingdom and its values. Let’s make sure we “unlock” any doors of our hearts that we may have closed and say yes to the Lord!

“Lord, I want to live in your heavenly kingdom, now and forever.” (Meditation on Matthew 23:13-22, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the thoughts on the end of the world in 2 Thessalonians suggest an author other than Paul. The theme that the Church is doing very well underlines our responsibility to see the good in each other and praise them for it. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees is based on the legalism and scrupulosity in their interpretations of the Law.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes his own life’s journey from Order, through Disorder, to Reorder. He describes his experience of Reorder.

As time passed, I became simultaneously very traditional and very progressive, and I have probably continued to be so to this day. I found a much larger and even happier garden (note the new garden described at the end of the Bible in Revelation 22:1–2). I fully believe in Adam and Eve now, but on about ten more levels. (Literalism is usually the lowest and least level of meaning.) I no longer fit in with either staunch liberals or strict conservatives. This was my first strong introduction to paradox, and it honed my ability to hold two seemingly opposite positions at the same time. It took most of midlife to figure out what had happened—and how and why it had to happen. (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit to illuminate for us the attitudes and practices in our lives that are driven by our desires and rules rather than the Way that Jesus invites us to follow.

References

Kavan, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082624.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/23?13 

Meditation on Matthew 23:13-22. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/08/26/1060846/ 

Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/growing-in-faith/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=aug26 

2 Thessalonians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2thessalonians/1? 

Conversion and Signs

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the events of our life that resonate with the experience of Paul on the road to Damascus.

Our Road to Damascus

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Paul Tells of His Conversion.

* [22:1–21] Paul’s first defense speech is presented to the Jerusalem crowds. Luke here presents Paul as a devout Jew (Acts 22:3) and zealous persecutor of the Christian community (Acts 22:4–5), and then recounts the conversion of Paul for the second time in Acts (see note on Acts 9:1–19).

* [22:15] His witness: like the Galilean followers during the historical ministry of Jesus, Paul too, through his experience of the risen Christ, is to be a witness to the resurrection (compare Acts 1:8; 10:39–41; Lk 24:48). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 22, n.d.)

The alternate reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the Conversion of Saul and Saul preaches in Damascus.

* [9:1–19] This is the first of three accounts of Paul’s conversion (with Acts 22:3–16 and Acts 26:2–18) with some differences of detail owing to Luke’s use of different sources. Paul’s experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1 Cor 15:8. The words of Jesus, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 12:27). That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. This first account occurs when the word is first spread to the Gentiles. At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. The emphasis in the account is on Paul as a divinely chosen instrument (Acts 9:15).

* [9:2] The Way: a name used by the early Christian community for itself (Acts 18:26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). The Essene community at Qumran used the same designation to describe its mode of life.

* [9:8] He could see nothing: a temporary blindness (Acts 9:18) symbolizing the religious blindness of Saul as persecutor (cf. Acts 26:18).

* [9:13] Your holy ones: literally, “your saints.” (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 117 is a  Universal Call to Worship.

* [Psalm 117] This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God’s supremacy. The supremacy of Israel’s God has been demonstrated to them by the people’s secure existence, which is owed entirely to God’s gracious fidelity. (Psalms, PSALM 117, n.d.)

The Gospel of Mark, describes the Commissioning of the Eleven.

* [16:9–20] This passage, termed the Longer Ending to the Marcan gospel by comparison with a much briefer conclusion found in some less important manuscripts, has traditionally been accepted as a canonical part of the gospel and was defined as such by the Council of Trent. Early citations of it by the Fathers indicate that it was composed by the second century, although vocabulary and style indicate that it was written by someone other than Mark. It is a general resume of the material concerning the appearances of the risen Jesus, reflecting, in particular, traditions found in Lk 24 and Jn 20. (Mark, CHAPTER 16, n.d.)

Barbara Dilly, reading about the amazing work of the churches established by Paul in the New Testament asks “What about each of us here and now?”

I think especially during these dark days of confused messages among even church leaders, we need to step up on behalf of those who are persecuted for the sake of strict interpretations of ancestral law and bring the voice of Jesus to light. If we are listening, we will hear the call. It is my prayer that we will all answer, “Here I am, Lord.” (Dilly, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “Our witness is trustworthy if we live accordingly,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"For [Paul] truly became a witness to [Jesus], and a witness as one should be, both by what he did and by what he said. We too must be such witnesses and not betray what we have been entrusted. I speak not only of doctrines, but also of our way of life. Look, what he knew, what he heard, he bore witness to this before all, and nothing hindered him. We too have heard that there is a resurrection and ten thousand good things; therefore, we ought to bear witness to this before all. 'We do in fact bear witness,' you say, 'and believe.' How, since we do the opposite? Tell me, if someone should say he was a Christian but should then apostatize and act like a Jew, would his testimony be sufficient? No, not at all; for people would look for testimony through his actions. Likewise, if we say that there is a resurrection and ten thousand good things but then look down upon them and prefer the things here, who will believe us? For all people pay attention not to what we say but to what we do. 'You will be a witness,' [Christ] says, 'to all' (Acts 1:8). That is, not only to the friends, but also to the unbelievers. For this is what witnesses are for: they persuade not those who know but those who do not. Let us become trustworthy witnesses. How will we become trustworthy? By the life we lead." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 47) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 22:3-16 comments that as we share our own story of God’s work in our life, we should follow Paul’s example and consider who is listening to us. Ask the Holy Spirit to show us what they need to hear.

Every day you will encounter many different situations and different people. That means you will have multiple opportunities to speak about the Lord! So today on the feast of his conversion, allow St. Paul, the master evangelist, to teach you how to share the good news of Jesus with everyone you meet.

“Lord, give me St. Paul’s wisdom to speak about your work in my life to anyone who will listen.” (Meditation on Acts 22:3-16, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the three accounts of the conversion of Paul in Acts. The legal authority of Paul expressed by Luke may be an effort to show Christians as observers of the Law. When Christians suffer, Jesus suffers with them. Friar Jude notes that the longer ending of Mark is likely written by a scribe who may be noting the healing of Paul from a snake bite.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, expands on order-disorder-reorder as the pattern of resilience and faith.

The unitive way—or what I am calling Reorder—is utterly mysterious and unknown to people in the first Order stage, and still rather scary and threatening to people in the second Disorder stage. If we are not trained in a trust of mystery and some degree of tolerance for ambiguity and suffering, we will not proceed very far on the spiritual journey. In fact, we will often run back to Order when the going gets rough in Disorder.

Thus the biblical tradition, and Jesus in particular, praises faith more than love. Why? Because faith is that patience with mystery that allows us to negotiate the stages. As Gerald May (1940–2005) pointed out in The Dark Night of the Soul, it allows God to lead us through darkness—where God knows and we don’t. This is the only way to come to love! Love is the true goal, but faith is the process of getting there, and hope is the willingness to live without resolution or closure. They are indeed “the three things that last” (1 Corinthians 13:13). (Rohr, 2024)

We consider our journey with Jesus and those events that may have been part of our road to Damascus and our commission to be witnesses to the fullness of life in Christ.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 22. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/22?3 

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/9 

Dilly, B. (2024, January 25). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/012524.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 16. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/16?15 

Meditation on Acts 22:3-16. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/25/882338/ 

Psalms, PSALM 117. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/117?1 

Rohr, R. (2024, January 25). The Unitive Way — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-unitive-way/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 25, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan25a