Joy and Fulfillment

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the joy and fulfillment that the Spirit invites us to experience in our acceptance of the Will of God.

Preparing to Celebrate

The Prophet Zephaniah proclaims a Song of Joy for Israel.

h. [3:14] Zec 9:9.

i. [3:17] Jl 2:27. (Zephaniah, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Song of Songs declares a Springtime Rhapsody.

* [2:8–13] In this sudden change of scene, the woman describes a rendezvous and pictures her lover hastening toward her dwelling until his voice is heard calling her to him.

* [2:9] Gazelle: a frequent motif in ancient poems from Mesopotamia.

* [2:14] The woman is addressed as though she were a dove in a mountain cleft out of sight and reach. (Song of Songs, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 33 praises the Greatness and Goodness of God.

* [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (Ps 33:1–3) to praise God, who by a mere word (Ps 33:4–5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (Ps 33:6–9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (Ps 33:10–11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (Ps 33:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 33 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Mary Visits Elizabeth

* [1:43] Even before his birth, Jesus is identified in Luke as the Lord.

* [1:45] Blessed are you who believed: Luke portrays Mary as a believer whose faith stands in contrast to the disbelief of Zechariah (Lk 1:20). Mary’s role as believer in the infancy narrative should be seen in connection with the explicit mention of her presence among “those who believed” after the resurrection at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:14). (Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

George Butterfield invites us to think of those things which bring us joy. For God, it’s us. And how does he rejoice? He sings joyfully.

The psalmist turns this around and exhorts us to “sing to him a new song, with shouts of gladness.” John the Baptist “leaped for joy” in his mother’s womb. Yes, we are a people of gratitude, gladness, and joy and this leads us to sing. Just never forget that someone else is singing joyfully over you. (Butterfield, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “John prophecies from the womb,” by Maximus of Turin (died between 408-423 AD).

"Not yet born, already John prophesies and, while still in the enclosure of his mother's womb, confesses the coming of Christ with movements of joy - since he could not do so with his voice. As Elizabeth says to holy Mary, 'As soon as you greeted me, the child in my womb exulted for joy.' John exults, then, before he is born. Before his eyes can see what the world looks like, he can recognize the Lord of the world with his spirit. In this regard, I think that the prophetic phrase is appropriate: 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you came forth from the womb I sanctified you' (Jeremiah 1:5). Thus we ought not to marvel that after Herod put him in prison, he continued to announce Christ to his disciples from his confinement, when even confined in the womb he preached the same Lord by his movements." (excerpt from SERMON 5.4) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:39-45 invites us to echo Elizabeth’s words and join her today in proclaiming, Blessed are you who believed.

Blessed are you, Mary, who believed with joy. Thank you, Mary, for showing us the way of faith! May we, too, say to the Lord, “May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Mary, pray that we all can rejoice when God’s will is being accomplished and his kingdom is being advanced.

“Blessed are you, Mary! Help me to believe the Lord and do his will today.” (Meditation on Luke 1:39-45, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the role of Nature in the Song of Songs and the Hebrew Testament symbol of love, the Dove. Zephaniah praises God, who comes to bring joy to daughter Israel. Friar Jude notes how John the Baptist in the womb is first to point to Jesus when Mary visits Elizabeth in Ein Karem and is proclaimed as blessed in her trust in God. 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces spiritual writer Christine Aroney-Sine, who offers a breathing prayer and practice. 

Breathe in the breath of God 

Breathe out your cares and concerns 

Breathe in the love of God 

Breathe out your doubts and despairs 

Breathe in the life of God 

Breathe out your fears and frustrations 

We sit quietly before the One who gives life and love to all creation 

We sit in awe of the One who formed us in our mother’s womb 

We sit at peace surrounded by the One who fills every fibre of our being 

Breathe in the breath of God 

Breath out your tensions and turmoil 

Breathe in the love of God 

Breathe out your haste and hurry 

Breathe in the life of God 

Breathe out your work and worry 

We sit quietly before the One who gives life and love to all creation 

We sit in awe of the One who formed us in our mothers’ wombs 

We sit at peace surrounded by the One who fills every fibre of our being (Rohr, n.d.)

We pause to reflect on the gifts from God that bring us joy and enable our action to fulfill our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader.

References

Butterfield, G. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/122124.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?39 

Meditation on Luke 1:39-45. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/12/21/1156488/ 

Psalms, PSALM 33 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/33?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Mutual Indwelling: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/mutual-indwelling-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Joyful Anticipation of the Messiah. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=dec21 

Song of Songs, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/songofsongs/2?8 

Zephaniah, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/zephaniah/3?14 

Ordinances Fulfilled

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate how we act in response to the gift from God of the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets in Christ.

Crossing over

 

In the reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses commands obedience.

 

* [1:1] The entire book of Deuteronomy is set “beyond the Jordan,” in the land of Moab (cf. v. 5; Nm 36:13), on the eve of the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan (Jos 3). The Arabah: the valley of the Jordan and the depression south of the Dead Sea.1

Psalm 147 is praise for God’s care for Jerusalem.

 

* [Psalm 147] The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1–6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water.2

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus speaks of fulfilling the Law and the Prophets in the Sermon on the Mount.

 * [5:17–20] This statement of Jesus’ position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew’s sermon documentation (see note on Mt 5:1–7:29), other Q material (cf. Mt 18; Lk 16:17), and the evangelist’s own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Mt 5:18). Yet the “passing away” of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The “turning of the ages” comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of “new heavens and a new earth” (Is 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus’ ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Mt 5:21–48) show.3

Larry Hopp comments that during this season of Lent, we need to consider our own individual commitment to knowing God’s Word and to living our lives to point others to Christ.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, I look to you to help me in my weakness.  Help me to remain committed to delving into your Holy Word each and every day.  Help me to stay focused upon cleansing my life and using it to point others to you.  Forgive me when I have so often neglected this reason for my existence. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.4

Don Schwager quotes “Making daily progress towards God,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

 

"As Christians, our task is to make daily progress toward God. Our pilgrimage on earth is a school in which God is the only teacher, and it demands good students, not ones who play truant. In this school we learn something every day. We learn something from the commandments, something from examples, and something from Sacraments. These things are remedies for our wounds and materials for our studies." (excerpt from Sermon 16A,1)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:17-19 can help us understand Jesus’ words today about his mission to fulfill the Law and not abolish it. Jesus was speaking primarily about a fulfillment that comes from the heart, not from reluctant but dutiful acts of sacrifice.

 In other words, loving Jesus and knowing Jesus will increase our desire to follow him and to make sacrifices for him. In the story above, Bill fasted from his lunch and spent time in prayer instead. And that act of sacrifice helped him love Jesus and want to continue this practice even when Lent was over. That’s sacrifice from the heart. Let Jesus do something similar for you this Lent. Yes, he loves to see you striving to stay faithful to your sacrifices. But even more, he wants to bless each step you take toward him so that you are doing them more and more out of love. “Lord, thank you for this season of Lent! Let me be moved by my love for you in what I do.”6

Friar Jude Winkler describes the great gift of ordinances that allowed the Israelites to become a community of the Law. In the very Jewish Gospel of Matthew, Jesus takes the role of the rabbi to interpret the Law. Friar Jude notes the demographic development of the Church after exclusion from the synagogue, favoured the interpretation of the Law taught by Paul.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, once shared a happy dinner with the beloved Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue (1956­–2008). When he passed away, Fr. Richard imagines he was immediately welcomed into the communion of saints, living in the “circle of eternity” he describes in this passage.

 

The Celtic Irish tradition recognizes that the eternal and the transient worlds are woven in and through each other. Very often at death, the inhabitants of the eternal world come out toward the visible world. . . . Your friends who now live in the eternal world come to meet you, to bring you home. Usually, for people who are dying to see their own friends gives them great strength, support, and encouragement. . . .7

Our pursuit of goodness, truth, and beauty in relationship with the Trinity is guided by the Law and enhanced by the spiritual traditions of our ancestors.

 

References

 

1	(n.d.). Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/1
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/147
3	(n.d.). Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online .... Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
6	(n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/03/10/181192/
7	(2021, March 10). The Circle of Eternity — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://cac.org/the-circle-of-eternity-2021-03-10/