The Word of Service

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine our motives for service as we seek to be open to accepting the Way offered to us in Christ.

Word and Service

The reading from the First Letter of Peter instructs us to revere the good news.

* [1:19] Christians have received the redemption prophesied by Isaiah (Is 52:3), through the blood (Jewish symbol of life) of the spotless lamb (Is 53:7, 10; Jn 1:29; Rom 3:24–25; cf. 1 Cor 6:20).

* [1:22–25] The new birth of Christians (1 Pt 1:23) derives from Christ, the imperishable seed or sowing that produces a new and lasting existence in those who accept the gospel (1 Pt 1:24–25), with the consequent duty of loving one another (1 Pt 1:22).

* [1:23] The living and abiding word of God: or, “the word of the living and abiding God.” (1 Peter, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Psalm 147 praises 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. (Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus foretells His Death and Resurrection, a Third Time, and handles the request of James and John.

* [10:38–40] Can you drink the cup…I am baptized?: the metaphor of drinking the cup is used in the Old Testament to refer to acceptance of the destiny assigned by God; see note on Ps 11:6. In Jesus’ case, this involves divine judgment on sin that Jesus the innocent one is to expiate on behalf of the guilty (Mk 14:24; Is 53:5). His baptism is to be his crucifixion and death for the salvation of the human race; cf. Lk 12:50. The request of James and John for a share in the glory (Mk 10:35–37) must of necessity involve a share in Jesus’ sufferings, the endurance of tribulation and suffering for the gospel (Mk 10:39). The authority of assigning places of honor in the kingdom is reserved to God (Mk 10:40).

* [10:42–45] Whatever authority is to be exercised by the disciples must, like that of Jesus, be rendered as service to others (Mk 10:45) rather than for personal aggrandizement (Mk 10:42–44). The service of Jesus is his passion and death for the sins of the human race (Mk 10:45); cf. Mk 14:24; Is 53:11–12; Mt 26:28; Lk 22:19–20. (Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cindy Costanzo comments that in Jesus’s message to his Apostles, he is loving, patient, kind and so understanding. He understands how our ego can get in the way of everything. Work-sports-family-service-religion-spirituality.

 

These Gospel readings provide an opportunity to reflect on the meanings of "faithful service". A devoted and helpful follower; to be humble before God; to be ready to act when God nudges or provides inspiration; to help meet the needs of others; to remember it is not about money or rewards or ego; to generously offer skills and strengths to those who need help without exception and without prejudices.  These meanings evoke many memories of kind and selfless acts of service I have observed for the past days, weeks and months. (Costanzo, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The way to glory and honor,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Ponder how profound this is. They were conferring with him about glory. He intended to precede loftiness with humility and, only through humility, to ready the way for loftiness itself. For, of course, even those disciples who wanted to sit, the one on his right, the other on his left, were looking to glory (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-40). They were on the lookout, but did not see by what way. In order that they might come to their homeland in due order, the Lord called them back to the narrow way. For the homeland is on high and the way to it is lowly. The homeland is life in Christ; the way is dying with Christ (Matthew 6:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17-33). The way is suffering with Christ; the goal is abiding with him eternally. Why do you seek the homeland if you are not seeking the way to it?" (excerpt from TRACTATE ON JOHN 28.5.2.13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25 comments that whatever our challenges, remember that “your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:21). Jesus has offered his very life, his own blood “as of a spotless unblemished Lamb,” to set you free (1:19). It’s this life—pure, divine, freely given—that has broken the power of sin and death. The forces that held you captive have been defeated.

Whenever you find yourself indulging in “futile conduct,” turn to the Lord. Believe in the objective truth: Jesus has ransomed you. Get a friend or spiritual mentor to pray with you. They can help support you in faith. Receive God’s forgiveness and grace in prayer and in Confession. That’s where you’ll find God’s strength to keep going, even in the face of sins that seem hard to overcome. With each act of faith in Jesus’ work on your behalf, you are taking another step down the road toward the freedom that Jesus has won for you.

“Jesus, thank you for ransoming me! Help me to walk in freedom.” (Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Peter asserts that the work of Jesus to bring us back from the sinful world is intended for all eternity. The response of James and John, and perhaps the other apostles, to Jesus' coming Passion is focused on “What’s in it for us?”  Friar Jude reminds us that the promise of the Cross is that we take up the true leadership of service of our entire life.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Advocate Carl Siciliano who recounts how relationship with his LGBTQ community has often placed him at odds with what Christian churches have taught.

Thomas Merton wrote of an “eternal conflict” [1] within Christianity—a conflict between those who become self-righteous and judgmental of the sins of others and those who learn to humbly accept their essential unity with their fellow humans. I hope the Church will come to such humility and repent of the terrible harm it has done to queer people, especially queer children. I don’t know if I will live to see that. All I know is I cannot imagine how the harmful elements of the Church can be healed if I cannot uproot the rage and division in my own heart. I’m tired of being angry. 

We are reminded today that we need to contemplate with the help of the Spirit, the Way of kindness and compassion we must take to truly bring Christ into the conflicts of our journey. 

References

Costanzo, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052924.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/10?32 

Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/05/29/980808/ 

1 Peter, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1? 

Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/147?12 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=may29 

Disposed to Know God

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to examine the motives and desires we bring to our piety, study and action.

Humility and Charity

The reading from the Prophet Hosea is a call to repentance that counters the impenitence of Israel and Judah.

* [6:2] After two days; on the third day: presumptuous Israel expects that soon God will renew them (cf. Ez 37).

* [6:5] The word of God proclaimed by the prophets is effective, it accomplished what it promised: punishment. (Hosea, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)

Psalm 51 is a prayer for cleansing and pardon.

* [Psalm 51] A lament, the most famous of the seven Penitential Psalms, prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought. The poem has two parts of approximately equal length: Ps 51:3–10 and Ps 51:11–19, and a conclusion in Ps 51:20–21. 

* [51:18] For you do not desire sacrifice: the mere offering of the ritual sacrifice apart from good dispositions is not acceptable to God, cf. Ps 50.

* [51:20–21] Most scholars think that these verses were added to the Psalm some time after the destruction of the Temple in 587 B.C. The verses assume that the rebuilt Temple will be an ideal site for national reconciliation. (Psalms, PSALM 51, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector.

* [18:1–14] The particularly Lucan material in the travel narrative concludes with two parables on prayer. The first (Lk 18:1–8) teaches the disciples the need of persistent prayer so that they not fall victims to apostasy (Lk 18:8). The second (Lk 18:9–14) condemns the self-righteous, critical attitude of the Pharisee and teaches that the fundamental attitude of the Christian disciple must be the recognition of sinfulness and complete dependence on God’s graciousness. The second parable recalls the story of the pardoning of the sinful woman (Lk 7:36–50) where a similar contrast is presented between the critical attitude of the Pharisee Simon and the love shown by the pardoned sinner. (Luke, CHAPTER 18, n.d.)

Tom Purcell comments that ultimately, sacrifices and self-denial are good, not in themselves, but as a vehicle for fully appreciating the incredible gift we have received from our Creator to enjoy this physical life.  Our spiritual nature is the immortal in each of us, and when our physical life in this world ends, that spirit passes on to the next phase of our existence.  Thoughtful self-denial reminds us that we shouldn’t be attached to the good things in our current physical existence because that attachment can distract us from why God gave us this opportunity.

My prayer today is for the grace to repent for the times when I have dis-connected my actions from God’s calling to be authentic to my true self, and to guard against smug rationalizations and feelings of entitlement. (Purcell, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “God's mercy is our only hope,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Driven out of paradise by You and exiled in a distant land, I cannot return by myself unless You, O Lord, come to meet me in my wandering. My return is based on hope in your mercy during all of my earthly life. My only hope, the only source of confidence, and the only solid promise is your mercy." (excerpt from Commentary on Psalm 24,5) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Hosea 6:1-6 comments that the prophet Hosea highlights two important desires that God has for us whenever we pray, fast, or give alms. First, “It is love that I desire” (Hosea 6:6). Second, “I desire . . . knowledge of God” (Hosea 6:6).

How does the rest of Lent look for you? Do you need to make any adjustments? Just like those cyclists in the Tour de France, it’s okay if you need to make a course correction. Just keep your goal in mind: to know and love the Lord better!

“Here I am, Father! Open my eyes and open my heart even more today.” (Meditation on Hosea 6:1-6, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the call of Hosea for Israel to return to the Lord that resonates with the Jewish idea of prayer for two days that results in deliverance on the third. Rain and dew illustrate the generosity of the Love of God and our sometimes fleeting response. Friar Jude notes that the publican tax collector receives the gift of the Grace to go forward.

James Finley invites us to join with the CAC community in a guided prayer experience. This brief practice of stillness, breath, and surrender to God’s unconditional love returns us to a deeper knowing of who we are in God and who God is in and with us.

I Love You Prayer | 5-Minute Meditation with James Finley (Finley, 2023)

We experience the nudges of the Spirit to live with the charity and humility that opens us to deep interaction with God and others.

References

Finley, J. (2023, March 18). Teresa of Ávila: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/teresa-of-avila-weekly-summary-2023-03-18/ 

Hosea, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hosea/6?1 

Luke, CHAPTER 18. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/18?9 

Meditation on Hosea 6:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/03/18/633294/ 

Psalms, PSALM 51. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/51?3 

Purcell, T. (2023, March 18). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/031823.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). God, Be Merciful to Me a Sinner! Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=mar18