Navigating a sea change

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate our reaction to change and our contribution to action to support desirable changes.

New wine

In the passage from the Book of Genesis, Rebekah organizes Jacob’s deception of Isaac to obtain the blessing normally extended to the first born.

 * [27:1–45] The chapter, a literary masterpiece, is the third and climatic wresting away of the blessing of Esau. Rebekah manages the entire affair, using perhaps her privileged information about Jacob’s status (25:23); Jacob’s only qualm is that if his father discovers the ruse, he will receive a curse instead of a blessing (vv. 11–12). Isaac is passive as he was in chaps. 22 and 24. The deception is effected through clothing (Jacob wears Esau’s clothing), which points ahead to a similar deception of a patriarch by means of clothing in the Joseph story (37:21–33). Such recurrent acts and scenes let the reader know a divine purpose is moving the story forward even though the human characters are unaware of it.1

Psalm 135 is an invitation to praise God.

* [Psalm 135] The hymn begins and ends with an invitation to praise God (Ps 135:1–3, 19–20) for the great act of choosing Israel (Ps 135:4).2 

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus introduces new ideas about the place of fasting.

* [9:15] Fasting is a sign of mourning and would be as inappropriate at this time of joy, when Jesus is proclaiming the kingdom, as it would be at a marriage feast. Yet the saying looks forward to the time when Jesus will no longer be with the disciples visibly, the time of Matthew’s church. Then they will fast: see Didache 8:1.3 

George Butterfield believes Jesus wants his followers to be united. (the reflection appears to connect with a different set of readings).

Don Schwager observes that just as there is a right place and a right time for fasting and for feasting, so there is a right place for the old as well as the new.

Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Matthew 13:52). How impoverished we would be if we only had the Old Testament or the New Testament books of the Bible, rather than both. The Lord gives us wisdom so we can make the best use of both the old and the new. He doesn't want us to hold rigidly to the past and to be resistant to the new work of his Holy Spirit in our lives. He wants our minds and hearts to be like new wineskins - open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit.4 

He also quotes “No need to fast in the presence of the Bridegroom,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"The Pharisees and John's disciples were fasting, and the apostles were not. But Jesus answered them in a spiritual way and indicated to John's disciples that he was a bridegroom. John taught that all hope in life lay in Christ. While he was still preaching, however, his disciples could not be received by the Lord. Up until the time of John, the law and the prophets prevailed, and unless the law came to an end, none of them would subscribe to faith in the gospel. The fact that he said there was no need for his disciples to fast as long as the bridegroom is with them illustrates the joy of his presence and the sacrament of the holy food, which no one need be without while he is present, that is, bearing Christ in the light of the mind. But once he is gone, Jesus says that they will fast, for all those who do not believe that Christ has risen will not have the food of life. By faith in the resurrection, the sacrament of the heavenly bread is received. Whoever is without Christ will be forsaken, fasting from the food of life." (excerpt from the commentary ON MATTHEW 9.3)4 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29 notes that, according to ancient tradition, Jacob saw his material possessions as a blessing from God. He realized over time that his greatest blessing was the family God had given him. It was not a perfect family, to be sure. It had its fair share of favoritism, resentment, and anger. But in the end, Jacob’s actions showed that those relationships, even if flawed, were more precious than any of the material possessions he had gained by deceiving his own father and brother.

 We can all relate to the kind of change of heart Jacob experienced. Haven’t we all learned, in one way or another, to value people more than things? Maybe in our later years, we realize that the things we sought after in our younger days aren’t as important as we thought. We discover that the “abundance” we once pursued, whether career, possessions, or wealth, doesn’t really have as much value as our closest relationships. And on top of that, we might begin to see how precious our relationship with Jesus is.5

Friar Jude Winkler explores the etymology of Jacob’s name as “one who grasps” or “the deceiver”. There are many purposes for fasting in Christian tradition. Friar Jude extends the Jewish sense of not mixing to our choice of behaviour when with others.

I am struck, unlike Friar Jude, with the connection of the two sayings at the end of the Gospel passage that advise caution when mixing old and new. The “new”, in my experience, “rocks the boat”. I have often sensed great opposition to change when I moved forward with ideas and actions that require a change of attitude or behaviour in the people that I have worked with in industry, education, and religious catechetics. The birthright passing to Jacob was a sea change from leadership by the force of might to the gentler means. Jesus assessment of the fasting ritual offered a challenge to two religious camps of His time. I remain stubborn that “rocking the boat” is a healthy and necessary precursor to finding a new and better stability on the journey.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares, in Franciscan theology, love comes before knowledge. We truly know only that which we love. When we stand back analyzing and coolly calculating, we will never really know anything at a deep level. It is only by stepping out and becoming vulnerable with someone that we come to know them. Love precedes understanding. Fr. Richard offers a contemplative discipline to help take that leap of faith in love that allows God to speak to you.

Prayer of the Heart is a contemplative practice that engages our openness to experiencing this leap of faith and love. The following is adapted from Teresa Blythe’s book 50 Ways to Pray. [1]
Begin in a seated position and take five relaxed breaths.Ask yourself, “What is my longing?” or “What is it that I seek from God?”Name the response that arises with a word or short phrase, for example: freedom, love, inner balance, healing, or joy.Consider your preferred name for the Divine: God, Jesus, Wisdom, Father, Mother, Mystery, Spirit.Combine your name for God with your longing; for example, “Freedom in Christ” or “Spirit of joy.”Repeat these words aloud or silently, perhaps in rhythm with your breath: “Freedom” on the in-breath, “in Christ” on the out-breath. Breathe naturally, without trying to control the body’s natural pace.After several minutes, stop the repetition and rest, abiding in contemplative silence.6 

The mixing of love and the disruption that comes with change is an ongoing challenge on our journey.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 27 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/27
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 135 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/135
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 9 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 6, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/07/06/
6	(n.d.). Prophets: Part One: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and .... Retrieved July 6, 2019, from https://cac.org/prophets-part-one-weekly-summary-2019-07-06/

Manifest our difficulty with change

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today contain messages that present us with tension between interpretations.

Interpret the scene

In the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul asserts the truth that the Lord will manifest our motives but it is not clear whether he is referring to now or at the end time.

The Gospel from Luke sets up our struggle with change and the natural tension we experience between the old and the new.

[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.

Steve Scholer asks Was Jesus really telling us that if we let our hearts grow old and hard we will be no longer willing or able as Christians to face new, difficult problems and issues?

This is the challenge we face. If we refuse to allow our hearts to be filled with new ways to love others, be it those who have slighted us or new ways to reach out to those living on the margins of society, our wineskins will surely grow old and hard. Should that happen, then most assuredly the day will come when our hearts harden and we are no longer able to accept the call to love those who don’t love back and to forgive those who won’t forgive us.

Don Schwager writes about the New "wine" of the Holy Spirit, through which, the Lord Jesus gives us wisdom so we can make the best use of both the old and the new.

He doesn't want us to hold rigidly to the past and to be resistant to the new action of his Holy Spirit in our lives. He wants our minds and hearts to be like the new wine skins - open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit. Are you eager to grow in the knowledge and understanding of God's word and plan for your life?

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit, that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Help me to seek you earnestly in prayer and fasting that I may turn away from sin and wilfulness and conform my life more fully to your will. May I always find joy in knowing, loving, and serving you.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 5:33-39 notes that the new wine will burst the skins. (Luke 5:37) Jesus told this parable to ask his detractors to try to become more like new wineskins.

Not all of Jesus’ hearers accepted these words, but those who did were stretched—and were blessed for it! For example, they had to expand their concept of the Messiah: he was the crucified and risen Son of God, not a temporal king. They had to accept that the Gentiles were their brothers and sisters, not pagans who would make them unclean. Because the first disciples’ pliability helped them to respond to the “fermentation” of the Holy Spirit, the Church continued to grow dramatically.

Friar Jude Winkler gives background on the judgement of Paul as “fleshy” by his detractors. The Holy Spirit leads our conversion not in human time but in God’s time as we come to know the motives of our heart. Friar Jude explains Jewish preference not to mix and connects the preference of the Romans for ancient religions to Jesus comment that “Old is Good” in Luke’s Gospel.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes that the desert Christians were deeply committed to Jesus’ teachings and lived practice. Withdrawal to the wilderness—whether into close-knit communities or solitude—was only for the sake of deeper encounter and presence. Diana Butler Bass describes the natural flow from prayer to active love.

[Jesus’ invitation to] “Come follow me” was intimately bound up with the practice of prayer. For prayer connects us with God and others, “part of this enterprise of learning to love.” Prayer is much more than a technique, and early Christians left us no definitive how-to manual on prayer. Rather, the desert fathers and mothers believed that prayer was a disposition of wholeness, so that “prayer and our life must be all of a piece.” They approached prayer, as early church scholar Roberta Bondi notes, as a practical twofold process: first, of “thinking and reflecting,” or “pondering” what it means to love others; and second, as the “development and practice of loving ways of being.” [1] In other words, these ancients taught that prayer was participation in God’s love, the activity that takes us out of ourselves, . . . and conforms us to the path of Christ.”

The concept that Paul expresses to the Corinthians that the Lord brings to light and manifests the motives of our hearts is active through our relationship with the Holy Spirit in our prayer.

References


(n.d.). 1 Corinthians chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 7, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/1Corinthians/4:1
(n.d.). Luke chapter 5 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 7, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/luke/5:33
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved September 7, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 7, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/
(n.d.). 22nd Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved September 7, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 7, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Receive restoration of a hopeful worldview

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of being restored to spiritual health and acting as Jesus disciples to be agents of the restoration of full life to those around us.

Restoring Life

The ending of Book of the Prophet Amos speaks of a restoration of Judah and Israel to the fullness of the time of King David.

* [9:11–15] These verses are most likely an editorial supplement to Amos, added to bring the book into harmony with the positive thrust of the prophetic books in general, especially those written after the exile, when the final edition of Amos was probably completed. The editors would have seen the destruction of Samaria in 722/721 B.C. as the fulfillment of Amos’s prophecies, but in this epilogue they express the view that destruction was not the Lord’s final word for Israel. In Acts 15:15–17, James interprets this passage in a messianic sense. The fallen hut of David: the Davidic kingdom, which included what later became the divided Northern and Southern Kingdoms. All nations claimed in my name: lit., “all nations over whom my name has been pronounced.” This idiom denotes ownership.

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus explains the why the disciples are not observing ritual fasting as He makes the case for considering the proper place of the old and the new in our worldview.

* [9:16–17] Each of these parables speaks of the unsuitability of attempting to combine the old and the new. Jesus’ teaching is not a patching up of Judaism, nor can the gospel be contained within the limits of Mosaic law.

Barbara Dilly reflects that our salvation isn’t just about the restoration of all that was taken from us unjustly.  It is about something much bigger. It always is with God. It is about working toward that restoration for others, too.

It seems to me that the lessons for today tell us that our salvation requires us to become transformed, to be made new, like wineskins, to fully follow Jesus.  It isn’t about following the old religious rules of piety better, it is about learning to live in new and better ways, in ways of peace and justice. That certainly is my biggest challenge, daily, in following Jesus.  I always want everything to work out for me. I follow the rules and think that is how I should be rewarded. But at the end of the day, it is about something a lot bigger than that. It always is with God. I think the lessons today tell me that it is more about hearing the voice of Jesus and letting that voice transform me.  The question I need to ask at the end of the day is, “did I get my benefits, or was I transformed a bit more to let peace and justice walk before me in my steps to help others also get theirs?”

Don Schwager comments that just as there is a right place and a right time for fasting and for feasting, so there is a right place for the old as well as the new.

Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Matthew 13:52). How impoverished we would be if we only had the Old Testament or the New Testament books of the Bible, rather than both. The Lord gives us wisdom so we can make the best use of both the old and the new. He doesn't want us to hold rigidly to the past and to be resistant to the new work of his Holy Spirit in our lives. He wants our minds and hearts to be like new wineskins - open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 85:9-14 identifies that situations outside of our control can make us anxious. Events that may happen in the future—or that may not happen at all—fill us with a sense of dread. Even memories of past upsets can cast a dark cloud over our hearts.

Then, listen. Try to sense what Jesus may want to say to you. Perhaps just a single word, like “trust” or “forgive,” comes to mind. Maybe it’s an inner sense that helps you believe that God can bring good out of a difficult situation. Or maybe you get an idea of what your next step should be. If what you sense makes you feel more peaceful, follow it.
And if you don’t feel more peaceful, try your best to continue on. Believe that Jesus is with you, even if you don’t feel his presence. Tell yourself that he will never abandon you. Trust that his perfect love will cast out all fear (1 John 4:18).

Friar Jude Winkler comments that at the end of Amos prophecy of destruction there is a promise of restoration to overflowing bounty. Mourning for the loss of a loved one is a time for fasting. Friar Jude reminds us of the Jewish idea of separation and order that was of separation from the Gentiles. Similarly, we are called to follow Jesus wholeheartedly with all we are.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that it seems that contemplation makes it almost inevitable that our politics is going to change, the way we spend your time is going to be called into question, and any smug or inferior social and economic perspective will be slowly taken away from us. He quotes the hope of Charles Eisenstein.

I foresee . . . the restoration of humanity to a sacred estate. . . . I foresee the fulfillment, and not the abdication, of the gifts of hand and mind that make us human. . . . We are given not only the world, but the breath of life and our capacity to create—for we are made “in the image” of the Creator itself. . . .
In nature, headlong growth and all-out competition are features of immature ecosystems, followed by complex interdependency, symbiosis, cooperation, and the cycling of resources. The next stage of human economy will parallel what we are beginning to understand about nature. It will call forth the gifts of each of us; it will emphasize cooperation over competition; it will encourage circulation over hoarding; and it will be cyclical, not linear. [1]

In deep prayer that invades our unconscious, our whole view of the world changes from fear to connection. In meditation we are moving from ego consciousness to soul awareness and from being driven to being drawn.

References


(n.d.). Amos 9.11-15. Retrieved July 7, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Amos/9:11

(n.d.). Matthew 9:37-38. Retrieved July 7, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew9.htm 

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved July 7, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 7, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 7, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 7, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Old wine and the younger chosen

A persistent challenge

Lack of clarity invites growth through contemplation