Covenant Law and Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with our experience of Guidance by the Spirit as we seek Jesus' Way in the tension between Law and Love.

Covenant and Love

The reading from the Prophet Ezekiel declares An Everlasting Covenant with God.

* [16:60] Everlasting covenant: Ezekiel foresees God renewing the covenant of Sinai in a new and spirit-empowered way that will not be fatally broken as in the present exile or force God to abandon Israel again; cf. 11:19–21; 36:25–27; 37:26–28. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

The response from the Prophet Isaiah is Thanksgiving and Praise.

* [12:1–6] Israel’s thanksgiving to the Lord, expressed in language like that of the Psalms. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus addresses questions about Marriage and Divorce.

* [19:4–6] Matthew recasts his Marcan source, omitting Jesus’ question about Moses’ command (Mk 10:3) and having him recall at once two Genesis texts that show the will and purpose of the Creator in making human beings male and female (Gn 1:27), namely, that a man may be joined to his wife in marriage in the intimacy of one flesh (Gn 2:24). What God has thus joined must not be separated by any human being. (The NAB translation of the Hebrew bāśār of Gn 2:24 as “body” rather than “flesh” obscures the reference of Matthew to that text.)

* [19:7] See Dt 24:1–4.

* [19:9] Moses’ concession to human sinfulness (the hardness of your hearts, Mt 19:8) is repudiated by Jesus, and the original will of the Creator is reaffirmed against that concession. (Unless the marriage is unlawful): see note on Mt 5:31–32. There is some evidence suggesting that Jesus’ absolute prohibition of divorce was paralleled in the Qumran community (see 11QTemple 57:17–19; CD 4:12b–5:14). Matthew removes Mark’s setting of this verse as spoken to the disciples alone “in the house” (Mk 10:10) and also his extension of the divorce prohibition to the case of a woman’s divorcing her husband (Mk 10:12), probably because in Palestine, unlike the places where Roman and Greek law prevailed, the woman was not allowed to initiate the divorce.

* [19:11] [This] word: probably the disciples’ “it is better not to marry” (Mt 19:10). Jesus agrees but says that celibacy is not for all but only for those to whom that is granted by God.

* [19:12] Incapable of marriage: literally, “eunuchs.” Three classes are mentioned, eunuchs from birth, eunuchs by castration, and those who have voluntarily renounced marriage (literally, “have made themselves eunuchs”) for the sake of the kingdom, i.e., to devote themselves entirely to its service. Some scholars take the last class to be those who have been divorced by their spouses and have refused to enter another marriage. But it is more likely that it is rather those who have chosen never to marry, since that suits better the optional nature of the decision: whoever can…ought to accept it. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rashimi Fernando, S.J. comments on contemporary discussions, particularly in the context of the Synodal journey of the Church amidst the broader debates on gender and sexuality.

The Church teaches that gender is not merely a social construct but is deeply rooted in the Creator’s design, as expressed in Jesus’ reference to "male and female." Accordingly, gender is seen as a gift, integral to the human person, and essential to the sacrament of marriage. However, today’s society often challenges it, advocating for a more fluid conception of gender and sexuality. This has enabled a creative tension within the Church as it seeks to remain faithful to its teachings while recognizing not only the lived human reality of the day but also the need for a pastoral response to it. This involves recognizing the "hardness of hearts" that Jesus refers to, acknowledging that the human condition is often marked by brokenness and the need for mercy and understanding. Thus, the pastoral sensitivity and accompaniment emphasized by the Synod calls for the transformative love and compassion of Christ upon those who experience gender dysphoria or identity outside the binary conventions. (Fernando, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Don't separate what God has joined together,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)

"Then he showed that it is a fearful thing to tamper with this law. When establishing this law, he did not say, 'Therefore, do not sever or separate' but 'What God has joined together, let man not separate.' If you quote Moses, I will quote the God of Moses, and with him I am always strong. For God from the beginning made them male and female. This law is very old, even if it appears human beings have recently discovered it. It is firmly fixed. And God did not simply bring the woman to her husband but ordered her also to leave her father and mother. And he not only ordered the man to go to the woman but also to cling to her, showing by his way of speaking that they could not be separated. And not even with this was God satisfied, but he sought also for another greater union: 'for the two shall be one flesh.'" (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 62.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 19:3-12 comments that like the Pharisees in today’s reading, we live in a world focused on laws and how far we can stretch their limits: How fast is too fast on the highway? How creatively can you bend the tax code? Is it okay if it’s just a venial sin? But Jesus is calling us to ask other, deeper questions: What is the most loving way I can relate to this person? Will these words I’m about to say reflect the humility of the Lord? How is this situation inviting me to take up my cross and serve as Jesus served? If we can focus on these questions, chances are we’ll end up upholding the law much better than if we focus only on legalities.

From the beginning. From the heart of God. From the wood of the cross. Make these your starting points and your end goals. Not only will your decisions become more pleasing to God; they will also win more people over to love the Lord and to give him their hearts.

“Jesus, teach me how to make love my aim in all that I do.” (Meditation on Matthew 19:3-12, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on two Hebrew characteristics of God, Hesed and emit, love and fidelity. Two important considerations in reflecting on Matthew’s Gospel presentation on marriage and divorce are that Covenants are eternal and the Greek word porneia is a sin that includes a wide range of illicit sexual intercourse or sexual activity including marriage to close relatives. Friar Jude reminds us that Pope Francis calls us to continue to be the Love of God to all especially those in challenging relationships.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces James Finley who also reflects on oneing.

A word for me that echoes with oneing is presence. To put it poetically, there’s just one thing that’s happening. The infinite presence of God is presencing himself, is presencing herself through an act of self-donating presencing. It’s presencing herself and giving herself away whole and complete in and as the gift and miracle of our very presence in our nothingness without God. The oneness is all pervasively the reality of all that is. There is nothing but the oneness. Original sin or brokenness is falling out of, or being exiled from, the infinite oneness that alone is real…. Oneing, Julian was saying, is turning back around to the oneness that’s always there. We don’t want to become one; we become one in realizing the oneness that we never weren’t. It’s oneness in all directions. [2]  (Schwager, n.d.)

As we ponder the challenges that the Church recognizes in Synod and Pope Francis' desire to practice the inclusion and compassion of Jesus, we seek the transformative power of the Spirit to guide our interaction with all God’s people.

References

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/16? 

Fernando, R. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/081624.html 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/12?2 

Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19?3 

Meditation on Matthew 19:3-12. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/08/16/1050579/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). What God Has Joined Together. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 16, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=aug16 

Warning about Wealth

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to assess our strategy to maintain our position in our life journey.

Choosing the First place 

The reading from the Prophet Amos denounces evil practices. 

We will diminish the ephah,*

add to the shekel,

and fix our scales for cheating!

* [8:5] Ephah: see note on Is 5:10. (Amos, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)

Psalm 113 praises God, the Helper of the needy.

* [Psalm 113] A hymn exhorting the congregation to praise God’s name, i.e., the way in which God is present in the world; the name is mentioned three times in Ps 113:1–3. The divine name is especially honored in the Temple (Ps 113:1) but its recognition is not limited by time (Ps 113:2) and space (Ps 113:3), for God is everywhere active (Ps 113:4–5) especially in rescuing the lowly faithful (Ps 113:7–9). (Psalms, PSALM 113, n.d.)

The reading from the First Letter to Timothy gives instructions concerning prayer and conduct.

* [2:1–7] This marked insistence that the liturgical prayer of the community concern itself with the needs of all, whether Christian or not, and especially of those in authority, may imply that a disposition existed at Ephesus to refuse prayer for pagans. In actuality, such prayer aids the community to achieve peaceful relationships with non-Christians (1 Tm 2:2) and contributes to salvation, since it derives its value from the presence within the community of Christ, who is the one and only savior of all (1 Tm 2:3–6). The vital apostolic mission to the Gentiles (1 Tm 2:7) reflects Christ’s purpose of universal salvation. 1 Tm 2:5 contains what may well have been a very primitive creed. Some interpreters have called it a Christian version of the Jewish shema: “Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD alone…” (Dt 6:4–5). The assertion in 1 Tm 2:7, “I am speaking the truth, I am not lying,” reminds one of similar affirmations in Rom 9:1; 2 Cor 11:31; and Gal 1:20. (1 Timothy, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke, presents the parable of the dishonest manager.

* [16:13] The third conclusion is a general statement about the incompatibility of serving God and being a slave to riches. To be dependent upon wealth is opposed to the teachings of Jesus who counseled complete dependence on the Father as one of the characteristics of the Christian disciple (Lk 12:22–39). God and mammon: see note on Lk 16:9. Mammon is used here as if it were itself a god. (Luke, CHAPTER 16, n.d.)

Tamora Whitney comments that unfortunately, not everyone acts decently and appropriately. Unfortunately, some people, even some leaders do take advantage of the vulnerable. And that behavior needs to be nipped in the bud.

People who cannot be trusted in a small matter have not proven themselves trustworthy. If someone would steal a small thing they would surely steal something bigger. If they can’t be trusted in a small matter, how could they be trusted for something bigger and more important. Someone who would take advantage of a vulnerable person for their own means could not be trusted to treat a ‘more important’ person appropriately. Because, who is more important? Our job is to treat all God’s people decently and appropriately, and take proper care of all God’s creation. (Whitney, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus recommends the foresight, prudence, and ingenuity of the steward,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Why did the Lord Jesus Christ present this parable to us? He surely did not approve of that cheat of a servant who cheated his master, stole from him and did not make it up from his own pocket. On top of that, he also did some extra pilfering. He caused his master further loss, in order to prepare a little nest of quiet and security for himself after he lost his job. Why did the Lord set this before us? It is not because that servant cheated but because he exercised foresight for the future. When even a cheat is praised for his ingenuity, Christians who make no such provision blush. I mean, this is what he added, 'Behold, the children of this age are more prudent than the children of light.' They perpetrate frauds in order to secure their future. In what life, after all, did that steward insure himself like that? What one was he going to quit when he bowed to his master's decision? He was insuring himself for a life that was going to end. Would you not insure yourself for eternal life?" (excerpt from 359A.10.) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Timothy 2:1-8 comments that sometimes we get into an unhealthy pattern of reacting with anger or resentment when we read the news. Then we risk hardening our hearts, not only toward our leaders, but toward anyone who doesn’t agree with our own views. But when we turn to God, he will show us who and what to pray for. He will also help us realize how much he loves all people, even those we consider our “enemies.”

Next time you find yourself angry about a leader or a situation, try to let go of the anger and pray instead. The more you do this, the more you’ll find your own heart softening. Not only that, but one prayer at a time, you’ll be doing your part to change the world!

“Lord, give me the grace to pray for all those in authority.” (Meditation on 1 Timothy 2:1-8, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on Amos as a social justice prophet outraged at those who exploit the poor. Praying for authorities in 1 Timothy is part of an ambiguous attitude in other New Testament sources. Friar Jude reminds us of the major point in the Parable of the Stewart is in the conflict between serving God and mammon.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, considers how to age well with consciousness, spiritual depth, and purpose. Fr. Richard uses the image of ripening to describe this process.

If we are to speak of a spirituality of ripening, we need to recognize that it is always characterized by an increasing tolerance for ambiguity, a growing sense of subtlety, an ever-larger ability to include and allow, and a capacity to live with contradictions and even to love them! I cannot imagine any other way of coming to those broad horizons except through many trials, unsolvable paradoxes, and errors in trying to resolve them.

The ripening of mind and heart is most basically a capacity for nondual consciousness and contemplation. So my guidance is a simple reminder to recall what we will be forced to learn by necessity and under pressure anyway—the open-ended way of allowing and the deep meaning that some call faith. To live in trustful faith is to ripen; it is almost that simple. (Rohr, 2022)

We are offered an opportunity through the prompting of the Spirit to reassess our priorities in the light of the grace and blessings we have experienced.

References

Amos, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/amos/8?4 

Luke, CHAPTER 16. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/16?1 

Meditation on 1 Timothy 2:1-8. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/18/490896/ 

1 Timothy, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1timothy/2?1 

Psalms, PSALM 113. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/113?1 

Rohr, R. (2022, September 18). A Ripening Mind and Heart — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-ripening-mind-and-heart-2022-09-18/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Will Entrust to You the True Riches? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep18 

Whitney, T. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 18, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/091822.html