Parental Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to ponder the connection between parental love and the prompting of the Spirit to bring life to our environment.

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians is a fatherly admonition.

* [4:14–17] My beloved children: the close of the argument is dominated by the tender metaphor of the father who not only gives his children life but also educates them. Once he has begotten them through his preaching, Paul continues to present the gospel to them existentially, by his life as well as by his word, and they are to learn, as children do, by imitating their parents (1 Cor 4:16). The reference to the rod in 1 Cor 4:21 belongs to the same image-complex. So does the image of the ways in 1 Cor 4:17: the ways that Paul teaches everywhere, “his ways in Christ Jesus,” mean a behavior pattern quite different from the human ways along which the Corinthians are walking (1 Cor 3:3). (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4, n.d.)

Psalm 145 praises the greatness and the goodness of God.

* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. (Psalms, PSALM 145, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus poses a question about the Sabbath in debate with the Pharisees. 

* [6:1–11] The two episodes recounted here deal with gathering grain and healing, both of which were forbidden on the sabbath. In his defense of his disciples’ conduct and his own charitable deed, Jesus argues that satisfying human needs such as hunger and performing works of mercy take precedence even over the sacred sabbath rest. See also notes on Mt 12:1–14 and Mk 2:25–26. (Luke, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)

Cindy Costanzo comments that Love is revealed in other ways. Like the Pharisees we have a love for ‘rules and guidelines’ to regulate our world. We believe in the inherent good of these rules, are socialized to follow them, and penalize others (like the Pharisees did) when they are not followed. However, we are reminded by Jesus in today’s gospel to be aware of the relevancy of these rules/laws as they coincide with our need to be merciful, compassionate and to love one another.

Leading with love is a game changer. It does not matter how the Sabbath has changed through the years, let this day (and everyday) be a reminder of Jesus’s message. Jesus calls us to be loving and caring, to be women and men for others, to be in ‘awe’ of all God’s presence among us (the sky, sun, moon, plants, trees, water, and all living things).  

Leading with love should influence our ability to stop and reflect and to challenge rules/guidelines that are no longer appropriate amidst today’s social norms and customs.

Leading with love provides a path to challenge peacefully with equity, inclusivity and respect for diversity.  So let’s lead with love. (Costanzo, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Withered hands - withered minds,” by Athanasius of Alexandria (295-373 AD).

"In the synagogue of the Jews was a man who had a withered hand. If he was withered in his hand, the ones who stood by were withered in their minds. And they were not looking at the crippled man nor were they expecting the miraculous deed of the one who was about to work. But before doing the work, the Savior ploughed up their minds with words. For knowing the evil of the mind and its bitter depth, he first softened them up in advance with words so as to tame the wildness of their understanding, asking: 'Is it permitted to do good on the sabbath or to do evil; to save a life or to destroy one?' For if he had said to them, 'Is it permitted to work?' immediately they would have said, 'You are speaking contrary to the law.'

"Then he told them what was intended by the law, for he spoke as the One who established the laws concerning the sabbath, adding, 'except this: that which will be done for the sake of a life.' Again if a person falls into a hole on a sabbath, Jews are permitted to pull the person out (Matthew 12:11). This not only applies to a person, but also an ox or a donkey. In this way the law agrees that things relating to preservation may be done, hence Jews prepare meals on the sabbath. Then he asked them about a point on which they could hardly disagree: 'Is it permitted to do good? (Matthew 3:4, Luke 6:9) But they did not even so much as say, 'Yes,' because by then they were not in a good temper." (excerpt from HOMILIES 28) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:1-5 comments that we can probably relate to these Pharisees’ confusion or sense of indignation when we see people who aren’t behaving in the way we think they should. Maybe someone doesn’t act or dress appropriately at Mass. Maybe we think someone at work is just flaunting the rules. Or perhaps another person expresses opinions that go against our own views.

When this happens, it can be tempting to become critical and judgmental. But just as he did with those Pharisees, Jesus wants to reorient our thinking. Instead of focusing on what a person said or did, he invites us to think about their hearts. They could be working through difficult questions of faith or dealing with challenging life circumstances. No matter the reason, Jesus wants us to welcome everyone and treat them as he would.

Is there a person whose actions or comments irritate or upset you? Today, ask the Lord for the grace and compassion to see them with his eyes. Perhaps he wants you to reach out and accompany them on their faith journey. As you allow the Lord to reorient your thinking, he may even use you to draw that person closer to himself!

“Lord, help me take on your mind and heart for all people.” (Meditation on Luke 6:1-5, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on how Paul and Apollos confronted the misunderstanding of some in Corinth who thought they had a monopoly on a special connection to the Spirit. The true follower of Christ is willing to live a life of sacrifice. Friar Jude reminds us to be wary of building a fence around the Law like the Pharisees.

Cynthia Bourgeault unpacks how the parable of the Prodigal Son challenges our typical forms of judgment. (Luke 15:11–32) She places particular attention on the older brother’s response.

The egoic operating system will always get stuck in judgment and self-meritoriousness. The older brother with his indignant “This isn’t fair!” is a textbook example of the egoic operating system at work. Through him, Jesus is asking us to look closely at that part in each one of us that insists on keeping score, that can’t let go into the generosity and the blessedness. The parable’s concluding image—of the older son standing alone outside, refusing to join the party because he feels he has been slighted—is a vivid symbol of the way the egoic operating system holds us back from joining the dance of Divine Mercy in full swing all around us. If we’re stuck in the ego, we can’t hear the music

When we look closely at this parable, we discover . . . it’s a challenge to the basic structures, assumptions, and beliefs about ourselves that keep the binary mind firmly in place. It’s supposed to challenge you; it’s supposed to make you angry—and it’s supposed to make you look at yourself more closely. This parable provides particularly rich ground for lectio divina. . . . As you sit with it in meditation, see if you can discover where all three of these characters—older son, younger son, and father—live within your own being and what part each one plays in your life. Allow the parable to become a mirror that reflects back to you your own state of consciousness. If you work with it that way, you’re using it the way Jesus really intended it, as a tool for personal transformation of consciousness. [1] (Bourgeault, n.d.)

We need to examine the rules that inform our action toward others in the light of the example of Jesus as revealed to us through the Holy Spirit.

References

Bourgeault, C. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-parables-of-jesus-weekly-summary-2022-09-03/ 

Costanzo, C. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090322.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6 

Meditation on Luke 6:1-5. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/03/481646/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/4 

Psalms, PSALM 145. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145?17 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture ... Retrieved September 3, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep3 

Seek the Way of the Spirit

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the character of our interaction with God as business contract, chutzpah, or fruit of the gift of the Spirit.

Two Ways

The Prophet Malachi emphasizes the Reward of the Faithful on the Great Day of the Lord underlying the need to serve God.

* [3:20] Wings: a common symbol of the manifestation of a god in the ancient Near East is the winged sun disk found, for example, on premonarchic jar handles. Cf. Nm 6:25; Ps 4:7; 31:17; 34:6; 84:12.1 

Psalm 1 views life as activity, as choosing between Two Ways, either the good or the bad.

* [Psalm 1] A preface to the whole Book of Psalms, contrasting with striking similes the destiny of the good and the wicked. The Psalm views life as activity, as choosing either the good or the bad. Each “way” brings its inevitable consequences. The wise through their good actions will experience rootedness and life, and the wicked, rootlessness and death.2 

The Gospel of Luke shares Jesus teaching on Prayer and Perseverance and the answer to our Prayer in the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 * [11:13] The holy Spirit: this is a Lucan editorial alteration of a traditional saying of Jesus (see Mt 7:11). Luke presents the gift of the holy Spirit as the response of the Father to the prayer of the Christian disciple.3

Barbara Dilly writes of a friend who wants to know how he can have everything he has and do everything he does and still have more. He does not want to give up anything, especially his ego and his will. What he really wants, however, is to feel like God blesses him and takes care of him. He wants to feel good about himself. That is what he thinks that she has that he doesn’t think is available to him. He doesn’t know that it is.

There is no room in these lessons for judgment against others.  Faith is itself a gift and some of us are just more open to the words of the Lord than others.  Being able to see everything in life as a gift, is itself a gift. These lessons remind us that the door to God’s blessings is always open to all who ask and who seek.  But some people need help to do that. It is my prayer that we the faithful live our lives in such a way that others see God’s love at work in blessings in our lives that are available to everyone.4

Jules Evans interviews Nicky Gumbel, founder of the Alpha Course who believes the Holy Spirit always answers our invocation, on encounters with the Holy Spirit.

If the fruit is that people are healed, set free, their lives changed, their family lives restored, if they love their neighbours more, if they transform their communities, if it leads to the abolition of the slave trade, that sounds like God.5 

Don Schwager quotes “Ask by praying, seek by proper living, knock by persevering,” by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"Desiring that we arrive at the joys of the heavenly kingdom, our Lord and Savior taught us to ask these joys of him and promised that he would give them to us if we asked for them. 'Ask,' he said, 'and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.' Dearly beloved..., we earnestly and with our whole heart must ponder these words of our Lord. He bears witness that the kingdom of heaven is not given to, found by and opened to those who are idle and unoccupied but to those who ask for it, seek after it and knock at its gates. The gate of the kingdom must be asked for by praying. It must be sought after by living properly. It must be knocked at by persevering." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.51.20)6 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Malachi 3:13-20 ponders that if God seemed to be blessing the wicked, they wondered, why should they bother following God’s laws (Malachi 3:14-15)? The people could ask that question only because they were looking at their relationship with God as if it were a business contract. They thought they could trade their obedience for his blessing.

So what can we count on in this life? We can’t count on immediate solutions to our problems and questions. But we can count on God’s love and his constant desire to draw us closer to him. As we hold fast to him, we will receive his love—the greatest “profit” of all (Malachi 3:14).7 

Friar Jude Winkler identifies Malachi as a messenger warning against those who believe God has nothing to do with the world. God experienced as a parent offering the gift of the Holy Spirit that we really need. Friar Jude suggests chutzpah and pushiness in our prayer supports a real dialogue, not simply a wish list.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that the connection that Francis of Assisi made with “the enemy” in his lifetime may be his most powerful statement to the world about putting together the inner life with the outer, and all of the resulting social, political, and ethnic implications.

Francis left his own culture at “great cost” to himself to go to the Sultan, to enter the world of another—and one who was considered a public enemy of his world and religion. Francis seems to have tried three times, but only succeeded in getting to his goal on the third try. On this attempt, he went to Egypt primarily to tell the Christian troops that they were wrong in what they were doing.
Francis’ humility and respect for the other, and thus for Islam, gained him what seems to have been an extended time, maybe as much as three weeks, with al-Kamil. The Sultan sent him away with protection and a gift (a horn that was used for the Muslim call to prayer), which suggests they had given and received mutual regard and respect. This horn can still be seen in Assisi.8 

The many possible forms of relationship with God invite our acceptance of the Divine invitation to intimate connection as we journey in life.

References

1	(n.d.). Malachi, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved October 10, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/malachi/3
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved October 10, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/1
3	(n.d.). Luke, chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 10, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/11
4	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(2015, November 5). Nicky Gumbel on encounters with the Holy Spirit .... Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://www.philosophyforlife.org/blog/nicky-gumbel-on-encounters-with-the-holy-spirit
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/10/10/
8	(2019, October 10). Francis and the Sultan — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://cac.org/francis-and-the-sultan-2019-10-10/