Strife and Joy

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, contrast the struggle as workers in Jesus' vineyard, with the deep joy that comes to us from our relationship with Christ.

Joy in the Struggle

In the reading from the Prophet Jeremiah he complains again and is reassured.

* [15:13–14] Though the wording of these verses is close to that in 17:3–4, the present passage is evidently God’s word to Jeremiah, whereas 17:3–4 is evidently a word of judgment on Judah. It is noteworthy that the references to “you” in the present passage are singular, until a shift to plural in “against you” in the last line; this “you” is then doubtless a reference to both the prophet and his enemies. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 59 is a prayer for Deliverance from Enemies.

* [Psalm 59] A lament in two parts (Ps 59:2–9, 11b–17), each ending in a refrain (Ps 59:10, 18). Both parts alternate prayer for vindication (Ps 59:2–3, 4b–5, 11b–14) with vivid depictions of the psalmist’s enemies (Ps 59:4–5a, 7–8, 15–16). The near curse in Ps 59:12–13 is not a crude desire for revenge but a wish that God’s just rule over human affairs be recognized now. (Psalms, PSALM 59 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents Three Parables

* [13:44–50] The first two of the last three parables of the discourse have the same point. The person who finds a buried treasure and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price sell all that they have to acquire these finds; similarly, the one who understands the supreme value of the kingdom gives up whatever he must to obtain it. The joy with which this is done is made explicit in the first parable, but it may be presumed in the second also. (Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cynthia Schmersal finds herself romanticizing or glossing over the gritty realities of St. Ignatius’ pilgrim journey – his thwarted plans, his struggles – exterior and interior, and his invitations to humility.

On his Feast this year, in our remembering and our celebrating, may we also acknowledge the complexity of St. Ignatius’ life and of our own lives, lovingly and ever so gently attending to the spaces in our lives that cry out “Woe to me, mother that you gave me birth!”, that question “Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?” May we – trusting in our identities as beloved pearls of great price and in the One who is indeed our refuge – turn to our God and hear – in the depths of our being – the abiding assurance “I am with you." (Schmersal, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Finding the pearl of great price,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Now among the words of all kinds that profess to announce truth, and among those who report them, he seeks pearls. Think of the prophets as, so to speak, the pearls that receive the dew of heaven and become pregnant with the word of truth from heaven. They are goodly pearls that, according to the phrase here set forth, the merchant seeks. And the chief of the pearls, on the finding of which the rest are found with it, is the very costly pearl, the Christ of God, the Word that is superior to the precious letters and thoughts in the law and the prophets. When one finds this pearl all the rest are easily released. Suppose, then, that one is not a disciple of Christ. He possesses no pearls at all, much less the very costly pearl, as distinguished from those that are cloudy or darkened." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 18.8) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46 comments that Ignatius renounced his past ambitions and turned his relentless zeal toward the quest for holiness. Out of love for Christ, he rigorously pursued prayer, penance, and contemplation. In 1522, he confessed his sins, gave away his fine clothes, and left his sword at an altar in the shrine of Montserrat. Together with several companions, he formed the Society of Jesus in 1539 and brought many people to faith in the Lord. Even today, Ignatius’ witness continues to inspire men and women to prize Jesus above all else and follow him unreservedly.

God may not be calling you to live as Ignatius did, but he does want you to find the pearl of great price. He wants you to taste the goodness of his Son Jesus and experience his love. He wants you to discover that nothing compares with knowing him. So open your heart to the Lord today. Ask the Spirit to help you love Jesus singleheartedly. By his grace, you can “sell all you have” to follow Christ and spread the good news of his love. It’s worth it!

“Thank you, Jesus, for being my pearl of great price.” (Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler introduces the confessions of Jeremiah that challenge God about the persecution that he endures as a possible betrayal by God. Our mission is to do our best and realize that failure to human eyes may be success in the eyes of faith. Friar Jude reminds us that the use of the Kingdom of Heaven phrase likely indicates a final editing of Matthew’s Gospel by a converted Pharisee.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces theologian Dorothee Sölle (1929–2003) who understood God’s kingdom as good news for women and all oppressed people.

The Jesus movement lived in conflict with its society. Jesus expected the reversal of all social oppositions through God’s intervention, and this expectation—“the kingdom of God is at hand”—characterized the movement. All those who were outsiders according to the norms of society and held to be “impure” according to the law—the poor, the landless, public sinners, tax collectors, and women—were accepted here. “The last will be first” [Matthew 20:16] is a keynote permeating the whole message of Jesus. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

We contemplate our journey and process the setbacks and struggles in the light of the joy that comes from our relationship with selfless love that is the treasure of immeasurable value.

References

Jeremiah, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/15?10 

Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13?44 

Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/07/31/1036536/ 

Psalms, PSALM 59 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/59?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. The Last Shall Be First. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-last-shall-be-first/ 

Schmersal, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/073124.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Joy in Finding Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 31, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jul31 

Shiny Treasure

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to explore the nature of the treasure of great value in our own life experience.

Treasure of Great Value

The reading from the Book of Exodus describes the Shining Face of Moses.

Psalm 99 is praise to God for His Holiness.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus shares parables about our response to finding great treasure in life.

* [13:44–50] The first two of the last three parables of the discourse have the same point. The person who finds a buried treasure and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price sell all that they have to acquire these finds; similarly, the one who understands the supreme value of the kingdom gives up whatever he must to obtain it. The joy with which this is done is made explicit in the first parable, but it may be presumed in the second also. The concluding parable of the fishnet resembles the explanation of the parable of the weeds with its stress upon the final exclusion of evil persons from the kingdom. (Matthew, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)

Carol Zuegner shares that the path to the kingdom of heaven is there. Jesus has shown us the way with the ultimate sacrifice.

I need to work at doing the right and good things for my neighbors and for God. Shortcuts aren’t going to work. I just need to keep following the map, knowing I will stray and stumble. God is with me on the journey. I pray that I am attentive to my heart, to overcome the obstacles I put in my own way when I am selfish or unkind. When I ignore others, when I am less than honest with myself.

Today I pray for the courage to continue to work toward the kingdom of heaven. I pray for patience with others and with myself. I pray for eyes to see and ears to listen to those people in my life. I pray to be open to the joy on the journey to the kingdom of heaven. (Zuegner, 2023)

Don Schwager presents a meditation on “Joy in Finding Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price.”

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46 comments that personal testimony is a powerful way to make people thirst for the living water that Jesus offers to each person.

So what’s your story? How have you discovered the “treasure” of abundant life in Jesus? Take a moment to recall it, and then ask the Lord for the opportunity to share it today.

“You are my treasure, Jesus! Help me share the joy of your kingdom with others today.” (Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler connects the shining face of Moses to the change we experience when we encounter God. Paul used the image of the veil in his description of the Hebrew Testament. Friar Jude reminds us that our transformation will involve a conversion of our hearts and a simple and God-like approach to our community.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Franciscan sister Nancy Schreck who locates Jesus’ commitment to nonviolence in God’s unconditional and inclusive love. She points to healing as a natural consequence of belonging.

If the starting place for exploring the nonviolence of Jesus is in his vision of the all embracing love of God, our reflection is furthered by his vision of universal healing. This approach to life includes hope for the basic well-being of the other. This was Jesus’ deepest wish for each person he encountered. In the gospel we see him moving among so many kept outside the circle of well-being by institutional violence which claimed that healing and well-being belonged to some and not to others. Jesus always found those who had been pushed outside the circle of care and invited them back into the community through the door of healing. He taught the community that its well-being was tied to the well-being of each member. (Rohr, 2023)

We attend to the prompting of the Spirit and we encounter the pearl of great price in our relationships with God and the people on our journey.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13?44 

Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/08/02/747789/ 

Rohr, R. (2023, August 1). Inclusive Love Heals All — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/inclusive-love-heals-all-2023-08-01/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=aug2 

Zuegner, C. (2023, August 2). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 2, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/080223.html 

Struggle and Treasure

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today parallel the quest in the visit of Pope Francis to the Indigenous People of Canada in presenting the struggle that accompanies the finding the true riches in our relationship with one another in the Body of Christ.

Relationship and Riches

In the reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, he complains again and is reassured.

If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless,

you shall be my mouth. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)

Psalm 59 is a prayer for deliverance from enemies.

* [Psalm 59] A lament in two parts (Ps 59:2–9, 11b–17), each ending in a refrain (Ps 59:10, 18). Both parts alternate prayer for vindication (Ps 59:2–3, 4b–5, 11b–14) with vivid depictions of the psalmist’s enemies (Ps 59:4–5a, 7–8, 15–16). The near curse in Ps 59:12–13 is not a crude desire for revenge but a wish that God’s just rule over human affairs be recognized now. (Psalms, PSALM 59, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus offers more parables.

* [13:44–50] The first two of the last three parables of the discourse have the same point. The person who finds a buried treasure and the merchant who finds a pearl of great price sell all that they have to acquire these finds; similarly, the one who understands the supreme value of the kingdom gives up whatever he must to obtain it. The joy with which this is done is made explicit in the first parable, but it may be presumed in the second also. (Matthew, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)

Tom Purcell asks what if, instead of focusing on heaven as something that we will experience in the future, we think of it as a process we can experience and help create now, the result of our planting little mustard seeds with our daily lives?  His earlier thoughts about being detached and letting go of what binds us to our current life reminds us of the difficulty in following Jesus, but if we think of the consequences of what we do in each moment, we can perhaps see a positive forward movement not just for ourselves but for our sisters and brothers.

So, what are the mustard seeds that we can put into action – obviously we do the important ones Jesus calls out – feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, consoling the grieving, burying the dead.  But we also plant seeds when we act with others using simple common courtesy (good manners), such as opening a door, saying thank you sincerely, listening before talking, making eye contact.  We plant mustard seeds when do not judge the actions of someone else (either with our words or our silent thoughts).  We scatter mustard seeds when we refuse to pass along the latest office gossip or neighborhood scandal.  We plant seeds for our children and grandchildren by living a simpler, more sustainable life.  We probably store up big points in St. Peter’s ledger if we generously allow someone to merge into traffic in front of us, and do not grumble (or worse!) or share fun little gestures with someone who speeds up in the hope they will be allowed to enter the lane farther up the road. (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Finding the pearl of great price,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"Now among the words of all kinds that profess to announce truth, and among those who report them, he seeks pearls. Think of the prophets as, so to speak, the pearls that receive the dew of heaven and become pregnant with the word of truth from heaven. They are goodly pearls that, according to the phrase here set forth, the merchant seeks. And the chief of the pearls, on the finding of which the rest are found with it, is the very costly pearl, the Christ of God, the Word that is superior to the precious letters and thoughts in the law and the prophets. When one finds this pearl all the rest are easily released. Suppose, then, that one is not a disciple of Christ. He possesses no pearls at all, much less the very costly pearl, as distinguished from those that are cloudy or darkened." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 18.8) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46 asks how do we get to the point of selling all that we have for Jesus? The truth is, even though we love the Lord, we can depend too much on the “toys” that capture our attention. We can get attached to our earthly possessions and pleasures and become distracted from the most beautiful and compelling “possession” there is: Jesus and his love for us.

The remedy for this isn’t necessarily found in getting rid of all your possessions or in saying no to everything in the world. It’s found in saying yes to Jesus. And that yes starts every day in your prayer time. It starts as you encounter him in the quiet of your heart. It starts as you see his mercy toward you and the love that led him to die for you. It grows as you envision his heavenly kingdom where he has prepared a place for you. In short, you recognize how utterly compelling and desirable he is.

So fix your eyes on Jesus! As you realize how much of a treasure he is, everything else will pale in comparison. As you come to understand how deeply he treasures you, you will treasure him all the more. Your affection for him will grow, and you will find that you aren’t as focused on material things. You’ll start seeing them for what they are—as blessings meant to help bring you closer to him.

“Jesus, you are the pearl of great price, and I want nothing more than to have you in my life!” (Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler explains the dialogue between God and Jeremiah known as the “Confessions of Jeremiah” and the consequence of the “Deuteronomic reform” on the family of Jeremiah. In Matthew,two quick sayings reference the “Kingdom of Heaven”. Friar Jude reminds us of the signs of a Pharisee who was a second editor of the Gospel of Matthew.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Kay Lindahl, an author and founder of The Listening Center, who writes of the inherently sacred nature of reflective listening. Over the years Fr Richard has discovered that there is a basic context that nurtures and develops the practice of listening as a sacred art. Three qualities that are essential to this deep listening context are silence, reflection, and presence.

• Silence creates the space for listening to God. It provides time to explore our relationship to Source. The practice of being in this silence nurtures our capacity to listen to others.

• Reflection gives us access to listening for our inner voice. The practice of taking a few breaths before responding to a situation, question, or comment gives time for your true wisdom to reveal itself. It’s a slowing down, waiting, practicing patience.

• Presence is the awareness of listening to another, of connecting at the heart level. The practice of taking a mundane, ordinary activity and giving it your full attention, for example, washing your hands or brushing your teeth, trains your concentration and your ability to be in the present moment with another. . . . (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our journey to uncover in our relationships with each other and God the pearl of infinite value.

References

Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/072722.html 

Jeremiah, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/15?10 

Matthew, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13?44 

Meditation on Matthew 13:44-46. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/07/27/449750/ 

Psalms, PSALM 59. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/59?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Gift of Deep Listening. Daily Meditations Archive: 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-gift-of-deep-listening-2022-07-27/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Joy in Finding Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=jul27