God Prophets and Law

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us of our mission to live out our Baptismal identity as priest, prophet and king.

Prophet of Love

The reading from the First Book of Kings describes Elijah’s triumph over the priests of Baal.

* [18:1–45] The story of the conflict with the prophets of Baal (vv. 21–40) is embedded in the story of the drought and its ending (vv. 1–20, 41–45). The connection between the two stories is found in Canaanite theology, in whose pantheon Baal, “the Cloud Rider,” the god of rain and storm, was recognized as the one who brings fertility. Worship of many gods was virtually universal in the ancient world; the Israelite requirement of exclusive worship of the Lord (Ex 20:3) was unique. The people of Israel had apparently become comfortable worshiping both Baal and the Lord, perhaps assigning mutually exclusive spheres of influence to each. By claiming authority over the rain (17:1; 18:1), the Lord was challenging Baal’s power in Baal’s own domain. The entire drought story in chaps. 17–18 implies what becomes explicit in 18:21–40: this is a struggle between the Lord and Baal for the loyalties of the people of Israel. (1 Kings, CHAPTER 18, n.d.)

Psalm 16 is a song of trust and security in God.

* [Psalm 16] In the first section, the psalmist rejects the futile worship of false gods (Ps 16:2–5), preferring Israel’s God (Ps 16:1), the giver of the land (Ps 16:6). The second section reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God (Ps 16:7–11). (Psalms, PSALM 16, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Sermon on the Mount turns to the role of the Law and the Prophets.

* [5:17–20] This statement of Jesus’ position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew’s sermon documentation (see note on Mt 5:1–7:29), other Q material (cf. Mt 18; Lk 16:17), and the evangelist’s own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Mt 5:18). Yet the “passing away” of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The “turning of the ages” comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of “new heavens and a new earth” (Is 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus’ ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Mt 5:21–48) show. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)

Kimberly Grassmeyer prays that on those good days she will continue to grow in faith, faithfulness, and fidelity to the teachings of Jesus, and become more regular in efforts to "obey and teach these commandments.”

Do you have a relationship with someone - Jesus or a beloved human like my Grandmother - that can encourage your better angels, your better adherence to the commandments, your better effort to teach and model for others?  Not so that you reach the Kingdom of heaven - again, that is already assured - but to arrive content with the level of your efforts here on earth?  I hope so!  And perhaps we can pray for each other in that endeavor?  May God bless you and your good works. (Grassmeyer, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “What you teach, you should do,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).

"While it is sinful to abolish the least of the commandments, all the more so the great and most important ones. Hence the Holy Spirit affirms through Solomon: 'Whoever despises the little things shall gradually die' (Sirach 19:1b). Consequently nothing in the divine commandments must be abolished, nothing altered. Everything must be preserved and taught faithfully and devotedly that the glory of the heavenly kingdom may not be lost. Indeed, those things considered least important and small by the unfaithful or by worldly people are not small before God but necessary. For the Lord taught the commandments and did them. Even small things point to the great future of the kingdom of heaven. For this reason, not only words but also deeds are important; and you should not only teach, but what you teach, you should do." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 20.2.1-3) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39 comments that as we bring the needs and situations of the people around us to the Lord, ask him to help us rejoice for the things that make his heart rejoice and to hurt for the things that make his heart hurt. Ask him as well to give us words that we can share with them. Then, look for opportunities to share those words.

Being a prophetic voice requires courage. It can be tempting to stay quiet as the people around Elijah did, but don’t let that happen. Embrace your prophetic calling, and help others to recognize that God is indeed worthy of all their trust. “Holy Spirit, give me the courage and boldness to speak the truth of your love to everyone I meet.” (Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the Hebrew expression of the superlative in the account of Elijah’s triumph over the priests of Baal. Monotheism in Israel resulted as Yahweh is proclaimed as the only God, not just the greatest of many gods. Friar Jude suggests that demographics caused the preference for the attitude of Paul over that of Matthew concerning the Law.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that God’s Spirit in the Bible is identified with the Hebrew word ruach, which can also mean breath. Korean-American theologian Grace Ji-Sun Kim explores the Spirit’s creative power in the Old Testament.

The Spirit of God is recognized at the beginning of the Bible as it plays its role in the creation story. The Holy Spirit as breath is the force that gives life to all life in the cosmos (Genesis 1:2). As it does so, creation becomes understood as an act of God. The Holy Spirit moves the biosphere and gives life to everything in it. . . . The Old Testament shows the Spirit—not just any spirit, but a life-giving Spirit of God—as the divine power that creates, sustains, and renews life (Genesis 1:2). This power of the Spirit is found in the prophetic books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Joel. For God to bring breath to dry bones shows the power of the Spirit to give life, always. Even in situations of death, sorrow, despair, and hopelessness, the Spirit can move us and create a space of joy to be alive. If it can bring back to life what was dead, what more can the Spirit do for us?! (Rohr, n.d.)

Our Baptismal anointing to lead may be activated by the Holy Spirit to pray with and counsel the people we encounter on our journey.

References

Grassmeyer, K. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/060822.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?17 

Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/06/08/406914/ 

1 Kings, CHAPTER 18. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/18?20 

Psalms, PSALM 16. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/16?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Spirit Is a Life-Force. Daily Meditations Archive: 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-spirit-is-a-life-force-2022-06-08/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture ... Retrieved June 8, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=jun8 

Spirit sent forth

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate our response to the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Sharing gifts of the Spirit

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles.

 * [2:3] Tongues as of fire: see Ex 19:18 where fire symbolizes the presence of God to initiate the covenant on Sinai. Here the holy Spirit acts upon the apostles, preparing them to proclaim the new covenant with its unique gift of the Spirit (Acts 2:38).1

Psalm 104 proclaims God as the Creator and Provider.

 * [104:29–30] On one level, the spirit (or wind) of God is the fall and winter rains that provide food for all creatures. On another, it is the breath (or spirit) of God that makes beings live.2

In the reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes one Body of Christ with many members.

 * [12:12–26] The image of a body is introduced to explain Christ’s relationship with believers (1 Cor 12:12). 1 Cor 12:13 applies this model to the church: by baptism all, despite diversity of ethnic or social origins, are integrated into one organism. 1 Cor 12:14–26 then develop the need for diversity of function among the parts of a body without threat to its unity.3

In the Gospel of John, Jesus appears to the disciples with the breath of the Holy Spirit.

 * [20:19] The disciples: by implication from Jn 20:24 this means ten of the Twelve, presumably in Jerusalem. Peace be with you: although this could be an ordinary greeting, John intends here to echo Jn 14:27. The theme of rejoicing in Jn 20:20 echoes Jn 16:22.4

Tom Shanahan, S.J. comments that sometimes it is a struggle to discover the ways of the Holy Spirit, but the “gifts” of the Spirit are guides for their discovery. Whenever we experience love, joy, greatness of heart and realization of God’s presence, that is the Holy Spirit’s work in us.

 In our contemporary surroundings we are inheritors of the Spirit’s life and love and are blessed to discover the Spirit made manifest to our senses each.  It is as if the Holy Spirit lusts to show us physically who he is and how he loves and cares for us, in our own language, our senses.  Can I open myself to see, hear and touch the Spirit’s blessings?  Can I be open to the call to notice and respond?
Lord, especially these days as we endure the violence of Covid19, send us your Spirit.  Grace us with wisdom and discernment, courage to be strong of faith, and keenly aware of your care and comfort.  Teach us to recognize you in these gifts of your Spirit and to accept gratefully your desire for our constant growth as your people.5

Don Schwager comments that the Lord Jesus offers each one of us the gift and power of his Holy Spirit. He wants to make our faith strong, give us hope that endures, and a love that never grows cold. He never refuses to give his Spirit to those who ask with expectant faith. Jesus instructed his disciples to ask confidently for the gift of the Spirit: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13). He quotes “The Holy Spirit at Pentecost,” by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.

 "To the Hebrew people, now freed from Egypt, the law was given on Mount Sinai fifty days after the immolation of the paschal lamb. Similarly, after the passion of Christ in which the true Lamb of God was killed, just fifty days after his resurrection, the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles and the whole group of believers. Thus the earnest Christian may easily perceive that the beginnings of the Old Covenant were at the service of the beginnings of the gospel and that the same Spirit who instituted the first established the Second Covenant."  (excerpt from Sermon 75.1)6

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 2:1-11 comments that Jesus knew how much we would need the Holy Spirit, and so even long before his Ascension, he encouraged his disciples to pray for this gift: “If you . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit?” (Luke 11:13). And John’s Gospel assures us that God “does not ration his gift of the Spirit” (3:34). There is always more that God has for us!

 Today, follow the apostles’ example. Believe in God’s promise of the Spirit and then pray for it. Keep praying, not just on this special feast, but every day. You might even ask a few faith-filled friends to pray with you for a new outpouring of the Spirit in your life. You may not see wind or fire, but the Spirit will come to you in new, unexpected, and even extraordinary ways—not only for your benefit, but for the good of his body, the Church!
“Holy Spirit, make your home in my heart, today and every day.”7

Friar Jude Winkler connects the gathering of people in Jerusalem to the agricultural and pilgrimage feast of Pentecost. The Hebrew word “ruach” captures the nature of the Spirit as wind. Friar Jude reminds us that Evangelist John was a mystic and Luke was a historian.

StAnthonyCompanions · May 31, 2020

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that it is sad to say, but for centuries the Christian vision was narrowed to what we have today—a preoccupation with private salvation. Our “personal relationship with Jesus” seems to be based on a very small notion of Christ. We’ve modeled church after a service station where members attend weekly services to “fill up” on their faith. We’ve commodified the very notion of salvation.

 Too often, the formal church has been unable to create any authentic practical community, especially over the last half-century. In response, we see the emergence of new faith communities seeking to return to this foundational definition of church. These may not look like our versions of traditional “church,” but they often exemplify the kinds of actual community that Jesus, Paul, and early Christians envisioned. People are gathering digitally and in person today through neighborhood associations, study groups, community gardens, social services, and volunteer groups. They’re seeking creative ways of coming together, nurturing connection, of healing and whole-making. The “invisible” church might be doing this just as much, if not more, than the visible one. The Holy Spirit is humble and seems to work best anonymously. I suspect that is why the Holy Spirit is often pictured as a simple bird or blowing wind that is here one minute and seemingly gone and then nowhere (John 3:8).8

The role of the Spirit in our journey is to renew our life as members of the Body of Christ, where we can use the gifts of the Spirit for the good of others.

References

1	(n.d.). Acts, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 31, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/acts/2
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 104 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved May 31, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/104
3	(n.d.). 1 Corinthians, chapter 12. Retrieved May 31, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians12:7
4	(n.d.). John, chapter 20 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 31, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/20
5	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved May 31, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 31, 2020, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(2020, May 31). Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Meditations for May 31, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/05/31/172046/
8	(n.d.). Common Ground and Purpose — Center for Action and .... Retrieved May 31, 2020, from https://cac.org/common-ground-and-purpose-2020-05-31/