History Hope and Resurrection

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today are those for the Easter Vigil liturgy that is celebrated after dark on the evening of Holy Saturday.

Reading for Life

 

The readings present the history of salvation from Creation to the Resurrection. Andy Alexander S.J. notes that on Good Friday, there was no Eucharist - simply a communion service, with the Body of Christ from the Holy Thursday Eucharist. On Holy Saturday, there is no liturgy at all.  The liturgy this evening is the vigil - the preparation for and entry into the celebration of Our Lord's Resurrection.  It is an Easter Sunday liturgy. The God who created us, who led a chosen people out of slavery, raised Jesus from death.  We can rejoice that death has no final victory over us.  Then we celebrate the Easter Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.  Tonight we celebrate our faith -- that we have been baptized into the death of Jesus, so that we might have everlasting life with him.

As we behold the body of Jesus in the tomb today, and as we contemplate the mystery of our death, we prepare our hearts to receive the Good News of life.  We know that tomb will be empty and remain empty forever as a sign that our lives will not really end, but only be transformed.  One day, we will all rest in the embrace of Jesus, who knows our death, and who prepares a place for us in everlasting life.  Our reflection on this holy Saturday, and our anticipation of celebrating the gift of life tonight and tomorrow, can bring immense peace and joy, powerful freedom and vitality to our lives.  For if we truly believe that death holds no true power over us, we can walk each day with courage and freedom, in the grace being offered us - to give our lives away in love.1

 

Don Schwager quotes “Christ destroyed death to bring us life,” from a sermon by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.

"God's compassion for us is all the more wonderful because Christ died, not for the righteous or the holy but for the wicked and the sinful, and, though the divine nature could not be touched by the sting of death, he took to himself, through his birth as one of us, something he could offer on our behalf. The power of his death once confronted our death. In the words of Hosea the prophet: Death, I shall be your death; grave, I shall swallow you up. By dying he submitted to the laws of the underworld; by rising again he destroyed them. He did away with the everlasting character of death so as to make death a thing of time, not of eternity. As all die in Adam, so all will be brought to life in Christ."2

 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 24:1-12 comments that at the Vigil Mass tonight, we will hear the history of our salvation in Christ, a story that culminates in those words of hope: he has been raised. Like the women, we know that Jesus’ earthly body is not here. But with eyes of faith, we too can believe that Jesus is risen from the dead. With eyes of faith, we can see God’s promises fulfilled in Christ. We have more than our memories, more than a gravestone, more than an empty tomb. We have Jesus himself: living and present in our hearts, living and present in every Eucharist, and risen in glory with the Father.

Just as God raised Jesus from the darkness of the tomb, he will one day raise us to eternal life. On that day, our faith will become sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). But today, let the Mass readings remind you. Let two thousand years of Christian history remind you. Let the living presence of Jesus within you remind you. He is risen. The cemeteries of this life are not the end of the story: He is not here, but he has been raised. “Lord Jesus, I believe that you are risen, alive, and with me today.”3

 

Friar Jude Winkler shares background details for the texts of the Easter Vigil. The Goodness of God culminates in the Resurrection of Jesus. Friar Jude notes the role of women in revealing the Easter events to the apostles.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, recommends the Welcoming Prayer as a practice to help us surrender to God, Reality, and Love with each moment. Spiritual teacher Mary Mrozowski (1926–1993) composed and first taught what is now called the Welcoming Prayer, which many have found to be life-changing. The Welcoming Prayer helps us find serenity through surrender in the midst of messy, ordinary moments. When feeling triggered or caught by something unpleasant, begin by simply being present to your feeling, experiencing it not just mentally, but also emotionally and physically. Don’t try to rationalize or explain the feeling, but witness and give attention to this sensation. Welcome the feeling, speaking aloud, if you can: “Welcome, [anger, fear, hunger, longing, etc.].” Repeat this as many times as you need to truly sense yourself embracing and receiving the feeling. Some people pray the Welcoming Prayer regularly—even daily is probably not too much! Popularized by Father Richard’s dear friend and mentor, the late Thomas Keating (1923–2018), it is this simple and this hard.

Welcome, welcome, welcome.  

I welcome everything that comes to me today 

because I know it’s for my healing. 

I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons,  

situations, and conditions.  

I let go of my desire for power and control.  

I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval, and pleasure.  

I let go of my desire for survival and security.  

I let go of my desire to change any situation,  

condition, person, or myself.  

I open to the love and presence of God and God’s action within. Amen. [2]4 

The waiting time of Holy Saturday is an opportunity to contemplate the fullness of life that is in Christ.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved April 16, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/041622.html
2	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 16, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=apr16a
3	(n.d.). Meditation: Luke 24:1-12 - The Word Among Us. Retrieved April 16, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2015
4	(n.d.). 2022 Daily Meditations: Nothing Stands Alone - Center for Action .... Retrieved April 16, 2022, from https://cac.org/a-surrendering-love-weekly-summary-2022-04-16/

Happy Home of Faith

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today celebrate the Holy Family and invite us to ponder how their faith was expressed in trust that God’s will for them would be our example for the path to full life.

Celebrate family

The passage from the Book of Sirach reminds us of our responsibilities to parents including helping your father in his old age.

* [3:1–16] Besides the virtues that must characterize our conduct toward God, special duties are enjoined, such as honor and respect toward parents, with corresponding blessings (vv. 1–9). By showing such respect especially to old and infirm parents (vv. 10–13), the sins of children are pardoned (vv. 14–15).1 

Psalm 128 is a hymn describing the happy home of the faithful.

 * [Psalm 128] A statement that the ever-reliable God will bless the reverent (Ps 128:1). God’s blessing is concrete: satisfaction and prosperity, a fertile spouse and abundant children (Ps 128:2–4). The perspective is that of the adult male, ordinarily the ruler and representative of the household to the community. The last verses extend the blessing to all the people for generations to come (Ps 128:5–6).2

In the reading from the Letter to the Colossians, Paul declares that compassion and patience are among the rules for Christian Households. The Christian Family extends the Stoic sense of duty to practice love.

* [3:5–17] In lieu of false asceticism and superstitious festivals, the apostle reminds the Colossians of the moral life that is to characterize their response to God through Christ. He urges their participation in the liturgical hymns and prayers that center upon God’s plan of salvation in Christ (Col 3:16).3 

The Gospel from Matthew details the escape to Egypt and the return to Nazareth for the Holy Family.

* [2:23] Nazareth…he shall be called a Nazorean: the tradition of Jesus’ residence in Nazareth was firmly established, and Matthew sees it as being in accordance with the foreannounced plan of God. The town of Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, and no such prophecy can be found there. The vague expression “through the prophets” may be due to Matthew’s seeing a connection between Nazareth and certain texts in which there are words with a remote similarity to the name of that town. Some such Old Testament texts are Is 11:1 where the Davidic king of the future is called “a bud” (nēser) that shall blossom from the roots of Jesse, and Jgs 13:5, 7 where Samson, the future deliverer of Israel from the Philistines, is called one who shall be consecrated (a nāzîr) to God.4 

Thomas Lenz comments that if we are open, God communicates and moves us in many ways. Sometimes it is through song, other times through the actions and words of others, and sometimes it is a feeling in the depths of our stomach.

For Joseph, it was an angel that came to him in a dream. The part that struck me was how Joseph responded. He trusted the message and acted. What a great example of being a “contemplative in action!” I bet that St. Ignatius of Loyola loved this story.5 

Don Schwager quotes “The holy family flees to Egypt,” by John Chrysostom, 547-407 A.D., who addresses being a fugitive or refugee like the Holy Family.

    "But why was the Christ child sent into Egypt? The text makes this clear: he was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, 'Out of Egypt have I called my son' (Hosea 11:1). From that point onward we see that the hope of salvation would be proclaimed to the whole world. Babylon and Egypt represent the whole world. Even when they were engulfed in ungodliness, God signified that he intended to correct and amend both Babylon and Egypt. God wanted humanity to expect his bounteous gifts the world over. So he called from Babylon the wise men and sent to Egypt the holy family.    "Besides what I have said, there is another lesson also to be learned, which tends powerfully toward true self-constraint in us. We are warned from the beginning to look out for temptations and plots. And we see this even when he came in swaddling clothes. Thus you see even at his birth a tyrant raging, a flight ensuing and a departure beyond the border. For it was because of no crime that his family was exiled into the land of Egypt.    "Similarly, you yourself need not be troubled if you are suffering countless dangers. Do not expect to be celebrated or crowned promptly for your troubles. Instead you may keep in mind the long-suffering example of the mother of the Child, bearing all things nobly, knowing that such a fugitive life is consistent with the ordering of spiritual things. You are sharing the kind of labor Mary herself shared. So did the magi. They both were willing to retire secretly in the humiliating role of fugitive." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 8.2)6 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Colossians 3:12-21 asks us to name just one quality that makes a family holy.

You might say love, or any of the other virtues that St. Paul lists in today’s second reading. And you may well be right. But what do you think keeps a family holy? What keeps them together for the long haul? Forgiveness…The ability to forgive one another, even for the minor offenses that happen in daily life together, is the oil that makes family relationships run well. Saying “I’m sorry; will you forgive me?” and “I forgive you” should roll off our tongues as readily as the words “I love you.” Because without forgiveness, bitterness can grow and love can wither.
So make forgiveness a goal for your family for the coming year. Show your children and grandchildren how to forgive by modeling it yourself. It’s not a concession to say you’re sorry to another person; it’s a grace—one that the Holy Family will give you for the asking!7 

Friar Jude Winkler mentions the history of the discovery of the Book of Sirach as he notes the wisdom of caring for parents. The idea of subordination and duty in Stoic philosophy is amended in Collossians to emphasize love in family relations. Friar Jude notes that the terrible reign of Herod's successor made the Holy Family choose Nazareth as home.

Dr Anthony Towey, who teaches St. Mary’s University, Strawberry Hill, asks what became of these broken-hearted asylum seekers?

 Let’s be thankful that they didn’t fall foul of UK immigration. An age-gap couple with a dependent – Egypt was clearly more welcoming than we might be and the rest, as they say, is history. It goes without saying that though they didn’t exactly live happily ever after, Mary and Joseph have stayed in the religious and artistic imagination ever since. But if I have a Christmas wish for the Holy Family, it is that the artists and poets among us will continue to explore their story. I would love a statue of Joseph where his lily is replaced by a hammer and his shoulder has a smattering of vomit. I would love to see more iconography of a pregnant Mary, not least to encourage the scared young mums of our day. Lastly, I would love to hear more poems of the Holy Family that go beneath the glitz, through the turmoil and fathom the depth; poems that in turn could become prayers that capture their hope, that capture their faith, that capture their love.8

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that the New Testament has a clear sense of history working in a way that is both evolutionary and positive. For example, Jesus’ many parables of the Kingdom lean heavily on the language of growth and development. His common metaphors for growth are seeds, sprouting and ripening grain, weeds and wheat growing together, and the rising of yeast. [1] His parables of the “Reign of God” are almost always about finding, discovering, being surprised, experiencing reversals of expectations, changing roles and status. None of these notions are static; they are always about something new and good coming into being.

 Why do I think this is so important? Frankly, because without it we become very impatient with ourselves and others. Humans and history both grow slowly and often move three steps forward, two steps back. We expect people to show up at our doors fully transformed and holy before they can be welcomed in. But growth language says it is appropriate to wait, trusting that change of consciousness, what the Bible calls in Greek metanoeite, can only come with time. This patience ends up being the very shape of love. Without an evolutionary worldview, Christianity does not really understand, much less foster, growth or change. Nor does it know how to respect and support where history is heading.9

Faith is that trust that grows love based in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

References

1	(n.d.). Sirach, chapter 3 - United States Conference. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/sirach/3
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 128 - United States Conference. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/128
3	(n.d.). Colossians, chapter 3 - United States Conference. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/colossians/3
4	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 2 - United States Conference. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/2
5	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved December 29, 2019, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/12/29/
8	(2014, December 26). Jesus: Who Do You Think You Are? 6. Mary and Joseph .... Retrieved December 29, 2019, from https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/jesus-who-do-you-think-you-are-6-mary-and-joseph
9	(2019, December 29). Patient Trust — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 29, 2019, from https://cac.org/patient-trust-2019-12-29/

Conviction and confusion

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with the themes of our practice of faith, hope,and love and the confusion that we may encounter when motives of personal gain and self aggrandizement are present.

Confusion of motives

The reading from the First Letter to the Thessalonians is a thanksgiving for the “imitation” of Christ among those to whom the letter is addressed.

* [1:6] Imitators: the Pauline theme of “imitation” (see 1 Thes 2:14; 1 Cor 4:16; 11:1; 2 Thes 3:9) is rooted in Paul’s view of solidarity in Christ through sharing in Jesus’ cross and in the Spirit of the risen Lord.1

Psalm 149 invites the people of Israel to celebrate their God in song and festive dance.

* [Psalm 149] A hymn inviting the people of Israel to celebrate their God in song and festive dance (Ps 149:1–3, 5) because God has chosen them and given them victory (Ps 149:4). The exodus and conquest are the defining acts of Israel; the people must be ready to do again those acts in the future at the divine command (Ps 149:6–9).2 

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus continues denunciation of the practices of Scribes and Pharisees.

* [23:16–22] An attack on the casuistry that declared some oaths binding (one is obligated) and others not (it means nothing) and held the binding oath to be the one made by something of lesser value (the gold; the gift on the altar). Such teaching, which inverts the order of values, reveals the teachers to be blind guides; cf. Mt 15:14. Since the Matthean Jesus forbids all oaths to his disciples (Mt 5:33–37), this woe does not set up a standard for Christian moral conduct, but ridicules the Pharisees on their own terms.3 

Carl Olson discusses some clever but unsound reasoning concerning Christ in history.

Jesus Christ cannot be rightly understood and defended apart from Scripture, and Scripture cannot be rightly read and interpreted outside the Church. Otherwise we simply recreate Christ in the image of our own personality, which is not and cannot be a basis for objective and ultimate truth.4 

Carol Zuegner believes that with these strong words to the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus is speaking to all of us.

Am I going through the motions in my relationship with God and others? Am I letting my judgment of others keep me from really looking at myself and my own actions? Following the rules without opening my heart is not enough. The words from Jesus are a surprise, but it is something that needs to be said and needs to be heard.5 

Don Schwager quotes The Prophet Isaiah on hearing and understanding God's mind and intentions for his people.

"Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts... For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:6-9).6 

He also quotes “Shutting the Kingdom of Heaven,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).

"There are those who dare to say that God is not good because of the curses in his law that he places against their sin. And yet the one who is truly the Son of God who gave that same law is also the same one who put blessings into the law. The same God who provides blessings for those who are saved in a similar way applies curses which he placed in the law against sinners. 'Woe,' he says. Woe to you and to those hearing these things who plead the God of the law and yet do not understand that these words were spoken by God in a kindly way. So we understand why Jesus said, 'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees.' They believe that it is in fact a good thing to pronounce these curses against sinners. They consider the arrangement of the law’s curses to be a part of God’s design. The chiding father frequently urges his advice on his son for his improvement - advice that may seem to be a curse. He does not wish the curses to be actualized, however, but rather he desires to avert him from even more such curses." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13)6 

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10 comments that we all need help seeing the signs of God’s grace in our lives from time to time. It’s easy to overlook our growth in faith, hope, and love amid our weaknesses. But just as Paul helped the Thessalonians, we can help one another by pointing out the evidence that we see in each other.

Where do you see faith, love, and hope in another person? Can you see it in a friend who prayerfully maintains the family home? Can you see it in the older couple who care for each other in their declining health? Can you see it in the single dad who works hard and comes home to his kids without anyone to help him out? When you do, speak up! Who knows? You might lift that person’s spirits and help them see the grace of God in their lives in a new way.
“Lord, open my eyes to see you at work in the people around me. And open my mouth to encourage them.”7 

Friar Jude Winkler notes the “first letter” nature of Paul’s writing today. Thessalonians were focused on Jesus return in glory; a strong apocalyptic belief in the early Church. Friar Jude uses the over scrupulous nature of the Pharisees as a nudge to examine our attitudes.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that when he was growing up, the common perception was that science and religion were at deep odds with one another. Now that we are coming to understand the magnificent nature of the cosmos, we’re finding that many mystics’ spiritual intuitions are paralleled by scientific theories and explanations. All disciplines, arts, and sciences are just approaching truth from different perspectives. The modern and postmodern mistake is that they only take one or no perspective seriously.

It’s easy to imagine the delight St. Francis of Assisi (1181–1226) found by turning skyward. His first biographer, Thomas of Celano (1185–1260), wrote: “he often overflowed with amazing, unspeakable joy as he looked at the sun, gazed at the moon, or observed the stars in the sky.” [1] Thomas Aquinas also intuited the deep connection between spirituality and science when he wrote, “Any mistake we make about creation will also be a mistake about God.” [2] Inner and outer realities must indeed mirror one another.8 

Ilia Delio, a Franciscan sister and scientist, observes how our view of the universe and God has been evolving. The history of the Church reveals how we have wrestled with convictions and confusion.

We’re reaching a fork in the road; two paths are diverging on planet Earth, and the one we choose will make all the difference for the life of the planet. Shall we continue our medieval religious practices in a medieval paradigm and mechanistic culture and undergo extinction? Or shall we wake up to this dynamic, evolutionary universe and the rise of consciousness toward an integral wholeness? [4]8 

Our contemplation is an opportunity to listen for the voice of the Spirit as continue on our journey toward truth, beauty, and goodness through relationship with God.

References

1	(n.d.). 2 Thessalonians, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic .... Retrieved August 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2thessalonians/1
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 149 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/149
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 23 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/23:1
4	(n.d.). Three False Christs: The Myth, the Mortal, and the Guru : Strange .... Retrieved August 26, 2019, from https://strangenotions.com/three-false-christs-the-myth-the-mortal-and-the-guru/
5	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Creighton .... Retrieved August 26, 2019, from http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 26, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). 21st Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved August 26, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/08/26/
8	(2019, August 26). A New Cosmology — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 26, 2019, from https://cac.org/a-new-cosmology-2019-08-26/

Chutzpah and commitment

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Canada Day, resonate with the need in Canada prior to our Fall federal election to debate with the chutzpah of Abraham and continue our journey as a community of good and evil influenced by discipline and our prophetic gifts to enrich the country.

Canada journey

In the passage from the Book of Genesis Abraham Intercedes with God for Sodom.

* [18:20] The immorality of the cities was already hinted at in 13:13, when Lot made his choice to live there. The “outcry” comes from the victims of the injustice and violence rampant in the city, which will shortly be illustrated in the treatment of the visitors. The outcry of the Hebrews under the harsh treatment of Pharaoh (Ex 3:7) came up to God who reacts in anger at mistreatment of the poor (cf. Ex 22:21–23; Is 5:7). Sodom and Gomorrah became types of sinful cities in biblical literature. Is 1:9–10; 3:9 sees their sin as lack of social justice, Ez 16:46–51, as disregard for the poor, and Jer 23:14, as general immorality. In the Genesis story, the sin is violation of the sacred duty of hospitality by the threatened rape of Lot’s guests.1 

In Psalm 103 the speaker in this hymn begins by praising God for personal benefits then moves on to God’s mercy toward all people.

* [Psalm 103] The speaker in this hymn begins by praising God for personal benefits (Ps 103:1–5), then moves on to God’s mercy toward all the people (Ps 103:6–18). Even sin cannot destroy that mercy (Ps 103:11–13), for the eternal God is well aware of the people’s human fragility (Ps 103:14–18). The psalmist invites the heavenly beings to join in praise (Ps 103:19–22).2 

The Gospel from Matthew outlines some discipline for the would-be followers of Jesus.

* [8:18–22] This passage between the first and second series of miracles about following Jesus is taken from Q (see Lk 9:57–62). The third of the three sayings found in the source is absent from Matthew.3

Nancy Shirley comments that today’s first reading focuses on justice and finding the righteous among the evils of the world. We see that the Lord is willing to listen to Abraham and seek the good that was still in Sodom and Gomorrah. We know the rest of the story that Lot and his daughters were saved. Nancy is most pleased to know that amid the evil there is good, so rather than concentrate on the evil, she chooses to focus on the good that is still so abundant in this world… She is delighted that today (in the USCCB Liturgical Calendar) commemorates Saint Junipero Serro. Also known as the apostle of California, Saint Junipero Serra, a Franciscan friar, founded a mission on the Baja and the first nine of the 21 Spanish missions in California.

A post by Franciscan media shares the zeal of this Franciscan and refers to the controversy around treatment of Native Americans in California at that time.

Don Schwager quotes “Following the Lord Jesus,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"'Come follow Me, says the Lord. Do you love? He has hastened on, He has flown on ahead. Look and see where. O Christian, don't you know where your Lord has gone? I ask you: Don't you wish to follow Him there? Through trials, insults,the cross, and death. Why do you hesitate? Look, the way has been shown you." (excerpt from Sermon 64,5)4 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 18:16-33 offers one simple, straightforward way to study Scripture that involves asking two questions.

Here’s the first question: Lord, how are you revealing yourself in this passage? At the foundation of this question is a belief that God wants to speak to us through his word…Here’s the second question: Lord, in light of this passage, how should I live? Sometimes passages clearly state the answer. In today’s Gospel, for example, Jesus announces, “Follow me” (Matthew 8:22). Other passages are different—like today’s first reading from Genesis. They don’t have a clear to-do message. However, they often contain hints. For instance, let’s say you were startled by Abraham’s audacity in speaking to God. Maybe God wants you to be bolder in prayer or to be blunt with him about how you’re feeling.5 

I have found that the question of mixture of good and evil is a theme that we easily identify with communities of people in cities and countries. It is a reality that we contain good and evil in our own person and life. The USCCB commemoration today of Saint Junipero Serro is an event that resonates with our modern struggle about the coexistence of good and evil. How can we use our saints of the day and statues to wrestle with the truth of our history that shows us people, even heroes and saints, as complex and residents of a time when our humanity struggled, as today, with treatment of others as children of God? The meditation direction from the Word Among Us today is one I have found particularly adept at translating the sacred texts to action for today.

Friar Jude Winkler discusses the friendship between God and Abraham, who tries to bargain God down, Following Jesus is a journey not an arrival. Friar Jude suggests that a delay of a year may be excessive in responding to the call of God.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes a prophet as one who names a situation truthfully in its largest context without being pulled into dualistic factions. Scripture shows the Hebrew prophets speaking to the people as one of their own, not above or apart from the community. Prophets share in the problems and in the gifts of grace as they seek to guide the future toward something better for the collective. Prophecy is much closer to the Eastern idea of karma or that what goes around comes around. Prophets teach how reality works by sharing what’s going to happen. You keep destroying the earth, and you’re not going to survive. This is the karma of events: evil is its own punishment, and goodness is its own reward.

 While our society places great emphasis on the individual, true prophets are almost always concerned with social, institutional, national, or corporate evil and our participation in it. They only speak of individual sin when referring to kings, high priests, and other leaders who represent the whole. Frankly, that’s where Christians got our notion of church—from the Jews—that there has to be some kind of collective good or collective transformation that bands together, because there is no way that we as individuals can stand alone against corporate evil or systemic sin. Here the individual is useless. The individual will be bowled over and lose.
In many of his public addresses, Pope John Paul II reintroduced this concept when he referenced sin and evil as social, institutional, or structural. Sadly, his terms have been largely ignored, I think, because we lost the prophetic imagination or way of picturing both the problem and the solution.6

Fr Richard cites Jewish scholar Martin Buber who points out in his marvelous early study of the prophets, The Prophetic Faith, that usually what the prophets said would happen actually did not happen. On Canada Day, our reflection on the anxiety in our community may be an incentive to activate our Baptismal gift as prophets and ask questions to direct our community to the reward tomorrow of good choices today.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 18 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 1, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/18
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 103 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 1, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/103
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 1, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mt/8:37
4	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 1, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
5	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 1, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/07/01/
6	(2019, July 1). Speaking the Truth from Within — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 1, 2019, from https://cac.org/speaking-the-truth-from-within-2019-07-01/