False or Fair

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to discern the systems of inequality and discrimination in our society and to respond, as Jesus teaches, with action that addresses the needs of people.

Fairness and Need

In the reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, he condemns Israel’s False Shepherds.

* [34:2] Shepherds: the leaders of the people. A frequent title for kings and deities in the ancient Near East; the ideal ruler took care of his subjects and anticipated their needs. Ezekiel’s oracle broadens the reference to include the whole class of Jerusalem’s leaders (v. 17). The prophet assures his audience, the exiles in Babylon, that God holds these leaders responsible for what has happened to Jerusalem and will give Israel a new shepherd worthy of the title. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 34 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 23 praises the Divine Shepherd.

* [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).

* [23:1] My shepherd: God as good shepherd is common in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Ez 34:11–16; Jn 10:11–18).

* [23:3] Right paths: connotes “right way” and “way of righteousness.”

* [23:5] You set a table before me: this expression occurs in an exodus context in Ps 78:19. In front of my enemies: my enemies see that I am God’s friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Ps 104:15; Mt 26:7; Lk 7:37, 46; Jn 12:2).

* [23:6] Goodness and mercy: the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel. (Psalms, PSALM 23 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard.

* [20:1–16] This parable is peculiar to Matthew. It is difficult to know whether the evangelist composed it or received it as part of his traditional material and, if the latter is the case, what its original reference was. In its present context its close association with Mt 19:30 suggests that its teaching is the equality of all the disciples in the reward of inheriting eternal life.

* [20:4] What is just: although the wage is not stipulated as in the case of those first hired, it will be fair.

* [20:8] Beginning with the last…the first: this element of the parable has no other purpose than to show how the first knew what the last were given (Mt 20:12).

* [20:13] I am not cheating you: literally, “I am not treating you unjustly.”

* [20:14–15] The owner’s conduct involves no violation of justice (Mt 20:4, 13), and that all the workers receive the same wage is due only to his generosity to the latest arrivals; the resentment of the first comes from envy.

* [20:16] See note on Mt 19:30. (Matthew, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer invites us to think back on all the joy we have experienced in our lives because we have a relationship with Christ.

Think of all we would have missed, had we waited until the end to accept Christ and ask for his forgiveness. Imagine the grandparent who, while on their deathbed, sees their adult grandchildren for the first time. Think of all the joy and love they missed because they delayed having a personal relationship with them.

Having a lifelong relationship with Christ guides us in our daily lives. What type of people would we be, if our lives were not built around the Ten Commandments and the duty to love our neighbors as ourselves? Would we, too, end up like the thief on the cross?

As one commentator said, If you don’t want anything to do with Christ right now, why do you want to spend eternity with Him? (Scholer, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Christ our householder,” author unknown, from the 5th century A.D.

"The householder [in Matthew's parable - chapter 20] is Christ, to whom the heavens and the earth are like a single house; the family is as it were the multitude of creatures both angelic and earthly. It is as if he built a three-storied house: hell, heaven and earth, so that those struggling may live upon the earth, those conquered below the earth, those conquering in heaven. We too, set in the middle, should strive not to descend to those who are in hell but ascend to those who are in heaven. And in case perhaps you do not know which one you ought to shun or which one you ought to aspire to, he has given you as it were a little taste of both while you live between light and darkness: night as a taste of hell, daylight as a taste of heaven." (excerpt from an incomplete Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, HOMILY 34) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Ezekiel 34:1-11 comments that not many of us would consider ourselves equivalent to the “shepherds” the prophet confronted in his day. But then again, maybe we are. Each of us is a “shepherd” because Jesus has called us to love our neighbor as ourselves. And he has made it clear that we are all neighbors to one another (Luke 10:29-37).

So try something a little different today. At your next meal, pray for the people who made it possible: the ones who farmed your food, the ones who packaged and delivered it, and the ones who prepared it. Pray also for those who will go without a meal today. Acknowledge how you are connected to people you may never meet, your “neighbors” near and far. As you do, the Lord will gradually turn your indifference to love that bears fruit in action.

“Jesus, teach me how to love all my neighbors.” (Meditation on Ezekiel 34:1-11, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the condemnation of Ezekiel for the leaders of Israel who failed to be good shepherds. The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard invites us to ponder the fairness of all workers receiving the usual daily wage regardless of the time in the field. Friar Jude reminds us that God is true to His Promise of being merciful.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces CAC staff member Jennifer Tompos who invited Living School affiliate faculty member Carmen Acevedo Butcher to reflect on the role of mentors in developing resilience.

I am so glad you’re bringing up Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha because they feel grief … and I feel it with them. A few days ago, I was rereading “Appendix Five: Talking to Children About Our Current Situation” in Brian McLaren’s book Life After Doom. I began to cry because of the grief, and my students also feel it. I think it’s so important to sit with this uncomfortable conversation [with them], because many come from very difficult backgrounds: first generation students, low socioeconomic status, various disabilities. They feel anger at the older generations for our platitudes and obtuseness, and I listen. I’ve even heard myself in class say, “I just want to apologize for how we were not on this, and y’all have inherited such a mess, so many difficulties.” Then there’s this intergenerational dialogue that takes place. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ask the help of the Spirit to STOP (Stop,Take breath,Observe,Proceed) when we are offered the opportunity to choose kindness, mercy and compassion in our response to the needs of our brothers and sisters that we encounter on our journey.

References

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 34 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/34?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/20?1 

Meditation on Ezekiel 34:1-11. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/08/21/1055674/ 

Psalms, PSALM 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/23?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Intergenerational Learning. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/intergenerational-learning/ 

Scholer, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082124.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do You Begrudge My Generosity? Daily Scripture net. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=aug21 

Kings and Sinners

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek the guidance of the Spirit to seek and choose leaders who are shepherds who smell like their sheep.

Our choice of leaders

In the reading from the First Book of Samuel, Saul is chosen to be King.

* [10:1] The sign: the role of the new ruler is confirmed by specific signs; cf. Ex 7:9. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)

Psalm 21 is a thanksgiving for Victory.

* [Psalm 21] The first part of this royal Psalm is a thanksgiving (Ps 21:2–8), and the second is a promise that the king will triumph over his enemies (Ps 21:9–13). The king’s confident prayer (Ps 21:3–5) and trust in God (Ps 21:8) enable him to receive the divine gifts of vitality, peace, and military success. Ps 21:14 reprises Ps 21:2. When kings ceased in Israel after the sixth century B.C, the Psalm was sung of a future Davidic king. (Psalms, PSALM 21 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus calls Levi.

* [2:14] As he passed by: see note on Mk 1:16–20. Levi, son of Alphaeus: see note on Mt 9:9. Customs post: such tax collectors paid a fixed sum for the right to collect customs duties within their districts. Since whatever they could collect above this amount constituted their profit, the abuse of extortion was widespread among them. Hence, Jewish customs officials were regarded as sinners (Mk 2:16), outcasts of society, and disgraced along with their families. He got up and followed him: i.e., became a disciple of Jesus.

* [2:15] In his house: cf. Mk 2:1; Mt 9:10. Lk 5:29 clearly calls it Levi’s house.

* [2:16–17] This and the following conflict stories reflect a similar pattern: a statement of fact, a question of protest, and a reply by Jesus.

* [2:17] Do not need a physician: this maxim of Jesus with its implied irony was uttered to silence his adversaries who objected that he ate with tax collectors and sinners (Mk 2:16). Because the scribes and Pharisees were self-righteous, they were not capable of responding to Jesus’ call to repentance and faith in the gospel. (Mark, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)

Jay Carney comments that we are only in the second chapter of Mark, and already Jesus’s Reign of God is flipping the religious status quo on its head.

Today’s readings remind us that appearances can be deceiving. For all of his physical prowess and good looks, King Saul ends up as a tragic, broken, jealous man, abandoned by YHWH and Samuel alike. In contrast, the social outcasts of first-century Galilee end up sharing a table banquet with the true Messiah. Such are the reversals of the Reign of God.

What “reign of God reversal” is God calling you to notice today? (Carney, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “No physician can avoid the arena of sickness,” by Gregory of Nazianzus (330 - 390 AD).

"When Jesus is attacked for mixing with sinners, and taking as his disciple a despised tax collector, one might ask: What could he possibly gain by doing so? (Luke 15:2) Only the salvation of sinners. To blame Jesus for mingling with sinners would be like blaming a physician for stooping down over suffering and putting up with vile smells in order to heal the sick." (excerpt from ORATION 45, ON HOLY EASTER 26) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us  Meditation on 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 comments that there are times when, like Saul, we may feel as if our circumstances have us wandering aimlessly.

Remember, the Lord goes before you. He is the One who sees your winding road. At every step, he is ready to help you, guide you, and bring you closer to him. He knows you best and loves you the most.

“Lord God, thank you that you know me and have a plan for my life. Help me to trust that you’re with me on my winding path.” (Meditation on 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that when Saul can’t find the donkeys, he goes to the seer and is anointed and chosen charismatically as the first King of Israel. Jesus shares table hospitality with people the Pharisees considered contagious with sin. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus interacted with sinners as people who were sick and required healing of body and spirit.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Buddhist teacher Oren Jay Sofer who considers how we engage with the world’s suffering. Sofer recommends beginning with the grounding practice of attention.

Contemplative practice is one powerful way to reclaim attention. Rest your attention with an anchor, a home base for meditation such as the breath, a sensation, an image, a sound, or a mantra. An anchor is a primary meditation object to help steady your attention and limit mind-wandering, like an anchor for a ship.… This mental action—recognizing that attention has wandered and then consciously redirecting it—strengthens your capacity to pay attention and develops a host of other skillful qualities, including patience, kindness, and concentration.…

The more you cultivate this quality of attention, the more you build inner resources. I am not encouraging you to avoid the painful realities of life and look only at what’s uplifting. The idea here is to strengthen your capacity to choose what you attend to. Then—when you turn to face pain, distress, and hardship—instead of feeling helpless or demoralized, you will have more energy, confidence, and clarity to meet the challenge. (Rohr, 2024)

We are sometimes very disappointed by the failure of those we choose to lead us to live up to the piety, study, and action that the Spirit inspires in the followers of Jesus.

References

Carney, J. (2024, January 13). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/011324.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/2?13 

Meditation on 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/13/874221/ 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/10 

Psalms, PSALM 21 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/21 

Rohr, R. (2024, January 13). Engaging with a World on Fire: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/engaging-with-a-world-on-fire-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Many Sinners Were Sitting with Jesus. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved January 13, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan13