Prepared for Ministry

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer a template for our action as we are transformed to serve others on our journey.

Training for service

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians shares Paul’s reason for not using his rights rather choosing to become all things to all people.

* [9:19–23] In a rhetorically balanced series of statements Paul expands and generalizes the picture of his behavior and explores the paradox of apostolic freedom. It is not essentially freedom from restraint but freedom for service—a possibility of constructive activity.

* [9:24–27] A series of miniparables from sports, appealing to readers familiar with Greek gymnasia and the nearby Isthmian games.

* [9:27] For fear that…I myself should be disqualified: a final paradoxical turn to the argument: what appears at first a free, spontaneous renunciation of rights (1 Cor 9:12–18) seems subsequently to be required for fulfillment of Paul’s stewardship (to preach effectively he must reach his hearers wherever they are, 1 Cor 9:19–22), and finally is seen to be necessary for his own salvation (1 Cor 9:23–27). Mention of the possibility of disqualification provides a transition to 1 Cor 10. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

Psalm 84 praises the joy of worship in the Temple.

* [Psalm 84] Israelites celebrated three pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem annually. The Psalm expresses the sentiments of the pilgrims eager to enjoy the divine presence.

* [84:4] The desire of a restless bird for a secure home is an image of the desire of a pilgrim for the secure house of God, cf. Ps 42:2–3, where the image for the desire of the pilgrim is the thirst of the deer for water. (Psalms, PSALM 84, n.d.)

In the Gospel of  Luke, Jesus' Sermon on the Plain warns against judging others.

* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity. (Luke, CHAPTER 6, n.d.)

Maureen McCann Waldron comments (in 2014) that it is not a heavy theological message today – it is a simple teaching for our lives.  If we want to be a real follower of Jesus, we must stop judging and gossiping.  But how do we break these lifelong habits?  How can we end these ways of thinking that are celebrated in western culture in reality tv and tabloid journalism?  With prayer.

We will feel less insecure and feel less need to look around at the ways others live, if we really feel deeply in our hearts how much we are loved by God.  Letting God love us, a love that transcends the very flaws we want to hide, will heal the need in our lives to look so harshly on others.  We can allow God’s endless love to wash over us until we really feel how much God delights in us.

Loving God, let me open my heart to your love.  I beg you for the grace to set my heart on fire with an awareness of how much you love me.  Then, give me the grace today to release me from my habits of looking on others with such scorn and help me to see how much you love them as much as you love me. (McCann, n.d.)

Don Schwager “Seeing the speck in another's eye,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The word hypocrite is aptly employed here (Luke 6:42, Matthew 7:5), since the denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators, masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray anothers character through the mask. The word hypocrites in fact signifies pretenders. Hence we ought especially to avoid that meddlesome class of pretenders who under the pretense of seeking advice undertake the censure of all kinds of vices. They are often moved by hatred and malice. Rather, whenever necessity compels one to reprove or rebuke another, we ought to proceed with godly discernment and caution. First of all, let us consider whether the other fault is such as we ourselves have never had or whether it is one that we have overcome. Then, if we have never had such a fault, let us remember that we are human and could have had it. But if we have had it and are rid of it now, let us remember our common frailty, in order that mercy, not hatred, may lead us to the giving of correction and admonition. In this way, whether the admonition occasions the amendment or the worsening of the one for whose sake we are offering it (for the result cannot be foreseen), we ourselves shall be made safe through singleness of eye. But if on reflection we find that we ourselves have the same fault as the one we are about to reprove, let us neither correct nor rebuke that one. Rather, let us bemoan the fault ourselves and induce that person to a similar concern, without asking him to submit to our correction."(excerpt from Sermon on the Mount 2.19.64) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-2 comments that Paul says he is willing to “become all things to all, to save at least some” (1 Corinthians 9:19). He was willing to put aside his own preferences or rights because his overriding goal was to help the Corinthians remain united so that they could be a witness to the gospel.

What Paul is talking about is keeping side issues on the side and remaining focused on the main goal: proclaiming the gospel through the call to love one another. That’s something we can work on too. It may not take too deep an examination of conscience to come up with one or two ways that we are getting sidetracked from that goal. But at the same time, it probably won’t take a lot of pondering to figure out how to get back on track.

So keep running the race!

“Lord, help me to keep my eyes fixed on loving you and loving the people in my life.” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-2, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on how the mission of Paul to serve was in the image and likeness of Jesus. Our opportunity to serve makes us God like and we need to train for service through fasting, prayer, and sacrifice for others. Friar Jude advises us to choose the teacher who lives the truth and to prepare for service by our own conversion.

Franciscan Media notes that the apostolate of Saint Peter Claver, Priest extended beyond his care for slaves. He became a moral force, indeed, the apostle of Cartagena. He preached in the city square, gave missions to sailors and traders as well as country missions, during which he avoided, when possible, the hospitality of the planters and owners and lodged in the slave quarters instead.

The Holy Spirit’s might and power are manifested in the striking decisions and bold actions of Peter Claver. A decision to leave one’s homeland never to return reveals a gigantic act of will difficult for us to imagine. Peter’s determination to serve forever the most abused, rejected, and lowly of all people is stunningly heroic. When we measure our lives against such a man’s, we become aware of our own barely used potential and of our need to open ourselves more to the jolting power of Jesus’ Spirit. (Stained Glass Window Depicting Saint Peter Claver, n.d.)

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that we have chosen Jesus as our primary hero, and no one addresses issues of power and domination more directly. We could read the whole gospel as Jesus undercutting false power and standing insistently and constantly on the side of the powerless. He always takes the side of the victim, the poor, the oppressed, the little ones.

Love is not given to us to help us solve our problems. Love, rather, leads us into our problems. It’s love that leads us on the quest and ultimately to a final, universal, and grounding love. It’s a love we can trust because we know it is not all up to us. We do not have to secure ourselves because we are radically secured—we are beloved children in a benevolent universe. 

When we truly and fully belong, it is natural to believe and to become. The tragedy of our time is that so very many do not belong—people who have no parents, no family, no community, no tradition. It’s no wonder that survival has taken the place of becoming. One true love is all that is necessary. It tells us we do belong, we are connected, and we are at home. We are in, precisely because we have been led through. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Holy Spirit to fill us with the fire of Love, in which we will be led to serve our brothers and sisters.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 6. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?39 

McCann, M. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090922.html 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-2. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/09/485243/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/9?16 

Psalms, PSALM 84. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/84?3 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/whom-does-the-grail-serve-2022-09-09/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do You Not See the Log in Your Own Eye? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep9 

Stained glass window depicting Saint Peter Claver. (n.d.). Franciscan Media. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-peter-claver 

 

Freedom to Serve

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary resonate with a theme of struggle for freedom and full life that is likely to be counter to secular culture.

Cultural Clash

The reading from the Book of Wisdom is from Solomon’s Prayer.

* [9:15–17] Although the expressions in v. 15 draw on the language of Plato concerning the human condition, the conclusion is very biblical: God remains a mystery (Jb 38–39; Eccl 8:17; Is 40:12–14; Rom 11:33–34). The plight of humankind is clearly one of ignorance, unless the “holy spirit” is sent from God. (Wisdom, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

Psalm 90 praises God’s Eternity and human frailty

* [Psalm 90] A communal lament that describes only in general terms the cause of the community’s distress. After confidently invoking God (Ps 90:1), the Psalm turns to a complaint contrasting God’s eternity with the brevity of human life (Ps 90:2–6) and sees in human suffering the punishment for sin (Ps 90:7–12). The Psalm concludes with a plea for God’s intervention (Ps 90:13–17). (Psalms, PSALM 90, n.d.)

The reading from the Letter to Philemon is a plea for Onesimus.

* [11] Useless…useful: here Paul plays on the name Onesimus, which means “useful” or “beneficial.” The verb translated “profit” in Phlm 20 is cognate.

* [13] Serve: the Greek diakoneō could connote a ministry.

* [15] Was away from: literally, “was separated from,” but the same verb means simply “left” in Acts 18:1. It is a euphemism for his running away. (Philemon, THE LETTER TO PHILEMON, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke presents some sayings of Jesus on the cost of Discipleship.

* [14:25–33] This collection of sayings, most of which are peculiar to Luke, focuses on the total dedication necessary for the disciple of Jesus. No attachment to family (Lk 14:26) or possessions (Lk 14:33) can stand in the way of the total commitment demanded of the disciple. Also, acceptance of the call to be a disciple demands readiness to accept persecution and suffering (Lk 14:27) and a realistic assessment of the hardships and costs (Lk 14:28–32). (Luke, CHAPTER 14, n.d.)

Nicky Santos, S.J. comments that when viewed through the lens of the parallel in Matthew’s gospel, we see that the point being made is that true discipleship requires undivided loyalty to Jesus above any other loyalty, including to oneself. Such a commitment might at times pit us against our relatives or even our own desires and wishes.

As I reflected on the gospel, I was reminded of the radical and inclusive love that God has for us. In being detached from our relationships and possessions we can more fully experience this love and be channels of it to our family, friends, ourselves and even our enemies. Ironically then, today’s gospel is not calling us to hate (as we understand hate) our father and mother, spouse and children, brothers and sisters, and even our own life, but rather to love these with that radical and inclusive love that we have experienced as disciples. This is the true cost of discipleship, and it is not easy. (Santos, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus permits us to love family but not more than God,” by Cyril of Alexandria, 375-444 A.D.

"He says, 'He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me' (Matthew 10:37). By adding 'more than me,' it is plain that he permits us to love, but not more than we love him. He demands our highest affection for himself and that very correctly. The love of God in those who are perfect in mind has something in it superior both to the honor due to parents and to the natural affection felt for children." (excerpt fromCOMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 105) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 14:25-33 comments that, in some ways, we’re all a bit like the National Monument of Scotland, planned as a replica of the Parthenon in Athens, and now known as “Edinburgh’s Disgrace.” Its unfinished pillars stand as a sobering tribute to poor planning.: works in progress. But the good news is that we can finish. We just need to keep on choosing to follow Jesus. Jesus tells us that our journey will require more than our own natural resources—not to discourage us, but to point us to God, the finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus says, “Come, follow me.” He knows the challenges you will face, and he doesn’t want you to give up when you realize it costs you more than you expected. He has all the grace you need to resist temptation. His love will strengthen you on your path toward heaven. And he has deep pockets, overflowing with mercy, to help you choose him day after day.

“Lord, I need the riches of your grace today!” (Meditation on Luke 14:25-33, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler echoes the teaching of the Book of Wisdom about the difficulty we have in grasping the thinking of God. The Letter to Philemon is not an explicit condemnation of slavery but in is an appeal to release someone who provided much service to Paul while he was imprisoned. Friar Jude reminds us of the challenge of giving all to God in such a secular world.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, turns to Quest for the Grail, based on his earlier work with men and spirituality. Fr Richard was told that European quest legends emerged in various forms around 1180 to 1350 CE. They originated from different levels of society, at precisely the time when the great gospel story was in eclipse and no longer reaching the ears or affecting the souls of Christians. It could be said that Grail stories were lay persons’ ways of charting and describing a necessary and good spiritual path.

I believe we live in a time when the quest is no longer real. People are unsure of the goal, insecure in their search for meaningful patterns, and even unconvinced of any divine origins. It is a major crisis of meaning for the West; at the deepest level, it is a loss of hope. The anxiety and solutions to this crisis cannot be addressed at a mere surface or problem-solving level. Only sacred psychology or mythology are deep and true enough to address questions of meaning and hope.

What true religion has always done is open the door to this symbolic universe, to the world of the soul that is the primary access point for the spirit world. Healthy religion teaches us how to see, how to see more clearly, and how to see things all the way through.…

The Grail story can be told and retold, but finally it is a quest that must be walked. It is always a descent, always a terror, and for those who know the bigger story, always participation in a miracle. (Rohr, 2022)

We sense, with the influence of the Holy Spirit, the reality of our spiritual journey to love, truth, and beauty that leads to more than an existence defined by secular standards.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 14. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/14?25 

Meditation on Luke 14:25-33. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/04/481874/ 

Philemon, THE LETTER TO PHILEMON. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/philemon/1?9 

Psalms, PSALM 90. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/90?3 

Rohr, R. (2022, September 4). A Heroic Journey — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-heroic-journey-2022-09-04/ 

Santos, N. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/090422.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The True Cost of Discipleship. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep4 

Wisdom, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/9?13