Be Prepared

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today confront us with the paradox that what human wisdom finds foolish and a stumbling block actually prepares us for fullness of life.

Prepared to Act

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians declares the paradox of the Cross and Christ as the Power and Wisdom of God.

* [1:21–25] True wisdom and power are to be found paradoxically where one would least expect them, in the place of their apparent negation. To human eyes the crucified Christ symbolizes impotence and absurdity. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Psalm 33 praises the greatness and Goodness of God.

* [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (Ps 33:1–3) to praise God, who by a mere word (Ps 33:4–5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (Ps 33:6–9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (Ps 33:10–11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (Ps 33:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 33, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids.

* [25:2–4] Foolish…wise: cf. the contrasted “wise man” and “fool” of Mt 7:24, 26 where the two are distinguished by good deeds and lack of them, and such deeds may be signified by the oil of this parable.

* [25:11–12] Lord, Lord: cf. Mt 7:21. I do not know you: cf. Mt 7:23 where the Greek verb is different but synonymous.

* [25:13] Stay awake: some scholars see this command as an addition to the original parable of Matthew’s traditional material, since in Mt 25:5 all the virgins, wise and foolish, fall asleep. But the wise virgins are adequately equipped for their task, and stay awake may mean no more than to be prepared; cf. Mt 24:42, 44. (Matthew, CHAPTER 25, n.d.)

Tom Purcell comments that clearly spiritual preparation for death is essential, regardless of one’s faith tradition (or lack thereof).  We all know our death will happen someday, but our attitudes seem to naturally evolve over time – the 20-year old us is somewhat oblivious to the eventual happening, but the 70-year old us knows it is coming sooner rather than later.

But I think we also need to be in the moment.  If I accept that my next moment might be my last, how can I leave a person that I care about with a sense of disappointment or anger at my actions?  How can I hurt someone’s feelings and then leave without trying to ease the hurt?  Did I do what was feasible when I encountered another human who was hurting in the moment?  How have I acted in the most mundane everyday situations – driving in traffic, interacting with a salesperson, ordering and receiving a meal in a restaurant, waiting in a long line for my turn to be served – have I been nurturing or selfish? (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Kingdom of God compared with ten maidens,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"The whole story is about the great day of the Lord, when those things concealed from the human mind will be revealed through our understanding of divine judgment. Then the faith true to the Lord's coming will win the just reward for unwavering hope. For in the five wise and five foolish virgins (Matthew 25:2), a complete separation between the faithful and unfaithful is established... The wise virgins are those who, embracing the time available to them, were prepared at the first onset of the coming of the Lord. But the foolish were those who were lax and unmindful. They troubled themselves only over present matters and, forgetting what God said, did not direct their efforts toward hope for resurrection." (excerpt from the commentary ON MATTHEW 27.3,5) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 comments that we are naturally inclined toward that “wisdom of the world” that urges us toward control and independence. And so sometimes even our attempts to surrender to God are tinged by that drive. We might make a decision impulsively and then ask God to bless what we already did. Or we might take something to prayer but then go ahead with our own plan instead of listening for what God might be saying to us about the situation.

We struggle sometimes because the truth is, it can be scary to surrender to a God whom we can’t see. It can feel risky to let go of control of our lives. That’s why St. Paul says the message of the cross is “foolishness” to the Greeks who prized wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22-23). But remember, for us who are being saved, it is the power of God (1:18). When we hand control over to our heavenly Father, we can trust that, in his goodness and his love, he will take care of us and bring the best out of any situation.

Today, let’s take one more step closer to a full surrender to God. Let’s make just a little more progress toward living according to the surpassing wisdom of God.

“Lord, help me to learn the ‘foolish’ wisdom of the cross and surrender to your will.” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler connects the message of Paul to the Corinthians to Paul’s earlier rejection by the Stoics in Athens who saw resurrection of the body as foolish in comparison with Greek philosophy that elevated spirit over material reality. The stumbling block for Jews was how to accommodate a Messiah, expected to liberate them from Roman occupation, being crucified. Friar Jude reminds us that “selfishness” misses the point of the parable that calls us to always be prepared for the second coming.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Sophfronia Scott who draws on the wisdom and example of Trappist monk Thomas Merton (1915–1968) to discern her own response to the world’s pain.

“The contemplative life is not, and cannot be, a mere withdrawal, a pure negation, a turning of one’s back on the world with its sufferings, its crises, its confusions and its errors,” he writes. “The attempt itself would be illusory. No person can withdraw completely from the society of other people.” [1] When he entered the monastery after months of spiritual struggle, Merton described a lightness, as of . . . a leaving of the world. . . . His writings from his earlier years focused mainly on the cultivation of interior spirituality. . . . But as he matured, both emotionally and spiritually, he too sensed there was more—way more—he could be doing. The world, the very state of it, required that he bring his voice to the table. . . .

In 1961, he wrote his first article on peace, “The Root of War Is Fear,” and laid out the place for Christians in the struggle for peace. He writes, “The duty of Christians in this crisis is to strive with all their power and intelligence, with their faith, hope in Christ, and love for God and humankind, to do the one task which God has imposed upon us in the world today. That task is to work for the total abolition of war.” [2] . . . (Scott, 2022)

We pray for openness to the Spirit who offers insight into how to navigate the both/and dimensions of our journey in which we prepare with our human gifts to surrender to the will of God.

References

Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/082622.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 25. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25?1 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:17-25. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/08/26/475365/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/1?17 

Psalms, PSALM 33. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/33?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Foolish Will Miss Heaven's Wedding Feast. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=aug26 

Scott, S. (2022, August 26). Engaged Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/engaged-contemplation-2022-08-26/ 

Rebuilding the Temple

 

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider the depth of our understanding of our relationship with God and Christ in the Law and in the path we follow to the Cross.

A community of faith

 

The reading from the Book of Exodus details the Ten Commandments.

 

* [20:1–17] The precise numbering and division of these precepts into “ten commandments” is somewhat uncertain. Traditionally among Catholics and Lutherans vv. 1–6 are considered as only one commandment, and v. 17 as two. The Anglican, Greek Orthodox, and Reformed churches count vv. 1–6 as two, and v. 17 as one. Cf. Dt 5:6–21. The traditional designation as “ten” is not found here but in 34:28 (and also Dt 4:13 and 10:4), where these precepts are alluded to literally as “the ten words.” That they were originally written on two tablets appears in Ex 32:15–16; 34:28–29; Dt 4:13; 10:2–4.1

  Psalm 19 praises God’s Glory in Creation and the Law.

 

* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem.2

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians positions Jesus as a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

 

* [1:21–25] True wisdom and power are to be found paradoxically where one would least expect them, in the place of their apparent negation. To human eyes the crucified Christ symbolizes impotence and absurdity.3

In the Gospel of John, Jesus Cleanses the Temple.

 * [2:19] This saying about the destruction of the temple occurs in various forms (Mt 24:2; 27:40; Mk 13:2; 15:29; Lk 21:6; cf. Acts 6:14). Mt 26:61 has: “I can destroy the temple of God…”; see note there. In Mk 14:58, there is a metaphorical contrast with a new temple: “I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.” Here it is symbolic of Jesus’ resurrection and the resulting community (see Jn 2:21 and Rev 21:2). In three days: an Old Testament expression for a short, indefinite period of time; cf. Hos 6:2.4

Ronald Fussell comments that today’s Gospel reading confirms that Jesus, like us, felt emotions and responded in a human way.  By challenging the economic apparatus in that time and place, Jesus redirects us to avoid the distractions of earthly rewards and to instead focus on our relationship with Him.

 

In today’s context, there is no shortage of earthly distractions.  Just spend some time watching the 24-hour news cycle and we will see it unfold right before our eyes.  And all too often, these distractions lead to grave social injustices that affect the poor and those on the margins.  The gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” continues to expand, and it is all too easy for us to become numb and complacent in this stark reality.  Contemporary moneychangers abound, and this season of Lent provides us the opportunity to challenge systems of oppression more intentionally when we see them.5

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus cleanses the temple - his Father's house,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

 

"But why did Christ use such violence? He was about to heal on the sabbath day and to do many things that appeared to them transgressions of the law. However, so that he might not appear to be acting as a rival to God and an opponent of his Father, he takes occasion to correct any such suspicion of theirs... He did not merely 'cast them out' but also 'overturned the tables' and 'poured out the money,' so that they could see how someone who threw himself into such danger for the good order of the house could never despise his master. If he had acted out of hypocrisy, he would have only advised them, but to place himself in such danger was very daring. It was no small thing to offer himself to the anger of so many market people or to excite against himself a most brutal mob of petty dealers by his reproaches and the disruption he caused. This was not, in other words, the action of a pretender but of one choosing to suffer everything for the order of the house. For the same reason, to show his agreement with the Father, he did not say 'the holy house' but 'my Father's house.' See how he even calls him 'Father,' and they are not angry with him. They thought he spoke in a more general way, but when he went on and spoke more plainly of his equality, this is when they become angry." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 23.2)6

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 notes that the image of a crucified Messiah was a stumbling block to Jews. Jesus’ life and death did not match up with the way they had expected God to save them. Likewise, the philosophical Greeks could not fathom Paul’s explanation of salvation. To them, it was nothing more than an odd, made-up story.

 

Still, a few Jews and Greeks accepted Paul’s words, believed in Jesus, and gave their lives to him. And the one unique message that formed the foundation of the faith that they proclaimed? The message of a crucified and risen Messiah! Two thousand years later, this same Jesus is at the center of our faith. This “foolish” gospel draws us together each Sunday. And how blessed we are to believe in such “folly”! We have a God who loves us so completely that he laid down his life for us. As we receive Jesus in the Eucharist today, let’s allow the “folly” of that message to sink deeper into our hearts. “Jesus, your love is greater than anything this world can offer. I embrace the ‘folly’ of your salvation.”7

Friar Jude Winkler unpacks the understanding of the Israelites that the Ten Commandments were a great gift to them that was not known by other ancient peoples. A Messiah who would not defeat the Roman conquerors or who was not a god at the end of the universe was not comprehended by Jews and Greeks. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus did not trust belief in superficial signs to bring us to take up our cross and follow Him.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, thinks a collective notion is what Christians were trying to verbalize when they made a late addition (fifth century) to the ancient Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in the communion of saints.” They were offering us this new idea that the dead are at one with the living, whether they’re our direct ancestors, the saints in glory, or even the so-called souls in purgatory. The whole assembly is one, just at different stages, all of it loved corporately by God (and, one hopes, by us). Within this worldview, we are saved not by being privately perfect, but by being “part of the body,” humble links in the great chain of history.

 Theologian Elizabeth Johnson, a Sister of Saint Joseph, has worked for many years to redeem and expand the Catholic understanding of what exactly is meant by the “communion of saints.” She describes it as an “intergenerational community of the living and the dead stretching across time and space and comprised of all who are made holy by the Spirit of God.” [1]8

Contemplation of the gifts given us by God as followers of Christ is a path to build the trust, hope, and love in our community formed by the Spirit to be love and service.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Exodus, chapter 20 - USCCB. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ex/20:12
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19
3	(n.d.). 1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/1
4	(n.d.). John, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/2
5	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online .... Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/030721.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
7	(2021, March 5). 3rd Sunday of Lent - The Word Among Us. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/03/07/181161/
8	(2021, March 7). A Community of Holy People — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://cac.org/a-community-of-holy-people-2021-03-07/