Temptation and Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to renew our commitment to truth, beauty, and love as we recognize the internal and external distractions that tempt us to ignore the guidance of the Spirit.

Shrove or Fat Tuesday

The reading from the Letter of James identifies our struggle with Trial and Temptation.

* [1:12] Temptation: the Greek word used here is the same one used for “trials” in Jas 1:2. The crown of life: in ancient Palestine, crowns or wreaths of flowers were worn at festive occasions as signs of joy and honor. In the Hellenistic world, wreaths were given as a reward to great statesmen, soldiers, athletes. Life: here means eternal life. He promised: some manuscripts read “God” or “the Lord,” while the best witnesses do not specify the subject of “promised.”

* [1:13–15] It is contrary to what we know of God for God to be the author of human temptation (Jas 1:13). In the commission of a sinful act, one is first beguiled by passion (Jas 1:14), then consent is given, which in turn causes the sinful act. When sin permeates the entire person, it incurs the ultimate penalty of death (Jas 1:15).

* [1:16–18] The author here stresses that God is the source of all good and of good alone, and the evil of temptation does not come from him.

* [1:17] All good giving and every perfect gift may be a proverb written in hexameter. Father of lights: God is here called the Father of the heavenly luminaries, i.e., the stars, sun, and moon that he created (Gn 1:14–18). Unlike orbs moving from nadir to zenith, he never changes or diminishes in brightness.

* [1:18] Acceptance of the gospel message, the word of truth, constitutes new birth (Jn 3:5–6) and makes the recipient the firstfruits (i.e., the cultic offering of the earliest grains, symbolizing the beginning of an abundant harvest) of a new creation; cf. 1 Cor 15:20; Rom 8:23. (James, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Psalm 94 praises God, the Avenger of the Righteous.

* [Psalm 94] A lament of an individual who is threatened by wicked people. The danger affects the whole community. Calling upon God as judge (Ps 94:1–2), the Psalm complains about oppression of the holy community by people within (Ps 94:3–7). Bold declarations of faith follow: denunciation of evildoers (Ps 94:8–11) and assurance to the just (Ps 94:12–15). The Psalm continues with further lament (Ps 94:16–19) and ends with strong confidence in God’s response (Ps 94:20–23). (Psalms, PSALM 94, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus warns against the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.

* [8:15] The leaven of the Pharisees…of Herod: the corruptive action of leaven (1 Cor 5:6–8; Gal 5:9) was an apt symbol of the evil dispositions both of the Pharisees (Mk 8:11–13; 7:5–13) and of Herod (Mk 6:14–29) toward Jesus. The disciples of Jesus are warned against sharing such rebellious attitudes toward Jesus; cf. Mk 8:17, 21. (Mark, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)

David Crawford comments that when we read the verses from James, we see temptation acting as a kind of leaven, which turns wants into desires, and desires into full-blown sins as we seek our own purposes instead of God’s.  It is not hard to find examples of temptations leading to small problems that then mushroom into severe troubles or addictions, which in turn break up families, disrupt communities, and destroy lives. 

There is hope, though.  Contrary to what the tempter may whisper in our ears, God loves us and will not leave us alone.  We have been given the Holy Spirit to guide our words and actions, to uplift us, to correct us lovingly, to bring us peace, to shepherd us in shadowy times and to help us root out the leaven of temptation.

Loving God, lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.  Holy Spirit, abide in us and fill us with Your wisdom, peace, hope and love. (Crawford, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “Heed the truth of the Gospel,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"The apostles are ordered to watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They are warned not to be involved in the disputes of the Jews. The works of the law are now to be viewed in the light of faith. They are forewarned that they, into whose time and age the truth had appeared incarnate, should judge nothing except which lies within the position of hope in likeness of the truth that is revealed. They are warned against allowing the doctrine of the Pharisees, who are unaware of Christ, to corrupt the effectiveness of the truth of the gospel." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 16.3) (Schwager, 2024)

The Word Among Us Meditation on James 1:12-18 notes that God’s goodness and generosity mean that Lent can be a time of receiving, not just a time of giving up. So let’s ask a different question: what gift might your heavenly Father want to give you?

Spend some time today inviting the Lord to open your eyes to a gift he longs to give you. Then ask him how your Lenten practices can help prepare you to receive it.

“Father, what good gift are you preparing for me this Lent?” (Meditation on James 1:12-18, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on persevering in temptation by heeding the advice of James to find courage in the love of God. The weakness and brokenness in our hearts is countered by the mercy and compassion of God. Friar Jude notes that theme in Mark that the disciples just don’t get it in spite of their experience with Jesus.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces scientist and theologian Ilia Delio who presents images of fire to describe God’s presence in her life. She witnesses the fire in her heart as a universal invitation for each of us to be transformed.

Every human life is the cosmos winding its way into the future. Every life makes a difference to the life of the whole. I have come to know that the fire in my heart is the fire in the heart of the universe and that its flames will not be extinguished. This fire will destroy that which is not God and forge what is God into an ever-radiant new presence of God because God is forever being born within us. In this life, at this moment, I allow all that has shaped my life to be summed up in this seamless mysterious breath of life. I let go over and over again and jump into the lap of God’s loving embrace. Every moment I am falling in love with God. For God knows me in a deep way, a way that I still hardly know myself; and it is this endless inscrutable depth where love burns brightly that I learn to trust my thoughts, my words, my actions…. I have a mission because every person has a mission—to be the truth of who they are so that God can be God in them. The path to truth demands patience and trust, and this path is an open road within every human heart. [3] (Rohr, 2024)

As we consider the traditional activity of Shrove Tuesday to prepare for the season of Lent, we ponder the struggle between good and evil that plays out in our environment and even in our hearts.

References

Crawford, D. (2024, February 13). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/021324.html 

James, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/james/1?12 

Mark, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/8?14 

Meditation on James 1:12-18. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/02/13/894265/ 

Psalms, PSALM 94. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/94?12 

Rohr, R. (2024, February 13). Love: The Fire of Transformation — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/love-the-fire-of-transformation-2/ 

Schwager, D. (2024, February 12). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 13, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=feb13 

Rejection and Resurrection

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be open to the transformation of our talents by the Spirit to bring people to Christ.

Building at Breakfast

 

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and John appear before the Council.

[4:11] Early Christianity applied this citation from Ps 118:22 to Jesus; cf. Mk 12:10; 1 Pt 2:7. * [4:12] In the Roman world of Luke’s day, salvation was often attributed to the emperor who was hailed as “savior” and “god.” Luke, in the words of Peter, denies that deliverance comes through anyone other than Jesus.1

 

Psalm 118 is a song of victory.

* [118:22] The stone the builders rejected: a proverb: what is insignificant to human beings has become great through divine election. The “stone” may originally have meant the foundation stone or capstone of the Temple. The New Testament interpreted the verse as referring to the death and resurrection of Christ (Mt 21:42; Acts 4:11; cf. Is 28:16 and Rom 9:33; 1 Pt 2:7).2

 

In the Gospel of John, Jesus appears to Seven Disciples.

* [21:1–23] There are many non-Johannine peculiarities in this chapter, some suggesting Lucan Greek style; yet this passage is closer to John than Jn 7:53–8:11. There are many Johannine features as well. Its closest parallels in the synoptic gospels are found in Lk 5:1–11 and Mt 14:28–31. Perhaps the tradition was ultimately derived from John but preserved by some disciple other than the writer of the rest of the gospel. The appearances narrated seem to be independent of those in Jn 20. Even if a later addition, the chapter was added before publication of the gospel, for it appears in all manuscripts.3

 

Steve Scholer asks us to imagine we walk into our favorite spot for breakfast and there, sitting in the corner booth, is Jesus, and he looks you in the eye and says, “Come, have breakfast.”

Much has been said and written about the power of “visualization.” Properly applied, it helps us anticipate the moment and prepare ourselves for what will happen. If we want to come closer to Jesus in our prayer life, maybe visualizing Christ sitting next to us as we pray, or being at our side throughout the day, might be a good place for us to start. For many of us, the visualization might be the traditional image of Jesus in a long white robe. For others, Jesus might be sitting across from them wearing a hoodie. It really doesn’t matter, if we just close our eyes and let our minds imagine what it would be like to have Jesus at our side, listening to what we have to say, and participating in our conversation. Visualizing Jesus at our side while praying might lead to a much deeper and more honest conversation with God. As we all know, it is a lot harder to avoid our true thoughts and feelings when the person we are talking to is sitting face-to-face with us. As Easter Week draws to a close, let us continue to not only see God in all things, but to always see God with us at all times, asking us to “come” and be with him in our thoughts, words and deeds.4

 

Don Schwager quotes “Resurrected Bodies,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The bodies of the righteous at the resurrection will need neither any fruit to preserve them from dying of disease or the wasting decay of old age nor any bodily nourishment to prevent hunger and thirst. For they will be endowed with such a sure and inviolable gift of immortality that they will not eat because they have to, but only if they want to. Not the power but the necessity of eating and drinking shall be taken away from them... just like our Savior after his resurrection took meat and drink with his disciples, with spiritual but still real flesh, not for the sake of nourishment, but in an exercise of his power." (excerpt from City of God 13.22)5

 

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 21:1-14 comments that today, at every Eucharistic feast celebrated throughout the world, Jesus comes to us really and truly, in the form of bread and wine. He comes to us, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, to transform us and fill us with his grace. But Jesus can also use ordinary gatherings to reveal himself and make his presence known.

Jesus wants to be present with you at your mealtimes. Try to share a meal with someone this week. If you live alone, you might invite a friend to join you, even if it’s just for coffee or dessert. If you have a family, eating together may already be part of your routine, but maybe it’s not. Put away your phones, turn off the TV, and sit down together. As you gather, invite the Lord to be with you and to reveal himself. Share some food; talk about your day. And keep an eye out for how Jesus might be working among you. “Lord, as you did with the disciples, reveal yourself to me again.”6

 

Friar Jude Winkler notes that the Sadducees, who put Peter and John on trial, did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. The rejected quarry stone that supported the Cross on Calvary is a symbol of Jesus who becomes the cornerstone. Friar Jude reminds us that, after encountering Jesus at Mass, we are called to the mission of fishers of people.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that, on Earth Day, for Catholic theologian Elizabeth Johnson, the resurrection of Jesus is a promise of new life for all creation.

The reasoning runs like this. This person, Jesus of Nazareth, Wisdom incarnate, was composed of star stuff and earth stuff; his life formed a genuine part of the historical and biological community of Earth; his body existed in a network of relationships drawing from and extending to the whole physical universe. As a child of the earth he died, and the earth claimed him back in a grave. In his resurrection his flesh was called to life again in transformed glory. Risen from the dead, Jesus has been reborn as a child of the earth, radiantly transfigured. . . . The evolving world of life, all of matter in its endless permutations, will not be left behind but will be transfigured by the resurrecting action of the Creator God. [2]7

 

Writing at the beginning of the pandemic, Franciscan theologian Ilia Delio reminds us that we can celebrate the risen Christ in our lives and in the natural world.

We have an invitation to go to church in a new way, by praying before the new leaves budding through dormant trees or the wobbly flowers by the side of the road pushing through the solid earth. . .  [With Francis of Assisi], we too can sing with the air we breathe, the sun that shines upon us, the rain that pours down to water the earth. And we can cry with those who are mourning, with the forgotten, with those who are suffering from disease or illness, with the weak, with the imprisoned. We can mourn in the solidarity of compassion but we must live in the hope of new life. For we are Easter people, and we are called to celebrate the whole earth as the body of Christ. Every act done in love gives glory to God: a pause of thanksgiving, a laugh, a gaze at the sun, or just raising a toast to your friends at your virtual gathering. The good news? “He is not here!” Christ is everywhere, and love will make us whole. [3]7

As we gather with friends and family in the Easter season, or on Earth Day, we are open to the prompting of the Spirit to action that calls us to the fullness of life.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/4
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 118 | USCCB. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/118
3	(n.d.). John, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/21
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/042222.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=apr22
6	(n.d.). Meditation: John 21:1-14 - The Word Among Us. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2015
7	(n.d.). 2022 Daily Meditations: Nothing Stands Alone - Center for Action .... Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://cac.org/a-promise-for-all-creation-2022-04-22/