Losing for Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate the paradox of finding life in the experience of loss and the consolation offered by loving relationships.

Life and Loss

The reading from the Prophet Nahum describes the destruction of the Wicked City with ruin Imminent and inevitable.

* [2:2] One who scatters has come up against you: the enemy is about to crush Nineveh, dispersing and deporting its people (v. 8; 3:18). (Nahum, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

The response from Deuteronomy declares vengeance is mine.

* [32:1–43] The whole song is a poetic sermon, having for its theme the Lord’s benefits to Israel (vv. 1–14) and Israel’s ingratitude and idolatry in turning to the gods of the nations; these sins will be punished by the nations themselves (vv. 15–29); in turn, the foolish pride of the nations will be punished, and the Lord’s honor will be vindicated (vv. 30–43). (Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 32 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus connects the Cross and Self-Denial.

* [16:24–28] A readiness to follow Jesus even to giving up one’s life for him is the condition for true discipleship; this will be repaid by him at the final judgment.

* [16:24] Deny himself: to deny someone is to disown him (see Mt 10:33; 26:34–35) and to deny oneself is to disown oneself as the center of one’s existence.

* [16:25] See notes on Mt 10:38, 39.

* [16:27] The parousia and final judgment are described in Mt 25:31 in terms almost identical with these.

* [16:28] Coming in his kingdom: since the kingdom of the Son of Man has been described as “the world” and Jesus’ sovereignty precedes his final coming in glory (Mt 13:38, 41), the coming in this verse is not the parousia as in the preceding but the manifestation of Jesus’ rule after his resurrection; see notes on Mt 13:38, 41. (Matthew, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

Eileen Wirth comments that her students helped her understand what Jesus meant when he told us to lose our lives for his sake in order to find them.

Or there’s a question of how to use our money to make the world a better place. Ideally this means advocacy as well as writing checks (okay, donating online). I think of covering a group of rich women who made their gifts to United Way contingent on the creation of a domestic violence shelter. They used their money to make a statement, and we can too.

St. Mother Teresa used to say that the poverty of the affluent nations was loneliness. I know people, especially retirees, who tell me how hard it is to make friends at our age. Then I think of the new friends I’ve made at church, and working with refugees and Habitat for Humanity. We find out lives at every stage in life by “losing” them as Jesus taught us.

I’m glad that I helped “ruin” so many former students who are now gaining the only kind of “wealth” that matters long term. (Wirth, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Walk as Christ has walked,” by Caesarius of Arles (470-543 AD).

"When the Lord tells us in the Gospel that anyone who wants to be his follower must renounce himself, the injunction seems harsh; we think he is imposing a burden on us. But an order is no burden when it is given by one who helps in carrying it out. To what place are we to follow Christ if not where he has already gone? We know that he has risen and ascended into heaven; there, then, we must follow him. There is no cause for despair - by ourselves we can do nothing, but we have Christ's promise... One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as he walked. Would you follow Christ? Then be humble as he was humble. Do not scorn his lowliness if you want to reach his exaltation. Human sin made the road rough. Christ's resurrection leveled it. By passing over it himself, he transformed the narrowest of tracks into a royal highway. Two feet are needed to run along this highway; they are humility and charity. Everyone wants to get to the top - well, the first step to take is humility. Why take strides that are too big for you - do you want to fall instead of going up? Begin with the first step, humility, and you will already be climbing." (excerpt from SERMONS 159, 1.4-6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 asks “We know that God could stop evil in its tracks. So why doesn’t he?”

It’s because we live in an age of “already” and “not yet.” In one sense, God has already conquered evil. On the cross, Jesus took on all the sins of the world—past, present, and future. He became the sacrificial lamb, bearing everyone’s guilt and offering mercy and redemption in its place. Then he rose from the dead to offer new life to all who turn to him. But evil has not yet been fully destroyed. That great and final victory will happen when Jesus comes again. Then, there will be no more crying, mourning, or pain. Every tear will be wiped from our eyes, and we will rejoice forever (Revelation 21:4).

We all experience the pain of living in a fallen world. But unlike the people of Judah, we already know the end of the story. Whatever suffering we may have to endure in the meantime, we can trust that evil will not have the final word.

As Nahum prophesied, the Lord did restore the vine of Jacob. He did it by sending his Son into the world. In the face of every evil, may we place all our hope in him.

“Jesus, I believe that you will do what you promise, in your time and in your way.” (Meditation on Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the minor prophet, Nathum, declared the destruction of Assyria as a consequence of the punishment of Israel going overboard. The privilege expected by Peter is contradicted by Jesus' image of the Cross, the ultimate punishment used by Rome, as the destiny for Him and many of his followers. Friar Jude reminds us that in Matthew’s Gospel, we encounter the dawning of the Kingdom at the parousia and now in the Death and Resurrection of Christ.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, has learned from alcoholics and the Twelve Steps that it’s when we hit rock bottom that we realize how our suffering and God’s suffering are connected.

Those who have passed over to healing and sobriety eventually find a much bigger world of endurance, meaning, hope, self-esteem, deeper and true desire, and, most especially, a bottomless pool of love, both within and without. The Eastern fathers of the church called this transformation theosis, or the process of the divinization of the human person. This deep transformation is not achieved by magic, miracles, or priestcraft, but by a “vital spiritual experience” that is available to all human beings. It leads to an emotional sobriety, an immense freedom, a natural compassion, and a sense of divine union that is the deepest and most universal meaning of that much-used word salvation. Only those who have passed over know the real meaning of that word—and that it is not just a word at all. (Rohr, n.d.)

We are grateful, in retrospect, for the times of loss and surrender that have brought consolation through a deeper experience of love and community, human and Divine.

References

Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 32 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/32? 

Matthew, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/16? 

Meditation on Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/08/09/1044299/ 

Nahum, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/nahum/2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. The God of All Who Suffer. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-god-of-all-who-suffer/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=aug9 

Wirth, E. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved August 9, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/080924.html 

Transgression and Forgiveness

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine our practice of forgiveness and seek the aid of the Holy Spirit to rise to the example set by Jesus.

Forgiveness and Full Life

The reading from the Book of Sirach offers wisdom about Anger and Vengeance.

* [27:16–28:11] Betrayal of confidence through indiscretion destroys friendship and does irreparable harm (27:16–21); cf. 22:22. False friendship based on hypocrisy and deceit is hateful to Ben Sira and, he adds, to God as well (27:22–24); it soon becomes a victim of its own treachery (27:25–27). The same fate awaits the malicious and vengeful (27:28–28:1). They can obtain mercy and forgiveness only by first forgiving their neighbor, being mindful of death and of the commandments of the Most High (28:2–7). And they must avoid quarrels and strife (28:8–11). (Sirach, CHAPTER 27 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 103 is a thanksgiving for God’s Goodness.

* [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). (Psalms, PSALM 103 | USCCB, n.d.)

The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans asserts that we Live and Die for Christ. 

* [14:8] The Lord: Jesus, our Master. The same Greek word, kyrios, was applied to both rulers and holders of slaves. Throughout the Letter to the Romans Paul emphasizes God’s total claim on the believer; see note on Rom 1:1. (Romans, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches a parable on forgiveness.

* [18:21–35] The final section of the discourse deals with the forgiveness that the disciples are to give to their fellow disciples who sin against them. To the question of Peter how often forgiveness is to be granted (Mt 18:21), Jesus answers that it is to be given without limit (Mt 18:22) and illustrates this with the parable of the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:23–34), warning that his heavenly Father will give those who do not forgive the same treatment as that given to the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:35). Mt 18:21–22 correspond to Lk 17:4; the parable and the final warning are peculiar to Matthew. That the parable did not originally belong to this context is suggested by the fact that it really does not deal with repeated forgiveness, which is the point of Peter’s question and Jesus’ reply.

* [18:22] Seventy-seven times: the Greek corresponds exactly to the LXX of Gn 4:24. There is probably an allusion, by contrast, to the limitless vengeance of Lamech in the Genesis text. In any case, what is demanded of the disciples is limitless forgiveness.

* [18:24] A huge amount: literally, “ten thousand talents.” The talent was a unit of coinage of high but varying value depending on its metal (gold, silver, copper) and its place of origin. It is mentioned in the New Testament only here and in Mt 25:14–30.

* [18:26] Pay you back in full: an empty promise, given the size of the debt.

* [18:28] A much smaller amount: literally, “a hundred denarii.” A denarius was the normal daily wage of a laborer. The difference between the two debts is enormous and brings out the absurdity of the conduct of the Christian who has received the great forgiveness of God and yet refuses to forgive the relatively minor offenses done to him.

* [18:34] Since the debt is so great as to be unpayable, the punishment will be endless.

* [18:35] The Father’s forgiveness, already given, will be withdrawn at the final judgment for those who have not imitated his forgiveness by their own. (Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

David Crawford comments that sometimes, injuries some individuals have suffered are so significant, the hurts they experienced are so deep rooted, the damage and despair they know is so extensive that they are not able to forgive fully without a lot of help and time.

They are so fragile that they can only withstand a little bit at a time. They may need to rest and recover before they can take the next step, before they can add to the forgiveness already given. I am confident, though, that the Holy Spirit is ready to do a staged reconstruction that will repair and reconfigure their heart so that they can know the joy of full forgiveness.

Loving God, thank you for forgiving us, and for the blessings of being able to forgive. Help us to forgive, and use us to help others who need the healing that comes from forgiving others. (Crawford, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “How often shall I forgive?” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"When Peter asked him whether he should forgive his brother sinning against him up to seven times, the Lord replied, 'Not up to seven times but up to seventy times seven times'" In every way he teaches us to be like him in humility and goodness. In weakening and breaking the impulses of our rampant passions he strengthens us by the example of his leniency, by granting us in faith pardon of all our sins. For the vices of our nature did not merit pardon. Therefore all pardon comes from him. In fact, he pardons even those sins that remain in one after confession. The penalty to be paid through Cain was established at sevenfold, but that sin was against a man, against his brother Abel, to the point of murder (Genesis 4:8). But in Lamech the penalty was established at seventy times seven times (Genesis 4:24), and, as we believe, the penalty was established on those responsible for the Lord's Passion. But the Lord through the confession of believers grants pardon for this crime. By the gift of baptism he grants the grace of salvation to his revilers and persecutors. How much more is it necessary, he shows, that pardon be returned by us without measure or number. And we should not think how many times we forgive, but we should cease to be angry with those who sin against us, as often as the occasion for anger exists. Pardon's frequency shows us that in our case there is never a time for anger, since God pardons us for all sins in their entirety by his gift rather than by our merit. Nor should we be excused from the requirement of giving pardon that number of times [i.e., seventy times seven], since through the grace of the gospel God has granted us pardon without measure." (excerpt from ON MATTHEW 18.10) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:21-35 comments that not only does God forgive us again and again; he doesn’t hold our sins against us. Remember the unforgiving servant. His entire debt was wiped out. There was nothing hanging over him. Similarly, God has pardoned every sin we have ever committed and stands ready to forgive every sin we will ever commit. Nothing is outside the scope of his mercy. He forgives us everything.

This is the standard of mercy that Jesus calls us to imitate. It’s not so different from the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us . . . as we forgive” (Matthew 6:12). Granted, today’s parable is more graphic. But it shows us that God doesn’t want us imprisoned in unforgiveness and tortured by resentment. He knows how hard it is to forgive. But he went so far as to give us his only Son to cleanse us and soften our hearts so that we could share that same mercy.

Mercy goes beyond simply not punishing offenses. It forgives the entire debt. That’s how God treats us. Let that truth change how you treat the people who offend you.

“Heavenly Father, strengthen me to be able to forgive others as you have forgiven me!” (Meditation on Matthew 18:21-35, n.d.)

Gemma Simmonds CJ, Director of the Religious Life Institute at the Margaret Beaufort Institute in Cambridge, comments that we often mistake forgiveness for excusing. Excusing another is a rational exercise. We seek to find an explanation for why they have behaved so badly: they didn’t know any better, they had a terrible childhood, they were having an off day, they were under terrible pressure, they were stressed or provoked or in some way pushed off balance. These are excuses, and often reasonable ones, but this is not forgiving. Forgiveness is what is offered in the face of the inexcusable and, as such, is not generally within our human capacity. It is an attribute of God – indeed it is the attribute of God.

Jesus knew this, and perhaps that is why he taught us to pray for forgiveness, so that by experiencing God’s willingness to forgive us seventy times seven – the Jewish number of infinity – we might learn to open our hearts and minds to the grace offered by God whereby we become able to forgive each other. (Simmonds, 2020)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the exclusion of the Book of Sirach from the Protestant and Jewish canon because until recently only a Greek version of this wisdom book was known. Paul asserts to the Romans that we do not live for ourselves and we are called to root out our egocentric tendencies. Friar Jude reminds us of the role of purification in Purgatory and our need to see the brokenness of people as we extend forgiveness as Jesus teaches.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares parts of a homily on Matthew 14:13–21, Feeding the Five Thousand . He describes how Jesus created a community of compassion. 

The important thing that God seems to want to be doing in history is to create a community of compassion where people care about one another. It is not only the feeding that matters to us, it is also the caring for other people’s hunger and needs. Jesus never once talked about attending church services, but he talked constantly about healing the sick and feeding the hungry. That is what it seems to mean to be a follower of Jesus. (Rohr, 2023)

We pray for the grace to view our brothers and sisters with compassion and accept the nudge of the Spirit to offer forgiveness based on their needs.

References

Crawford, D. (2023, September 16). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/091723.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18?21 

Meditation on Matthew 18:21-35. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/09/17/784049/ 

Psalms, PSALM 103 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/103?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, September 17). Creating a Community of Compassion — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/creating-a-community-of-compassion-2023-09-17/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/14?7 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=sep17 

Simmonds, G. (2020, March 25). A question of forgiveness. Thinking Faith. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/question-forgiveness 

Sirach, CHAPTER 27 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/sirach/27