Parables with a time value for Life

People with financial understanding are aware of the “time value of money” The texts from the Roman Catholic lectionary today suggest that there is a “time value of faith”. The good soil in the Parable of the Sower, from Luke’s Gospel, takes time to develop and mature. The understanding of the relationship between the spiritual body that Paul refers to and the Divine Presence is something we can only see “as through a glass darkly”. The faith of the spiritual body recognizes the hand of the Divine in many and at times all of the events of life. The abrupt termination of this influence at some point of death is not consistent with the evidence absorbed by the indwelling spirit into the “good soil” as it is maturing within the believer.

Resurrection or futility

The letter of Paul to the Corinthians in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today places the Resurrection of Christ as a fundamental truth as evidence that the faith of believers in the forgiveness of sin is not futile. The compassion of Jesus attracted many to follow Him. This compassion is the model for disciples today. Luke’s Gospel identifies some women who had been healed by the compassion of Jesus. The response of the ‘healed’ and the ‘forgiven’ is to give and be the healer and forgiver.

Mystical and Intimate contact

Paul presents himself as the least worthy of the Apostles in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. Paul proclaims the message of the Resurrection and the appearance of Jesus to those who had followed Him during his journey. Paul includes the encounter that He experienced of Jesus. That encounter put Paul in the community of those who had known Jesus. Paul’s encounter was truly mystical. It is described in the Acts of the Apostles. The mystical encounter of the Spirit of Christ is a path of intimacy which followers can know today. Luke tells the story of the sinful woman who is forgiven by Jesus in the presence of the Scribes and Pharisees who can only see the “sin” of the teacher associating with the “sinner”. The intimacy of physical presence to those in need is the gift of the disciple who is aware of the role of the “Body of Christ” in our time to be the physical and emotional complement to the mystical Presence of the Divine in the indwelling Spirit.

Disciple chooses to be instrument

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary invoke thoughts of the discipline of being a disciple requires attempts to prepare the believer to follow Christ as the One who followed the will of the Father for His life and death. This choice to follow Jesus is a choice to be open to all activity in the will of God. The priests of the Companions of the Cross celebrated their 25^th anniversary at our parish last night. The spiritual understanding of this group is that it is necessary to “give God permission” to act through the believer. The memorial celebrated by the Church today is that of the Mary and her sorrows. The real human drama of her life was guided and made secure by a faith that trusted her relationship with the Divine to be the Way of Life. The models of how to enter deeper into the relationship with God are in the lives of the saints. Taking action to give up control is the major obstacle to the fuller Life.

The Promiseof Full Life and Restoration through humble faith

The images in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today are deeply mystical. The episodes are parables which do not yield to a literal approach. The Promise of John’s Gospel that the Word is become flesh in Jesus is a concept requiring faith to approach any understanding of this. The faith which is seen in action is helpful with these mysteries. The choice of the Divine to take on human form brings people into a relationship with Jesus that produces the good fruits of full life in their daily life. The cross of Jesus is shared in a mystical way by the Disciples of Christ. The power of the Cross continues today to bring life into situations of death and despair. The gift of humble acceptance of the will of God to bring all humanity into intimate relationship fuels the eternal life offered in John 3:16

Faith is at work in all

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today point to the truth that believers are also those who need to review their practice to determine the extent to which they have moved away from lives which evidence and give witness to the relationship they have known with the Divine. Paul points to the manner in which believers were gathering to gratify themselves and establish divisions among those gathered at the Lord’s Supper. Modern Christianity and Christians still wrestle with these same scandals. Luke’s Gospel shows that Jesus invites an intimate healing relationship with a Roman soldier, the occupier, who is attracted by the resonance of his indwelling Spirit to Jesus. Love is the evidence of the action of the Divine relationship in the lives of believers.

Fallen and pride may block our reunion

The parables in the Gospel of Luke from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today tell stories of the lost being found. In his Daily Reflection today, Fr Larry Gillick S.J. imagines a few alternate outcomes for the parable of the prodigal. He presents the idea that we have trouble accepting forgiveness. Our pride will block the humility necessary to realize how much mercy and compassion is being offered in forgiveness. Unfortunately, we can deny and reject the efforts of the Divine and others to call us back. Pride is a power which pushes us away from the intimate relationships in which we are invited to live with God and people. The psalmist proclaims the words of Psalm 51 which is an excellent meditation on humility.