God sent me to preserve life

“And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life”. (Genesis 45:4) The understanding of Providence by Joseph in the text from the Book of Genesis in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today is truly challenging. The psalmist reveals more of the torment endured by Joseph as he was open to be the agent of the will of God. This quality of openness is asked of those to whom Jesus disciples bring the Good News. The ability to travel life’s paths with conviction and satisfaction that the will of God is accomplished by the lives of the faithful is witness to an intimate relationship with the Divine. The Gospel of Matthew provides some instructions for the followers of Jesus as they go out to proclaim the proximity of the “Kingdom of God”. The disciples are to rely on Providence to see that there needs for food, clothing and shelter are met. Those who accept their message will know the peace that the message brings. Those who reject the message will be in a more precarious position than Sodom and Gomorrah in relationship with God.

Fighting the Famine

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary relate to the desire of the Divine to remove the famine in intimacy between people and God. Joseph encounters the brothers who have sold him into Egypt when they are seeking grain to combat the famine in Canaan. The text suggests that Joseph has the desire to rush to identify himself to them. The better path is to wait and allow the full opportunity for the fruit of powerful forgiveness, reunion and reconciliation to take place. The psalmist understands that the great fear is the famine of separation from God. The psalm praises the steadfast love of God which is the Name that is to be spread to the ends of the earth. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus calls by name those who are going to knock down the barriers of previous actions and attitudes of mortality and death and reunite with the lost from the tribes of Israel.

Shout with a voice of joy to God

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary present descriptions of the relationship between God and people. Jacob experiences a struggle with the tensions between the Divine will and human will. The struggle changes Jacob. He acquires a new name and a new understanding of the intimacy offered to people by God. The psalmist is in praise of God who acts to “Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness” (Psalm 17:8, 15). The psalmist appears to celebrate this Divine action for one who considers himself righteous. Perhaps the emphasis is for one who strives to be righteous and the judgement of this right relationship is left to God. Matthew tells of Jesus action to bring those who cannot hear or understand to relationship with the Shepherd. The joy of intimacy with God needs to be demonstrated to so many. Jesus calls for more believers to bring more people to shoot with joy to God.

The strength of His people

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary proclaim a Divine desire to be security for humanity. The encounter of Jacob with God in a dream at Bethel is described in the Book of Genesis. The message to Jacob is that he will continue to the fulfillment of the Covenant with Abraham and Isaac which will be realized in generations of descendants who are too many to count. The vision of a peaceful and secure world in which God is the intimate protector of people is presented. Psalm 91 is the prayer for security and protection of the psalmist and it is a prayer for support and safety which continues to bring consolation to many today. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is requested to return to life the daughter of a synagogue official. The trauma of the death of a loved one shakes our sense of security. Chronic illness is an experience of daily lack of safety in health. The life in Jesus conquers illness and death. Total security is the state which Paul proclaims as Jesus living in him and we can experience as Jesus living in us.

The Temple for Praise

” The more intimacy there is in a relationship, the less it can be explained.” (Gillick SJ, 2011). The Gospel of Matthew from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today presents Jesus discussion on knowing the Divine through relationship with the Father and the Son. The Evangelist writes that the relationship is revealed to the infants. Gillick suggests that the heart is the path through which the love of the intimate communion with God is experienced. Paul tells the Romans that we are beings of the Spirit. We live and give the praise described by the psalmist to God through our indwelling Spirit. The grace, mercy and slowness to anger of God is the steadfast love that upholds those who are falling and those who are bowed down. Where will the people of God celebrate the coming of the Great Ruler of peace prophesised by Zechariah? The temple that is our being is the home for praise of God.

Gillick SJ, L. (2011, July). Daily Reflections. Retrieved July 3, 2011, from Online Ministries Creighton University: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/070311.html

Take a second look

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today compel us to take a second look at our assumptions concerning living in a righteous manner. The mindset that often causes difficulty in our journey within experiencing knowledge of the Divine is what Richard Rohr refers to in his book about seeing as the Mystics see, The Naked Now, as dual thinking. We tend to desire that the situations, scenarios, people and practices we encounter be this way or that way, liberal or conservative, hot or cold. The Book of Genesis relates the scenario of the deception of the aged Isaac by Jacob to obtain the father’s blessing in place of the older son Esau. If God desired that the birthright change from Esau to Jacob, it is done as the praise of the psalmist attests. The idea of the change of birthright is important as a means to understand that the will of God for increased intimacy with humanity is accomplished through the extension of the Covenant relationship of Israel and the personal human contact of the Apostles with Jesus to a birthright experienced by all humanity in the resonance of the indwelling Spirit with the Spirit of God. The Gospel of Matthew suggests that the approach of many to being nourishment to the world is to see the process of belonging as my way or your way, sometimes, “my way or the highway”.

Heart for Love from Thanksgiving

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This commemoration completes the octave of the Feast of Corpus Christi. The action that we can perform within the Body of Christ is to be nourishment for others. There are many motivations for wanting to “give back”. The Book of Deuteronomy reminds the Israelites that the heart of God has chosen them to be in covenant with the Divine and invites them to choose to live according to the commandments for God’s people. In thanksgiving for this intimacy, we may be moved to be signs of the steadfast love we experience. The psalmist names many of the reasons for thanksgiving. The gifts from the heart of the Divine include forgiveness healing, steadfast love and mercy. John presents a deep understanding Gos as love and the experience of that love through the intimate resonance of the indwelling Spirit of the Lover with the Divine Spirit. The Gospel of Matthew reveals the nature of Jesus heart and affiliation with the searching, humble and lost. The example of Jesus is the guide to be the nourishment so needed in a world starved for love.