Hearing and believing together

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer contemplation of our faith journey from the certainty of a Pharisee to the challenge of the unknown as shared by mystics.

At the retreat centre

In his Letter to the Galatians, Paul instructs us that as children of God we have no need for the disciplinarian in the Law.

* [3:24–25] Disciplinarian: the Greek paidagōgos referred to a slave who escorted a child to school but did not teach or tutor; hence, a guardian or monitor. Applying this to the law fits the role of the law described in Gal 3:19–25.
* [3:26] Children of God: literally “sons,” in contrast to the young child under the disciplinarian in Gal 3:24–25. The term includes males and females (Gal 3:28).

Jesus exhorts us to follow the will of God as doers of the Word in the Gospel from Luke.

* [11:27–28] The beatitude in Lk 11:28 should not be interpreted as a rebuke of the mother of Jesus; see note on Lk 8:21. Rather, it emphasizes (like Lk 2:35) that attentiveness to God’s word is more important than biological relationship to Jesus.

Vivian Amu notes Jesus doesn’t waste any time reminding us that the messenger is not as importance as the message.

When we listen, and we carry the word within us, we too, become transformed through faith.  The first reading says, “through faith you are all children of God; you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  Hearing that is one thing, but once we have imprinted those words on our hearts, let’s ask ourselves how God wants us to change; what transformation will occur after the complete digestion of the word?  What would our life and vision look like if we became doers of the word? Let’s say yes to God.

Don Schwager quotes” Blessings for hearing and keeping the Word”, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, 'Blessed is the womb that bore you,' he replied, 'Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.' Finally, for his brothers, his relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart than in her flesh." (excerpt from HOLY VIRGINITY 3.1)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 11:27-28 expands on our status as children of God.

We are bound to one another with spiritual ties that transcend race, social status, and homeland. Our family even transcends space and time—through all the saints who are right now in heaven praying for us. Best of all, it transcends creation itself—our Father is the eternal Creator of all that is.

Friar Jude Winkler declares the importance of discovering the Love of God for the conversion of Paul. Luke presents Mary as the perfect disciple. Friar Jude remind us that she incarnates the Word.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares practices for entering the darkness we encounter as Bill Plotkin, Wendell Berry, and Rainer Maria Rilke share growth experiences in unknowing.

References

(n.d.). Galatians chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/galatians/3:22
(n.d.). Luke chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/11:29
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 13, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 27th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved October 13, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Deadly threats in denying faith

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today highlight the danger of our arrogant folly that relies on our personal certainty about how to live in relationship with God.

No arrogant positions

Paul asserts in the Letter to the Galatians that peace with God is dependent on faith.

* [3:10–14] Those who depend not on promise and faith but on works of the law are under a curse because they do not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law (Gal 3:10; Dt 27:26) in order to gain life (Gal 3:12; Lv 18:5; cf. Rom 10:5). But scripture teaches that no one is justified before God by the law (Gal 3:11; Heb 2:4, adapted from the Greek version of Habakkuk; cf. Rom 1:17; Heb 10:38). Salvation, then, depends on faith in Christ who died on the cross (Gal 3:13), taking upon himself a curse found in Dt 21:23 (about executed criminals hanged in public view), to free us from the curse of the law (Gal 3:13). That the Gentile Galatians have received the promised Spirit (Gal 3:14) by faith and in no other way returns the argument to the experience cited in Gal 3:1–5.

Jesus, in the Gospel from Luke, exposes the illogical argument of the source of His power to exorcise and warns us to choose the right side in the battle of good and evil.

* [11:19] Your own people: the Greek reads “your sons.” Other Jewish exorcists (see Acts 19:13–20), who recognize that the power of God is active in the exorcism, would themselves convict the accusers of Jesus. See also note on Mt 12:27

At Stack Exchange, Jewish Historian and Theologian Alfred Edersheim is quoted on how one's religion and good works will be the perfect nest for every evil.

he came back ‘with seven other spirits more wicked than himself’—pride, self-righteousness, unbelief, and the like, the number seven being general—and thus the last state—Israel without the foulness of gross idolatry and garnished with all the adornments of Pharisaic devotion to the study and practice of the Law—was really worse than had been the first with all its open repulsiveness. (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim 2.201)

Thomas Lenz reflects on Jesus saying to the crowd, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” It feels like Jesus is speaking about the power of being connected with him and with each other.

Together, our strength is more powerful than any demon (whether that demon be Satan himself, our negative self-talk, or the lifestyle behavior we wish we could change). If we put our belief in God and each other, we will conquer the demons compared to if we only try to resolve our issues individually. The belief in God, the belief in our positive direction, and our belief in moving forward as a collective group brings us closer to God because of the power of connectedness and the power of belief.

Don Schwager answers his rhetorical question; “What do you fill the void in your life with?” The Lord Jesus wants to fill our minds and hearts with the power of his life-giving word and healing love.

Jesus makes it very clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for the Lord Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or against it. We cannot serve two kingdoms opposed to each another. There are ultimately only two universal kingdoms which stand in opposition to one another - the kingdom of God - his kingdom of light and truth - and the kingdom of darkness - which is opposed to God's truth and justice and which is dominated by Satan's lies and deception. If we disobey God's word, we open to door to the power of sin and the deception of Satan in our personal lives.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 11:15-26 reminds us that after we turn from old ways and receive God’s forgiveness, we need to fill in the empty places with new ways.

Take a moment right now to identify a habit or tendency that you would like to overcome. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Then, along with saying, “I don’t want to do that anymore,” think about what should go in its place. If you tend to complain, for example, ask the Spirit to help you cultivate an attitude of gratefulness. Then look for opportunities when you can specifically thank God for his goodness.

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Paul uses a rabbinic midrash technique in defense of claims by Jewish Christian missionaries that he is not Jewish enough. We can be at peace with God if we are people of faith and trust that God truly loves us like we declare in the Creed. Friar Jude observes that the directive not to continue in evil ways when we convert underlines the cosmic battle between good and evil in the Gospel of Luke.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites the Carmen Acevedo Butcher translation of The Cloud of Unknowing with the Book of Privy Counsel. We can know so many things.

Become blind during contemplative prayer and cut yourself off from needing to know things. Knowledge hinders, not helps you in contemplation. Be content feeling moved in a delightful, loving way by something mysterious and unknown, leaving you focused entirely on God, with no other thought than of [God] alone. Let your naked desire rest there. . .

Through God’s grace, our minds can explore, understand, and reflect on creation and even on God’s own works [as we should!], but we can’t think our way to God. The position that our understanding cannot help us gain knowledge about God resonates with St. Dionysius [5th/6th century] who said that the best, most divine knowledge of God is that which is known by not-knowing and with 1 Corinthians 13.8-12. Trust in God is the essence of faith that opens our minds to conversion from long standing comfortable habits.

References

(n.d.). Galatians 3. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/galatians/3:7
(n.d.). Luke 11. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/luke11.htm
(2017, February 15). luke - What is the meaning of Jesus' teaching about unclean .... Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/2551/what-is-the-meaning-of-jesus-teaching-about-unclean-spirits-returning-to-a-pers
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 12, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 27th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 12, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Faith to invoke the Spirit

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer some examples of the effectiveness of faith to bring the Holy Spirit to assist us in love and peace.

Invoke the Spirit

The Letter to the Galatians expresses the anger of Paul over the decision of some members of the community to move away from the faith that introduced them to Christ.

* [3:2] Faith in what you heard: Paul’s message received with faith. The Greek can also mean “the proclamation of the faith” or “a hearing that comes from faith.”

In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus declares the action of God is to give us the Spirit when we ask.

* [11:13] The holy Spirit: this is a Lucan editorial alteration of a traditional saying of Jesus (see Mt 7:11). Luke presents the gift of the holy Spirit as the response of the Father to the prayer of the Christian disciple.

Come Holy Spirit is a piece by Lindsay Bodkin that gathers the faith of prominent Christians in the action of the Spirit today including Nicky Gumbel, Vicar at Holy Trinity Brompton, who is the popular and award-winning author of several books, and is most well known for developing the Alpha course.

“The Holy Spirit is working in many amazing ways today.  In particular, there is a sense that the Holy Spirit is lowering church and denominational barriers, bringing Christians together.  This is a wonderful answer to Jesus’ prayer that we might be one in order that the world will believe.”

Tom Shanahan, S.J., remembers St. John XXIII, a dearly loved Pope, calling for and opening the Second Vatican Council with the effect of “throwing open the windows” of the church to breathe new and fresh air to use John's own image.  The council sought to open our windows, doors, and eyes to the work of the Holy Spirit moving gracefully in our midst.

God of us all, keep us faithful to your word and your desires for us.  Be with us as we negotiate difficulties and send us your Holy Spirit as our guide for prayer and actions in your service.  Watch over us with your gentle care that produces both challenge and joy; thank you for the eyes of faith, hope and love.

Don Schwager quotes Ask by praying, seek by proper living, knock by persevering, by Bede the Venerable, 672-735 A.D.

"Desiring that we arrive at the joys of the heavenly kingdom, our Lord and Savior taught us to ask these joys of him and promised that he would give them to us if we asked for them. 'Ask,' he said, 'and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.' Dearly beloved..., we earnestly and with our whole heart must ponder these words of our Lord. He bears witness that the kingdom of heaven is not given to, found by and opened to those who are idle and unoccupied but to those who ask for it, seek after it and knock at its gates. The gate of the kingdom must be asked for by praying. It must be sought after by living properly. It must be knocked at by persevering." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.51.20)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 11:5-13 urges that today, as we honor Good Pope John, let’s dedicate ourselves to fulfilling his hopes and dreams by the way we live: peacefully, lovingly, and in unity.

Fifty years later, on October 11, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI offered some reflections on the Moonlight Speech. “I too was in this square, gazing toward this window where the good Pope, Blessed Pope John looked out and spoke unforgettable words to us, words that were full of poetry and goodness, words that came from his heart.”
The Moonlight Speech, which is called the most famous address of John XXIII’s pontificate, can be summed up in just a few words: peace, unity, and love. These words, broad in scope but spoken from the heart, encapsulated Pope John’s hopes for the Church.

Friar Jude Winkler explains Paul’s anger with the Galatians. The grace of God is about what we need and not necessarily what we want. More than our earthly parents, God always wants to bring good to us.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes from The Cloud of Unknowing with the Book of Privy Counsel, translated by Carmen Acevedo Butcher, to convey the fathomless mystery of God and that God can only be known by loving presence—contemplation.

[God] measures us and makes . . . divinity fit our souls, and our souls are able to take the measure of [God] because [God] created us in [God’s] image and made us worthy. [God] alone is complete and can fulfill our every longing. God’s grace restores our souls and teaches us how to comprehend [God] through love. [God] is incomprehensible to the intellect. . . . Nobody’s mind is powerful enough to grasp who God is. We can only know [God] by experiencing [God’s] love.

The Love of God is connected to the Holy Spirit in the Trinity. We are invited to call on the Spirit in the faith that Our Father always responds to us with the Love we need.

References

(n.d.). Galatians chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/galatians/3
(n.d.). Luke 11. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/luke11.htm
(2012, January 20). Come Holy Spirit, Part 3 - Seedbed. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://www.seedbed.com/come-holy-spirit-part-3/
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 11, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Saint John XXIII, Pope (Optional Memorial) - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). John XXIII's Famous 'Moonlight Speech' | The Divine Mercy Message .... Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://www.thedivinemercy.org/library/article.php?NID=5667
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 11, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Subjected to testing

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to confront the tension between declaring an orthodox position and being able to recognize our inherent position of being unknowing in the ways of God.

Truth and beauty

Paul explains to the Galatians that he is teaching a message in accord with the Church pillars in Jerusalem, even if the actions of Peter appear to contradict the orthodoxy.

* [2:11–14] The decision reached in Jerusalem (Gal 2:3–7) recognized the freedom of Gentile Christians from the Jewish law. But the problem of table fellowship between Jewish Christians, who possibly still kept kosher food regulations, and Gentile believers was not yet settled. When Cephas first came to the racially mixed community of Jewish and Gentile Christians in Antioch (Gal 2:12), he ate with non-Jews. Pressure from persons arriving later from Jerusalem caused him and Barnabas to draw back. Paul therefore publicly rebuked Peter’s inconsistency toward the gospel (Gal 2:14). Some think that what Paul said on that occasion extends through Gal 2:16, 21

In the Gospel from Luke, one of Jesus many occasions of prayer is to teach us to recognize God as Father.

* [11:1–4] The Matthean form of the “Our Father” occurs in the “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 6:9–15); the shorter Lucan version is presented while Jesus is at prayer (see note on Lk 3:21) and his disciples ask him to teach them to pray just as John taught his disciples to pray. In answer to their question, Jesus presents them with an example of a Christian communal prayer that stresses the fatherhood of God and acknowledges him as the one to whom the Christian disciple owes daily sustenance (Lk 11:3), forgiveness (Lk 11:4), and deliverance from the final trial (Lk 11:4). See also notes on Mt 6:9–13.

George Butterfield comments that Paul traveled to Jerusalem and presented the Good News that he preached to the original apostles so that everyone would "be on the same page." He did not want to be running in vain.

Running is Old Testament language for a prophet, a missionary, an apostle (which means, "one who is sent"). A prophet stands in the council of God, gazes upon the beauty of God, hears his voice, is commissioned to take God's word to the people, and then is sent on his mission. When he is sent, he runs. He is a missionary, an apostle, a runner. Jeremiah refers to false prophets who did not hear the voice of God and wasn't sent by him but ran anyway. In other words, they made up God's word as they went along. Paul is not so arrogant as to think that consulting with the other apostles is somehow a denial of his mission from Jesus. Thus, he meets with them so that they can know for sure that he has been entrusted with the same Gospel that they proclaimed, although their mission was to the Jews and his to the Gentiles. They recognized that the same grace working in them was working in him.

John J Parsons claims that many Christian commentators of the Book of Galatians fail to make certain critical distinctions between the idea of “law” and the idea of “covenant”. He notes the importance of the ongoing meaning of the Torah for Christians today.

Don Schwager quotes Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) on the privilege and responsibility of calling God Father.

"For the Savior said, 'When you pray, say, 'Our Father.' And another of the holy Evangelists adds, 'who art in heaven' (Matthew 6:9)... He gives his own glory to us. He raises slaves to the dignity of freedom. He crowns the human condition with such honor as surpasses the power of nature. He brings to pass what was spoken of old by the voice of the psalmist: 'I said, you are gods, and all of you children of the Most High' (Psalm 82:6). He rescues us from the measure of slavery, giving us by his grace what we did not possess by nature, and permits us to call God 'Father,' as being admitted to the rank of sons. We received this, together with all our other privileges, from him. One of these privileges is the dignity of freedom, a gift peculiarly befitting those who have been called to be sons. He commands us, therefore, to take boldness and say in our prayers, 'Our Father.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 71)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14 comments that St. Paul cites the pillars that support the Church. He uses this term to describe James and Peter and John, leaders who set the course for the Church, provided support and stability, and upheld all the people around them.

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, sheds light on the decision to release Gentiles from full observance of Jewish legal observances while maintaining a kind of Temple tax. In Matthew is the Our Father of community liturgy and in Luke the prayer Jesus taught. Friar Jude connects the Jewish understanding of the “contagion of sin” to the problem of baptized Gentiles who are not still caught up in their sin.

Stepping back from the details of religious practice, Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares a reflection of Rick Hocker that resonates with the imagery of Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) who describes the soul as a castle with a series of mansions through which we journey.

Let’s consider a drop of water as a metaphor for God’s indwelling presence. Water drops in the atmosphere are created when water vapor condenses on tiny particles of dust. At the center of every water drop is a particle. Similarly, every soul is wrapped around a particle of God, but this particle, although small, is boundless since the infinite God isn’t confined. God is found at your innermost center . . . and beyond.
It’s not just that God dwells inside you, but God is at the center of your spiritual makeup, an integral and enduring part of who you are. God is not added to you, but you are added to God. God is the foundation onto which your soul is built. Everyone you meet is also a God-particle wrapped in a soul.

That God is One resounds from the Shema and is at the core of revelations to Christian mystics. Our openness and patience with the tension between different religious practices recognizes our depth of unknowing.

References

(n.d.). Galatians chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 10, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/galatians/2
(n.d.). Luke chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 10, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/11:29
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 10, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Do we die to the Torah? Thoughts on Galatians - Hebrew for Christians. Retrieved October 10, 2018, from https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Articles/Galatians/galatians.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 10, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved October 10, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 10, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Appropriate time for "Ora Et Labora"

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to explore the connection between work and contemplation in our journey to living fully in our relationships with people and God.

Hospitality and being present

In the Letter to the Galatians, Paul describes the events leading to his first journey to Jerusalem.

* [1:18–24] Paul’s first journey to Jerusalem as a Christian, according to Galatians (cf. Acts 9:23–31 and the note on Acts 12:25). He is quite explicit about contacts there, testifying under oath (Gal 1:20). On returning to Syria (perhaps specifically Damascus, cf. Gal 1:17) and Cilicia (including his home town Tarsus, cf. Acts 9:30; 22:3), Paul most likely engaged in missionary work. He underscores the fact that Christians in Judea knew of him only by reputation.

Jesus visits the home of Martha and Mary, in the Gospel from Luke and He responds to Martha’s anxiety about serving her guests.

* [10:38–42] The story of Martha and Mary further illustrates the importance of hearing the words of the teacher and the concern with women in Luke.

Mary Lee Brock finds herself being annoyed by Jesus “mansplaining” to Martha about how she should calm down.

He could have delivered the message in a more caring way by acknowledging the necessary hard work she was doing to run the household and be a good hostess.
The first verse of the psalm speaks to the importance of really seeing someone and acknowledging their gifts: O LORD, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.
While it is true that Martha might have been a bit too wrapped up in some of the household duties, I wonder how her heart may have softened if she had a sense that Jesus understood what she was trying to accomplish.   And I wonder how she may have reacted if he had gently coaxed her into shifting her priorities.
Today’s gospel challenges me to look at my own priorities.  When do I get too caught up in the details of life forgetting to focus my thoughts and my actions on what is truly important, the word of God?

Alyce McKenzie quotes Paul Borgman, a professor of English and specialist in biblical narrative, that this text isn’t about siding with Martha or Mary; it’s about living into the kingdom of God that is already but not yet through the integration of prayer/study and service.

Says Borgman, “The audience is able to understand, through the back-to-back portrayals of the lawyer and Martha, how anxious distraction can surface in human lives and how such fear can be overcome on the journey toward salvation” (Borgman, 104).

Don Schwager quotes “The Body of Christ needs hearers and doers of the Word,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"'Virtue does not have a single form. In the example of Martha and Mary, there is added the busy devotion of the one and the pious attention of the other to the Word of God, which, if it agrees with faith, is preferred even to the very works, as it is written: 'Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.' So let us also strive to have what no one can take away from us, so that not careless but diligent hearing may be granted to us. For even the seeds of the heavenly Word itself are likely to be taken away if they are sowed by the wayside (Luke 8:5,12). Let the desire for wisdom lead you as it did Mary. It is a greater and more perfect work. Do not let service divert the knowledge of the heavenly Word... Nor is Martha rebuked in her good serving, but Mary is preferred because she has chosen the better part for herself, for Jesus abounds with many blessings and bestows many gifts. And therefore the wiser chooses what she perceives as foremost." (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 7.83-86)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Galatians 1:13-24 shares that God wants to build a relationship with us too. He wants to reveal his Son to us in a way that is unique.

You probably can’t dedicate three years to be alone with God. But you can step aside from your ordinary activities each day to spend time alone with him. You can get into the habit of talking to Jesus about the things that interest you or matter to you. You can ask him how he thinks, how he sees you, or what he wants to do in your life. As you do, pay attention to what stirs in your heart and mind. Pay attention to the thoughts that stir in your memory, imagination, or emotions. Write down what you think God may be saying to you so that you can go back and reflect on it later.

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, explains the motivation of Jewish Christian missionaries who accused Paul of hating the Jewish ways. A guest for Thanksgiving at Martha’s house is very likely to have a meal. Friar Jude reminds that hospitality calls us to be present to a guest. Sometimes our work and doing cause us to ignore people rather than being present for them.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Martin Buber and Karen Armstrong in showing that we know God by loving God, by trusting God, by placing our hope in God. It is a non possessive, non objectified way of knowing.

Religion is complex; in every age, there are numerous strands of piety. No single tendency ever prevails in its entirety. People practice their faith in myriad contrasting and contradictory ways. But a deliberate and principled reticence about God [talk] and/or the sacred was a constant theme [at the more mature levels] not only in Christianity but in the other major faith traditions until the rise of modernity in the West. People believed that God exceeded our thoughts and concepts and could be known only by dedicated practice. We have lost sight of this important insight, and this, I believe, is one of the reasons why so many Western people find the concept of God so troublesome today. . .

The modern approach to relationships with God and people often lacks our full attention to the observation of the psalmist that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

References

(n.d.). Galatians chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 9, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/galatians/1
(n.d.). Luke chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 9, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/luke/10:38
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 9, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(2010, July 12). Clearing Away the Psychic Clutter Martha and Mary in Luke 103842 .... Retrieved October 9, 2018, from http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithforward/2010/07/clearing-away-the-psychic-clutter-martha-and-mary-luke-1038-42/
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 9, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). 27th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved October 9, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 9, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Message of mercy and faith

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that an encounter with Christ is a move beyond doctrines and dogmas to experience.

Jericho to Jerusalem

In the Letter of Paul to the Galatians, he is addressing the attempt of Jewish Christian missionaries to subject the people to adherence to Jewish Law and customs.

* [1:6–10] In place of the usual thanksgiving (see note on Rom 1:8), Paul, with little to be thankful for in the Galatian situation, expresses amazement at the way his converts are deserting the gospel of Christ for a perverted message. He reasserts the one gospel he has preached (Gal 1:7–9) and begins to defend himself (Gal 1:10).

A legal authority questions Jesus about the main tenets of the Law in the passage from the Gospel of Luke.

* [10:25–37] In response to a question from a Jewish legal expert about inheriting eternal life, Jesus illustrates the superiority of love over legalism through the story of the good Samaritan. The law of love proclaimed in the “Sermon on the Plain” (Lk 6:27–36) is exemplified by one whom the legal expert would have considered ritually impure (see Jn 4:9). Moreover, the identity of the “neighbor” requested by the legal expert (Lk 10:29) turns out to be a Samaritan, the enemy of the Jew (see note on Lk 9:52).

Christian converts from the Essene Community have been suggested as likely advocates of continued practice of their Jewish customs. Jesus is likely to have passed very close to Qumran, near Jericho, on his way to Jerusalem.

In regards to the Essene Community, we do know that Qumran served as a study site for the Essenes, a Jewish sect existing in Jesus's day. Located at the edge of the Judea Wilderness, Qumran was an isolated community. The Essenes could live out their beliefs in separation from other corrupt priests in Jerusalem. Not far from Qumran, the oases of Jericho and En Gedi provided desert homes for other ancient people. The Dead Sea was also nearby, with the land of Moab easily visible on its eastern shore.....and as Jesus traveled at one point past Jericho on his way to Jerusalem, he would have come EXCEPTIONALLY CLOSE to Qumran again

Tom Purcell offers a prayer today is for the gift of empathy and selflessness, for the strength to let go of our possessions, our safety, our concerns, our selfishness, so we can see everyone we encounter as our neighbor, as did the Samaritan, and to soothe their hurts in whatever way we can.

Lord, it seems like the more I become aware of what I have to lose, the more afraid I am to help the victims I see.  I sometimes put my safety and protecting my possessions ahead of the needs of the hurting people I encounter. I don’t always engage them with the empathy that you ask of me, and I am not always interested in helping them address what hurts them.

Don Schwager asks what Jesus' story tells us about true love for one's neighbor.

First, we must be willing to help even if others brought trouble on themselves through their own fault or negligence. Second, our love and concern to help others in need must be practical. Good intentions and showing pity, or emphathizing with others, are not enough. And lastly, our love for others must be as wide and as inclusive as God's love. God excludes no one from his care and concern. God's love is unconditional. So we must be ready to do good to others for their sake, just as God is good to us.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 10:25-37 shares that the answer to overcoming our divisions is not just in seeing people differently; it’s in treating them differently.

Jesus’ parable forced his hearers to put a face and a heart on a member of a despised group. That’s always the first step in undoing prejudice and bias: to view people not as “categories” or “labels” but as individuals created in the image and likeness of God. When we do this, we often discover that our assumptions about a person are way off base.

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, provides background on the Jewish Christians in Galatian territory. Paul connects his revelation on the road to Damascus to the intervention of an angel in the reception of the Law from God by Moses. Friar Jude connects the heart, soul, strength and mind of Jesus statement of the 1st Commandment to our present day situation.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares that in meditation, we move beyond doctrines and dogmas to inner experience. When we are faithful to meditation, we quickly overcome the illusion that our correct thinking, or thinking more about something, can ever get me there.

Alongside all our knowing must be the equal and remaining “knowing that I do not know.” That’s why the classic schools of prayer spoke of both kataphatic knowing—through images and words—and apophatic knowing—through silence, symbols, and beyond words. Apophatic knowing is the empty space around the words, allowing God to fill in all the gaps in an “unspeakable” way. The apophatic way of knowing was largely lost to the West by the time of the Reformation in the 16th century, and Western Christianity has suffered because of it. We wanted to match the new rationalism with what felt like solid knowing, and we mimicked the secular mind instead of what Paul calls “knowing spiritual things in a spiritual way” (1 Corinthians 2:13). We lost the unique access point of the mystics, the poets, artists, and saints (who usually did not even know they were using this alternative consciousness).

Fr Richard summarizes that strangely enough, this unknowing is a new kind of understanding. We do have a word for it: the old word faith. Faith is a kind of knowing that doesn’t need to know for certain and yet doesn’t dismiss knowledge either. We act in faith and experience the image of God in our neighbours.

References

(n.d.). Galatians chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 8, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/galatians/1
(n.d.). Luke 10:25-37. Retrieved October 8, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/luke10.htm
(2013, April 2). Barnabas the Levite: Is it significant that Paul learned from a .... Retrieved October 8, 2018, from https://www.christianforums.com/threads/barnabas-the-levite-is-it-significant-that-paul-learned-from-a-liturgical-priest.7735979/
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 8, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 8, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 8, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/
(n.d.). 27th Week in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved October 8, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 8, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/

Husbands wives family and children

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the particular way in which our relationship with family, wives, and children can mark and be our consecration as members of the the Body of Christ open to guidance by the Holy Spirit to be conformed to the will of God.

Helpers

The passage from the Book of Genesis establishes the desirability that we have a helper suited to us for our role in life.

* [2:18] Helper suited to him: lit., “a helper in accord with him.” “Helper” need not imply subordination, for God is called a helper (Dt 33:7; Ps 46:2). The language suggests a profound affinity between the man and the woman and a relationship that is supportive and nurturing.

In Psalm 128, we are praising God for the fruit of a happy home.

* [Psalm 128] A statement that the ever-reliable God will bless the reverent (Ps 128:1). God’s blessing is concrete: satisfaction and prosperity, a fertile spouse and abundant children (Ps 128:2–4). The perspective is that of the adult male, ordinarily the ruler and representative of the household to the community. The last verses extend the blessing to all the people for generations to come (Ps 128:5–6).

The Letter to the Hebrews describes the path of Jesus in accord with the will of the Father to become our brother.

The reference to Jesus as leader (Heb 2:10) sounds the first note of an important leitmotif in Hebrews: the journey of the people of God to the sabbath rest (Heb 4:9), the heavenly sanctuary, following Jesus, their “forerunner” (Heb 6:20). It was fitting that God should make him perfect through suffering, consecrated by obedient suffering. Because he is perfected as high priest, Jesus is then able to consecrate his people (Heb 2:11); access to God is made possible by each of these two consecrations. If Jesus is able to help human beings, it is because he has become one of us; we are his “brothers.”

In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus contrasts the attitude of His contemporaries in Hebrew society to divorce with the idea that marriage is an opportunity to live in an eternal Covenant assisted by spiritual attitudes that Jesus identifies in children.

* [10:2–9] In the dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees on the subject of divorce, Jesus declares that the law of Moses permitted divorce (Dt 24:1) only because of the hardness of your hearts (Mk 10:4–5). In citing Gn 1:27 and 2:24 Jesus proclaims permanence to be the divine intent from the beginning concerning human marriage (Mk 10:6–8). He reaffirms this with the declaration that what God has joined together, no human being must separate (Mk 10:9). See further the notes on Mt 5:31–32; 19:3–9.
* [10:15] Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child: i.e., in total dependence upon and obedience to the gospel; cf. Mt 18:3–4.

Steve Scholer suggests that perhaps if couples spent more time conversing with each other and listening to what their spouse was concerned about or was feeling, the rate of divorce would not continue to climb.

As you do your daily exam of conscience today, think about how many times you had your cellphone in hand, and then ask yourself how necessary your use of it was. The next time you go out to eat with your spouse or even at the dinner table at home, do NOT bring your phone to the table. Engage your spouse in conversation much like Jesus would engage those around him in conversation and listen intently to what they have to say. Likewise, when you have a free moment, instead of trolling the internet for mindless stories, talk to God about your day, what you did right, who you helped, how you made his world a better place and how you can do better tomorrow.
Don’t let your spouse live alone, right next to you in the same home, and don’t let God live alone either. Talk to them. They are there ready to listen.

A Don Schwager quotes “Mutual servants, equally serving”, by Tertullian, 160-225 A.D.

"Where are we to find language adequately to express the happiness of that marriage which the church cements, the oblation confirms, the benediction signs and seals, the angels celebrate, and the Father holds as approved? For all around the earth young people do not rightly and lawfully wed without their parents' consent. What kind of yoke is that of two believers who share one hope, one desire, one discipline, one service (Ephesians 4:4)? They enjoy kinship in spirit and in flesh. They are mutual servants with no discrepancy of interests. Truly they are 'two in one flesh' (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; Ephesians 5:31). Where the flesh is one, the spirit is one as well. Together they pray, together bow down, together perform their fasts, mutually teaching, mutually entreating, mutually upholding. In the church of God they hold an equal place (Romans 12:15; 15:6; Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 12:12). They stand equally at the banquet of God, equally in crises, equally facing persecutions, and equally in refreshments. Neither hides anything from the other. Neither neglects the other. Neither is troublesome to the other (Philippians 1:27). (excerpt from TO HIS WIFE 2.8)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 2:18-24 states a fundamental eternal truth why men and women get married. It’s why they have children. It’s why we have neighborhoods, parishes, sports arenas, and restaurants. We need each other! God has given all of us the desire to give of ourselves to each other. And we need to receive other people into our lives in order to feel human.

God doesn’t want any of us to walk alone. Not only is he walking right beside you; he has sent people to walk with you as well. He loves you too much to abandon you.

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, reviews possible origins of the rib being formed as woman as he notes some matriarchal attributes in Jewish history. The author of Hebrews connects Jesus to the Jewish sense of perfect as ordination. The conditions for divorce cited by rabbis in the school of Hillel are corrected in Jesus call for a Covenant understanding of marriage.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes Thomas Merton “For most of us, growth is a long process of being drawn “by brightness and the Holy Spirit.”

The reason why the true contemplative-in-action is still somewhat rare is that most of us, even and often in religion, are largely educated in dualistic thinking (quick, certain, and smug judgments). Judgmentalism and dismissiveness does not overcome distinctions but actually magnifies them. When we try to use this limited tool of differentiation and critique in prayer and relationships, we quickly see its limitations. The fatal mistake of ego “consciousness” is that it excludes and eliminates the unconscious (where both deep goodness and deep badness lie hidden)—which ironically means our common consciousness is actually not conscious at all! But the human ego prefers knowing and being certain over being honest. “Don’t bother me with the truth, I want to be in control,” it invariably says. Most people who think they are fully conscious or “smart” and in control, have a big iron manhole cover over their unconscious. It does give them a sense of being right and in charge, but it seldom yields compassion, community, or wisdom.

The condition noted by Fr Richard that he human ego prefers knowing and being certain over being honest is a roadblock to our living a Covenant relationship with spouse and others that is marked by patience, humility, compassion, mercy, and wisdom.

References

(n.d.). Helper suited to him. Retrieved October 6, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Genesis/2:18
(n.d.). Psalm128 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 6, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/psalms/128:1
(n.d.). Hebrews, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 6, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/2:20
(n.d.). Mark chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 6, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/10
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 6, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 7, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Mass Readings and Catholic .... Retrieved October 7, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 7, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/