Fickle and fearful become servants

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion establish a focus to begin our involvement with Holy Week.

In Chapter 11 of the Gospel of Mark the authority and reception of Jesus resonate with the idea of the Davidic Messiah, yet the symbols of servant self giving are already in place.

* [11:1–11] In Mark’s account Jesus takes the initiative in ordering the preparation for his entry into Jerusalem (Mk 11:1–6) even as he later orders the preparation of his last Passover supper (Mk 14:12–16). In Mk 11:9–10 the greeting Jesus receives stops short of proclaiming him Messiah. He is greeted rather as the prophet of the coming messianic kingdom. Contrast Mt 21:9.

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah describes the attributes of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh.

* [50:4–11] The third of the four “servant of the Lord” oracles (cf. note on 42:1–4); in vv. 4–9 the servant speaks; in vv. 10–11 God addresses the people directly.

In the early Christian Hymn from Chapter 2 of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, the self emptying of Jesus is proposed as a model for His disciples.

* [2:6–11] Perhaps an early Christian hymn quoted here by Paul. The short rhythmic lines fall into two parts, Phil 2:6–8 where the subject of every verb is Christ, and Phil 2:9–11 where the subject is God. The general pattern is thus of Christ’s humiliation and then exaltation. More precise analyses propose a division into six three-line stanzas (Phil 2:6; 7abc, 7d–8, 9, 10, 11) or into three stanzas (Phil 2:6–7ab, 7cd–8, 9–11). Phrases such as even death on a cross (Phil 2:8c) are considered by some to be additions (by Paul) to the hymn, as are Phil 2:10c, 11c.

The Passion of the Lord from the Gospel of Mark provides the detail to complete the declaration in the prologue of this Gospel of Jesus Divine identity as Son of God.

* [15:39] The closing portion of Mark’s gospel returns to the theme of its beginning in the Gentile centurion’s climactic declaration of belief that Jesus was the Son of God. It indicates the fulfillment of the good news announced in the prologue (Mk 1:1) and may be regarded as the firstfruit of the passion and death of Jesus.

Tom Shanahan, S.J., suggests that Lent provides us the possibility of a spiritual preparation to live into Jesus' death and resurrection, the paschal mystery.

We have been invited to journey with Jesus in his journeying for us.  These past few weeks may have provided us the opportunity to discover anew the tremendous love of God in Christ.  Our own call begins with the discovery of the roots of our brand of selfishness. Jesus' faithfulness to his call and journey becomes for us the way of moving away from the things that block God's love in Christ Jesus.

Dennis Bratcher develops the teaching of Paul, that discipleship with Christ means to have a mind-set different from others. It means a commitment to servanthood, a life poured out in service to others, totally emptied of self. He cites Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who poured out his own life at the hands of the Nazis.

We live in a society dominated by rights-activism, permeated with the philosophy of "me first," and molded by the corporate ideals of efficiency and success. The Church must be called to remember that demanding one's rights and privileges may be popular, even necessary in some cases, but if it does so at the expense of Christian unity and love, it is not Christian! The Body of Christ must be called upon to refocus on Christian humility, unity, and fellowship. We must make service to others, perfect love in action, our primary responsibility. An attitude of Christlike humility does not demand rights or protect its own interests; it seeks servanthood.

Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D., on the following of Christ.

"Come, follow Me, says the Lord. Do you love? He has hastened on, He has flown on ahead. Look and see where. O Christian, don't you know where your Lord has gone? I ask you: Don't you wish to follow Him there? Through trials, insults, the cross, and death. Why do you hesitate? Look, the way has been shown you." (excerpt from Sermon 64,5)

Friar Jude Winkler builds on the message that Jesus exaltation is when He is most humble, as he shares the many deep connections in these texts to our Christian heritage and tradition.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that life gives us opportunities to discover our image and develop our likeness, often in the form of necessary stumbling and falling.

Challenges and disruptions invite us to move from what I call the first half of life to the second half, from forming and serving the ego to the ego, in fact, serving the soul. With the guidance of the Spirit and the help of wise mentors and elders, all of life, including our “false” or small and separate self, can lead us to our True Self or “who we are hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Adapted from Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life (Jossey-Bass: 2011), 153-154.

The nature of Jesus message to call us to full life in our participation in the suffering and triumphs of service to others and communion with Him is our contemplation in the initial days of Holy Week. References

(

n.d.). Mark, chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/11

(n.d.). Isaiah, chapter 50 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Isaiah/50:4

(n.d.). Philippians, chapter 2 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Philippians/2:6

(n.d.). Mark, chapter 15 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/15

(n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(2013, March 25). The Poured-Out Life: The Kenosis Hymn in Context. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from http://www.crivoice.org/kenosis.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 25, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/

Bringing Nations Together

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us of the long standing desire to bring nations together.

Bringing people together

The Prophet Ezekiel understands that it is the will of God to restore Israel even after the Temple has been destroyed.

* [37:15–22] The symbolic action of joining two sticks into one continues Ezekiel’s description of God’s future saving action: the unification of Judah and Israel under an ideal ruler.

In the Gospel from John, Caiaphas, the high priest, exercises a gift of prophecy that identifies Jesus as one who will die to protect the nation.

* [11:49] That year: emphasizes the conjunction of the office and the year. Actually, Caiaphas was high priest A.D. 18–36. The Jews attributed a gift of prophecy, sometimes unconscious, to the high priest.

Jeanne Schuler in her reflection for this day in 2007 identified the challenge, still before us today, to reunite refugees with a home.

In our time, violence drives millions into exile.Refugee camps are crowded and unsafe.Like our ancestors, the scattered dream of returning.
At home, most of us barely notice. War is not my problem. Refugees are forgotten in our busy lives.Now and then, we check in. The sights disturb us. Flip the channel.

Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.,who reminds us that the crucifixion is always lived.

"The crucifixion is something that must continue throughout our life, not for forty days only, although Moses, Elijah, and Christ fasted forty days. We are meant to learn from them not to cling to this present world or imitate what it says, but to nail our unregenerate selves to the cross." (excerpt from Sermon 205,1)

Friar Jude Winkler expands the prophecy of Ezekiel highlighting the important role of the Temple for a people who will be not longer be rebellious living under a Davidic King. The counting of time in Jewish practice at the time of Jesus involved a partial day or year being counted as a whole period, Friar Jude explains.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, summarizes his teaching of the past week noting that contemplation is really the art of full relationship. It is learning how to relate to reality in an immediately appreciative and non-manipulative way.

The spiritual journey is a constant interplay between moments of awe followed by surrender to that moment. We must first allow ourselves to be captured by the goodness, truth, or beauty of something beyond and outside ourselves. Then we universalize from that moment to the goodness, truth, and beauty of the rest of reality, until our realization eventually ricochets back to include ourselves. This is the great inner dialogue we call prayer.

Our ongoing struggle to bring nations together must move to action from a point of view in appreciation and non manipulation.

References


(n.d.). Ezekiel 37. Retrieved March 24, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/ezekiel37.htm

(n.d.). John, chapter 11 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 24, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/11

(n.d.). Creighton University Online Ministries. Retrieved March 24, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 24, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 24, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/

Denial Destruction and Hope

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today contain images of rejection and lamentation.

Difficult times

The Prophet Jeremiah cries out as those who will not heed his warnings seek to take his life.

* [20:7] You seduced me: Jeremiah accuses the Lord of having deceived him; cf. 15:18.

In the Gospel from John, Jesus finds the religious leaders have turned a blind eye to the works that testify to Jesus Divinity and He retreats to where the common people are becoming aware of His Identity.

* [10:30] This is justification for Jn 10:29; it asserts unity of power and reveals that the words and deeds of Jesus are the words and deeds of God.

Eileen Burke-Sullivan looks at the political landscape, global climate change, the financial instability of our time, the chronic oppression of the weak, violence with sex and guns and asks to whom or what can we turn to find hope and have confidence that Goodness will prevail?

During these last days in Lent, we who are Christians must turn to the Cross for hope.  It is there that we see the image of our God who will suffer for and with us. An image of a God who does not shore up the hegemony of violence but brings mercy for all by placing his own life on the line.  If your image of God gives you no hope in this world it is important to pray to know the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jesus. Don’t let cultural stereotypes of bolts of lightning striking you down. Don’t let images of a God who condemns stand in your way of coming to the Cross and seeing the truth of “Love Alone” stretched between heaven and earth.

Don Schwager quotes Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D. on the sacrifice of Christ.

"Even though the man Christ Jesus, in the form of God together with the Father with whom He is one God, accepts our sacrifice, nonetheless He has chosen in the form of a servant to be the sacrifice rather than to accept it. Therefore, He is the priest Himself Who presents the offering, and He Himself is what is offered." (excerpt from City of God, 10,20)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the Confessions of Jeremiah which are autobiographical sections of the Book dealing with his suffering. In John 10 the Jewish leaders fight and object to Jesus using prerogatives of God. Friar Jude notes that Jesus uses Scripture cleverness as He reminds the opposition that He is doing the Father’s work as witness to His Divinity.

The Lamentations of Jeremiah and Jesus are compared by John J Parsons of the Hebrew for Christians website.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes that mystics—like Thomas Merton, Francis of Assisi, Julian of Norwich, John Duns Scotus, and many others—are ones who recognizes God’s image and likeness in this human being, in this creature, in this moment, and from that encounter with the sacred come to see God everywhere and always. He offers reflections from Mary Beth Ingham who writes about John Duns Scotus concept of Haecceitas that points to the ineffable within each being.

According to Scotus, the created order is not best understood as a transparent medium through which divine light [from the outside] shines (as Aquinas taught), but is itself endowed with an inner light that shines forth from within. [This is like the] difference between a window (Aquinas) and a lamp (Scotus). Both give light, but the source of light for Scotus has already been given to the being by the creator. Each being . . . possesses an immanent dignity; it is already gifted by the loving Creator with a sanctity beyond our ability to understand. . .

Our lamentations that cry out for hope and confront the destruction that the powerful seek to use to control parallel Jesus experience and are balanced by the inherent image of God that is a light of hope for us.

References


(n.d.). Jeremiah's Interior Crisis. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/jeremiah20.htm

(n.d.). John 10:10. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/john10.htm
(n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). The prophet Jeremiah and Jesus - Hebrew for Christians. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Summer_Holidays/Tishah_B_Av/Jeremiah/jeremiah.html

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/

Our Covenant as disciples

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us of terms like Covenant, Logos, and Incarnation that describe our relationship with God.

https://www.wordonfire.org/wof-core/libraries/timthumb/timthumb.php?zc=1&w=1328&h=598&src=https://www.wordonfire.org/wof-site/media/brchristianunity.png

In the Book of Genesis, the Covenant of God with Abraham is initiated.

* [17:1–27] The Priestly source gathers the major motifs of the story so far and sets them firmly within a covenant context; the word “covenant” occurs thirteen times. There are links to the covenant with Noah (v. 1 = 6:9; v. 7 = 9:9; v. 11 = 9:12–17). In this chapter, vv. 1–8 promise progeny and land; vv. 9–14 are instructions about circumcision; vv. 15–21 repeat the promise of a son to Sa(n.d.). John, chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/8:21rah and distinguish this promise from that to Hagar; vv. 22–27 describe Abraham’s carrying out the commands. The Almighty: traditional rendering of Hebrew El Shaddai, which is P’s favorite designation of God in the period of the ancestors. Its etymology is uncertain, but its root meaning is probably “God, the One of the Mountains.”

In the Gospel from John, Jesus alarms the Jewish authorities by declaring to be the Logos (Genesis Chapter 1; John Chapter 1 ).

* [8:58] Came to be, I AM: the Greek word used for “came to be” is the one used of all creation in the prologue, while the word used for “am” is the one reserved for the Logos.

Tom Purcell comments that the covenant has shifted from not just keeping the Abrahamic and Mosaic laws, and the ten commandments, but also living life as Jesus modeled it for us.

As with the Jews living in bondage, wandering in the desert or quarreling with themselves and their neighbors, we many times fail to achieve that harmony.  But God didn’t give up on Abraham and his descendants, and God doesn’t give up on us.

Connecting to the Word made Flesh, Don Schwager asks if we believe the words of Jesus and obey them with all our heart, mind, and strength?

Jesus answered, "before Abraham was, I am." Jesus claims to be timeless and there is only one in the universe who is timeless, namely God. Scripture tells us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus was not just a man who came, lived, died, and then rose again. He is the immortal timeless One, who always was and always will be.

Friar Jude Winkler notes how little of the Covenant promise of progeny and land Abraham actually experienced yet he continued to trust God. “I AM” in the Gospel of John proclaims Divinity Glory in the outpouring of Love on the Cross.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, connects with the relationship of Abraham with God as he introduces Sister of Saint Joseph and Professor Mary Beth Ingham who knows John Duns Scotus inside and out. The incarnation is still going on in our lives. And our vocation is to join God’s dynamic, incarnate energy in the world and to be that presence wherever we find ourselves.

You’re just yourself. Live with it. Here I am. I’m just me and all I can do is be me. That’s the only thing I can do, and I can do it better than anybody else. If I don’t do it, nobody will do it. So often we spend our lives trying to be other people. Yet God says, “I made you, and I like the you I’ve made, so just do your best and be yourself, and I’ll be there to help you.” It’s not something we have to do alone, but something we grow into.

Our relationship with God is present to us as we journey and become agents of Love.

References



(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 17 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Genesis/17:3

(n.d.). John, chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/8:21 

(n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/ 

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 22, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/

(2018, March 5). The Gospel Call to Christian Unity | Word On Fire. Retrieved March 22, 2018, from https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/the-gospel-call-to-christian-unity/5720/

Recognition and reaction

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be open to recognition of the Presence of God and to react deeply to that moment.

Presence in Nature

In the passage from the Book of Daniel, the protection of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace is a call to action for King Nebuchadnezzar.

* [3:24–90] These verses are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel, translated from the Greek form of the book. They were probably first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but are no longer extant in the original language. The Roman Catholic Church has always regarded them as part of the canonical Scriptures.

In the Gospel from John, Jesus uses the example of son and slave to present choice to the Jewish leadership about accepting Him.

* [8:38] The Father: i.e., God. It is also possible, however, to understand the second part of the verse as a sarcastic reference to descent of the Jews from the devil (Jn 8:44), “You do what you have heard from [your] father.

Angela Maynard introduces a meditation on the truth Jesus offers as an insight into who we are and who He is for us.

Don Schwager is inspired to proclaim how Jesus frees us from the world's temptation to empty glory and lust for greed and power.

Jesus explains that he is speaking of two different senses of "fatherhood". The first is a physical identity through natural fatherhood. And the second and more significant identity is a self-chosen one that is the result of being led and formed in a moral way of thinking and living one's life that has been shaped through the example, words, and influence of someone we are consciously or unconsciously following and imitating.

Friar Jude Winkler summarizes the images of Daniel 3 and notes the Presence of God in the fire. John the Evangelist offers a very dualistic Gospel in which the Jewish leaders must be sons of Satan who are against the Father’s mission.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares John Duns Scotus “haecceity”. This is saying that we come to universal meaning deeply and rightly through the unique and ordinary. Father Richard recommends that we start with loving one situation or one person all the way through. That is the best first school for universal love.

When we start with big universal ideas, at the level of concepts and -isms, we too-often stay there and argue about theory and generalizations. At that level, the mind is totally in charge. It is then easy to love humanity, but not any one person in particular. We defend principles of justice, but would not put ourselves out to live justly

Evidence of Presence of God invites action in our response to deepen our experience of freedom in our relationship with God.

References

(n.d.). Daniel, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/daniel/3

(n.d.). John, chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/john/8:21

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/

Pointing to the Truth

The image of looking for truth in the journey of life is a theme in the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. The “totem object” has represented the evil from which we are healed by God in Judeo Christian theology.

A 15-year-old boy firing an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle

The Book of Numbers describes the effect of the “totem object” on the Israelites as a means to focus on the loving care of God.

Jesus connects to the Father as the One who is lifted up to connect people to the Love that is freedom from sin in the Gospel of John.

* [8:24, 28] I AM: an expression that late Jewish tradition understood as Yahweh’s own self-designation (Is 43:10); see note on Jn 4:26. Jesus is here placed on a par with Yahweh.

Gladyce Janky was on a pilgrimage, following in the footsteps of St. Ignatius, and she contemplates the truth of her privilege compared to the suffering of others.

Don Schwager reminds us that to fail to recognize who Jesus is and where he came from is to remain in the darkness of sin, ignorance, and unbelief.

Jesus went on to explain to people that if they could not recognize his voice when they heard his word, they would have the opportunity to recognize him when he is "lifted up" on the cross. Jesus pointed to the atoning sacrifice of his life on the cross as the true source of healing and victory over sin and reconciliation with God. The sacrifice of Jesus' life on the cross is the ultimate proof of God's love for us.

Friar Jude Winkler connects the totem objects lifted up in Numbers to Jesus being lifted up on the cross as I AM. “Totem objects” have helped focus our connection to God from the time of the Hebrew testament to the healing of Lourdes and other holy sites.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on influences in his life journey as he comments that he was not so much taught theological conclusions as the process of getting there. He received a full history of the development of Christian ideas more than Catholic apologetics.

Little did I imagine how this would affect my entire life and my own approach to theology. The inspired documents of Vatican II put the Gospel back at the center of our lives, just as St. Francis tried to do. This made spirituality so much more alive and real than the narrow churchiness I grew up with—and that many are still taught to this day. After the fearful reaction to Vatican II in these past decades, I’m grateful to have lived to see Pope Francis, who convinces me of the wonderfully crooked lines of God. How did he ever get elected? Pope Francis is showing us all that God’s full life, just like nature, is never a straight line and never a dead end.

The “totem objects” in souvenirs, photos and other links to our spiritual growth provide viewpoints on the Love we have been graced to know that has been food for our journey.

References



(n.d.). Numbers, chapter 21 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Numbers/21:4 

(n.d.). John, chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/jn/8:12

(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/

(2018, February 25). America Is the Gun - The New York Times. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/25/opinion/america-is-the-gun.html

(2018, February 25). A 15-year-old boy firing an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle at a shooting range in Sunrise, Fla. Credit Ryan Stone for The New York Times. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://static01.nyt.com/images/2015/12/20/us/26blowWEB/20assaultweapons-02-master768.jpg

Not needing to understand

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph connect us to the deep faith, love and loyalty of the man who accepted the role of spouse and father in the Holy Family.

Joseph and child in stained glass

The Second Book of Samuel establishes the promise of a line of descendants of David who would always be the connection between God and His People.

* [7:16] The unconditional promise made here, and reflected in Ps 89:34–35, stands in contrast to the tradition in Ps 132:12, where the continuation of the line of David depends on their fidelity to the Lord; cf. also 1 Kgs 2:4; 6:12; 8:25.

In the Letter to the Romans, Paul establishes that our peace with God is based in our trust in God.

* [4:1–25] This is an expanded treatment of the significance of Abraham’s faith, which Paul discusses in Gal 3:6–18; see notes there.

The Gospel from Matthew describes the love, righteousness, mysticism and trust of Joseph in his relationship with God.

* [1:18–25] This first story of the infancy narrative spells out what is summarily indicated in Mt 1:16. The virginal conception of Jesus is the work of the Spirit of God. Joseph’s decision to divorce Mary is overcome by the heavenly command that he take her into his home and accept the child as his own. The natural genealogical line is broken but the promises to David are fulfilled; through Joseph’s adoption the child belongs to the family of David. Matthew sees the virginal conception as the fulfillment of Is 7:14.

Luis Rodriguez, S.J. comments that there is nothing bland in the Joseph portrayed in today’s Gospel reading.

We find it disconcerting that all this is the result of God’s having entered their lives. We expect closeness to God to be a “rosy” experience. We need to check our expectations and trust God’s presence in our lives, even when it causes some human discomfort. It is this kind of trust that helped Joseph and Mary to move from not understanding to not needing to understand.

Don Schwager reflects on the character of Joseph, quoting a homily by Bernard of Clairvaux, 1090-1153.

"Joseph's character and qualities can be deduced from the fact that God honored him with the title of father, and, although his doing so was a mere matter of convenience, this was what he was known as and believed to be. Joseph's own name, which as you know means "increase", supplies further indications. Call to mind the great patriarch of old who was sold into Egypt, and you will realize that it was not only his name that our saint received but also his chastity, innocence, and grace. His brothers' envy had caused the earlier Joseph to be sold and taken to Egypt, thus symbolizing the selling of Christ: the later Joseph carried Christ into Egypt, fleeing before Herod's envy... The first Joseph had the gift of interpreting dreams: the second was given a revelation of the divine plan and a share in its accomplishment. Joseph the patriarch stored up grain, not for himself but for all the people: our Joseph was given custody of the living bread from heaven to keep safe both for himself and the whole world. There is no doubt that the Joseph to whom the Savior's mother was engaged was a good and faithful man. He was, I say, the wise and faithful steward whom the Lord appointed to support his mother and care for himself in childhood, singling him out for his complete reliability to help him with his momentous plan." (Hom. 2 super Missus est, 11.16: PL 183, 69-70)

Friar Jude Winkler highlights the oracle of Nathan to David establishing a royal dynasty eternal in the kingship of Jesus. A new definition of righteousness, obedient and compassionate, is defined by Joseph response to the call of God. Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explains why the “thisness” of Duns Scotus is so good and important for our experience of the subtleness of our relationship with the Body of Christ.

Duns Scotus fully and happily live inside the communal Body of Christ, while still preserving and honoring the importance of the individual. He is an amazing example of bridging the gap. I find it most rare in our postmodern society on both the Left and the Right. He held onto the individual end of the continuum so strongly (almost unheard of in the 13th century) that some churchmen have accused him of actually fathering Western individualism! In truth, Duns Scotus held the entire continuum together—both part and whole—with such refined consciousness that he was very early dubbed “The Subtle Doctor” of the Church. We could use such subtlety today.

Joseph was a man who lived holiness in harmony with the Hebrew Testament and launched the gift of a New Testament in his care for Jesus and Mary.
References


(n.d.). 2 Samuel, chapter 7 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2samuel/7

(n.d.). Romans, chapter 4 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Romans/4:13

(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/matthew/1:29

(November 18, 2017) Jesus and child in stained glass retrieved March 19, 2018 from https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinet/

(n.d.). Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/online.html

(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/