Turning to the Mystics Collection

Turning to the Mystics is a podcast for people searching for something more meaningful, intimate and richly present in the divine gift of their lives. James Finley, clinical psychologist and Living School faculty, offers a modern take on the historical contemplative practices of Christian mystics like Teresa of Avila, Thomas Merton, John of the Cross among others. Leaning into their experiences can become a gateway to hope, healing and oneness. Together with Kirsten Oates from the Center for Action and Contemplation, they explore listener questions and examine their own paths as modern contemplatives in this beautiful and broken world.

Instructions for The Practice

Feb 16 · 28 minutes

In this episode, Kirsten Oates and James Finley are in dialogue about the form and practice of Turning to the Mystics. In this spirit James Finley begins by outlining the 3 contemplative archetypes that serve as pathways to honor each of our experiences on the mystical journey. He then unpacks his process for each episode; reading a mystical text, reflecting upon that text, and concluding with meditation and prayer.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM comments "When my colleague James Finley began studying with Thomas Merton, he made the powerful revelation that all we have to do is be who we are in God."

Welcoming Greatness

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate how our ego may be blocking our sense of the Presence of God especially in our relationships with those in need.

Loving the Greatest

The reading from the Letter of James reviews causes of division in our choices to accept the allurements of the world opposed to Christ.

 * [4:6] The point of this whole argument is that God wants the happiness of all, but that selfishness and pride can make that impossible. We must work with him in humility (Jas 4:10).1

The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism and mental turmoil culminating in the wish to flee society.

* [Psalm 55] The psalmist, betrayed by intimate friends (Ps 55:14–15, 20–21), prays that God punish those oath breakers and thus be acknowledged as the protector of the wronged. The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism (Ps 55:4) and mental turmoil (Ps 55:5–6), culminating in the wish to flee society (Ps 55:7–9). The wish for a sudden death for one’s enemies (Ps 55:16) occurs elsewhere in the Psalms; an example of such a death is the earth opening under the wicked Dathan and Abiram (Nm 16:31–32). The psalmist, confident of vindication, exhorts others to a like trust in the God of justice (Ps 55:23). The Psalm is not so much for personal vengeance as for a public vindication of God’s righteousness now. There was no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place.2 

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus again finds a lack of understanding as He foretells His Death and Resurrection and asks the disciples about “Who Is the Greatest?”

 * [9:33–37] Mark probably intends this incident and the sayings that follow as commentary on the disciples’ lack of understanding (Mk 9:32). Their role in Jesus’ work is one of service, especially to the poor and lowly. Children were the symbol Jesus used for the anawim, the poor in spirit, the lowly in the Christian community.3

Mary Lee Brock reflects that Jesus, in today’s gospel, states that anyone who wishes to be first shall be the last of all and shall be a servant to all. And James gives us instructions on how we can refocus our lives by inviting us to humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. James reminds us that we are not on this journey alone and God invites us to a deeper relationship.

 This Lenten season, I am inspired to examine my life to become aware of how my ego gets in the way of my relationship with God.  I will explore times I am seduced by gossip or negative messages on social media and challenge myself to resist having my attention pulled in those directions.  I will humbly ask for God’s forgiveness. And I will celebrate the moments I feel the abiding love of God. 
And perhaps I will lean on the reminders provided by a Lenten fast from coffee or chocolate as these daily practices remind me of all of the constant temptations in the secular world and can support my focusing on what truly matters.  Today’s psalm is a wonderful prayer to take into Lent: Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.4

Don Schwager quotes “Downward roots enable upward growth,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

 "Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain to higher things (Proverbs 18:12). You are wanting to grow up into the air without a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, SERMON 38.2)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on James 4:1-10 asks what if we have already asked forgiveness of someone and it didn’t go well? Do we just walk away? Our pride may tell us we’ve done all we could. But if we ask God for the grace to seek reconciliation again, he might surprise us. He might help us find a more creative way to approach the person. Or perhaps we discover a blind spot in our own thinking that is an obstacle to reconciliation. Even if all we do is pray more earnestly for the other person involved, we may find our hearts softened toward them.

 Is there someone you need to reconcile with, especially someone you’ve approached before? Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. As part of your Lenten journey, ask God to prepare your heart to reconcile with that person. No doubt you’ll be amazed at what God will do with this prayer!
“Jesus, as Lent draws near, grant me the grace I need to seek reconciliation and healing in this relationship.”6

Friar Jude Winkler notes that James reference to the “world” is to those who have rejected Christ. Jesus connects to the Son of Man in Daniel 7 and to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. Friar Jude reminds us that the child is the symbol of those who we serve in need who cannot pay us back.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces his friend Russ Hudson of the Enneagram Institute, who has spent his life studying and teaching the Enneagram… He has such compassion for each Enneagram type, and he helps us have compassion for both ourselves and others. He has a gift for teaching the Enneagram as a tool to help us live in the Presence of God.

 So this whole [Body or Gut] part is teaching us what it means to actually live in the here and now, to feel our existence, and to operate from that, which gives us a sense of confidence, fullness, aliveness, being. In religious language, it’s like you feel held in the Presence of God. And it’s like feeling the solidity of spirit, the fullness, the gutsy vibrancy of presence, spirit, life, right now. To whatever degree we’re not present, we lose that sense. We lose the confidence, we lose the fullness, we lose the sense of existing. [2]
When we lose contact with our Essence, the personality attempts to “fill in” by providing a false sense of autonomy. [3]7

The season of Lent offers many opportunities to participate in the journey to humility and transformation to living the values we encounter in our relationship with Jesus.

References

1	(n.d.). James, chapter 4 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/4
2	(n.d.). Psalm 55 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/55
3	(n.d.). Mark, chapter 9 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/9
4	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/02/25/
7	(2020, February 25). The Belly Center — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://cac.org/the-belly-center-2020-02-25/

Disposed for Healing

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate two complementary aspects of our mission: virtues and prayer.

Healing and prayer

The reading from the Letter of James identifies two kinds of Wisdom, one as True Wisdom.

 * [3:13–18] This discussion of true wisdom is related to the previous reflection on the role of the teacher as one who is in control of his speech. The qualities of the wise man endowed from above are detailed (Jas 3:17–18; cf. Gal 5:22–23), in contrast to the qualities of earthbound wisdom (Jas 3:14–16; cf. 2 Cor 12:20).1

In Psalm 19, the creator’s wisdom is declared available to human beings in the law.

 * [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem.2

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus rescues the healing of a boy with a spirit from the misstep of His disciples.

 * [9:14–29] The disciples’ failure to effect a cure seems to reflect unfavorably on Jesus (Mk 9:14–18, 22). In response Jesus exposes their lack of trust in God (Mk 9:19) and scores their lack of prayer (Mk 9:29), i.e., of conscious reliance on God’s power when acting in Jesus’ name. For Matthew, see note on Mt 17:14–20. Lk 9:37–43 centers attention on Jesus’ sovereign power.3

Kyle Lierk shares the crux of the story and the real teaching moment for Jesus. He shares with the father, loud enough so everyone within earshot can hear, “Everything is possible to one who has faith.”

 Well if that isn’t a lesson I need to continue learning, I don’t know what is!  In my imagination with the scripture, I join the father in saying, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Like Bagger Vance and this father, there are times when the dark spirits of life are “shouting their bad advice” (as Mary Oliver calls it) and I succumb to the confusion and chaos that causes.  I lose sight of my true north and begin finding myself in the “rough” of life.  Inevitably, Jesus shows up with light in his eyes through my wife or a friend or some momentary gift from nature and reteaches me the lesson of belief.  As St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote in his Autobiography (referring to himself in the third person), “At that period God dealt with him as a teacher instructing a pupil.”4

Don Schwager quotes “Emerging faith seeks maturity,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

 "In saying, 'When the Son of Man shall come, shall he find faith upon the earth?' our Lord spoke of that faith which is fully matured, which is so seldom found on earth. The church's faith is full, for who would come here if there were no fullness of faith? And whose faith when fully matured would not move mountains (Matthew 17:20; 21:22)? Look at the apostles themselves, who would not have left all they had, trodden under foot this world's hope, and followed the Lord, if they had not had proportionally great faith. And yet if they had already experienced a completely matured faith, they would have not said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith' (Luke 17:5). Rather we find here an emerging faith, which is not yet full faith, in that father who when he had presented to the Lord his son to be cured of an evil spirit and was asked whether he believed, answered, 'Lord, I believe, help me in my unbelief' (Mark 9:24). 'Lord,' says he, 'I believe.' 'I believe': therefore there was faith; but 'help me in my unbelief': therefore there was not full faith (Hebrews 10:22)." (excerpt from  SERMONS ON NEW TESTAMENT LESSONS 65)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 9:14-29 asks don’t we sometimes feel like these disciples? We try to share your faith with a neighbor, only to have it blow up in our face. Or we offer to pray for an ailing family member, only to be rebuffed in the harshest of terms. It’s as if we had put our foot in the wrong place and ended up sliding down the mountain.

 “This kind can only come out through prayer,” Jesus told his disciples (Mark 9:29). There’s no easy formula. Sometimes the footholds are hard to find. Sometimes the air is too thin. You have to be careful. You have to be deliberate. You have to be humble. In the end, the best you can do is try to stay close to the Lord and follow his lead—whatever you think that is.
There’s no guarantee that you will always get it right. The only thing you can be sure of is that, even if you slide down the mountain, Jesus will always be there to pick you up, encourage you, and help you keep climbing.6

Friar Jude Winkler notes that James counsels virtue against jealousy and ambition. Help my unbelief is our call for help from the Spirit. Friar Jude warns about our tendency to want to act on our own authority.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, is sharing Chris Heuertz’ Enneagram-based explanation of the three Intelligence Centers, which Cynthia Bourgeault described so well in last week’s meditations on Mind, Body, and Heart. [2] This week we are focusing on the Body’s Intelligence Center, sometimes referred to as the Gut or Instinctual Center.

 Many of us don’t know how to hear from God in the present [moment]. . . . But God is here now, closer than our very breath, and can be found in our Intelligence Centers—the Enneagram’s way of helping us recognize our primary mode of perceiving this world through either our head, heart, or body. Each of these Intelligence Centers offers us a different way of experiencing the loving presence and voice of God. . . .
Our Intelligence Centers help us hear and invite us to greater discernment. . . . Discernment is our ability to judge what is good, true, and beautiful. Discernment is also the inner knowledge of how to act on that which we perceive. Our use of discernment relies on the clarity of our centered minds, the objectivity of peace-filled hearts, and the unobstructed impulses or instincts of our bodies. . . .
Can we learn to listen to God in our minds, trusting the silence underneath the clutter of noise? Can we learn to trust the voice of God that speaks in our hearts, through feelings of pain and peace? Can we learn to sense God at work in our bodies, speaking to us through our resistances and our openness? . . .7

Our mind, body and heart respond, when touched in prayer, to welcome Jesus teaching on faith and virtue.

References

1	(n.d.). James, chapter 3 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 24, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/3
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 19 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 24, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19
3	(n.d.). Mark, chapter 9 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 24, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/9
4	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved February 24, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 24, 2020, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved February 24, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/02/24/
7	(2020, February 24). Intelligence Centers Archives — Center for Action and .... Retrieved February 24, 2020, from https://cac.org/tag/intelligence-centers/

The Wisdom of Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that our relationship with God as Love calls us to seek the best for others.

Self denial for others

The reading from the Book of Leviticus details various rules of conduct for ritual and moral holiness.

 * [19:17–18] These verses form a unit and describe different attitudes and actions towards one’s fellow Israelites. A separate passage is necessary to advise a similar attitude toward aliens (vv. 33–34). Cf. 25:39–46. The admonition at the end of v. 18 came to be viewed in Judaism and Christianity as one of the central commandments. (See Mt 22:34–40; Mk 12:28–34; Lk 10:25–28; cf. Mt 19:19; Rom 13:8–10; Gal 5:14). The New Testament urges love for enemies as well as neighbors (Mt 5:43–48; Lk 6:27–36; cf. Prv 25:21–22).1

Thanksgiving for God’s Goodness is the prayer of Psalm 103.

 * [Psalm 103] The speaker in this hymn begins by praising God for personal benefits (Ps 103:1–5), then moves on to God’s mercy toward all the people (Ps 103:6–18). Even sin cannot destroy that mercy (Ps 103:11–13), for the eternal God is well aware of the people’s human fragility (Ps 103:14–18). The psalmist invites the heavenly beings to join in praise (Ps 103:19–22).2

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians teaches if the Corinthians were genuinely wise their perceptions would be reversed.

 * [3:21–23] These verses pick up the line of thought of 1 Cor 1:10–13. If the Corinthians were genuinely wise (1 Cor 3:18–20), their perceptions would be reversed, and they would see everything in the world and all those with whom they exist in the church in their true relations with one another. Paul assigns all the persons involved in the theological universe a position on a scale: God, Christ, church members, church leaders. Read from top to bottom, the scale expresses ownership; read from bottom to top, the obligation to serve. This picture should be complemented by similar statements such as those in 1 Cor 8:6 and 1 Cor 15:20–28.3

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Sermon on the Mount is concerned with retaliation and Love for enemies.

 * [5:43–48] See Lv 19:18. There is no Old Testament commandment demanding hatred of one’s enemy, but the “neighbor” of the love commandment was understood as one’s fellow countryman. Both in the Old Testament (Ps 139:19–22) and at Qumran (1QS 9:21) hatred of evil persons is assumed to be right. Jesus extends the love commandment to the enemy and the persecutor. His disciples, as children of God, must imitate the example of their Father, who grants his gifts of sun and rain to both the good and the bad.4

Tom Lenz read the last line of the Gospel and asks, “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” My heart kind-of sank a bit. “How can I be perfect?”

 As I thought about it, I think the meaning of “perfection” that we all think about in today’s culture is not the same as what Jesus is talking about it Matthew’s gospel. In our society today, we all feel the pressure of performing at a high level. We seem to almost expect a “no mistake” performance from our children in school and on the playing field, with our jobs, and our finances, and in our relationships. It seems to be an evolution of our modern way of living that has progressively gotten more intense throughout the last 200 years of history. But, this cannot be what Jesus meant. His “perfection” and our “perfection” have two different meanings. I think that Jesus is talking about living within our True-Self (as Thomas Merton talked about). Our True-Self is at the core of who we are and is rooted in love because it is a gift from God – a perfect gift from God. Each of us has a True-Self, but sometimes we act out of our false-self – the one that is based on ego. When we act out of our false-self we are easily offended and see others as different from us. This “othering” is what leads to the dualism that Jesus calls us to avoid in today’s gospel. But, if we act out of our True-Self, out of Love, then we see all people as having the same True-Self core, which is to say God. There is no other way to see another person then as the same, regardless of gender, race, age, color, religious belief, or political affiliation. The false-self is imperfect, but the True-Self is perfect.5

Don Schwager quotes “You tear yourself apart by hating,” by an anonymous early author from the Greek church.

 "We have seen how murder is born from anger and adultery from desire. In the same way, the hatred of an enemy is destroyed by the love of friendship. Suppose you have viewed a man as an enemy, yet after a while he has been swayed by your benevolence. You will then love him as a friend. I think that Christ ordered these things not so much for our enemies as for us: not because enemies are fit to be loved by others but because we are not fit to hate anyone. For hatred is the prodigy of dark places. Wherever it resides, it sullies the beauty of sound sense. Therefore not only does Christ order us to love our enemies for the sake of cherishing them but also for the sake of driving away from ourselves what is bad for us. The Mosaic law does not speak about physically hurting your enemy but about hating your enemy. But if you merely hate him, you have hurt yourself more in the spirit than you have hurt him in the flesh. Perhaps you don’t harm him at all by hating him. But you surely tear yourself apart. If then you are benevolent to an enemy, you have rather spared yourself than him. And if you do him a kindness, you benefit yourself more than him." (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 13, The Greek Fathers)6

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:38-48 considers “Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)” How could Jesus say such a thing? He knows we’re human; he knows that we can never be perfect in the sense of never committing a sin. So how can we live out this commandment? Fortunately, God has given us some models to follow: the saints.

 Because they were human, they were sinners, just like us. But they were “perfect” in God’s eyes nonetheless. Their perfection rested not in their sinlessness but in their commitment to love God and their neighbor with all their hearts (Matthew 22:37-39). It was their own experience of God’s love that allowed them to follow the Lord wherever he led and to love other people with the love that came from God. And so they made it their aim to be as merciful and generous as possible (5:39-40). They strove to love their enemies just as faithfully as they loved their friends and to pray for those who persecuted them (5:44-46).7

Friar Jude Winkler describes the vertical and horizontal aspects of our relationship with God and neighbour. The Sermon on the Mount calls us to turn a curse into a blessing. Friar Jude urges us to seek the perfection in Love that recognizes the origin of hate in the hurt of the other.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, presents the CAC Enneagram, not merely as a personality typing system but as a powerful tool for the transformation of consciousness. While the popularity of the Enneagram has soared in recent years, the symbol and teaching itself have roots in several wisdom traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Sufism. However, it was not until the late 1960s that Oscar Ichazo began teaching the Enneagram as we know it today. Fr. Richard personally learned about the Enneagram in the early 1970s from a group of Jesuits who had studied under Ichazo and were using it as a tool within spiritual direction. Today it is widely taught as a way of understanding personality, addiction, relationships, and vocation. [2] The transformation of our consciousness to deepen our self denial for others is facilitated by the Spirit demonstrating the Wisdom of Love.

References

1	(n.d.). Leviticus, chapter 19 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/leviticus/19
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 103 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/103
3	(n.d.). 1 Corinthians, chapter 3 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/3
4	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 5 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5
5	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved February 23, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 23, 2020, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mass Readings and Catholic .... Retrieved February 23, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/02/23/
8	(2020, February 23). A Tool for Significant Self-Knowledge — Center for Action and .... Retrieved February 23, 2020, from https://cac.org/a-tool-for-significant-self-knowledge-2020-02-23/

Revealed as Shepherd

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, invite us to the tension between pastoral action modeling the Good Shepherd and interpretation of the institution tradition of the Church initially led by Peter.

Beside still waters

In the reading from the First Letter of Peter, the Apostle gives advice to presbyters on tending the flock of God.

 * [5:1–4] In imitation of Christ, the chief shepherd, those entrusted with a pastoral office are to tend the flock by their care and example.1

Psalm 23 is the poem expressing the relationship of the Divine Shepherd with people.

 * [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).2

The Gospel of Matthew describes Peter’s declaration about Jesus and his commission to “loose and bind”.

 * [16:19] The keys to the kingdom of heaven: the image of the keys is probably drawn from Is 22:15–25 where Eliakim, who succeeds Shebna as master of the palace, is given “the key of the House of David,” which he authoritatively “opens” and “shuts” (Is 22:22). Whatever you bind…loosed in heaven: there are many instances in rabbinic literature of the binding-loosing imagery. Of the several meanings given there to the metaphor, two are of special importance here: the giving of authoritative teaching, and the lifting or imposing of the ban of excommunication. It is disputed whether the image of the keys and that of binding and loosing are different metaphors meaning the same thing. In any case, the promise of the keys is given to Peter alone. In Mt 18:18 all the disciples are given the power of binding and loosing, but the context of that verse suggests that there the power of excommunication alone is intended. That the keys are those to the kingdom of heaven and that Peter’s exercise of authority in the church on earth will be confirmed in heaven show an intimate connection between, but not an identification of, the church and the kingdom of heaven.3

Eileen Wirth presumes the presbyters to whom St. Peter addressed this instruction were church officials. However, his admonition should speak to every teacher, parent or supervisor as well as church officials.

 It’s sad to talk to Catholics who have left the church because they felt mistreated by a priest who applied rules rigidly when they needed understanding most such as when they were getting divorced. Pope Francis, on the other hand has drawn people to the church by his kindness and leaving the judging to God.  
I am blessed beyond words by my mother’s example in how to handle difficult family problems. As my brother said in his eulogy at her funeral, “Mother more than anyone I have known, understood how to provide helpful input when needed without seeming judgmental.” She would calmly listen, giving us all the time we needed to describe the situation. Then she would ask questions and make suggestions. We could accept or reject her ideas since she always used to say that “people are going to do what they need to do.” However, if we had an ounce of sense, we accepted most of her ideas.4

Don Schwager quotes “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

     "Note that he is not asking them their own opinion. Rather, he asks the opinion of the people. Why? In order to contrast the opinion of the people with the disciples answer to the question 'But who do you say that I am?' In this way, by the manner of his inquiry, they might be drawn gradually to a more sublime notion and not fall into the same common view as that of the multitude.    "Note that Jesus does not raise this question at the beginning of his preaching but only after he had done many miracles, had talked through with them many lofty teachings, and had given them many clear proofs of his divinity and of his union with the Father. Only then does he put this question to them.    "He did not ask 'Who do the scribes and Pharisees say that I am?' even though they had often come to him and discoursed with him. Rather, he begins his questioning by asking 'Who do men say the Son of man is?' as if to inquire about common opinion. Even if common opinion was far less true than it might have been, it was at least relatively more free from malice than the opinions of the religious leaders, which was teeming with bad motives.    "He signifies how earnestly he desires this divine economy to be confessed when he says, 'Who do men say the Son of man is?'" for he thereby denotes his godhead, which he does also in many other places. (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 54.1.6)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 16:13-19 wonders if Peter had ever fantasized about doing something else when he was a fisherman. Well, as it turned out, Peter got not only a new job but a new name and a radically different life. He became “the Rock” on which Jesus built his Church. However, unlike Walter Mitty, Peter didn’t suddenly become an imaginary hero. He grew into his new identity, often by making a lot of mistakes along the way. He even denied knowing Jesus at one point! But he kept at it, and eventually he became all that Jesus had envisioned.

 This is how it works in our lives as well. When we are confirmed, we often take on a new name, a saint’s name. Then we commit ourselves to continue to grow in holiness as we learn how to yield to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. It’s no fantasy. We know that we are weak, but we can take comfort in the fact that the Spirit is powerful and loves to give us his strength.6

An article by Maurice Timothy Reidy, “To the Ends of the Earth” is a critical commentary on Robert Barron's 'Catholicism documentary'.

  “Catholicism” is likely to find its way into parish halls across the country. It is being heavily marketed in the Catholic press, and the filmmakers clearly hope it will be used as a catechetical tool. Some of the episodes will work nicely in that regard. In particular, the introduction to Sts. Peter and Paul and the theological explanation of the liturgy are superb. Other episodes, like “Ineffable Mystery of God,” may require a bit more background in the Catholic tradition. The soul-searing images of Catholic art and architecture might even prompt some viewers to consider conversion, just as, for centuries, a trip to Europe often awakened searchers to the beauty of the Catholic tradition.
One virtue of Father Barron’s easygoing style is that it invites conversation, even disagreement. After spending 10 hours with him, I am comfortable enough to mount a few friendly arguments.7

Bishop Robert Barron’s introduction to St. Peter’s sermon in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles challenges us to contemplate the tension, as interpreted by Vatican II, in the preaching of this shepherd.

 St. Peter’s sermon in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles proposes a very serious challenge to the inclusiveness and non-judgmentalism that is taken for granted in our culture today. The chief of the Apostles says, “He is the stone rejected by you the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” Stay with how uncomfortable this is—because in a way, that’s the point...8

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the time of Peter’s letter near the end of his decades of being shepherd. “Binding and loosing”, today connected with Reconciliation, was the power of the rabbi to interpret the Law give the rules for the community. Friar Jude asserts that Matthew writes to emphasize the role of Peter as head of the Church.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, recalls that for those of us who were taught that prayer is primarily saying the “right” words in the “right” way, it can be difficult to open up our whole selves to God, but author and spiritual director Teresa A. Blythe offers a wonderful practice that integrates mind, body, and heart. Deep within each of us is a prayer phrase longing to be expressed, what some have named the Prayer of the Heart. It consists of two simple phrases—one said on inhalation and one said on exhalation. Early Christians used to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus,” in this fashion.

 Combine your name for God with your longing. For example, if my phrase is “freedom” and the name I choose for God is Christ, my prayer of the heart might be “Freedom, in Christ.” Spend a few moments coming up with your two-part prayerBegin to say—either aloud or silently—your phrase. You may inhale on the name of God and exhale on the desire or vice versa. Spend several minutes breathing this prayer. Make it your own. Allow God to inhabit this prayer.After several minutes of repeating this prayer, sink into contemplative silence. Allow the love of God to fill you and surround you.9

Our prayer of the heart may focus on how we might adopt the nudge of Pope Francis the shepherd should smell like the sheep.

References

1	(n.d.). 1 Peter, chapter 5 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1peter/5
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 23 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/23
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 16 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/16
4	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved February 22, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). The Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle (Feast) - Mass Readings .... Retrieved February 22, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/02/22/
7	(2011, November 21). To the Ends of the Earth: Robert Barron's 'Catholicism .... Retrieved February 22, 2020, from https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/795/television/ends-earth
8	(2018, May 10). Bishop Barron on St. Peter and Salvation | Word on Fire. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/video/bishop-barron-on-st-peter-and-salvation/5767/
9	(2020, February 16). Mind Body Heart — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from https://cac.org/themes/mind-body-heart/