Waiting is part of discipleship too - Sunday's reading reflection

The beginning of the chapter from which our First Reading is taken opens with the grumbling of the followers of Moses, because they were thirsty and God provided for them eventually. They had put God to the test by complaining to Moses who in turn prayed for flowing help.

The second half of this chapter is a win-lose proposition. The Amorites, ancient enemies of Israel, under the leadership of Amalek, came to wage war against God’s people. We hear Moses giving Joshua a battle plan, or at least an instruction to “Go get em!” Moses planned to sit up in the hillside bleachers and watch. Watching wasn’t enough, so Moses stretched out his arms and somehow that worked to the advantage of the Israelites. His arms in prayer grew weary and when they dropped so did the fortunes of the Israelites. So Aaron and Hur held up the praying arms and the victory in arms was rendered to the Jews.

The Gospel readings for the next two weekends will be centered about the theme of praying. They follow closely the final verses of the previous chapter in Luke’s account. The “kingdom of God” or “the day of the coming” are of considerable interest to the Pharisees and too, the disciples of Jesus. They do not get a direct “calendar date” answer, but are invited to watch and trust. It is into this context that the subject of prayer is inserted.

Often in the Hebrew Scriptures special care is urged for the traveler, the children, and the widow. Cf. Dueteronomy 27, 19

The first verse sets the tone. The story is addressed to the disciples lest they grow tired of the above-mentioned watching and praying. The judge of the story is a person known in the community as a person who is to care especially for the “widows”. The widow is seeking the just execution of her rights. The judge pays little attention to her banging at his door until he figures out that she might break down the door and literally “give him a black eye”. So rather than the door giving in to her pounding, he, in self-protection, gives in.

The last verse is the important one for the disciples and for us to hear. “But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” This is not a story about praying until we get what we want. It is an encouragement to pray so that we might wait and watch for all of God’s comings and goings. It is about the aspect of faith which goes beyond believing in God as a dogmatic truism. It is about believing that the loving God cannot be manipulated like a loving father can be by the winking of his precious little daughter.

We do ask the very good question about why should we pray at all. Is there a mystical number of askings and we tire God out and bingo, here it is! Is there a certain set of words which trips the benevolent bucket? People ask me, a priest, to pray for them as if God has a special ear for priestly prayers. I do say I will pray for them, and that is exactly what I do. I pray that they take their situation to a prayer of watching and waiting for God’s presence rather than presents. What Jesus is asking of the disciples is a faith that combines with hope.

We are generally pragmatists. We put in time, effort, words, works, thought, creativity and expect - yes - demand results pdq! This is not faith, it is business. Apparently God is presently out of that kind of business and into personal and communal relating.

Why are we called to pray? We pray so that we can experience our central human truths. We are not God. We are limited. We desire union, peace, and joy. We love being human until we experience needs, losses, injuries, and fears. We are invited to kneel right down in the midst of it all and have faith, which is not always pragmatically available and not to our liking. We pray to announce our dependencies and our truth that faith, hope, watching and waiting are those things which Jesus is asking for of the disciples.

(Adapted from Larry Gillick, S.J.)

God stories - Tomorrow's reading reflection

Today, October 18th is the Feast Day of St. Luke, Patron Saint of Physicians,  surgeons, artists, students and I read butchers too!  Each year, Creighton’s  School of Medicine, participates in a White Mass honoring the Patron Saint of Physicians.  Luke was from Syria and I can’t help but wonder what Luke might be doing if he were living today in Syria- most likely trying to provide medical care and comfort.

The Readings again today, are a reminder of the strength, courage and wisdom we are blessed with if we journey with God in our daily lives. “Your friends made known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.”  We can come to know God through the “God experiences” others share with us… and then go on to have our own “God Stories”.  I think the Psalm, especially today, encourages us to recognize God moving in our lives and to then share, with others, how God has impacted our lives. As a disciple of Paul, Luke surely heard Paul’s conversion story (s).

The Gospel tells the story of 72 people being sent out to share their stories and experiences of God, realizing that there were far more than 72 people they would encounter! ‘The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few” The Gospel message today simply encourages us to share our stories with others, which glorifies the Lord but can also lead others to know God and experience conversion in their own lives, and in their own words/ experiences.  The Gospel ends with a statement of Hope and inclusion to all.  “The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.”

(by Marcia Shadle Cusic)

Student reflection on St. Ignatius of Antioch - Tomorrow's reading reflection

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, an early martyr of the church.  It is said that this St Ignatius was possibly held by Jesus as a baby and studied with some of the original apostles.   He greatly influenced many through his writings some of which were written on his way to die in the Coliseum in Rome.   Saint Ignatius's most famous quotation, however, comes from his letter to the Romans:

I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God's sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God's wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.

As I reflected on his words, I wondered how he could be so calm in the face of his pending death (and being a meal for lions, one that definitely would not be peaceful).  I would expect most, including me, would want to run in the opposite direction.  I pondered this for a number of days – how did the early Christians and many now be so brave in their faith.  How does one keep “the faith?” As so often happens to me, I heard my answers in the words of Christian songs.  I could imagine St. Ignatius saying the words of Chris Tomlin. 

Whom shall I fear?  
I know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side

and those from the Building 429 song, "We Won’t Be Shaken":

            . . . But I know that You go with me so I will never fear
            I will trust in You
            Whatever will come our way
            Through fire or pouring rain
            We won’t be shaken
            No, we won’t be shaken

These Christians of long ago and many now really “get it!”  This life here is just a brief stop in this fabulous journey.  As they stood in the arenas long ago or in the face of danger now – they were/are not shaken, they stood/stand with angel armies and know what is ahead is the real prize.  That the best is yet to come.  But how will I know I will get there?

The responsorial psalm is about mercy and redemption.  And again, I kept hearing songs about redemption as I prepared to write this.  Funny,  how that always seems to work for me. The words from a Big Daddy Weave song stuck in my mind all week:

. . . Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight it's already been won"

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, I'm redeemed

Jesus has already won the battle for us – we can reap the benefits. You may feel you have been at a concert as you read this, but it is through music that I am most often able to make sense of what is happening to me.  I hear the voice of God so clearly in the many songs I am blessed to hear. I will leave with one last thought about redemption.  This time in the semester is very busy – we had no break from summer, fall is moving fast with lots of demands and the planning for spring and summer is in full swing.  I sometimes feel that I can’t take a breath.  Then . . . I turn on the radio or slip a CD into my computer to play in the background and I find peace and strength to continue – I remember this is just a brief stop.  My journey, hopefully, will be full of joy and God will be pleased by the legacy I leave behind. The words from this Tenth Avenue North song are what gets me through these days:

I know that you can give me rest 
So I cry out with all that I have left. 
Let me see redemption win.  
Let me know the struggle ends. 
That You can mend a heart that frail and torn 
I want to know that a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life.  
And all that‘s dead inside can be reborn.

(by Nancy Shirley)

You are like unseen graves - Tomorrow's reading reflection

"You are like unseen graves"

Why does Jesus single out the teachers and lawyers for some rather strong words of rebuke? The word woe is as much an expression of sorrowful pity as it is of anger. Why did Jesus lament and issue such a stern rebuke? Jesus was angry with the religious leaders because they failed to listen to God's word and they misled the people they were supposed to guide in the ways of God. The scribes devoted their lives to the study of the Law of Moses and regarded themselves as legal experts in it. They divided the ten commandments and precepts into thousands of tiny rules and regulations. They were so exacting in their interpretations and in trying to live them out, that they had little time for anything else. By the time they finished compiling their interpretations it took no less than fifty volumes to contain them! In their misguided zeal, they required unnecessary and burdensome rules which obscured the more important matters of religion, such as love of God and love of neighbor. They were leading people to Pharisaism rather than to God.

Jesus used the example of tithing to show how far they had missed the mark. God had commanded a tithe of the first fruits of one's labor as an expression of thanksgiving and honor for his providential care for his people (Deuteronomy 14:22; Leviticus 27:30). The scribes, however, went to extreme lengths to tithe on insignificant things (such as tiny plants) with great mathematical accuracy. They were very attentive to minute matters of little importance, but they neglected to care for the needy and the weak. Jesus admonished them because their hearts were not right. They were filled with pride and contempt for others. They put unnecessary burdens on others while neglecting to show charity, especially to the weak and the poor. They meticulously went through the correct motions of conventional religion while forgetting the realities.

Why does Jesus also compare them with "unmarked graves"? According to Numbers 19:16 contact with a grave made a person ritually unclean for seven days.  Jesus turns the table on the Pharisees by declaring that those who come into contact with them and listen to their self-made instruction are likewise defiled by their false doctrine. They infect others with wrong ideas of God and of his intentions. Since the Pharisees are "unmarked", other people do not recognize the decay within and do not realize the danger of spiritual contamination. The Pharisees must have taken Jesus' accusation as a double insult: They are not only spiritually unclean themselves because they reject the word of God, but they also contaminate others with their dangerous "leaven" as well (see Luke 12:1).

What was the point of Jesus' lesson? The essence of God's commandments is love – love of the supreme good – God himself and love of our neighbor who is made in the image and likeness of God. God is love (1 John 4:8) and everything he does flows from his love for us. God's love is unconditional and is wholly directed towards the good of others. True love both embraces and lifts the burdens of others. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given us" (Romans 5:5). Do you help your neighbors carry their burdens? God gives each of us sufficient grace for each day to love as he loves and to lift the burdens of others that they, too, may experience the grace and love of Jesus Christ.

(Adapted from Don Schwager)

Clean hands but dirty hearts - Tomorrow's reading reflection

A Pharisee, after hearing Jesus preach, invited him to dinner, no doubt, because he wanted to hear more from this extraordinary man who spoke the word of God as no one else had done before. It was not unusual for a rabbi to give a teaching over dinner. Jesus, however, did something which offended his host. He did not perform the ceremonial washing of hands before beginning the meal. Did Jesus forget or was he deliberately performing a sign to reveal something to his host? Jesus turned the table on his host by chiding him for uncleanness of heart, clean hands but a sullied mind and heart? Jesus chided the Pharisees for harboring evil thoughts that make us unclean spiritually – such as greed, pride, bitterness, envy, arrogance, and the like. Why does he urge them, and us, to give alms? When we give freely and generously to those in need we express love, compassion, kindness, and mercy. And if the heart is full of love and compassion, then there is no room for envy, greed, bitterness, and the like.  St. Teresa of Avila knew this well.

(Adapted from Don Schwager)

Also of interest may be a reflection from Jan Schnack on the same day's readings:

Today’s readings took me to a recent dialogue between Pope Francis and La Repubblica’s founder, Eugenio Scalfari.  La Repubblica is the largest circulation Italian daily general-interest newspaper.  I have reprinted some questions I felt were relevant for today’s readings:

Eugenio Scalfari:  However, as we said, Jesus told us that love for one’s neighbor is equal to what we have for ourselves.  So what many call narcissism is recognized as valid, positive, to the same extent as the other.  We’ve talked a lot about this aspect.

Pope Francis: “I don’t like the word narcissism”, the Pope said, “it indicates an excessive love for oneself and this is not good, it can produce serious damage not only to the soul of those affected but also in relationship with others, with the society in which one lives.  The real trouble is that those most affected by this – which is actually a kind of mental disorder – are people who have a lot of power.  Often bosses are narcissists”.

Eugenio Scalfari:   Many church leaders have been.

Pope Francis:  “You know what I think about this?  Heads of the Church have often been narcissists, flattered and thrilled by their courtiers.  The court is the leprosy of the papacy.”

Eugenio Scalfari:  The leprosy of the papacy, those were his exact words.  But what is the court?  Perhaps he is alluding to the curia?

Pope Francis:  “No, there are sometimes courtiers in the curia, but the curia as a whole is another thing.  It is what in an army is called the quartermaster’s office, it manages the services that serve the Holy See.  But it has one defect: it is Vatican-centric.  It sees and looks after the interests of the Vatican, which are still, for the most part, temporal interests.  This Vatican-centric view neglects the world around us.  I do not share this view and I’ll do everything I can to change it.  The Church is or should go back to being a community of God’s people, and priests, pastors and bishops who have the care of souls, are at the service of the people of God.  The Church is this, a word not surprisingly different from the Holy See, which has its own function, important but at the service of the Church.”

As I read this interview, I wondered if many of the Pharisees Jesus continuously chastised suffered from narcissism.  The Pharisees had a defect and had become “Vatican-centric”.  They were more concerned with outside appearances and neglected their insides and the world around them.  I reflected on my own life in light of these readings.  How many times have I been guilty of damaging my soul and my relationships with others?  Our maker knows our outside as well as our inside.  My take away from today’s readings as well as this interview is the importance for humble role models such as Pope Francis and the importance for prayer; prayer to not be ashamed of the Gospel, to not exchange the truth of God for a lie, and to love one’s neighbor.

Here is the link to the entire article: