We have spent a great deal of time with this portion of Sirach which deals with the value of constancy in relationships. Today we might focus on one verse: Happy is the one who finds a friend . . .
Too often we do not open ourselves to spiritual intimacy with one another; this assures momentary safety but ultimate loss. Being open to one another brings us more fully to the Holy Spirit and today’s MAGNIFICAT Meditationis about how this opening of self can be a two-edged sword: Let the word of God penetrate you as the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, to assay the thoughts and purposes of your heart. Then all secrets will lie open before you in a way you could never have dreamed. There is your inmost center the Spirit will scrutinize all, even the depths of God’s nature!
We are created to return home to God. We are created in a variety of looks, dreams, resources and gifts. When we open ourselves to God’s scrutiny we find our true depth, our true weaknesses and our true strengths. We fear knowing the worst and long to hear the best about ourselves and yet, in an odd way, when we hear the worst about ourselves we are able to rise to the best in ourselves. And this is what a true friendship can do – give us a safe harbor to reveal our inner self for loving scrutiny. This scrutiny brings us wisdom. This wisdom brings us peace. This peace is seen by many as we carry the voice of God into the world. This scrutiny is worth the price wrought by the two-edged sword which pierces to the joints and marrow, assaying the thoughts and purposes of our hearts.
Cameron, Peter John. “Meditation of the Day.” MAGNIFICAT. 22.9 (2009). Print.
Then Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Scholars speculate about Jesus’ request that those he cures tell no one about their healing. We find this request in a number of places in Matthew: 12:15-16, 16:20, 17:9 and we notice that neither Jesus nor Matthew rebuke the exuberance of those who receive Jesus’ gift. In the HARPERCOLLINS BIBLE COMMENTARY we find this statement: “[T]hough Jesus did not seek to attain ‘celebrity status’ for his miraculous powers, the effects of his works were simply too marvelous to be kept a secret”. (Meeks 881)
Perhaps we need to point this out to those who are our sports and entertainment icons. Celebrity is a gift to be treasured and used well.
Catholic monk welcomes Muslim worshipers in a church in Nice
Many crowds followed him, and he cured all of them, and he ordered them not to make him known. (Matthew 12:15-16) Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (Matthew 16:20)
In the CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE commentary tells us that, “To this [Matthew] adds a full citation from the First Servant Song (Is 42, 1-4) . . . emphasizing the meekness of Jesus, the Servant of the Lord, and foretelling the extension of his mission to the Gentiles”. (Senior 26)
Perhaps we need to point this out to those who would be our social or political leaders. Power is strongest when used in service to the poor and broken.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:9)
Others speculate that Jesus was waiting until a particular moment to reveal his true nature to the world. Again from the CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE commentary: “[O]nly in the light if Jesus’ resurrection can the meaning of his life and mission be truly understood; until then no testimony to the vision will lead people to faith”. (Senior 37)
Perhaps we need to point this out to our religious leaders. Influence is purest when used in the Spirit of the Living God.
And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. (Mark 8:27-30)
Muslim faithful walk behind a religious man as they attend Mass in tribute to slain priest
Jesus asks his closest followers to refrain from announcing his presence to the world. From the CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE commentary: “Jesus acknowledges this identification [as messiah] but prohibits [the disciples] from making his messianic office known to avoid confusing it with ambiguous contemporary ideas on the nature of that office”. (Senior 81)
Perhaps we need to point this out to ourselves. Humility, sacrifice, and an authentic reverence for the Way that the Living God asks us to live. These are the marks of authentic leaders and followers.
Our modern society and instant global communication have brought a new tension to our lives; but they have also brought a rapid means of connecting with others in a positive and healing way. We must look for constructive strategies to form solidarity with those who carry the good fruits of Christ’s story into the world. “Tell no one,” Jesus said in the beginning of the ministry. Now that his resurrection has begun the transformation of the world, we must not lose heart. Now we must tell everyone we know the Good News that Jesus is among us, calling each of us to a life of faith, hope, peace and love.
Representatives of the Muslim community go to Catholic Mass at Milan’s Santa Maria
Today, let us consider an act of solidarity we might make with others as we speak to our own entertainment, sports, political, social, and spiritual leaders and ask for lasting peace that transforms society.
It is in this chapter of Romans that we receive our greatest challenge of all challenges: Only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps even for a good person one might even find the courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
We read today one of the great paradoxes of Christian living – that we receive the gifts of faith, hope, love, grace, peace and life eternal when we are willing to die to self with Christ, so that we might rise again in new life. We are reminded that none of our transgressions can turn God away. Our creator is always waiting to comfort us, save us and free us from all that makes us unhappy. It is wewho forget this as Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians 4:6-7: Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Commentary tells us that here we see the law and sin in proper relationship to one another – only through the sacrifice of Jesus. We may well wonder how we view our own transgressions against God, self and neighbor in light of this good news. Do we shrink from examining our conscience, afraid of what we might find to confess? Do we eagerly give ourselves over to recollection and self-questioning in order that we more fully understand our proper relationship with God through his Spirit? If the former, we take consolation from today’s Noontimethat reassures us that no human can surprise God with sin. If the latter, we do not hesitate to quiet ourselves within so that we might fully understand and believe that God wants nothing more than to love us and be loved in return.
The difficulty with genuine and authentic love is this, that it imitates Christ. It is willing to die to self even for enemies, because genuine and authentic love knows that through Christ there is always the opportunity to transform. Through Christ we are each called to rise and live again. In this way through Christ, our hearts and minds are guarded in Christ Jesus. We can find no better champion than Christ. We can find no better protector than Christ. We can find no better lover than Christ. For it is Christ who makes all difficult things possible, through his abundant and difficult love.
The followers of Yahweh erected a tent to house the ark they created to hold their tangible remnants of their relationship with the Lord: stone tablets holding God’s ten pronouncements of the Mosaic Law, manna provided by the Lord during the Hebrews’ desert wanderings, and the staff that Aaron used to mystify Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt whom the enslaved people of God escaped. The Israelites replaced the tent with a glorious Temple to house the ark, sacred scrolls of God’s word to them. More than once this Temple was overrun, brought down, and reduced to rubble and a single, solemn wall of prayer. Today followers of Christ carry this tent, this Temple within; and it is in this sacred interior space that we find courage, hope, strength, faith, persistence, peace and joy. As we move through Eastertide, we bolster ourselves for the journey ahead as we continue our pilgrimage.
The New American Bible gives a wonderful title to these verses: A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God. We might benefit from the grace of this special prayer if we reflect carefully on its words as we pray them.
A depiction of the Moses Tent
When we are anxious or troubled, we recall . . .
TheLordis my light and my salvation; I will fear no one.
The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.
When we are overwhelmed and distraught, we remind one another . . .
Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid;
even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God.
When we are lost or abandoned, we remember . . .
I have asked the Lordfor one thing; one thing only do I want:
to live in the Lord’s house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance.
When all seems lost and dark, we remind one another . . .
In times of trouble God will shelter me; God will keep me safe in the Lord’s Temple and make me secure on a high rock.
When we are alone or bereft, we call out . . .
So I will triumph over my enemies around me.
With shouts of joy I will offer sacrifices in his Temple; I will sing, I will praise theLord.
Hear me,Lord, when I call to you! Be merciful and answer me!
When we falter, we encourage one another . . .
When you said, “Come worship me,”
I answered, “I will come, Lord.”
The Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem today (The Wailing Wall)
When the world closes in and we find no exit from sorrow, we pray . . .
Teach me,Lord, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path, because I have many enemies.
Don’t abandon me to my enemies, who attack me with lies and threats.
When we are rescued, we rejoice . . .
I know that I will live to see
theLord‘s goodness in this present life.
Trust in the Lord. Have faith, do not despair.
Trust in the Lord.
When this present life seems as though there is no evidence of God’s presence, let us remember Christ’s temple of light and peace that we carry within.
If there is time in the next several hours, enter the word TEMPLE into the blog search bar and consider how God’s plan has brought us from enslavement through the desert to a solid place where we rejoice and yet remains with us when great loss or great sorrow overtake us. It is God’s abiding love that brings us this fearless trust in the temple of God that remains within. When we reflect on these images or listen to these or other audios as we pray, we allow this fearless trust in God to rest in us today. Wishing all of you peace and joy on this day and all days.
We live in a culture of immediacy; we have created a society that dispels mystery. We insist on knowing our unborn child’s gender; paparazzi tell us the daily intimate details of the lives of the famous. We insist on quick marts, fast food, instant dinners and bread-making machines. We look for comfort, create short cuts through pain, and seek antidotes to suffering.
We fail to teach our children how to suffer well. We shy away from abiding with family and friends who wait for Christ’s infinite, overpowering love to heal and transform. We have failed to learn the lesson of waiting.
This Good Friday, as we mourn what we first believe to be the loss of truth in the face of corruption, let us remain and abide with Mary the Mother of Jesus and John the Beloved Apostle at the foot of the cross. Let us await the promise of light that we know is arriving to pierce the darkness. Let us rest in the peace and joy of the resurrection story.
A scandalous revelation. Blasphemy. A confession that asks us to lay down our ambitions.
Who do people say that I am?
What do we reply when we stand before the world?
Who do you say that I am?
What do we reply when we stand before the Lord?
You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the savior of the world.
Are we willing to stand before those who doubt or jeer? Are we willing to carry hope, peace and joy into the world?
We reflect on our willingness to act on what we say we believe. Musician Matt Maher presents a video reflection on what our ambitions might promise or condemn. Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5PHGRMHm8o
John 14:27: God’s Yardstick – The Law of Love – Part V
Peacemakers
Saturday, January 21, 2023
We continue to see God’s yardstick in the New Testament.
To understand how the Beatitudes form a ladder of love and gratitude that brings us purity of heart, we began at the first rungs: Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek.We moved to the next rungs: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and those who show mercy.From here we move into serenity.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”St. Paul tells us that we are God’s adopted sons and daughters. It is our brother, Jesus the Christ, who shows us this ladder of beatitudes so that we might attain our inheritance. We need only move to the uppermost rung where we see the inversion and paradox of living a Christian life.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”This may feel nonsensical. It may seem to be the opposite of what we seek and what we believe to be true. This new Law of Love may seem to be the opposite of the Old Testament Covenant where the good are rewarded and the bad reviled. But here Jesus pauses on his road to Jerusalem to preach this sermon to thousands as they recline on a hillside to tell them – and us today as we look for order and sanity – that there is a new order to things. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you falsely on my account.” With the Beatitudes, Jesus calls us to spiritual maturity. He asks us to be faithful in a new way. Jesus asks us to step through the narrow gate with him, to tend to the marginalized, to stand and speak when he asks us to speak, to be silent when he asks for our silence, to preserve what is holy rather than to give it to dogs. And so he gives us these final words: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!
We have a constant choice to tear down or lift up. This forked path is open to us each day. It is for us to determine whether we choose The Way that leads to light.
God says: I give you a tongue so that you might create speech that bolsters and praises, heals and lifts up. I also give you a free will that allows you to curse or bless my creation. You are meant as a blessing to others yet from time to time you will be their curse. The times when you feel so low that you lash out against others are proof to you that I am not trying to control your destiny. You are free to lift up or pull down. The times when you feel forgiveness are proof of my love for you. You are free to accept or reject me. The times you praise and thank me are proof that union with me is possible. You are free to come to me or leave me. When I offer you the choice of curses or blessings I also offer you hope, and peace and joy.
God touches each of us with a healing embrace. Jesus shows us how to convert our curses to blessings. The Spirit heals us in our struggle to choose life over death.
Enter the word speech in the blog search bar and reflect on the words we use, and the possibility of changing our curses to blessings.
No matter the constraint, no matter the barriers to resolution, there is always a path to find peace when we live in Christ, James tells us. We have seen, in the last few days as we have spent time with the opening chapters of James’ letter, the steps for resolution are not complicated when we live in the Spirit. We see today when we reflect on all that James has shared with us, there is always a way forward with God. And so we pray.
Faith and works together will bring us wisdom . . . good and gracious God, bring us your wisdom. Remind us to rely on what we learn from you rather than our intelligence.
Good works bear good fruit . . . generous and faithful God, bring us your grace. Remind us that apples do not grow on vines and berries do not grow on trees.
Wars and quarrels are of our own making and not God’s . . . peaceful and sustaining God, bring us your serenity. Remind us that with you all things are possible.
God’s love is persistent, patient, strong and at the same time gentle . . . loving and courageous God, bring us your meekness. Remind us that humility can achieve more than all earthly power, fame and glory.
No matter the problem, there is always a solution . . . life-giving and eternal God, bring us your fortitude. Remind us that your love for us will never die.
The Noontimes 