Sunday 3 September, 2006
22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time - The just will live in the presence of the Lord
When Deuteronomy (meaning Second book of the Law) was edited in the seventh century BC, more than 500 years had passed since Moses' encounter with God. The prosperous era of David and Solomon had come and gone. The twelve tribes had divided into northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms. But, the north had fallen to invaders and a similar fate threatened the south. Never was a reminder of support, from Moses and the Law, needed more.By God's grace the text of Deuteronomy, left forgotten in the Temple during a long period of religious indifference, was discovered in 622 BC and became the source of king Josiah's reform. Jews of that time needed an explanation for the disasters, which had overtaken them since the heady days of David and Solomon. God had promised them the world. Now they were on the eve of destruction. What had gone wrong? The priests editing Deuteronomy wrote what Moses would say and do in the current state of affairs.
Today's reading (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8) provides a dose of that 'nostalgia'. Moses would remind Jews of the excellence of the Sinai laws. No other nation on earth could boast of such a code of conduct towards God and amongst themselves. These laws -would affect their very lives, deep in the heart. Because these law came from a living God (not a dead pagan deity) who had chosen to be so close to his people as to amaze outsiders and, even, the Jews themselves.
The verses of responsorial psalm (Psalm 14), 'The just will live in the presence of the Lord' provide some beautiful examples of the Jewish code of conduct.
By the way, the person who lived by the Mosaic Law was called just or right in his dealings with God and people, i.e. 'he who does no wrong to his brother, who casts no slur on his neighbour'. (After a few weeks of strong talk from John, now we're back to Mark's version of the Gospel.)
Moses had stated that nothing was to be added to his law. However, the Pharisees and scribes had added many observances, to which they seem more attached than to God. Jesus knew the Mosaic Law more than anyone. He continued the ancient role of prophet by denouncing all hypocrisy, easily satisfied by appearance not substance. He demanded a change of heart and mind, the only way to what is God's revealed spirituality. Jewish religious education had, for hundreds of years, compiled a list of bad things, called unclean which had to be avoided at all costs. Ordinary Jews, the men and women in the street, could not avoid unclean things since these were part of everyday living. Only religious rituals prescribed by priests could cleanse people. This burden was unbearable!
Jesus did away with all these rituals, for him, nothing was unclean in all God's creation - touching the sick, a corpse or a bloodstained object does not offend God. God is not bothered if we eat this or that. Jesus taught that sin is always from the heart and never something we do unintentionally.
Sunday 10 September 2006
23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time - Praise the Lord, my soul
Before we deal with today's first reading (Isaiah 35:4-7) from Isaiah, let us reflect a little on the phenomenon of Jewish prophetism! The prophets strike us as men of exceptional quality. They had outstanding faith and also exemplified a more highly developed human personality. Perhaps it's not irrelevant to note that the great century of Jewish prophetism, the Sixth Century BC was also, the century that produced other great religious leaders. You could say that God was obviously at work in many different places, within many different cultures, in this pivotal century of human history. We Christians claim, however, that God was never so powerfully and intimately at work, all at once, than among His chosen people, the Jews, especially in Judah, where Jerusalem was located.At the time of writing the first 39 chapters of the book of Isaiah, the northerners (Israel) had been carted off into exile as a punishment for political, intrigue against Assyria. Isaiah's message to the exiles promised a miraculous return home, using vivid imagery, which could describe, equally, the Hebrews' victorious march out of the desert into the Promised Land, 500 years earlier!
All this might seem simply a history lesson. Thanks to Jesus, it's much, much more. As we shall see in today's Gospel, His mission, like Isaiah's was to lead people, from spiritual blindness and deafness, into an exciting, challenging world where God opens the eyes and ears of the heart.
And, for this divine intervention, we have today's response in the words of Psalm 145: 'Praise the Lord, my soul.'
As we hear about Jesus' miracles as in today's Gospel, we should recall that Satan had already tempted Jesus, in the desert, to buy popularity by performing wonders at the launch of his public ministry and mission. Jesus, as we know, refused. Whenever He did perform a miracle, Jesus linked a physical cure with the need for an inner change of mind and heart. The healing of impaired senses, like hearing, sight and speech, was always a sign of deeper healing we now call salvation. Jesus often took aside people for healing because He wanted to emphasis that the crown was incapable of spiritual hearing, sight or speech. Isaiah had already predicted that prisoners of war, returning from captivity would be healed of despair and depression to the extent of shouting out with joy because God had saved them.
In today's Gospel passage, we find Jesus, in now Jewish territory, on the Lebanon border, enabling a dumb man to speak. In contrast, most Jewish people, despite having inherited God's blessings, were so spiritually dumb, they couldn't spread God's good news, only parrot the legalisms taught by religious authorities. That was the spiritual sickness Jesus diagnosed among his contemporaries. Jews of the time thought saliva was breath, somehow solidified. By putting his saliva on the man's tongue, Jesus indicated his breath, His spirit, would be humanity's healer down the ages.
Sunday, 17 September 2006
24th Sunday of Ordinary Time - I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living
May I remind you again, dear reader that Scripture experts claim that the book called 'Isaiah' was written by three different people at three different times. Today's passage (Isaiah 50:5-9) is from the second author who tells of the suffering involved in working faithfully for God, especially if you are an appointed prophet. Another highlight is the mention of a key Old Testament character known as 'the Suffering Servant'. This term sometimes applies to an individual prophet, like Jeremiah, who we know from his own writings, went through hell on earth. It sometimes describes the predicament of the minority of faithful Jews who, as a collective, can be described as 'the Suffering Servant'. Today's verses, of course, will be used, above all, to describe Jesus' own passion and death. The Good Friday liturgy is filled with references to Old Testament prophets, including Moses himself, who were rejected by 'religious' contemporaries who should have known better.Latin American theologians blamed 'institutional sin' for the awful opposition experienced by their own people striving to be faithful to Gospel imperatives.
All baptised Christians are initiated prophets. Sacramental programs for teenagers and adults, together with purifying life experiences will further develop the prophetic calling and mission among Church members. At this point, Mark's Gospel (Mark 8:27-35) already foretold a tragic outcome for Jesus, which never ceases to amaze, whenever it confronts us. For the first time, the Gospel shows the apostles taking seriously the messianic role of their master.
'Christ' is a Greek word, which means 'messiah' in Hebrew. (It's not surname but a title.) When our Lord used the further description of himself as 'Son of Man' he was alluding to an Old Testament reference to the Messiah as the 'Human One' or the 'Son of Humanity'. Jesus just had to try to repair the damage done by centuries of 'bad' religion. The God of Jesus is immanent as well as transcendent.
God had become entrapped, so to speak, in legalism and ritualism. That is not where He was meant to be. So, He became flesh and blood and lived among us in the person of Jesus. That way and only that way, could God and humanity be reunited. Jesus had to be rejected by religious authorities and go to his death because self-sacrifice is the only safe path to salvation for humanity.
Local churches, as well as individuals, had to be faithful to the Gospel; they will have to freely accept that suffering is part and parcel developing the Kingdom.
Sunday, 24 September 2006
25th Sunday of Ordinary Time - The Lord upholds my life
It was extremely difficult for Jews living away from home to live peacefully. The local predominant majority, always non-Jewish, just wouldn't leave them alone. As an example, today's first reading (Wisdom 2:12,17-20) is set in Alexandria, Egypt, in the first century BC. Jews had been there since Fifth Century BC. Since Alexander the Great, 2nd Century BC, Greek thought and culture predominated. It was a modern way of viewing the freedom of the individual and nobility of the human spirit. Greeks promoted scientific research and highly valued human beauty and prowess. (Hence, the Games!) The 'eccentric' Jews were countercultural and, so, unpopular. There were so many things in their lives that were different from local, though imported customs.The same is true now, as well, even though in our secular society, a strictly observant Jew or Muslim tries not to stand out too much, but cannot hide his or her integrity and enthusiasm or even dress code.
The author of the Old Testament book, known as 'the Wisdom of Solomon', sought to rally beleaguered young expatriate Jewish student to a wholesome appreciation of Jewish tradition. They had inherited a special knowledge of God, far superior, they would be taught, to that of Greek philosophers. Each parish is a community where faith in the God of Abraham, Jesus and the Spirit living in our hearts, is taught. There are some shocks in today's Gospel passage (Mark 9:30-37). The first is - how fickle the disciples were. Our Lord had opened his heart to them by revealing the fate waiting him - torture and execution. Even so, the disciples fell into an incongruous argument about leadership positions! They seemed no more understanding or sympathetic than were the crowds. Yet their scriptural knowledge must have been, as for most Jews, considerable. It was that body of sacred texts to which Jesus appealed as he unfolded a scriptural argument pointing to the predicted torture and execution of the Messiah. When that failed, and to underline their lack of understanding, Jesus took a small child, helpless and defenceless, and said, more or less, 'this is me, this is how you will welcome me, if you are my followers.' Researchers tell us children weren't highly regarded at that time. So, Jesus used a child to teach them about the future - his and theirs. They would have to develop a childlike helplessness in the face of harsh reality. They, like him, would be dealt with badly. So, they must, in future, espouse the cause of those whom society would deal with harshly. Here is the second of the shocks mentioned above. Jesus revealed a vulnerable God who needs compassionate men and women to protect Him and His plan of salvation. Whoever expected such theology!
Sunday, 1 October 2006
26th Sunday of the year - God is at work whenever and with whomever He chooses
Our first reading (Numbers 11:25-29) comes from an Old Testament book called Numbers because it begins by listing the numbers of Hebrews named in a census taken in the desert during Moses leadership. There are also some tribal memories relating to the desert experience, like today's passage about the two elders, Eldad and Medad, mysteriously endowed with God's spirit. These were two elders who didn't attend the scheduled ceremony of investiture. Despite their absence, they were filled with the spirit and began, against expectations, to prophesise.The rest of the book, by the way, is highly conservative and extremely concerned with protecting the newly established institution against unauthorised activities. So, it is surprising to discover this example of tolerance for spontaneous prophecy. We can safely conclude that even early in the history of salvation, God shows that His ways are not our ways.
Authorities, civil and religious, are always ill at ease when confronted with 'outsiders' clearly under the influence of God's Spirit. In our own day, law people are more and more called by the Spirit to prophesise, to see through the accumulated masses of rituals and regulations to the very heart of the Gospel way of Jesus. At the beginning of our Gospel passage (Mark 9:38-43, 45, 41-48) we have a parallel to the story of Eldad and Medad, the two elders mentioned in today's first reading. Again, we have an example of tolerance. This time it is Jesus' disciples who are tempted to ex-communicate a couple of 'gatecrashers'. Time was running out for Our Lord, so he spent a lot of time and effort training the disciples, especially those he wanted to leave in charge of his Church. He tackled some of the difficult questions about criteria for entry into the Kingdom. He taught the apostles to be tolerant of good Gospel work done outside the control of the apostolic Church.
For us modern Catholics that means we, too must learn to rejoice when other churches perform evangelising works. Of course, we are sad that other churches have lost some of the treasures, theological and sacramental, of the earliest Christian tradition. But, it is wrong of us not to recognise our own need for continuing reform: because numerous Catholics don't take the Gospel seriously because many parishioners have not been accustomed to the initiative. Leaving the development of the local churches to dwindling numbers of clergy and religious. We must believe that God works somehow through 'rival' churches and, also, through secular prophets!
God is assuredly with us Catholics (one, true Church) but he is also at work whenever and with whomsoever He chooses.
Sunday, 8 October, 2006
27th Sunday of the year - May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives
Genesis was written around King Solomon's time when Israel was experiencing a period of peace and prosperity. Religious traditions were at last gathered, put in order and edited. Thanks to that divinely inspired process, we have such gems, as today's few verses (Genesis 2:18-2). Of course, we expect heavy 'macho' and patriarchal emphasis to permeate the narration of the divine origin of the human couple. For example, Genesis says that women are created as an individual but from man and subordinate him. However, another discovery emerges when the author develops the idea of 'the couple'. 'A man leaves father and mother'. He has to begin again, this time in a relationship with another unique individual person.For most Catholics, marriage is a providential way, the sacramental enabling of them to prepare for the final encounter with God. Years of shared life, their efforts to listen to and understand each other and to make decisions together require two individuals to mature gradually and sacrificially as a couple, that most blessed and adventurous of all human relationships.
Many times in sacred Scripture, God depicts himself as married to humanity. Jesus of Nazareth would prove that commitment through life and beyond death itself.
Today's Gospel (Mark 10: 2-16) presumes that God has a plan for married people - they are to give themselves entirely to each other. Fidelity to each other - for richer or for poorer for better or for worse, in sickness and in health is a prerequisite. Why then, if that was the tradition handed on through generations of Jews, did the Pharisees, guardians of the strict observance of Moses' law, ask Jesus about divorce? They already accepted that Moses himself had made an allowance of a divorce in a specific situation. Of course, this allowance favoured the man, given the dominant local view of women and marriage!
According to Mark, Jesus would have none of that. Moses should have known his place and stuck to God's law. God had created human beings different but equal. Men had behaved badly down the ages, treating women as chattels. (There were noble exceptions, of course). Jesus restated God's original plan of an exclusive and faithful union. He was, in deeper fact, proclaiming the Kingdom in the guise of a recovered paradise. Here he is showing that it is a restoration of the original enterprise of a couple united in love. From that point on, married love Became one of the chief 'exhibitions' of the Kingdom. Of course, the question still remains whether the consent between human partners is always sufficiently free to encourage God's participation in the union.
Sunday, 15th October 2006
28th Sunday of the year - Fill us with your love, 0 Lord, and we will sing
Again, we have an expatriate, practising Jew of Alexandria, Egypt, a long way from his reassuring temple in Jerusalem, sharing the best of his religious tradition with the younger members of his embattled, faith community (Wisdom 7: 7-11). When Jewish tradition extolled the treasures of spirit and heart over material wealth and power, it had no monopoly of wisdom; every religion shared that insight, as does Islam! But, the author of the book called Wisdom deliberately set out to emphasise that the Jewish insight was far superior because it came direct from God's own living heart. The author taught that Jews should consider their relationship with God, their spirituality, as more precious than life itself. He taught that they should share this wisdom with others and help neighbours and families to grow more in friendship. It isn't people, he taught, who know more who are wiser but, rather, those who know best how to share their wisdom with others, offering a share of God's own friendship. The author used a literal licence by pretending that what he wrote were words spoken by King Solomon himself. Solomon had asked God for wisdom because he knew that wise leadership would ensure prosperity for all. Imagine if God's own wisdom was sought after by men and women in parliaments and boardrooms. Jesus had previously set the apostles straight about the Gospel preference for the 'little ones', the poor in some way or another (for Luke, you had to be materially poor, for Matthew, you had to be spiritually poor.) Jesus had also left them in no doubt that their style of governance had to be service driven. In today's Gospel (Mark 10:17-30), Jesus tackles the biggest obstacle of all, according to Luke and that is wealth. Wealth had always been considered among the Jews as a sure sign that you were OK with God, that is how far they'd strayed from God's way, as preached by the prophets. Even the apostles were unmasked as believing in the prevailing mindset. They were shocked by Jesus' treatment of the rich young man. But, we know God loves the rich as well as the poor. A rich person can be spiritually poor. A rich person needs encouragement to become poor by involvement with those who have no means of organising, defending or liberating themselves.The way of poverty today leads us to analyse the causes of misery, to take seriously such issues as aboriginal rights and decent, ample public housing. In a practical way, then, poverty can lay claim to be described as a Gospel imperative.
Sunday, 22 October 2006
29th Sunday of the year -Lord let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you
As well as enlightenment, another motive for some people, of their own accord, to undergo trials is to save others. Such was the Servant of God, as portrayed by the authors of Isaiah (and Jesus was that Servant, par excellence.) For thousands of years, people had sacrificed animals - and at times, human beings - thinking they could unload their own personal and collective sins on these animals and so be rid of sin. But, these sacrifices never really interrupted or stopped the cycle of crime and violence. God had his own way of breaking that cycle. He revealed it gradually through prophets like Isaiah.The prophet had in mind the innocent band of Jewish exiles in Babylon (Isaiah 53:10-11). They were the victims of Jewish political stupidity. They bore the 'sins' of their own people. But, they would be rewarded by becoming the beacon of renewal and reconstruction when they returned to Palestine.
Victims of social, economical and political oppression back in Ireland became, likewise, the architects of a flourishing Catholicism here in Australia over 150 years ago As for Jesus, so for the Church. There can be no resurrection without torture and death.
In today's Gospel passage (Mark 10:35-45), Our Lord tackles the thorny question of leadership. There were already twelve members of the leadership team. As well, Peter, James and John were clearly the inner circle. Nevertheless, they certainly upset Jesus when he caught them arguing about who would have what portfolios! Also, when James and John, the sons of Zebedee, took the initiative by asking Jesus for two positions, Our Lord had to sort out them out. He knew by then, (and James and John were beginning to accept) that time was running out for them all. So, Jesus asked them a leading question: 'Are you ready to drink the cup?' They should have been humble and answered in the negative. Indeed, they were nowhere near ready to become immersed in the ordeal waiting in Jerusalem for Jesus. James and John can't be blamed for being ambitious. They were, after all, brought up to expect a messiah, like Jesus in some ways but certainly not in others, to overthrow the Jerusalem system and initiate a complete reform of Judaism. Our Lord was shocked by his disciples' attitude to the caring kingdom. 'Jobs for the boys' was out of the question. The spirit would choose leaders when Jesus was off the scene. As it happened, Peter, James and John did run the early church and, indeed, drink the cup as well.
Sunday 28/29th October, 2006
30th Sunday of the year - Lord let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you
Lots of ordinary people daily advance God's plan for the redemption of the human family. One such agent of God was Jeremiah. His call came around 626 BC. He was empowered by God to utter condemnations of Israel, and secular world powers, which would become reality. He, also, foretold the eventual unfolding of the New Covenant between God and humanity. Our first reading (Jeremiah 31:7-9) is taken from the more hopeful section of his prophecy. Indeed, it is a sublime passage about consolation and restoration. In it Jeremiah predicted than Jewish prisoners of war would return to Palestine and would activate long overdue reforms. These would begin an era of fidelity to God leading to peace and prosperity. Jeremiah meant to depict this marvellous deliverance as a second Exodus, much like the one from Egypt, when God, through Moses, led the Israelites to freedom.Those of us who work with God expect to experience great trials and suffering. We may, also expect periods of consolation. God has, after all, promised not to test us beyond our limits. We mustn't allow bad experiences to embitter us to the point of inability to enjoy God-sent good times.
Our Gospel episode Mark 10:46-52) appears to be a straightforward account of a miraculous cure. But there is much more to this event then meets the eye! Jesus never cured anyone just because they asked. He always associated healing with faith. The early churches, such as Mark's, would rejoice as they recall these miracles of healing of souls. For them, spiritual healing was most important. Mind you, the equation can be altered, I think, so that making a person feel well again can dispose him to believe in God and goodness.
That idea underpins the Church's missionary style of establishing clinics and schools. That way poor people can be made well enough and knowledgeable enough to get on with climbing out of poverty.
Back to our blind man. Mark noted two or three aspects of the cure. Let's listen to them. The man had sought out Jesus. He showed courage and initiative. He didn't want to miss the opportunity. His cure was sudden. Maybe Mark wanted to contrast this with the disciples' own tardiness to see what Our Lord was trying valiantly to teach them. And, the cured man immediately became a disciple. To use Mark's special phrase: 'He followed him along the road'. Individuals and local churches must stay alert and not miss sudden interventions by God.
Spiritual blindness can be avoided only by faith in God and his Way.
Sunday 5th November 2006
31st Sunday of the year - Lord let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you
Today's Old Testament reading (Deuteronomy 6:2-6) contains a few verses of the Jewish code of belief and conduct. Even today, throughout the modern world, Jewish people recite these beautiful verses. (Jesus alluded to them when critics questioned him about the most important commandment.) This command is set out, so explicitly, only in Deuteronomy. It is, however, discernible in many Old Testament writings, especially Hosea and Jeremiah.The Old Testament emphasised the loving relationship between God and His people mainly in terms of fidelity to strict observance of worship and behavioural regulations. Jews of the time believed God to be so separate from humanity, so transcendent, that their relationship with him could not be respectfully expressed in terms of endearment, affection or warmth. Jeremiah and Hosea would make up for that lack in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy, however, does emphasise the personal, if not intimate, aspect of true belief by using the second person singular, for example: 'You shall love the Lord.' It, also stressed the need for an inner, total, personal love, not just a tribal or collective response to God. While still too legalistic, in comparison with later New Testament thought, nevertheless, it was a special, spiritual development under the influence of God in the unfolding of His plan of salvation, in the maturing of true religion.
Mark's Gospel was written between 65 and 70 AD. Nero, the mad emperor, had launched persecutions or pogroms against the Christians in Rome and abroad. They needed guidelines for building a faith community in such stressful times.
Today's Gospel (Mark 12:28-34) excerpt provides the basis for a relevant spirituality and morality. Not all Jesus' critics were malicious people. The religious teacher mentioned in today's passage comes out of the encounter very well indeed. He had asked an honest question of a revered rabbi, which is how man people thought of Jesus. Our Lord answered with a new theological insight. He linked love of God with love for others. In this, he behaved like a new Moses. He gave the disciples, and others of good will, a new commandment to fulfill the Mosaic Law. That law, a thousand years old by Jesus' time, demanded of Moses' primitive and irresponsible followers, minimum requirements of morality.
Our Lord preached that all of those commands were meaningless unless based on the love of God and neighbour. God asks for more than solidarity with one's neighbour or concern for those who suffer. We should make an effort to look on others in the same way the Father does, and give them what the Father wants for them.
Sunday, 12 November 2006
32nd Sunday of the year - We are called, primarily, to be men and women of faith
From the time the Hebrew tribes entered Palestine, after their long march from Egypt, they were faced with a religious dilemma. Should they meld in with the locals already occupying the land or should they keep to themselves. The clans already in possession of the 'Promised Land' (I'm calling them Palestinians for simplicity's sake) had gods, known as baals, occupying sacred sites and revered as tribal deities. (Mohammed had the same problem in 7th century AD). The books of Kings are the history of conflict between the corrective forces of prophets against kings unfaithful to the desert God of Abraham and Moses.Elijah was the most militant of these prophetic defenders of the Hebrew faith in one God - and, He stood alone. He asked God for a sign that his style was OK. A drought throughout the land was God's endorsement of Elijah's mission. Everyone suffered, including Elijah. However, being a true believer, the drought gave him an experience of God's total support. That came through a believing woman, not a Jew, who gave him the little food and drink set-aside for herself (Kings 17:10-16). He trusted God to provide for her! Here is a journey of faith for both Elijah and the poor woman. It's a salutary reminder to all who claim to live by faith, individuals and local churches alike.
We are called, primarily, to be men and women of faith.
Such insignificant people as today's widow are more open to call to faith. And, they give everything as proof. That there were so many 'disadvantaged' people, like poor widows, all around Palestine at that time shocked Jesus immensely. God's plan of salvation, embodied in the history of the Jewish people, appeared to be in shreds. Jewish society was polarised. There were rich and powerful religious and secular elites. There was, also, a religiously starved and powerless 'underclass'. So, the first part of today's Gospel records (Mark 12:38-40) Jesus' denunciation of these elites. The second (Mark 12: 41-44) part clearly shows Jesus' preference for the poor.
But can we go even further and discern here an image of God? If God were someone who gives from abundance, as we naturally like to think, surely He would be better represented by the rich donors than by the widow with her five-cent piece. Being God, as portrayed by Jesus, meant that it's OK to see God as not coming from on high, like a rich tourist nowadays, albeit sympathetic, into underdeveloped countries. He becomes a servant, because poverty for Jesus was an expression of the truly divine!
Read this Sunday's reflection or reflections from other Sundays by Father Maguire