Sunday, 18 March 2007
4th Sunday of Lent - Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord
It was Joshua's mission to lead the chosen people into the Promised Land. The book called 'Joshua' was written five centuries after Joshua's exploits. Prophets wrote the book. They limited themselves to recalling those exploits that had prepared and made possible the formation of the future nation of Israel. Contrary to the simple Bible stories told during our childhood, the twelve unorganised tribes did not rush, all at once, into Canaan. Some drifted in and settled down beside the Canaanites. This would later call for reforms to purify those Israelites from acquired bad religious habits. The militant minority, under Joshua, invaded, destroyed villages and towns and began the establishment of the kingdom of Israel, successfully concluded by King David after two more centuries.Today's excerpt (Joshua 5: 9-12) is about a ritual, a Passover, which marked the end of the exodus and beginning of the settlement in the Promised Land. No more heavenly logistic support! God's people would have to provide for themselves and grow accustomed to a new situation, evolving a kind of religion suitable for this new, non-nomadic lifestyle. And, God Himself would change (be careful here!) taking the risk of becoming institutionalised.
The 'free-wheeling' God of the desert would become the localised God of the temple.
In our Gospel passage (Luke 15: 11-32), we are confronted, as in the Joshua segment, with other examples of God at work among His people. Today we delight in one of Luke's 'mercy' parables. Remember however, that God comes across, in many Old Testament passages, as anything but merciful! In fact, one of Jesus' main duties was to present God as Father of us all, long suffering, always ready to forgive.
The parable, known widely as 'the prodigal son', is really the parable of 'the forgiving Father'. There are three characters in this parable: the father, representing God, the elder son, representing the Pharisees. But who is the younger son? Does he represent sinners or, maybe, all humankind?
People often think God wants to enslave them, to take freedom from them. God, in this case becomes a burden. People feel compelled to leave Him behind.
Later, enslaved by secular values (pigs were unclean animals to Jews) people often return to God. They become newly convinced (converted) that God has a better way in store for them. They return to their spiritual home, finding god very different from what they previously experienced. He had been waiting all the time, even running to embrace them.
And, there's a feast, referred to many times by Jesus. But the older son (the Pharisees) was unable to welcome a sinful brother or take part in the feast.
Where do you, your family, your parish fit into today's parable?
Sunday 25 March 2007
5th Sunday of Lent - The Lord has done great things for us. We are filled with joy
Scholars tell us that the prophecy of Isaiah comes from three main writers over a considerable period of time.Today's little poem of second Isaiah (Isaiah 43:16-21) fits well into the general framework of what's known as the consolation section, wherein a broken people is encouraged by the hopeful vision of a new start. God urges the Jews, battered and bewildered by the Babylonian captivity, to look forward to another 'exodus'. 'Forget past trials and even, triumphs', God says, because what is to come will outshine even the 'great exodus' led by Moses. God is ready, at any cost to himself, to be reconciled with this people, chosen by Him, but now lost through their own fault. One of the most mysterious things about God is His willingness to be reconciled with unfaithful, described in the Bible as adulterous people. (We see Jesus tackling, in today's gospel, the same kind of moral dilemma. More of that later.) So, god is always preparing 'new' options for humanity. He takes the initiative many times throughout the Old Testament. It was the mission of the prophets, such as Isaiah, to repeatedly raise the spirits of the chosen people. In today's Gospel (John 8:1-11), Jesus of Nazareth continues to make abundantly clear what the best of the Old Testament had proclaimed consistently but what had been rejected, equally consistently, by Israel. He didn't restrict himself to words about a Merciful Father God. He became involved, personally, in dangerous situations such as the one recorded by John. A woman caught in the act of adultery was being subjected to a 'kangaroo court', a public trial. Pharisees, representing the worst of the old ways, sought to entrap Jesus. They hoped he would show acceptance towards the woman, sending an ambiguous message to the assembled spectators. If Jesus showed such concern for the 'sinner', refusing to condemn her, was it because he trivialised adultery? No. It was because God uses different means than people do to persuade sinners to repent. There's a big difference between telling a person his ideas or deeds are wrong or immoral, and condemning that person. We commonly condemn the person with his action, leaving little room for change and mercy. In this gospel episode, Jesus is both demanding and merciful towards the woman. She is free to go, but not to sin again. Many Catholics during Lent wilI avail themselves of the good news about God's mercy. They will gather in local communities to be reconciled with God and fellow believers. Such an experience of repentance and mercy is an essential element of mature Catholic spirituality. Read this Sunday's reflection or reflections from other Sundays by Father Maguire