Ordinary Time

Dec 11 2024

Scripture Study for

In the first recorded instance of “passing the mantle,” the prophet Elijah signals to Elisha that he is to be his successor. In a dramatic gesture typical of biblical prophets, Elijah walks past the young man, throws his mantle on him, and continues on, leaving the bewildered Elisha to run after him. The invitation is made, but the one invited must accept wholeheartedly and immediately. Elisha does accept, only making the reasonable request to say good-bye to his family. But the call of a prophet means giving up absolutely everything to serve God, and the first test is the willingness to leave family behind without a word, and even to sever oneself from one’s past life. Elisha signals his total commitment to his new role as attendant and successor of Elijah by destroying the instruments of his former work.

Thus far in his Letter to the Galatians, Paul has argued strenuously that Jews who have become Christians are no longer subject to the Law, at least not in the same way as before. Gentiles too ought not to place themselves under the “discipline” of the Law; all should accept the freedom they have been given through faith in Christ. Some Galatians, however, seem to have taken this to mean that their “freedom” means liberty to do whatever they want. This is no freedom, Paul says, but slavery of a different kind, slavery to the flesh. Those who live by the Spirit serve Christ, not that part of them that resists God’s will. Christian freedom is freedom to live for Christ and in service of one’s neighbor. Only to the extent that their life in the Spirit releases them from bondage to their own passions and selfishness can Christians call themselves truly free.

As Jesus begins his final journey to Jerusalem, where he knows he will be killed (9:22), he encounters three individuals who would follow him—which means following him to Jerusalem and all that stands for. Each is warned of the cost. They will endure insecurity and they will have to give up even their own family duties for a greater obligation. Everyone must consider carefully the cost of following Jesus, because although he leads them to the kingdom of God, the way to the kingdom necessarily goes through Jerusalem. Those who look ahead to the kingdom will be tempted to look back at what they left once they arrive at Jerusalem, but this will deter them from their course, just as looking back while plowing risks ruining the field with crooked furrows.

Dec 10 2024

The Life of an Apprentice

We don’t know much about St. Joseph the carpenter. He is quiet in the scriptures. But in the collection of the maxims in Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, we might hear his voice and feel his influence: sound trees, rotten trees, splinters, logs, measures, judgment . . . sounds like lessons from a carpenter shop, doesn’t it?

Imagine Jesus as a three-year-old. He wants to do everything his daddy does. As Joseph planes a board, a shaving falls into the little guy’s eye. The splinter irritates and waters for days before the tears flush it out. He cannot see. Does he learn what it is like to be temporarily blind? Does he worry about falling into a pit?

Imagine Jesus at ten. He is excited about the cedar log that looks so solid, so promising on the outside. It will make a fine bench. Joseph cautions him, “Hold your judgment until you see what’s inside.” When the boy splits into it, is there heart-rot in the core?

Imagine Jesus at thirteen. He wants to rush ahead on his own with a project that he is working on. Joseph slows him down, steadies his hand: “Wait for me. Measure carefully. An apprentice is no greater than his teacher. Listen and learn. One day you will be like me.”

Imagine when Joseph is dying. In his behind-the-scenes way, Joseph had borne good fruit. From the abounding love in his heart, his mouth had quietly spoken. Did the young man recognize the store of goodness in his father’s heart?

Jesus uses the word “Father” a lot. When he prays in the hills at night, he calls on his Father. When he teaches us to pray “Abba, Daddy, our Father,” he begins with an expression of deep tenderness. Did that too come from the carpenter shop?

Consider/Discuss

In the old days, a father taught his son a trade, showing him how to do as he did. Jesus says, “A fully trained disciple will be like his teacher.” The early church fathers suggest we take up that apprenticeship model as we grow in faith. The ultimate holiness is to become like Jesus, to be “divinized.” The saints help to show us how; some are very quiet about it. To whom would you like to apprentice yourself today?
Our world is full of noise. Lots of people are saying a lot of things. How do we know what is true? How do we know what is wise? Sometimes, like Joseph, it is the quiet ones, who live the life and walk the walk, who embody the sayings in today’s scriptures. This week look for “a silent one,” someone you would like to get to know better who could help you toward holiness.

Living and Praying with the Word

Jesus, you don’t want us to live a barren and empty life. You want our hearts to be abundant in kindness and care for others, to keep on giving. You want us to bear good fruit, to keep on loving. You ask us to become like you, to keep on trying. St. Paul tells us to be firm and steadfast, recognizing that our labor for you is not in vain. We surrender our hearts and our lives to you this day. Make us your own, the saints that you call us to be. St.Joseph, quiet and loving, pray for us this day!

Dec 10 2024

Scripture Study for

A key motif of the book of Sirach is the role of adversity and trial both in forming character and revealing it, a notion expressed here through the image of pottery, which is both tested and strengthened in the fire of a kiln. It is only in being tested that our true character is revealed, which is why we should be careful to assess the character of others (and also of ourselves) before times of trial reveal it. Speech, too, reveals character. Those who are garrulous and imprudent in their speech run the risk of making their own faults manifest to others; one cannot speak for long without revealing who one really is and what one really thinks.

Paul has been arguing that because Christians bear the image of Christ, they will experience resurrection. This means that, although our current bodies will in fact die, death itself has no final hold on us. Christ has won victory over death and will give to each of us the fruits of that victory if only we will hold firm to faith in him, trusting that all we have taken on for the sake of Christ will not have been in vain. Thus Paul concludes his Letter to the Corinthians by assuring them that although the Christian life is difficult and requires much of us, the hope of final victory remains sure for those who endure in steadfast faith.

Jesus has been teaching that everyone must put aside their notions of how good they are and how bad others are, recognizing instead that everyone receives much more from God than they deserve. Jesus continues this lesson by pointing out that we are much better at recognizing others’ faults than our own, and that in fact we tend to be most blind to our most serious faults. We have to do the hard work of submitting to the teaching of Jesus and the mercy of God before we can presume to teach or correct others. Just as only a good tree can produce good fruit, only those who have allowed Jesus to fundamentally transform them have the true “goodness of heart” necessary to guide others.

Dec 10 2024

Scripture Study for

Although Saul had been chosen by God to lead Israel, he is eventually rejected because of his disobedience. God replaces him with David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). The transfer of power is protracted, however, as Saul refuses to cede to David. In their struggle, David is shown to be both clever and righteous. Despite the fact that he has Saul in his power and can easily kill him, David refuses to do so, recognizing that despite everything Saul is in fact “the Lord’s anointed.” This is one of several scenes illustrating that David, for all his failings and sins, is nevertheless ultimately a man of “justice and faithfulness.”

Having affirmed for the Corinthians that the resurrection of Christ and eventually their own resurrections are real, Paul now turns to the peculiar nature of this resurrection, which involves simultaneously a restoration and a transformation of the “natural” body into a “spiritual” body, which is nevertheless a real “body.” Adam had a natural body and so all his descendants do as well. But Christians also bear the heavenly or spiritual image of Christ, the new Adam. Thus, while we now possess merely natural bodies, we have within us the image of the heavenly Adam, and this image is the “seed,” so to speak, and assurance of the spiritual body we will possess one day.

In his teaching on “doing to others as you would have them do to you,” Jesus challenges his listeners not only to reimagine their response to unreasonable demands, but also (and especially) to reimagine their own self-images. The logic of his teaching demands that they place themselves in the place of those who make such demands, which begins to erode any notion of moral superiority. He pursues this line of thought by pointing out that very often we are only generous with others when we can expect something in return. Our own generosity is often, perhaps rarely, as selfless as we might think. This in turn challenges our comfort in judging others. The ultimate point is that in the end, we are all more or less undeserving of God’s mercy or forgiveness, and yet we all receive it.

Dec 10 2024

Looking Your Enemy in the Eye

I will never forget the child-soldier stories from moral theology class. Our professor had worked with children in Uganda. He talked about how the Ugandan Resistance Army (LRA) would intentionally malform the conscience of their eight-year-old abductees. They made them sit on the bodies of their dead parents. Their friends were shot in front of them. When they trained the new boys to kill, most importantly they told them, “Do not look your enemy in the eye.”

You and I might not live in the horrible world of a Ugandan child soldier. Our enemies might not be so obvious. But what happens to our conscience if we do not look our enemy in the eye? They become inconsequential, of no importance. We can justify doing anything to them.

In today’s story of David and Saul, the young shepherd wrestles with his conscience. He’s got the king in his grasp. Saul has been horrible to him, hunted him down as an enemy. Now, David has the chance to kill him. But he doesn’t. The key line of the story is actually the line that comes after today’s reading ends. David says, “I regarded your life as precious today.” He sees Saul’s value through God’s eyes. He cannot kill him.

Twice in today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Love your enemies.” Why? Because the Most High is “kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” God looks the most wayward in the eye and sees his/her value.

God looks at you and me as precious. God has looked us in the eye and seen our worth. No matter how far we fall short, we are loved. That is the mercy that we have received. That is the mercy that Jesus asks us to extend: Look your enemy in the eye; see their value and do good to them.

Is that easy? No. Is it right? Yes.

Consider/Discuss

Experts in conscience formation tell us that there are five (or more) ways to harden a conscience: excuse, justify, rationalize, avoid, and blame. On our own power, we cannot see our enemies charitably. We are tempted to lessen their value as a human being. How can we permit the Holy Spirit to soften our conscience today so that we see our enemy’s value through God’s eyes and not our own?
Today’s psalmist says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits . . . [He] redeems your life from destruction and crowns you with kindness and compassion.” We can best extend kindness and compassion when we have reflected on the kindness and compassion shown to us. In this upcoming week, look back upon your life and write down the many kindnesses that God has shown to you. From what “destruction” has God redeemed your life?

Living and Praying with the Word

Lord, how can we be kind to the ungrateful? That’s a lot to ask! It is so much easier to love the child who draws us hearts, the aunt who bakes us pie, the student who smiles and nods, the co-worker who has our back in tough situations. Those others? Ha! We’d like to write them off. They are worthless and never helpful. What’s that? You see things differently? Aargh . . . Okay. Help us to see them as you see them. Change my heart, Lord! Help me to start today, by your grace to take one little step toward loving my enemy. Only in you can it be done. Oh, please, help!