Friday, July 31, 2009
Feast of Ignatius of Loyola
What have these readings to do with Ignatius who calls all of us to prayer, contemplation, discerned decisions, reflective action? As the entrance antiphon notes, the name of Jesus is at the core of his spiritual life, a name which is itself a “deed of power” to quote today’s gospel. The Leviticus reading details the times and ways to celebrate worship. Ignatius hoped all times and hours of the day would be devoted to the “greater glory of God.” The psalm is a joyful shout, the commandment of God. Some translate, “This is the Law of God…” What is? All sorts of “thou shall not”? No. “Raise a song, blow the trumpet,” make music and rejoicing to honor the God who set you free from slavery.
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Thursday, July 30, 2009
Later Moses will learn to delegate, but today we hear how he builds the Tabernacle to house the Ark of the Covenant all by himself. The cloud rests on this tent, becoming a pillar of fire by night. The psalmist lauds the dwelling place of God, a simple tent. “One day in your house is better than a thousand elsewhere.” Jesus continues speaking of how at the end of time the good and evil will be separated, like fish all drawn in together in a net.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Feast of Martha of Bethany
In one sense these readings have nothing to do with Martha who welcomed Jesus into her home. Moses is described as coming down from his face-to-face encounter with God on Mount Sinai with his skin aglow. Jesus describes the kin-dom of God with two short parables. The kin-dom is like a treasure hidden in a field, like a pearl of great price.
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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
The psalm’s antiphon reinforces: “The Lord is kind and merciful.” In a verse of Exodus that is not included today, Moses asks to know God’s beautiful name. (“I am who I am” is not enough). God places Moses in a cleft of a rock and passes by, calling out a new name: “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…” The Hebrew word for merciful is rchm. Hebrew does not print vowels, so there is a play on words here: rachum means merciful and rechem means womb. God’s is a womb-compassion. “Can a mother forget her baby?” God asks through Isaiah (49). “As far as the east is from the west so far God removes our transgressions from us.” Jesus reinforces this good news, explaining the parable of weeds sown among wheat. Remember, we are not to pull up weeds lest we mistake what is weed. So too, we are to trust that God will do the judging at the end of our life. Do not judge is the message between the lines: not anyone else, not even your own self.
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Monday, July 27, 2009
Exodus tells of the dramatic anger of Moses, breaking the tablets with God’s own writing, when he discovers that in his absence, the people are celebrating a golden calf.
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Sunday, July 26, 2009
There is a theme today: abondanza. Abundance. God’s generosity overflows, satisfying our physical needs, as Elisha offers scarce food to many people and all are satisfied. As with Jesus in the narrative of the feeding of 5, 000, there is even some left over. God also satisfies the hungry heart with a lavishing of grace. Only when we know how gifted we are, can we respond with a life of real morality, a response to God’s abundant love. The morality we Christians have been called to is detailed in Ephesians, not the keeping of the Law, but a calling, a vocation “to humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Notice: God has already given us the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Our response is to pay attention (contemplate) and work for unity (act). God initiates, abundantly; we respond.
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