Lectionary # 416:
In Matthew's Gospel Jesus is a teacher who gives us strong advice in many
areas. Today the theme of forgiveness is predominant. We are reminded to
forgive each other constantly and often. We are also to forget the
offenses against us and not brood over our own past sins against others.
We have an innate tendency to not forget. Frequently this results in
putting our brothers and sisters, so to speak, in a box; we don't allow
them to be new persons without their limits and faults. In a sense, this
is stereotyping them or at worst profiling those who are of a different
color, religion, or race. Jesus wants us all to have a new start and to
close the pages of past offenses; this is part of the lesson of forgiveness
from the Master Teacher, Jesus. In the prayer that he teaches us in the
sixth petition, "forgive us our offenses as we forgive those who offend
us" there is a commentary on that petition that is not part of the Our
Father but is essential to understanding this petition for the gift of
forgiveness. We must pray for it each day for as the commentary says, "For
if you forgive others their trespasses, you heavenly Father will also
forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15). Peter is featured often in
Matthew's Gospel and it is he who leads Jesus to teach us further about
forgiveness through a powerful parable and a saying that precedes it. We
are to forgive each other up to seventy-seven times each day; in other
words, always. Some manuscripts read seventy times seven, but it means the
same thing! Always. Peter is challenged to forgive his fellow apostles.
Like him we must move on and allow the other person to be renewed and not
boxed in with our prejudices and mocking of the one who offended us. Then
Jesus as a superb teacher gives us the example of how to forgive like God.
He does this through the parable of the unforgiving servant who does not
learn from the master how to be compassionate. He is selfish and
insensitive to one who owes him very little. One of the Jewish members of
the dialogue is in line with the teaching of Jesus. She believes one
should never talk about a person unfavorably if he or she is absent. This
is a good rule and demands discipline on our part. It would stop a lot of
gossip and rash judging of others and make us more aware of our own need to
be treated the same way. That attitude and practice is a good remote
preparation for not offending others. Hopefully, they would be the same in
their attitudes about us. Yes, Lord, forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespass against us...and let us forget past injuries and
move on in life's adventuresome journey with others. Amen.
Scrpture for August 17th, Friday of 19th week: Joshua 24:1-13. Psalm
136:1-3; 16-18, 21-22,24. Matthew 19:3-12. Lectionary # 417:
Again we move to the last chapter of another scroll of the Old Testament,
that of Joshua. It is a magnificent chapter for it has the historical
events that make up the covenantal promises of the God who acts in Israel's
salvation history and brings the Israelites to the borders of the promised
land. Moses has died and Aaron as well. Joshua will lead them to cross
over the Jordan into the Land (Ha Aretz). Among many scholars, there is
the discovery of Joshua as a book that should be attached very closely to
the Pentateuch or Torah. It is called the last scroll of the Hexateuch or
the sixth book. Intellectually this goes well because of historcal
critical study and form critical evidence, but traditionally, we must
realize the central and inspirational place of authority that the
Pentateuch or Torah has for the Jewish people throughout the ages and for
us as people who accept the Bible with both the Old and New Testament as
essential. We keep in mind what we learn from the scholars for it is a
great and helpful insight to read Joshua as a continuation of the Torah.
Perhaps, reading carefully the last chapter of Joshua would help us to see
why this is an important insight. The inspired writer has created a
marvelous summary of what has happened to Israel and how the people are now
going to experience the promises of God in a new land they can call their
own. A covenantal remembrance is a perfect way of acknowledging that God
is the true leader and Moses and Joshua are his delegates and prophets.
The Psalm for today is a praise of God that such things have been done for
God's people and that God is owed this thanksgiving and reverence. It is
almost like a litany with its repeated refrain..."For his love (hesed)
endures forever." The Gospel passage has Jesus teaching and interpreting
the Torah in reference to marriage and at the end to those who do not marry
or cannot for physical or chosen reasons. Thus we have an early first
century reflection on even those who are in a celibate state. Marriage, of
course, is the predominant and normal good choice that is affirmed by both
the Tanach and the teachings of Jesus as we see in today's passage. He has
come not to take away from the Mosaic laws but to fulfill them. Jesus
helps us to understand that celibacy is not a wrong choice as he gives us
his words, "Let those accept this teaching who can." That is common sense
and we are to respect the life choices that others makes if they are in
conformity with the laws of God. Only God can judge those who make
decisions that are not according to our preferences or our choices. Amen.
Wednesday, August 15th, Ordinary Time of Nineteenth week. Scripture:
Deuteronomy 34:1-12. Psalm 66:1-3,5.8. 16-17. Psalm 113. Matthew 18:15-20.
Lectionary # 415:
Just recently I have come to realize that Matthew's Gospel has a strong
emphasis on forgiveness and on how to live at peace with one another in the
communities to which we belong. I am sure this extends to our own families
as well. It is a difficult task to be always at peace with one another.
Sometimes we need to be confronted and that is the lesson for today.
Confrontation must be done in a fraternal and sororal manner of correcting
one another. This is a form of what we call "toough love." I have heard
stories of this from parents who need to confront their own children even
though this is very painful and probably hurts the parents more than the
versatile teenager who can change so rapidly. For correction and
confrontation to be really effective, the element of trust has to be
present. Being calm and gentle with the corrective helps the receiver to
be more open to the observations made by another. Close friends can do
this for each other and as a result they grow both as friends as well as
those seeking the will of God in what is brought forth to them as an
obstacle. Matthew's Gospel constantly features this type of forgiveness
and it already has been seen early in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount where he
gives us the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father. There are seven petitions
that are goal oriented toward the kingdom or realm of God and forgiveness
through gentleness is the sixth petition. If we keep in mind that we as
brothers and sisters in a community of faith have Jesus encouraging us to
live peacefully and to correct one another when we do not is a graced
experience which we need to pray for each day. We remember that it is only
Matthew who tells us that Jesus is "Emmanuel" or God-with-us. If we
realize that this is true, then we will be able to admonish one another
with truth, honesty, and gentleness. Jesus as Emmanuel is always with us
whenever two or three are together seeking the will of God. He promises to
be with us as Emmanuel even to the end of time (Matthew 28:16-20). We are
also reminded in Matthew's Gospel that before we offer our gifts on the
altar we should first be reconciled with our sister and brother. Amen.
posted by Fr. Bert SM at 8:32 AM
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