Two meditations. One for today regular Wed of 2oth week and one for tomorrow, August 23, 2007
Lectionary # 421:
Perhaps, more than any parable of Jesus this particular one irks us
Americans the most and yet there is a profound point being made by our
Lord. The parable brings out the meaning of the phrase we hear several
times in this Gospel: "The last shall be first, and the first last." In a
democracy where everyone wants a share or piece of the pie, we find that
this owner of a vineyard is not acting according to our way of looking at
justice and equality; so we are upset when we hear Jesus telling us that
those who came at the last hour--one hour before darkness set in, that is,
the ones called to work at the end of the work day, received as much as
those who bore the heat of the nine to five day; well, it was really a 6
A.M. to 6 P.M.! with the daylight being the determining factor when one was
working in the fields. Upon further reflection, we come to our senses and
realize that this is a parable and that Jesus is making a point for the
listeners of all times, but especially for those who heard it while he was
with them physically. We then try to apply it to ourselves and our own
spiritual journey. It is good that we get upset about the parable for that
is its purpose, namely, to make us think how does it apply to us.
Perhaps, my image of Jesus is unreal or romantic; or, I only see him as the
son of man not the son of God. We are called to constantly change our
image of Jesus and not box him in as we may be accustome to do from what we
have learned in gradeschool, high school, or even from those in college who
debunk his divine nature. Jesus is certainly not a Democrat nor a
Republican so we cannot argue that "God is on our side." His concerns then
and now go counter-culture even to the culture that I embrace and am
influenced by. We are really late comers when it comes to the history of
humankind and to the history of salvation (which I believe is the same).
We stand by and hear the word of God and are called at a specific time when
we are ready to listen to the call. Maybe then it makes sense to witness to
the mission of Jesus once we realize we are called. Matthew is speaking, of
course, to the situation in his own community where the Gentiles have come
in of late and now he wrestles with how to handle the Jewish members of the
first century church. Or today we may think of the "good thief" who is
saved at the moment of his death; or of Augustine who waited till he was
quite grown up to be baptized as a Christian. I like what the crispy and
sometimes nasty Fr. J.L. McKenzie concludes in the older Jerome Biblical
Commentary: "The parable indicates that an early call has no relevance to
standing in the reign of God. Whenever one is admitted, one is admitted to
full participation; the reign does not become the property of those who
first sought admission, even if they are its officers." (JBC, pages
97-98).
Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007. Scripture: Judges 11:29-39. Psalm 40:5-10.
Matthew 22:1-14. Lectionary # 422.
There are what one Scripture exegete calls "texts of terror" in the Bible.
Today's first reading from the Book of Judges is one example of such
terrifying stories; there are many others as well. These texts are part of
our human history which throughout the centuries has involved murders,
killings, sacrifice of children to the gods, wars, violence and plunder.
They do not quite match the violence we see on the screen nor the violence
and terrorism we experience today in our time. Even in our personal lives
we struggle with temptations, sins, and envy, jealousy, and lust. The
seven capital sins are alive and well! These are our texts of terror in
the texture of human flesh. We even hear of some condoning this violence
in the name of God. Yes, we are shocked by what the Bible has as texts of
terror but are soon immune to what we see every day on T.V. about the wars
around the globe or the disasters of nature. Our newspapers are bloodier
than the texts of terror of the Bible. No excuse we say to ourselves.
God's inspirational Scripture are to be pure and unsoiled. God however
works with human history and it is rather clear that we have not progressed
much beyond the texts of terror in our own time. Certainly, the Judge
named Jephthah was erring in good faith when he made a very bad vow to kill
in sacrifice the first person he sees coming out of his city--provided God
gave him a victory! His image of God was very human and not without fault.
His was a God of punishment and a God to be feared. His was a God you could
barter with. The terrible tragedy of his own daughter being given in
sacrifice haunts us when we read this account. She is not named and she
has two months of mourning her state of virginity before she is sacrificed.
Jephthah was one of the successful judges among the sixteen of this book.
What do we learn from this episode? Leadership today is a rarity and in
those who have it, we see that their responsibilities are overwhelming.
Today we read in our newspaper not to make sport figures our models!
Leadership begins with each of us in our own family and within our
community and our nation. We can learn from Jephthah that a vow is to be a
correct or loving action on our part not one that offers the life of
another in sacrifice to appease a vengeful God. How do we handle this
mess? I think we need to hand it over to God by transforming the texts of
terror into what the Psalm says about such texts. The last verses speak
to the issue:"Happy the persons who makes the Lord their trust; who do not
turn to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood. Sacrifice or
oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts
or sin-offerings you sought not; then I said, "Behold I come"; Here I am,
Lord, I come to do YOUR will." Abraham and Sarah, the Psalmist, Isaiah,
Jesus and Mary have shown us the way to do God's will. "Not my will but
yours be done! and''May it be done according to your will."Amen.
posted by Fr. Bert SM at 8:43 AM
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