Friday June 18. Lectionary # 369 and June 19th Lectionary # 370 : Two meditations on the liturgical texts
11.12.13-14.17-18. Matthew 6:19-23:
"Texts of Terror" by Phyllis Trible helps us to interpret the difficult
readings such as we have for our first reading today. There are texts
that are violent because our ancestors were also violent and these
stories about murder, war, and cruelty are part of the human history of
all humankind; the Bible just gives us a mirror of our own times which
seem to have continued with violence and war. How are we to read such
texts? Realistic by not putting our heads in the sand and judging what
is happening each day in our own culture we realize we have in our
newspapers similar stories as those in the Bible. The Bible is both a
mirror for us and a window of opportunity that also tells us what not to
do. Yet, we are horrified, stunned, and are led to wonder will there
ever be a time when we are at peace on this globe called Earth. God
nevertheless works through our crooked and lines of behavior and the
recordings about them and makes them straight through the subtle but
powerful presence of God in salvation history. God is ever present as a
God of loving-kindness, mercy, and forgiveness.
Psalm 132 is a royal psalm which centers on God and God's loving
kindness to David and those who were faithful servants of the Lord as
Kings--usually those from Judah. God responds to the fidelity of David
the servant king and promises perpetuity to the Davidic line of kings
provided the covenant is observed on the part of Israel's leaders.
Jesus in the continuing of his sermon on the Mount reminds us that our
heart is where God's treasures can be found. We have an opportunity each
day to store and treasure the good things the Lord does for us; the
graces that surprise us and the people who help us to be better and to
be hopeful in a chaotic world. Saint Julie Billiart, the foundress of
the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur always said "O how Good is God" and
this is lived up to by her sisters. They all have this saying in French
as their motivational motto. Jesus helps us to have such a disposition
as he emphasizes the gifts given to our bodies especially our heart and
how we should treasure the good things we have there. Our eyes are also
referred to by the Lord to help us see how good God is. Yet, we do this
amidst the texts of terror that are realities in our own times. Amen
Scripture for June 19th. Lectionary # 370: II Chronicles 24:17-25. Psalm
89:4-5,29-30,31-32,33-34. Matthew 6:24-34:
We continue reading the Sermon on the Mount for our Gospel. The only
thing in common with the first readings seems to be that Chronicles has
the style of a sermon but seen from the perspective of those who favor
Judah's kings over those of the North--Israel's kings. The learned
scribes and the powerful priests write the history of the Book of
Chronicles with their own biased presentation. God alone writes
straight with our crooked lines--even in the Bible. We do see the
moralizing that is going on but within the context is the gift of God's
forgiveness. It is unfortunate that Israel's kings were corrupted by
power and by their looking at other gods who really were nothing but
idols that had no power much less providential interest in a people.
King Joash fails the Lord and is corrupted by his power. He has
Zechariah stoned to death in the Temple court. Incidentally, a later
important apocrypha of the New Testament called the Protevangelium
Jacobi mistakes this incident and applies it to the priest who is the
husband of Elizabeth. He has Zechariah killed within the sanctuary where
his blood turns to stone. I and II Chronicles fills in some of the
gaps that are missing in the Book of Kings. Here we acquire information
about Joash and his death which was a result of his not listening to the
teachings of Jehoiada and his son Zechariah.
Psalm 89 is another royal messianic psalm which is often helpful as a
religious context for the kings mentioned in the more historical books
of the Bible. This Psalm 89 shows us God's persistent fidelity in the
covenantal promises made to the kings and leaders. It contrasts with
the behavior of many of these kings who did not remain faithful to the
covenant. God's fidelity and providence are often found in such psalms
and they help us to balance some of the texts of terror that we have
been reading these days in the first reading. If the king fails he will
be punished but the davidic dynasty will never come to an end because
God is faithful and steadfast and merciful.
In continuing his sermon, Jesus now turns to imagery that captures the
imagination and helps us to understand the providential care of each one
of us. In all of the circumstances of our life, Jesus is somehow there.
He advises us to do away with anxiety and worry--those nagging and
debilitating tendencies we all experience. We are to leave them aside
and listen to Jesus' soothing and colorful message. Amen.
posted by Fr. Bert SM at 9:57 AM
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