Sunday, Aug. 8, Lectionary # 118. 19th Sunday C, Year II

Scripture: Lectionary, Sunday Aug. 8, #118 C, Year 2. Wisdom 18:6-9. Psalm
33:1.12. 18-19. 20-22. Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-12. and Luke 12:32-48:

We are listening to some of the most profound truths and realities of
salvation history in this Sunday's reading. They need to be pondered over
several times and made a part of ourselves in the way we believe and render
service to one another and to the Church.

The Book of Wisdom is a deutero-canonical book divinely inspired and part
of the canonical scriptures. The word for Wisdom is Sophia, a feminine
word, and a woman's name in the Christian tradition. We listen carefully
as she offers us a revelation word about the Exodus experience of the
chosen people of God, the Israelites. The oath and promises of God have
already been fulfilled for them and now they make of this great event a
commemoration and celebration each year during the Passover. They place
themselves as listeners who hear God speaking to them on Mount Sinai; the
experience is easily compared with our sacrament experiences where we are
called to be present and to realize God's redemptive actions working within
us and within the salvation history of humankind. The festival memory is
rendered real by the dramatic re-enactment of this liberation of the
Israelites from their oppressors in Egypt. The word "institution" closes
our passage from Wisdom, and is a word we can easily relate to the
celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy on Sunday or on Saturday evening in
anticipation of the great event of our redemption, Jesus' rising from the
dead. We are being prepared for the other liturgical readings.

Psalm 33 has as response: "Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his
own." And verse 22 connects us to the main theme of faith and attentiveness
to the presence of God: "May your loving-kindness be upon us who have put
our hope (trust) in you." God's attributes are part of the ethical
tradition of the Jewish people. God's providential presence is always there
even though it seems, at times, to be hidden. A rare verb is used to
designate this divine providence of God (hishgiah/hashgahah) which is a
rabbincal expression to remind us that God is watching over not only the
Israelites but also all peoples who belong to God.

The epistle to the Hebrews is wonderfully crafted into a great literary
piece written in the best of New Testament Greek. Possibly, the convert
from Judaism named in the epistles of Paul as Apollos of Alexandria is the
author. Here we enter into the heart of what faith is and how Abraham and
Sarah are the great models for the God-given faith that we have. "Faith is
the confident assurance concerning what we hope for , and conviction about
things we do not see." The three examples given in the following verses
stem from the story of Abraham our Patriarch in faith and his wise and
courageous wife Sarah. First, Abraham leaves his own city of Ur in
Chaldeah (Babylon). Secondly, his wife trusts in God's promise to giver
her a son, and finally the ultimate test in the sacrifice of Isaac, the
mysterious Adkedah, where Abraham's trust brings about the freeing of Isaac
from the bonds that surround his body. Hebrews expresses it this way, "He
(Abraham) reasoned that God was able to raise from the dead, and so he
received Isaac back as a symbol."

Our reading from Luke's Gospel gives us two parables which speak of
service, servanthood, stewardship and the kind of leadership expected of
those who follow Jesus and the God of Jesus. Our own service to one another
both in family and in society and church is challenged to be a service of
anticipating the needs of others, being attentive to the homeless and the
poor, and being vigilant for our own personal encounter with the Lord in
our journey of faith. Jesus gives us the example as he offers himself in a
servant role in the washing of the feet of his ardent followers. In the
parable the imagery of sitting down and serving the servants is presented.
Peter's question to Jesus reminds us that this parable is meant especially
for those in leadership roles within the Church where genreosity, humility,
honesty, and self-giving is involved. The Pope himself is called to be "the
servant of the servants of God." Thus faith is necessary for all that we
hear this day from our readings. "Faith is seen in our actions. It makes us
do what otherwise not do." (Father Roland Faley). And in looking at the
final goal of our lives the words of Jesus make sense: "Wherever your
treasure lies, there your heart will be." Amen.