pray-write journaling – Page 6

King of the Universe

Psalm 23
Matthew 25:31-46

We often use the word charity to characterize helping the poor, needy and vulnerable by offering time, money and talent. David’s Shepherd-King Lord in Psalm 23 is not charitable. He is portrayed as a gracious and lavish host who gives in excess (6)…cups overflow with wine and a bountiful feast is laid upon the table. He is beyond charitable! In other words, the word charity does not inspire the over-the-top, extravagant, limitless generosity and love which scripture invites us into.

We would not call a king loving just because he takes care of his subjects, but to refer to care-taking tasks as obligation or duty would also be misleading. He is being who he was born to be, fulfilling his destiny. Perhaps we too, are born to be open-hand and open-hearted: perhaps compassion is a characteristic of human genetics. Maybe urging someone to be lavishly selfless and kind is as silly as urging a bald man to be bald.

The joy and delight we find in bestowing gifts and favors on others suggests to me, generosity is a characteristic of being human. We may not always witness such an over-flow of love, sociologists and psychologists offer many explanations as to the why not. This, however, does not mean it is not inherent to humanity.

While David is talking about the Shepherd-King Lord who cares for him, Jesus is speaking to His disciples about taking care of others. Characterized as sheep and goats, they ask the when have we done this question repeatedly. This implies they are unaware of their own behavior, whether commendable or condemnable. They could be being characteristically dim, but maybe the words describing an observable good deed did not match the internal, benevolent, overwhelming compassion which compelled such behavior.

Perhaps, sweeping and all-encompassing love, with its attending generosity, are components of our autonomic spiritual systems, which, like breathing, changes in character when attention is called to it.

In Jane Austen’s Persuasion, when thanked for caring for Louisa after her accident, Mrs. Harville responds, “It is not kindness to do what we are happy to do.” Likewise, Colonel Brandon (Sense and Sensibility) dismisses expressions of gratitude after helping the Miss Dashwoods by replying, “I am embarrassed to be thanked for what was a great privilege.” In being loving and caring, Mrs. Harville and Colonel Brandon, King and Shepherd, disciples and Church are being who they were born to be.

Naming a compassionate deed as such may accidentally serve to separate the compassion from its whole, as if it is removable from a person, as if it’s a component of, but not integral to, human nature. Such identification may alter its character. In noticing and naming selfless, instinctual, boundless love, we have given it shape, form and consciousness which makes it other than what it was prior to the identification.

A dilemma… if we notice and name generosity and mercy as such, we change them into something else altogether: from something sublime and spiritual into something chunky and clunky resembling charity. We strip the generosity of its the divine, limitless, lavish love… the love scripture invites us into. But if we don’t notice and name it, we miss the open-hand and open-hearted goodness and generosity woven into genetic make-up of the people we encounter every day. A divine paradox and puzzle indeed; one that is a privilege and happiness to ponder!

Journal questions:

How do I thank the Lord for the privilege and happiness of having opportunities to fulfill my autonomic, genetic disposition towards generosity and compassion?
Not all global citizens have the opportunity to fulfill this genetic propensity towards generous, benevolent care of others. How do we help others find opportunities to do so?

References: Refer to blog post entitled Resources

33rd Sunday 2017

Psalm 128: Matthew 25:14-30

Psalm 128 is fairly straightforward: if one follows the Torah’s precepts, one will be righteous, which will be rewarded with prosperity through generations of offspring (6). This psalm lies out this simple cause and effect, however, it was used in conjunction with a pilgrimage, most likely to the temple (2). We have often heard of life described as a pilgrimage; it is almost cliche.

To Jesus’ parable of the talents and the servants… We do not know if the servants proved themselves worthy of the opportunity to invest the landlord’s talents, but nonetheless, the landlord took a risk in trusting his money to them. We are told by the third servant he is greedy and demanding, however, he does not take away the servants’ existing or earned money. The landlord instead provides them the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of greater trust and responsibility: ultimately sharing his joy in their success with them.

Jesus tells this parable after He and the disciples have journeyed to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover; immediately before the Passion. While we consider our life an odyssey to the Eternal Wedding Banquet, it is first a pilgrimage to the Cross and one we travel with others.

It is safe to say, the Lord gives gifts to the one to benefit the all. He bestows specific gifts and talents intentionally; they are sufficient and significant regardless of proficiency. We rightly use them to teach others about Jesus’ Passion, to help us overcome the personal crosses we bear, and to benefit and build His Kingdom on earth.

In this day and age, we know about the living situations of others around the world, the disparity between opportunities afforded to some but not most, and the Church’s social teachings. Therefore, for the sake of others, discovering our gifts, developing them to the fullest extent possible, and using them as often as opportunity presents itself is an urgent imperative. While we must notice and thank God always for these opportunities and the gifts themselves, should we not use them to inspire, create and encourage similar opportunities for others as they pilgrimage with us to Cross and Kingdom?

Journal Questions:

How might I use my gifts and talents differently if I considered my life a pilgrimage to the Passion?
What opportunities have I been given to discover and develop my gifts and talents?
Keeping in mind we pilgrimage together to Cross and Kingdom, how do I employ them to inspire, create and encourage similar opportunities for others?

References: Refer to blog post entitled Resources

32nd Sunday 2017

Psalm 63
Matthew 25:1-13

In Psalm 63, David is describing a physical, all-emcompassing, desire for God, which effects his state of mind just as concretely and significantly as the desperate situation he is in. Verse 3 reads, “God’s steadfast love is better than life.” Some suggest it hints at life beyond the grave (3,4), but this was not a concept in Ancient Israel. The phrase ‘better than life’ suggests to me there are elements within our lives which are separate from, exist independently of and are superior to human life itself.

In this gospel moment, Jesus is explaining the need to prepare for The Wedding Banquet in the Kingdom. Of the ten maidens waiting and watching for the bridegroom, half run out of oil for their lamps, but they do not give up, slink home and crawl into bed. They travel to town, despite the late hour, in hopes of buying oil. The wailing and gnashing of teeth seems a harsh punishment for poor organizational skills and does not present a patient and merciful, compassionate and forgiving Lord.

Jesus invites us to wait and watch for Him, to ultimately join the wedding feast. While exclusion from such a day may lead us to question the Lord’s forgiving nature, He wired into our spiritual DNA the desire to be with Him. To allow us to do so is the ultimate act of mercy.

We cannot accept such an invitation, however, without sharing David’s insight…the Lord’s love is better than, separate from and exists independently of human life. God’s love is an objective reality of its own. Because the concept of God’s love and the Kingdom are communicated with common metaphors and language, it is easy to lose sight of the epic and magnificent mystery of ‘life’ within the Kingdom. We also face the danger of forgetting the profoundly generous nature of the invitation.

Journal Questions:

What events or situations have I been excluded from in the past? How did I respond?
What might have I suggested to the Lord as a proportional punishment for the five maidens? When has the Lord dealt with me a bit harshly? What does He say about it now?
How does the idea of God’s love as an objective reality of its own resonate with me? How else have I heard this perception expressed?

References: Refer to blog post entitled Resources

31st Sunday, 2017

Psalm 131
Matthew 23:1-12

Verse 2 of Psalm 131 reads, “I have calmed and contented myself” (5). This translation reminds us internal peace is not the responsibility of others, not based on external circumstance, and not spontaneous or unconscience. It is something we intentionally and diligently seek. David, our psalm-singer renounces self-sufficiency, self-determination, and self-mastery; his peace exists not because he has willed it, but because he has surrendered to the Lord. David expresses an attitude of patience, forbearance and gentleness towards himself : a display a self-compassion sans self-pity.

David continues, “Nor have I striven for great things nor for things too wondrous for me” (5). Because so much information is available to us, independence and the do-it-yourself mentality are hallmarks of a competent and respectable human being. Knowing and accepting limitations flies in the face of society and media. The Adam and Eve Test Case proved the general rule; humans do not like to be denied any possession or knowledge by a higher being.

In the gospel, Jesus also extols the virtue and reward of humility. Unlike some of Jesus’ teachings, donning humility is not counter-cultural. While we commit the sin of pride more often than we care to admit, humility is generally considered good manners. The words humility and human and rooted in the Latin word humus, meaning earth; we are made of the same dirt, dust and clay.

We begin by imitating David’s example and intentionally renouncing our own power and surrendering to the Lord. We follow this by donning a cloak of humility. Humility is not so much a lack of pride and haughty arrogance, but understanding priorities and relevance, i.e., the big picture. Honors and titles, respect and regard, do not animate our lives, are not the spark, the breath which brings life to life. In other words, we strive to remain consciously aware and awake to the fact that only because God is God can a human be a human.

Jesus concludes this passage by saying, “The humble will be exalted.” While we tend to define the word exalt as meaning to praise, worship or glorify, it also means to stimulate, inspire, uplift, energize.

At first blush a discussion on humility seems to be both a suggestion to use pleasant manners when interacting with others, and an exhortation to remember God is God, humans are humans. However and more-so, Jesus is inviting us to see the purpose of our life as He does. His intention in animating our life breath, giving us life on earth, is to inspire, uplift and energize a being who can be in union with Him for all of Eternity. The Lord is in it for the long haul and the greatest gift we can give Him return is to remember this with David’s joy and peace.

Journal Questions:

How do I see humility exemplified by others? Do I observe a difference between human-orientated humility and God-orientated humility?
When have I forgotten God is God, and I human? Where else do I see this mistake in play?
How does the alternative definition of the word exalt resonate with me? What nuances and layers are added to my understanding of this passage?

References: Refer to blog post entitled Resources

Doctrine of Love

I recently engaged in two independent conversations about social justice with vowed religious. One said, “It’s not hard; just love everybody,” and the other, “It’s all about love.” These statements imply everyone knows all they need to know about love: just do it. If we believe we have more to learn about the Lord, and God is love, why would we not need to learn more about love?

Our own experiences can tell us a great deal, however, we are shaped by our environment and culture. If we lived in another place, at another time, would our knowledge and experience be different? Where should we go to learn more about love?

Because these two conversations included the Catholic social teachings, we discussed people’s negative impressions of doctrine. Frequently referred to pejoratively as ‘dogma,’ doctrine is often generalized as a set of rules around what the Roman Catholic Church will and will not allow. Those who preach guilt and shame have misrepresented and twisted scripture and doctrine. Such bully points, however, do not appear to be the talking points of either the Lord or Church Doctors.

We say the Word of the Lord, scripture, is efficacious—it will fulfill the purpose the Lord intended. It is organic and relevant in every time and place. We believe it to be living, alive and a spark to ignite life. While Church doctrine is not considered efficacious in the same way, if given the opportunity, could it not inform, reform and transform our perceptions, words and actions? Might it add to our insights about love in any way?

A few months ago, I would have said, “Ideas about love from old, dead Church Fathers? Umm, no! It has no connection to the real world…violence and hatred run amuck, not to mention a few other issues. Nope!”

I’ve recently had the opportunity, however, to become familiar with the social teachings as explained in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. The Papal documents and Church Fathers’ writings lay out concepts summarized in words and phrases such as solidarity, subsidiarity, common good and dignity of the human being. These ideas inspire action aimed at improving justice for all, ensuring human rights and meeting basic needs. But is doing more the same thing as loving more?

I was shocked and happily overwhelmed by the writing within the Compendium: half-thought intuitions I did not have enough words to think out completely, were expressed and accessible. Did I learn about love from Church doctrine? I learned I was asking the wrong question! Or perhaps, I simply started in the wrong place.

I was exposed to insights pertaining to the nature of the Lord. If I seek to learn more about love, I must learn more about the Lord’s love. Greater understanding of the Creator’s love for humanity, and for each and every being is the foundation for all other insights about love. It is the preamble, proposal, and prequel to human life and love.

The following quotations from the Compendium taught me much of what I’ve been writing about here:

A human being is called by grace to a covenant with the Creator, to offer Him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his/her stead (108).
The whole of a person’s life is a quest and a search for God. The human being is a personal being created by God to be in relationship with Him (109).
Each person is unrepeatable and inviolably unique (131): created in the image of God.
Christ, by His incarnation, has united himself in some fashion with every person (105).

Writing Exercise:
If we suspend our enjoyment of playing the ‘devil’s advocate’ for a minute and accept the above quotations as true, we can then simply ask ourselves, “What experiences of mine reveal and manifest these Truths to me?”