September 3, 2007
St. Gregory the Great
By Beth DeCristofaro Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:18)
(God) shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy (Ps 96: 13)
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk 4: 21)
PIETY
Open my ears to hear you amid the din of modern culture, O God. Open my eyes that even in the darkness I might see you. And, dear God, if you remain hidden to me, open and flood my spirit with your promise that you will be always with me. Help me act at all times as if I see and hear you.
STUDY
http://www.usccb.org/nab/090307.shtml
How easy it is to become stuck in the limitedness of our humanity. Paul spoke to the Thessalonians’ faith – faith in God’s promise and power – and of their reliance on that power and promise in spite of what their eyes, ears, hearts tell them. Death is not the end nor should those who believe in Christ fear that death is the final barrier between loved ones. But that’s not what our eyes tell us when we see our loved one at their funeral, when our ears listen for the voice stilled and our hearts, broken, tell us.
Jesus’ message to the faithful in the synagogue was amazingly full of promise, hope and incredible reward: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. (Luke 4: 18,19) In fact, it is what the poor and oppressed Jews in the synagogue are desperate to hear! But they cannot hear.
Francis of Assisi saw God as “unstoppable goodness”, much like the torrent of a waterfall. But, humanly speaking, it is difficult to acknowledge, partake and rejoice in the goodness because our human senses tell us about the difficult, the evil, the loneliness surrounding us. “Creation is a finite expression of the infinite Word of God”[1] says author Ilia Delio. Our finiteness is limited; we experience failure and death. But, as we believe that God is love, we must believe that we are not separated from a God “above” but, rather are enmeshed, enlivened and sustained within the relationship of love God holds with creation.
As one of us, Jesus knew our limits: And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. (Luke 4:24). We rely on human senses which are wonderful, being created by God, but are limited. Instead Jesus wants us to rely on hearing with the ears of God and seeing with the eyes of God which we can only do through prayer and the strength of the Holy Spirit.
ACTION
If Mother Theresa and other saints had doubts, what hope have I? Paul said it: if we believe that Jesus died and rose… Thus we shall always be with the Lord. (Thess 4:14, 17). The Psalmist said it: For all the gods of the nations are things of nought, but the LORD made the heavens… God rules the peoples with fairness. (Ps 96:5. 10) Jesus announced it: “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk 4:21).
To hear, to accept, and to know we must be silent. “…the one who has space within one’s heart (has room to) receive God…Those who are filled up with themselves have no time (or room) for a humble God…”[2] said Francis. When in doubt empty yourself and open up to God. It is in the faithful, hopeless hoping that saints are formed.
[1] The Humility of God: A Franciscan Perspective, Ilia Delio, OSF, St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2005., p. 43.
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