Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Your Words Are Truth

January 31, 2008

Memorial of Saint John Bosco, priest

“Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever; for you, Lord GOD, have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever.” 2 Samuel 7:29

Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Mark 4:21-22

Piety

A Contemporary Annotation

“Much is expected from those to whom much has been given.” (Luke 12:48)

We have been given the same Word,

graced by the same Spirit

and nourished at the same table as

Oscar Romero, Rutilio Grande,

Ita Ford, Dorothy Kazel,

Jeanne Donovan, and Maura Clark.

-- Stephen Privett, SJ

(From Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits, edited by Michael Harter, SJ. Chicago: Jesuit Way, an imprint of Loyola Press, 2005)

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/013108.shtml

Did you ever try to hide something that could not be hidden? When a lamp is lit, try hiding it. Where would you put it? In a closet? People will see the light under the door. Under a blanket? People will see the light through the woven fabric no matter how dense. It can not be done.

Ever try to hide an entire house? Unless you are the Amazing Kreskin, David Copperfield, or some kind of magician, that is not possible.

The Lord made a house for David. He did not hide it. His love for the people was out there in the open as exposed as the house on a hillside. The Lord freely blessed the house so that everyone would know that the house of David stood firm in his favor. David and his people did not hide under a basket. They wore their faith in the fabric of their lives.

Why does the Lord ask us to do what seems to be impossible?

The Lord continues to ask us to comprehend the incomprehensible, to accomplish that which can not be accomplished. He is like the Zen master proposing a puzzling “koan” to his student.

Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand clapping?

If you meet the Buddha, kill him.

"If you have ice cream I will give you some. If you have no ice cream I will take it away from you." (According to Jack Kerouac, this is what is known as an ice cream kōan.)

Jesus uses parables, rather than koans, to teach.

He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Mark 4:24-25

Jesus’ words are not just stories about seeds or farming. “Take care what you hear.” We can not stop at the literal meaning. The parables contain deeper significance. As Jesus took on the conflict with religious leaders and political leaders, he was openly trying to weed out hypocrisy from the institutions of the day. He challenges us on many fronts. He asks us not to judge others unless we want to be judged ourselves. Jesus challenges us to ask for forgiveness of our sins just as we grant others the same forgiveness that we seek.

He challenges us to come out of our comfortable existence and stretch our commitment to follow him just as the parables stretch the ability of our mind to comprehend the face of God. He challenges us to weed out our wants and needs from that of our neighbors. Jesus asks us this so we can carry on the quest He began 2008 years ago.

Action

Meditate on this phrase today: To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

What does this challenge you to do about your life, your piety, your physical possessions and your love of ice cream?

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