June 21 2011
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
By Beth DeCristofaro
Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support them if they stayed together; their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. … So Abram said to Lot: “Let there be no strife between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land at your disposal? Please separate from me. If you prefer the left, I will go to the right; if you prefer the right, I will go to the left.” (Genesis 13:2, 5-6, 8-9)
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7: 13-14)
Piety
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will,
All I have and call my own you have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.
(St. Ignatius of Loyola)
Study
Squabbling families, neighbors, and peoples make for good stories unless you are living in a squabble yourself. The tensions between Lot and Abram are pretty contemporary for brothers who lived approximately 4,000 years ago. My own family has tried pretty hard over the last 15 years or so to try not to let minor differences and hurt feelings escalate into separation, anger or taking sides because we did live that for awhile and we saw it in aunts, uncles and other family members who in some cases suffered a lot of pain and isolation. You have to work at harmony whether in a family, a neighborhood or a parish. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
Abraham made a pretty generous offer to his brother: you take the land which you want, I’ll go the other way. And Lot, being no one’s fool: Lot looked about and saw how well watered the whole Jordan Plain was as far as Zoar, like the LORD’s own garden, or like Egypt. … Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain and set out eastward. (Genesis 13:10-11) I can imagine Abram’s cousins and sons saying to him, “Dad! What? Are you crazy? He’s got the best grazing land. You can’t do that to us…”
But God had something else in mind. God told Abram to look as far as his eye could see because God was choosing him: I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants too might be counted. Set forth and walk about in the land, through its length and breadth, for to you I will give it.” (Genesis 13: 16) God’s plan for Abram was unforeseen, unexpected…truly unimaginable. Abram chose God.
I take away from this that the narrow and constricted path to life, which asks me to put God first and my neighbor before myself, which requires me to share life with others and not choose all for me, will lead to a life which I can’t envision except for the promises of life, joy and love of which Jesus speaks. I believe that God will remember my name even if my own descendants number only in the 100’s after several generations or even if the generations end in a few brief years. When squabbles erupt, may this belief remind me of God’s Will and rather than my own.
Action
It seems too obvious to have to be stated, but loving God above all and my neighbor as myself (which Jesus tells his disciples in today’s Gospel, v. 12) cannot include torture. On Saturday there will be a vigil “We Remember: TASSC Vigil to End Torture” at Lafayette Park. Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International (TASSC) was founded by and for torture survivors including Sister Dianna Ortiz, an Ursuline nun. Consider joining the vigil along with some of us from an Engaging Spirituality group. Information can be found at http://tassc.org/blog/
