What Makes for Peace

November 20, 2008

Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Then I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. Revelation 5:2-3

As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. Luke 19:41-42

Piety

“What the Catholic Worker Believes” by Peter Maurin

The Catholic Worker believes in the gentle personalism of traditional Catholicism.
The Catholic Worker believes in the personal obligation of looking after the needs of our (sisters and) brothers.
The Catholic Worker believes in the daily practice of the Works of Mercy.
The Catholic Worker believes in Houses of Hospitality for the immediate relief of those who are in need.
The Catholic Worker believes in the establishment of Farming Communes where each one works according to his ability and gets according to his need.
The Catholic Worker believes in creating a new society within the shell of the old with the philosophy of the new, which is not a new philosophy but a very old philosophy, a philosophy so old that it looks like new.

(Peter Maurin founded the Catholic Worker movement with Dorothy Day in the early 20th century. Today over 185 Catholic Worker communities remain committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and foresaken. Catholic Workers continue to protest injustice, war, racism, and violence of all forms in ways that their faith leads them to what makes for peace.)

Study

Readings from Revelation, Psalms, Luke, and Matthew give us pause to look back and remember the messages which we have heard throughout the liturgical year and to look ahead for what the future may bring. They do this all while focusing on central messages at the heart of our faith.

Looking back. The image coming to mind with these words from Revelation is the picture we encountered early in the Good News according to St. Luke. “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” We saw who was worthy in Luke 4 when Jesus first entered into the temple. After spending his days in the desert, Jesus returned to Galilee and entered the temple and delivered a “new hymn” within the structure of traditional old Hebrew scripture. In reality, as we hear the words, we realize that what Jesus read was not a new hymn but was a very old hymn (from Isaiah). It was so old that it just seemed like it was new.

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “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.” Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21

This “Nazareth manifesto” outlines the social Gospel which we are to pray over, study, and put into practice. This is echoes in our reading today from Revelation. They sang a new hymn: “Worthy are you to receive the scroll and to break open its seals, for you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth.” Revelation 5:9-10. This passage is fulfilled in our hearing.

From Nazareth, Jesus lived and loved and served his way on the road to Jerusalem where we see him today entering the city, knowing full well what is in store for him inside these walls and beyond. Jesus knows that his journey as a man is about to end and that the scripture passages about the slaying of the Lamb of God will be fulfilled next.

Looking forward. We look forward to the Resurrection experience when Jesus’ first words to the disciples in the Upper Room when he returns are “Peace be with you.” Yet, before we can experience that peace, we must experience the passion, death and resurrection. Foreseeing all that brings tears to the Savior’s eyes.

As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes.

Action

Are you ready, willing and able to spread this Good News by your words and deeds? Are you ready, as we wind up this liturgical year, to take this message from the sanctuary to the streets? I often recall a protest in which I was participating. Art Laffin from the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Community in Washington, D.C., turned to me and handed me his Bible opened to a critical passage. Standing there on the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue, he asked me to read out loud a key passage. People walked by during their lunch hour probably thinking we were some crazy hippies. Yet we came not with a political message, but with a message inspired by faith.

Is it any less important to read the Good News on the streets than it is to study the Good News in the seminary? Is it any less important to share the Word standing in the public square than it is standing on the predella as a lector to proclaim the Good News in church? Are we not asked to bring that message into the world when we leave? Go in peace to love and serve the Word and the world. I probably do not stand in solidarity on Pennsylvania Avenue reading the Good News out loud enough. Maybe I ought to do it some more.

Where will you proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord? Do it from the seminary if that is where you are called. Do it from the sanctuary if that is where you are called. Do it from the streets if that is where you are called. The location matters not. The proclaiming matters all.

Credit: Original image “My Peace” created by Lee Hodges is posted for sale at http://www.leehodgesart.com/New%20Works/My%20Peace.htm.