To Do Your Will

To Do Your Will

January 24, 2013

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.  It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens.  Hebrews 7:25-26

He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.  And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.”  He warned them sternly not to make him known. Mark 3:11-12

Piety

Sacrifice and offering you do not want; you opened my ears. Holocaust and sin-offering you do not request; so I said, “See; I come with an inscribed scroll written upon me. I delight to do your will, my God; your law is in my inner being! Psalm 40:7-9

Study

Today's readings follow up and follow through on the themes introduced yesterday about Jesus and his connection to the High Priest.   Melchizedek was not born into the priesthood.  We learned through St. Paul that he had no father, mother or ancestry.  He was not made a priest by an act of law.  He was a priest once and forever.  

But being is not the end of the story.  What does Jesus do because of this role?

St. Paul transfers the title of High Priest to Jesus who is the author of our salvation and was made so through the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. This birthright of life-giving power is the reserve that Jesus calls upon in the temple.  Despite it being the Sabbath, Jesus will not turn away the man with the withered hand. 

The Pharisees who witnessed this act did not have the benefit of thousands of years of Biblical scholarship to rely upon.  They did not have Paul's Letter to the Hebrews as a guide or instruction like we do.  They could not "Google" it.  Thus, they did not make the connection between Jesus of Nazareth itinerant preacher and the High Priest Melchizedek, let along the connection to God. 

When Jesus is confronted with sin, disease, illness, and suffering, he reacts in the present moment.  No law will stop him from the realization that He is here and he has come to do the will of the Father.  Nothing and no one can stop this desire and mission to work for good.  Nothing will stop Jesus from working for good.  Not the Sabbath laws.  Not the threats on his life by the "powers that be."  Even when Jesus retreated away from the threats in the city, people still came to Jesus and Jesus still engaged in his public ministry.

Action

Today, we celebrate the life of St. Francis De Sales, bishop.  He wrote the "Introduction to the Devout Life" nearly 400 years ago.  According to one description of the book, "as Bishop of Geneva in the first quarter of the seventeenth century, Francis de Sales saw to the spiritual needs of everyone from the poorest peasants to court ladies. The desire to be closer to God that he found in people from all levels of society led him to compile these instructions on how to live in Christ.  Francis’ compassionate Introduction leads the reader through practical ways of attaining a devout life without renouncing the world and offers prayers and meditations to strengthen devotion in the face of temptation and hardship.

As a Cursillista, those practices have their parallels in our pursuit of piety, study and action.  There is a straight line connection from God to Melchizedek to Jesus to St. Francis to us. 

We are called to do what we can to restore life in our community.  The building blocks of this takes the shape of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.  Just as Jesus reacts to the needs placed before him, we are asked to react to the needs we encounter in life. 

As communications means have "shrunk" the world, we are increasingly connected to people who suffer even if they are great distances away or right around the corner.

Where will you be asked to do the Lord's will today in pursuit of your devout life?