Possessing All Things
Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
We
are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; as unrecognized and yet
acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to
death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having
nothing and yet possessing all things. 2 COR 6:8b-10
Jesus
said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you,
offer no resistance to one who is evil. When
someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.” Matthew 5:38-39
Piety
It was the best of
times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it
was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of
hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing
before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the
other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some
of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for
evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)
Study
Today’s first reading may not contain the
poetic power of that first paragraph from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. After
all, this is not the best of times, nor the worst of times. It was, as St. Paul writes, an acceptable
time. But an acceptable time is time for
salvation. Just as Dickens started his
most famous novel with a series of opposing statements, so, too does Paul
address the people of Corinth.
Through this litany of experiences (“afflictions,
hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots,
labors, vigils, fasts”), we are reminded that the life of the early Christians was not easy. Despite their intentions, they were upsetting the status quo and challenging not only the people of Jewish faith, but also the various pagan religions of the day in favor of following the path of Jesus. For such an actions, they experienced glory and dishonor, praise and insult.
labors, vigils, fasts”), we are reminded that the life of the early Christians was not easy. Despite their intentions, they were upsetting the status quo and challenging not only the people of Jewish faith, but also the various pagan religions of the day in favor of following the path of Jesus. For such an actions, they experienced glory and dishonor, praise and insult.
While such experiences may not be welcome, they
mark time that is acceptable to the Lord.
Early in Luke’s Gospel, we also encounter the same phrase about “acceptable”
time for the Lord. As Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah, the passage ends
with proclaiming a year “acceptable” to the Lord.
Action
Do we think we will have it any easier? After
all, this is not the best of times, nor the worst of times. This is just ordinary time.
Paul and the early Christians did not offer to
the Lord one hour on Sunday. They
offered their whole lives to the Lord and to the early community. We, on the
other hand, are called to keep holy the Lord’s Day – the whole day, every
day. Sometimes, the rest of that Sabbath
day and the week, is devoted to ourselves.
Yet, we have been told what will make time
acceptable to the Lord. We are asked to “bring
glad tidings to the poor,” “to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of
sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.”
How can you make this week “acceptable” to the
Lord in your piety, study and action?
What specific plans are you making to turn this week into the best of
time for the poor, oppressed, blind and captive?
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