Greetings on this the Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Ephesians 4:1-6; Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; Luke 12:54-59
Summary
Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Eph 4:1b-6).
Reflection
- Why do you not know how to interpret the present time? (Lk 12:56)
- Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? (Lk 12:57)
For Jesus, the ‘present times’ is the demand since memorialized in the saying: Justice for Me, None for Thee.
For Paul what is right is the Seven Unities.
- Church (the One Body)
- Spirit (Holy Spirit)
- Hope
- One Lord (Jesus)
- Faith
- Baptism
- and the one God (Father of All)
Jesus is critiquing the self-righteous attitude by describing a situation that is most revealing. We march headlong into conflict and crisis (sometimes of our own making) and find ourselves the one being served penal justice.
- You go with your opponent before a magistrate.
- Your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison.
Paul describes a worldview that brings peace: with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love.
Personal Reflection
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
(Ps 24:3-4ab)
My Brothers and Sisters, we need to get out of the trap of seeking justice for ourselves with exclusivity and to extremes. We must discern justice severed from love versus justice ordered toward communion.
We live in a world of Fiat justitia, ruat caelum and Summum jus, summa injuria.
Meanings
- Let justice be done though the heavens fall.
- The highest law is the highest injury.
These are the LOCKS to the door of the prison Jesus describes.
The Seven Unities UNLOCK the door.
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102326.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry