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Saturday, May 28, 2005

Meditation
Sirach 51:12-20

In this short, moving poem, Sirach gave a beautiful perspective on seeking God: in humility, trust, and reverence, and with a hunger for divine wisdom and grace. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the chief priests and scribes in today’s gospel were demanding, suspicious, and accusatory (Mark 11:27-33).

Which perspective do you find more attractive? Of course, we would prefer to identify ourselves with Sirach, yet we also can point to times when we are more like the chief priests and scribes. Our hearts mirror Sirach’s words when our prayer is marked by worship, a humble search for God’s wisdom, and a repentant heart filled with hope and gratitude. By contrast, our hearts mirror the chief priests and scribes when we fret over our trials and demand that God either remove them or explain himself to us. We know we have become too much like Jesus’ ancient opponents when we end up expecting God to do our will rather than seeking to do his will!

Isn’t it ironic that when our prayer takes on this angry tone we end up with more questions than answers? The very thing we are seeking becomes harder and harder to find because we have let our anger or our woundedness overshadow God’s love and faithfulness.

God reveals our deep dispositions by testing us in various situations, especially in prayer. A good exercise might be to ask ourselves by what authority we are trying to approach God. Is it on the basis of our merits and accomplishments, or is it on the basis of Jesus’ merciful, redeeming love? Those who have given up worrying about their worth in God’s eyes and have instead accepted his love for them find an intimacy with him that defies human expectations. Their hearts are at peace, and their consciences are clear.

In Jesus Christ, we have freely received the spirit of sonship (Romans 8:15). Through a deepening faith in him, we can come to know God as our loving Father and trust that he will care for all our needs. Like Sirach, our prayers will ascend to heaven and bring down to us all the blessings that are ours in Christ.

“Lord Jesus, I believe you know best. I trust that whatever happens today, you will triumph. I cannot save myself, and so I will cling to you and trust in your love.”

Psalm 19:8-11; Mark 11:27-33

One Bread, One Body

<< Saturday, May 28, 2005 >>

Sirach 51:12-20

Psalm 19

Mark 11:27-33

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SEEK THE FAITHFUL

“My feet kept to the level path because from earliest youth I was familiar with” Wisdom. —Sirach 51:15

Conversion stories are exciting. We weep for joy as the good thief on the cross finds salvation in his last desperate hour (Lk 23:42-43). We marvel at the power of God as He overpowers the worst sinner, the persecutor Saul (1 Tm 1:15), who then incredibly becomes the great apostle and preacher Paul (Acts 9:3ff). Today we are greatly encouraged by the wave of staunch Protestants who have incredibly converted to Catholicism and now powerfully defend the faith.

A life of faithfulness is not as popular a story. People rarely fill an auditorium to hear about the priest or sister who accepted their vocation as a child and then never wavered from living out their call in holiness and fruitfulness. Not many flock to seek wisdom from the couple who never used artificial contraception, had a large family, and raised children who have all stayed joyfully faithful to the Church.

The popularity of conversions is a very good thing. We constantly need to keep in mind the power of God. Yet when we encounter people who have never wavered in faithfulness and who have faithfully borne fruit over the years, we should seek them out to the point of wearing away their doorstep! (Sir 6:36) We are to frequent their company and stay close to them (Sir 6:35). Faithfulness is caught more than taught. Seek faithfulness by seeking the faithful.

Prayer: Father, bring people into my life who will lead me to greater faithfulness.

Promise: “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.” —Ps 19:8

Praise: Alice has built her life around Jesus and has received Him daily in the Eucharist for forty years.