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February 7, 2010
At one time in our lives, we may have had an encounter with the divine that communicated something personally profound to us. The three readings today describe the ways in which Isaiah, Paul and Peter initially reacted to the incomprehensible power of God. We first hear about the prophet Isaiah’s account of his encounter with the “holy of holies” during a solemn liturgical celebration. As he encounters God in his midst, he is reminded of his unworthiness and unclean actions. His inadequacies make him feel like a doomed man. Paul likewise feels ashamed of his actions as he was once a persecutor of Christians. For this behavior, he claims to be unfit to be called an apostle. Once Peter recognizes Jesus as one who has supernatural authority over words and nature, begs him to depart from him because of his worthlessness.
It is helpful for us to examine how we personally respond to our moments of encounter with God. Just like in the readings, our own sense of shame can kick in. Shame can debilitate a person and can cut one off from a meaningful relationship. We have both healthy shame that allows us to see our essential limitations that also reminds us that we are not God, but we also have toxic shame that can produce all sorts of obstacles to our relationship with God, ourselves, each other, and the world around us. It is helpful for us to pray over our own stories and history of healthy shame and poisonous shame so that we can better understand how we respond to many situations in life. However, we do this only in the presence of Jesus who will guide us. This review can help us understand our family dynamics better and will undoubtedly open us up to a more intimate, healthy, freedom-based response to God’s many initiatives to us.
We see in the readings that God’s love has the last word. Only God’s grace, a deeper affection of love, can heal us. Isaiah experiences God’s call to deeper ministry after healing his shame; despite his previous destruction actions, Paul is called to be an apostle – equivalent to the other disciples, and maybe more so – and to become Christ’s special apostle to the Gentiles; Peter is called to become the leader of the continuing Jesus movement – to be a fisher of people par excellence. Jesus tells us “do not be afraid.” God’s grace is that which really matters, not our inadequate human condition. God will be able to use our skills and talents in new and exciting ways. We have to learn to let go of the shame that binds us so that we can courageously delight in the ways that God calls us into service. What do you have to gain?
Quote for the Week
According to the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great, the Benedict and his sister Scholastica spent their last day together in prayer and conversation. Scholastica sensed her death was close at hand and she begged Benedict to stay with her until the next day.
He refused her request because he did not want to spend a night outside the monastery, thus breaking his own rule. Scholastica asked God to let her brother remain and a severe thunderstorm broke out, preventing Benedict and his monks from returning to the abbey.
Benedict cried out, “God forgive you, Sister. What have you done?” Scholastica replied, “I asked a favor of you and you refused. I asked it of God and he granted it.”
Brother and sister parted the next morning after their long discussion. Three days later, Benedict was praying in his monastery and saw the soul of his sister rising heavenward in the form of a white dove. Benedict then announced the death of his sister to the monks and later buried her in the tomb he had prepared for himself.
Themes for this Week’s Masses
First Reading: David’s son, Solomon, in a highly orchestrated ceremony dedicates the Temple in Jerusalem as God’s hold dwelling place. The queen of Sheba hears of the wonders of Solomon – his wisdom and prosperity – and she talks with him about many things. The reports about Solomon are true; the queen praises God and rewards Solomon with many gifts of friendship. In his old age, Solomon partially turns away from God to build houses for the gods of his wives. For his punishment, God tells Solomon that misfortune will befall his son’s kingdom. Only one kingdom of the twelve shall remain for the sake of David and Jerusalem. Jeroboam turns towards sin and builds golden calves for the people to worship. He anoints priests from the common people to make sacrifices to the false gods and their evil ways.
Gospel: News of Jesus’ power spreads fast and soon he is swamped by requests of many sick people who want healing. Negative fame also spreads fast and Jesus is accosted by the elders for disobeying the dietary and fasting rules of the Torah. He then instructs his disciples on the origins of sin and one’s unclean actions, which come from within a person’s attitudes and hardness of hearts. A Greek woman, a Syrophoenician foreigner, begs him to heal with daughter. She pushes him to acknowledge that his power to heal transcends creed or nationality. He continues on to other Greek-speaking cities and he heals a deaf man with a speech impediment. As he rests, his heart is moved with compassion upon the crowds who hunger for God’s righteousness. He miraculously feeds them in a foreshadowing of the Eucharist because he wants the people to be satisfied with God’s providence.
Saints of the Week
Monday: Jerome Emiliani experienced a deepening conversion when he was captured while serving in the Venetian military. When he was released he became a priest and founded a religious order that cared for the orphans and abandoned children. Josephine Bahkita was a Sudanese woman captured by slave traders and brought to the Italian Consulate for housekeeping tasks. Upon being freed, she joined a religious order as a cook, seamstress and porter. She treated all she encountered with great kindness.
Wednesday: Scholastica, twin sister of Benedict, founder of Western monasticism, is honored for her devotion to her brother’s work. She depicts miracles attributed to Benedict in her writings. Reportedly, Scholastica and Benedict share the same tomb.
Thursday: Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated for her appearances to Bernadette Soubirous in a cave in southern France from February to July 1858. Lourdes is a thriving pilgrim site for those faithful Catholics who want to renew their faith or find healing in the springs.
This Week in Jesuit History
• Feb 7, 1878. At Rome, Pius IX died. He was sincerely devoted to the Society; when one of the cardinals expressed surprise that he could be so attached to an order against which even high ecclesiastics brought serious charges, his reply was: "You have to be pope to know the worth of the Society."
• Feb 8, 1885. In Chicago, Fr. Isidore Bourdreaux, master of novices at Florissant, Missouri, from 1857 to 1870, died. He was the first scholastic novice to enter the Society from any of the colleges in Missouri.
• Feb 9, 1621. Cardinal Ludovisi was elected Pope Gregory XV. He was responsible for the canonization of St. Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier.
• Feb 10, 1773. The rector of Florence informed the general, Fr. Ricci, that a copy of the proposed Brief of Suppression had been sent to the Emperor of Austria. The general refused to believe that the Society would be suppressed.
• Feb 11, 1563. At the Council of Trent, Fr. James Laynez, the Pope's theologian, made such an impression on the cardinal president by his learning and eloquence, that cardinal decided at once to open a Jesuit College in Mantua, his Episcopal see.
• Feb 12, 1564. Francis Borgia was appointed assistant for Spain and Portugal.
• Feb 13, 1787. In Milan, Fr. Rudjer Boskovic, an illustrious mathematician, scientist, and astronomer, died. At Paris he was appointed "Directeur de la Marine."
Note:
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