The Depths of the Human Heart:
The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024
September 22, 2024
Wisdom 2:12-20; Psalm 54; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37
These readings give us a dismal view of the potential of the human heart. Wisdom speaks about the desire of some to tear down and denigrate the just one because he calls out their bad behavior and vulgar words. Those who are truly good people are subject to harassment and ridicule by those who harbor jealousy and insecurity. The book of James describes this rightly when he asks, “Where do wars and hatred come from?” It is from your passions and your unmet needs. Violence, hatred, and anger come from within the unmet needs of the human heart. Yikes!
Jesus understands this and speaks about it in the Gospel. He tries to get some rest with his friends so that he can tell them that what resides within the human heart is out to kill him. Human hatred and rage will do him in. To make certain that the disciples do not develop and “us” and “good” and “them” as “bad,” he asks why they were arguing along the way. If they have conflicts among themselves, they are no different from the other wicked people. He gives them the example of a purer, move loving, more trusting human heart, that of an undeveloped child who has not yet had time to develop attitudes of unresolved anger. His point is that one who is his disciple must have a heart fundamentally disposed towards positive regard and goodwill.
For us to transcend ourselves and really act like Christians, we must understand our unmet needs because they are searching for fulfillment. All that we do is an attempt to meet a need. Each human act is some way to address an unmet need. When we can see actions and decisions of others in this way, it gives us greater awareness. We can see our actions in the context of larger, universal human needs (and less in the realm of personality traits.) We find that we can build an authentic human connection, and when we see what someone needs, we try to give it to them.
In compassionate Christian thinking, it is important to reflect upon these needs, so we have common ground and increased understanding. More importantly, it is helpful to dig deep and find out what the other person really needs. Once we understand how a person is trying to meet a need, we will help one obtain it. This way of perceiving needs changed every relationship you have.
When we clarify our unmet needs, we can find a more direct way to resolve them. We can slow down and recognize that we can respond rather than react. Usually, we realize we have an unmet need and then we make a judgment. Our challenge is to focus upon those needs and not the judgment because it keeps us away from blaming others for our unmet needs.
We can train our ears to listen with compassion. With empathy, we can hear the needs of the other person. All human acts are attempts to meet needs. When we listen to others, we can develop the skills to accurately assess another person’s needs. Then we get away from attacking and making judgments. We are trying to understand.
Jesus knew that the unmet needs of his adversaries would soon kill him. He knew well that when the human heart acts out of unmet needs, it can act viciously. He gave us the model of an unblemished heart, the heart of a child, as the foundation for discipleship. Let us listen to our needs and those of others, so that we can act with greater compassion, and help one another along the way. Jesus calls us to righteousness. He calls us to act with mercy and radical understanding. He calls forth the best that is in the human heart.
Scripture for Daily Mass
Monday: (Proverbs 3) Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him. Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once.
Tuesday: (Proverbs 21) Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the LORD; wherever it pleases him, he directs it. All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,
but it is the LORD who proves hearts.
Wednesday: (Proverbs 30) Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:
Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need
Thursday: (Ecclesiastes 1) Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays.
Friday (Ecclesiastes 3) There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for everything under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
Saturday (Ecclesiastes 11) Rejoice, O young man, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; Yet understand that as regards all this God will bring you to judgment.
Gospel:
Monday: (Luke 8) No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible.
Tuesday: (Luke 8) The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.”
Wednesday (Luke 9) Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick. He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.
Thursday (Luke 9) Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Friday (Luke 9) Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Saturday (Luke 9) While they were all amazed at his every deed, Jesus said to his disciples, “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand this saying.
Saints of the Week
September 22: Tomas Sitjar, S.J. and the martyrs of Valencia (1866-1936), were killed in the Spanish Civil War just a week after the war broke out. Sitjar was the Rector of Gandia and was formerly the novice director and metaphysics professor. The Jesuit Order was suppressed at the beginning of the war, which sent the men to disperse into apartments, but since they were known to the community, they were sought out, imprisoned, and later executed because of their belief in God.
September 23: Pio of Pietrelcina, priest (1887-1968) was affectionately named Padre Pio and was a Capuchin priest who received the stigmata (wounds of Christ) just as Francis of Assisi did. He founded a hospital and became the spiritual advisor to many at a monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo.
September 26: Cosmas and Damian, martyrs (d. 287), were twins who became doctors. They were noted because they never charged anyone a medical fee. They died in the Diocletian persecution. Great miracles have been attributed to them and the Emperor Justinian is claimed to be healed through their intercession.
September 27: Vincent de Paul, priest (1581-1660), was a French peasant who selected to be chaplain at the Queen's household after his ordination. He provided food and clothing to the poor, including prostitutes, the sick, disabled, and homeless. He founded the Congregation of Missions (Vincentians) to preach and train clergy and he co-founded the Daughters of Charity with Louise de Marillac.
September 28: Wenceslaus, martyr (907-929), was raised a Christian by his grandmother while his mother and brother were opposed to Christianity. His brother opposed him when he became ruler of Bohemia in 922. He introduced strict reforms that caused great dissatisfaction among nobles and political adversaries. His brother invited him to a religious ceremony where he was killed in a surprise attack.
September 28: Lawrence Ruiz and 15 companion martyrs (seventeenth century), were killed in Nagasaki, Japan during 1633 and 1637. Most of these Christians were friends of the Dominicans. Lawrence, a Filipino, was a husband and father. He and these other missionaries served the Philippines, Formosa, and Japan.
This Week in Jesuit History
- September 22, 1774. The death of Pope Clement XIV, worn out with suffering and grief because of the suppression of the Society. False stories had been circulated that he was poisoned by the Jesuits.
- September 23, 1869. Woodstock College of the Sacred Heart opened. With 17 priests, 44 scholastics, and 16 brothers it was the largest Jesuit community in the United States at the time.
- September 24, 1566. The first Jesuits entered the continental United States at Florida. Pedro Martinez and others, while attempting to land, were driven back by the natives, and forced to make for the island of Tatacuran. He was killed there three weeks later.
- September 25, 1617. The death of Francisco Suarez. He wrote 24 volumes on philosophy and theology. As a novice he was found to be very dull, but one of his directors suggested that he ask our Lady's help. He subsequently became a person of prodigious talent.
- September 26, 1605. At Rome, Pope Paul V orally declared St Aloysius to be one of the "Blessed." The official brief appeared on October 19.
- September 27, 1540. Pope Paul III signed the Bull, Regimini Militantis Ecclesiae, which established the Society of Jesus.
- September 28, 1572. Fifteen Jesuits arrived in Mexico to establish the Mexican Province. They soon opened a college.
No comments:
Post a Comment