Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR C NINETEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - 12.8.07 Wis 18,6-9; Heb 11,1-2.8-19; Lk 12,32-48 Wisdom for a tired 'little flock' 19th Sunday of Yr. CBirds
of the air and lilies of the field We
resume from last week the continuous reading of Luke’s Gospel chapter 12. And
for some unknown reason its most beautiful part (Lk 12,22-32), has been left
out: what we get is a strong warning about being alert and standing ready: with
lamps lit and dressed for action, alert at the job at hand and keen to
go, because the Lord’s retribution is coming when we least expect.
The text about “the birds in the air and the lilies of the field” -
should be for us in Australia - ‘gospel truth’; and should have a special
significance, because it was particularly dear to Mary MacKillop: we’ve
celebrated her feast last Wednesday August 8th and this very ‘Gospel truth’
is read at the Mass in her honour. We
could all learn from her the important lesson of trusting in the care of our
loving Father. The text about
‘the birds and the lilies’ must not be omitted from today’s message, since
it’s meant to focus our attention on the Lord and dispose us to be sincere
Christians, as “Mary of the Cross” was.
Luke wants to encourage the Christian of his time, who were (just like us
today), prone to become trendy and worldly.
He subtly accuses them of this, and then he appeals to the most fervent
among them (‘little flock’): those who - like Mary MacKillop! - are wiser
and keener to own Jesus’ wisdom and be people who practice detachment, purity
of heart and righteousness before God. Today,
both Mary of the Cross and Luke are offering us a solid lesson: we all enjoy a
lifestyle which is attractive and modern, impressive and fascinating.
In this life-style we too may easily be tempted to let go of God and all
age-old wisdom (1st reading of Today’s Mass).
Indeed this has happened in the past and continues to happen in our own
godless and arrogant society. Retribution
and trendy life-styles In
today’s Gospel Luke addresses the fact that good and bad people live
side-by-side and challenges us with the problem of evil in the world, which has
baffled every age in history. Often
the Bible (Old & New Testament) contends with this issue, which is called
and treated as ‘retribution’
by the authors of the Bible. It’s
fair to say that the good should be rewarded and the wicked punished - that
uprightness should bring happiness and vice should bring ruin - that God must
reward the good and punish the wicked. However
Luke (and Mary of the Cross) tell us that in the end both good and bad suffer
the same punishment, since in the end, we all die.
So to be saved or damned depends on the way we live our life: at rights
or at enmity with God. On this
point, we cannot call God to account and cannot claim eternal happiness as
something due to us in justice: so God’s retribution is solved in life after
death. Today
let’s ponder on the topic of ‘vanities’ which is dealt in the 1st reading.
Greek philosophers spoke highly about the immortality of the soul, this
Jewish Wiseman linked the soul with God’s retribution: he says: “we have
been made by God for immortality and God rewards us for the good we do if we
live godly lives. This earthly life
then is a preparation for the next life where the upright live with God….” A
lesson:
whatever you do in life, hold on to your religious convictions, you have
received from your ancestors in the faith.
Believe in yourself and make sure that your life-style has a solid track
record. Do not be lured into any
worldly, esoteric trends. In the
end, the only truths that matter are the ‘eternal truths’; no other
conviction has much to offer. And
just in case, people who are ministers, ‘religious’ or Church leaders think
that retribution is not for us, Luke says: retribution is especially for us,
Church leaders, who always risk to abuse of our leadership. Pray
for vocations!! ______________________________________ |
