We may look into a church, almost any church, and discover someone who, though he is offered a gospel of
love, must subtly convert it into a gospel of hate before he can receive it. The gospel of love—with its emphasis upon brotherhood, equality before God, the dignity of every human being, and social responsibility toward others—does not satisfy the lack that he urgently feels. That calls for something altogether different, for an assurance that he is superior, that he is right where others are wrong—a kind of cosmic teacher’s pet.
... Bonaro W. Overstreet
(1902-1985)
(Unfortunately, religious arrogance does happen. But the greatest among us was the servant of all. So let it be with you this day.)
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EZ 12:1-12; PS 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62
MT 18:21–19:1
Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
"Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven
times?"
Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did
him homage, and said,
'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.'
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
'Pay back what you owe.'
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
But he refused.
Instead, he
had the fellow servant put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed,
and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?'
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should
pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee
and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.
Reflection on the Scriptures |
Today’s lessons ask us to consider what it means to be spiritually haughty. Haughtiness in general is blatant and disdainful pride. Spiritual haughtiness of heart is trying to be like God. That human problem has been around since Adam and Eve and we need constant reminders that God is God and we are not. The prophet Ezekiel reveals that God says not our wealth, our wisdom, or our intelligence will get us very far without God. No matter how
smart or how rich we are, we will die like all the rest of human-kind. In Deuteronomy, God reminds us again that we humans have no control over life or death, that is only the work of God. And it isn’t just the matters of life and death that we can’t control. Even our victories are not of our own doing. Especially our victories. We don’t have the right to define justice in terms of our own vain glory. Justice belongs to God.
- by Barbara Dilly
Revelations of Divine
Love - by Julian of Norwich
Fourteenth Revelation, Chapter 51
“He is the Head, and we be His
members.” “Therefore our Father nor may nor will more blame assign to us than to His own Son, precious and worthy Christ” And thus I saw the Son saying in His meaning: Lo! my dear Father, I stand before Thee in Adam’ kirtle, all ready to start and to run: I would be in the earth to do Thy worship
when it is Thy will to send me. How long shall I desire? Full soothfastly wist the Son when it would be the Father’s will and how long He should desire: that is to say, [He wist it] anent the Godhead: for He is the Wisdom of the Father; wherefore this question was shewed with understanding of the Manhood of Christ. For all mankind that shall be saved by the sweet Incarnation and blissful Passion of Christ, all is the Manhood of Christ: for He is the Head and we be His members. To which members
the day and the time is unknown when every passing woe and sorrow shall have an end, and the everlasting joy and bliss shall be fulfilled; which day and time for to see, all the Company of Heaven longeth. And all that shall be under heaven that shall come thither, their way is by longing and desire. Which desire and longing was shewed in the Servant’s standing afore the Lord,—or else thus in the Son’s standing afore the Father in Adam’s kirtle. For the longing [188] and desire of all Mankind
that shall be saved appeared in Jesus: for Jesus is All that shall be saved, and All that shall be saved is Jesus. And all of the Charity of God; with obedience, meekness, and patience, and virtues that belong to us.
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