A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 9, n. 15)
9th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – March 6, 2011 *
“Faith-Filled Choice”
BIBLE READINGS
Dt 11:18, 26-28, 32 // Rom 3:21-25, 28 // Mt 7:21-27
(N.B. Series 9 of BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year A from the perspective of the Second Reading. For reflections on the Sunday liturgy of Year C based on the Gospel reading, please scroll up to the “ARCHIVES” above and open Series 3. For reflections based on the Old Testament reading, open Series 6.)
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
On account of a rather late first full moon in spring this year (April 18) and consequently, a relatively late Easter Sunday (April 24) – the Sunday that follows the first spring full moon is celebrated as Easter Sunday – we are able to relish the readings of the entire nine Sundays in Ordinary Time: Part 1. On this 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we thus have a chance to listen to the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (cf. today’s Gospel reading, Mt 7:21-27). As he wraps up his teachings, the Divine Master challenges his followers to make a faith-filled choice by acting upon his saving word. The need to make a “faith-filled choice” becomes more urgent in the context of the forthcoming Lenten journey of repentance and Easter renewal.
Mary Ehle remarks: “The Gospel passage is eschatological … it addresses what will happen at the final judgment. Whether a person’s house collapses in the end (the house is a symbol for one’s life) coincides with the choice between blessing and curse that Moses offers to the Israelites in the First Reading. The sturdiness of one’s house in the face of life’s tribulations (the rains, floods, and winds) will be determined by one’s choice to listen and act on Jesus’ words. For Jesus, consistency between what a disciple hears and how a disciple lives is essential … The blessing of being Jesus’ disciple is the blessing of a relationship with him. This relationship buoys us for the suffering we might experience, teaches us how to align our words and actions with him, and prepares us to receive the gift of eternal life.”
Speaking to the Chosen People, the prophet Moses likewise presents them with a decisive choice (cf. First Reading, Dt. 11:18, 26-28, 32): a blessing for keeping God’s commands or a curse for turning away from his way. Mary Ehle explains: “As the Lord has cared for his Chosen People in the past, Moses explains, he will continue to do so if they choose to obey his commands. For Christians, the Lord’s word became flesh and is living and active in Jesus Christ. He is God’s bond of fidelity to us. Moses tells the people that the choice between blessing and curse is set before them this day. This day, the moment of now, is the time of choice for people today as well … This is the same choice to listen and heed that Jesus places before his disciples in today’s Gospel. Have you yourself taken the words of the Lord into your heart and soul?”
This Sunday’s Second Reading (Rom 3:21-25, 28) underlines the grace-filled character of our salvation. We are saved on account of God’s benevolence and initiative, not on account of our personal effort or worth. The loving God willed to save us through the life-giving sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ on the cross. We are effectively and personally redeemed by our response of faith to the Father’s saving love and to our redeemer Jesus Christ. Moreover, this faith stance impels us to make the right choice for God – for his blessings and his life-giving words. Furthermore, it aligns our words and deeds with those of Jesus Savior. Above all, it moves us to give glory and praise to our heavenly Father, who cares for us with love beyond telling.
The biblical scholar Eugene Maly explicates: “Paul uses the word faith almost one hundred times in his epistles … By it he means a radical surrender of the whole self to the person of Jesus Christ … This interior conversion, this radical change, this faith in Jesus Christ is not the product of works of the law, or of human effort. It is a gift of God. Paul was well aware of this as a result of his experience on the trip to Damascus. That explains his strong emphasis on faith as a gift in his epistles. Through the centuries, people have experienced the same kind of conversion, this same faith in Jesus Christ … Good works are important … works that are our own response to that saving love, works that are done in Christ Jesus. That is why Jesus talks about doing the Father’s will … God’s grace, his love, is free, but it is not cheap. We must accept it and let it work in our lives.”
The following image of rescue gives us an insight into the grace-filled character of our redemption (cf. Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha, New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 2005, p. 417). We are made “upright” – saved from the effects of sin and death – because of the infinite power of God, our benevolent Father, and his loving initiative to save us in his Son Jesus Christ. Indeed, faith is the releasing of ourselves into the rescuing arms of our loving God.
One afternoon back when I was a child in Yoroido, a little boy named Gisuke climbed up a tree to jump into the pond. He climbed much higher that he should have; the water wasn’t deep enough. But when we told him not to jump, he was afraid to climb back down because of rocks under the tree. I ran to the village to find his father, Mr. Yamashita, who came walking so calmly up the hill, I wondered if he realized what danger his son was in. He stepped underneath the tree just as the boy – unaware of his father’s presence – lost his grip and fell. Mr. Yamashita caught him as easily as if someone had dropped a sack into his arms, and set him upright. We all cried out in delight, and skipped around the edge of the pond while Gisuke stood blinking his eyes very quickly, little tears of astonishment gathering on his lashes.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
What is our own response to the fundamental “choice” presented by Moses to the Chosen People: a “blessing” for obeying the commandments of the Lord or a “curse” for turning aside from the way of God?
What is our core decision as followers of Christ: to obey him and build our faith on the bedrock security of his saving word, or to negate his love and rely on the allurements and deception of this world?
Knowing that we have been “justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus”, are our daily lives marked with “faith-filled choices” for God and his Son Jesus Christ?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Leader: Loving God,
give us the wisdom and strength
to make “faith-filled choices” in our everyday life.
Help us to choose life and not death,
to embrace your blessing and not the curse,
to obey your commands and never negate your saving plan,
to make a radical surrender to Jesus
and never be feckless and untrue to him,
our divine Savior.
Be with us always
and pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
so that we may be consistent and faithful
in our Christian discipleship.
Let our words and actions manifest the faith
that is evoked and prompted by your benevolence.
We love you and thank you, heavenly Father,
for your constant care, abounding providence, and merciful love.
We adore you and serve you.
We give you glory and praise,
now and forever.
Assembly: Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus.” (cf. Rom 3:24)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
ACTION PLAN: Pray that we may be able to align more fully our thoughts, words, actions and deeds with those of Jesus. Through limpid acts of charity, gentleness and kindness, especially to the poor, marginalized and the most vulnerable members of our society enable the people of today to feel the benevolence of God. Help them make “faith-filled choices” for our heavenly Father and his Son Jesus.
ACTION PLAN: That we may be enlightened and be guided in making “faith-filled choices”, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM WEB site (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR: A Weekly Pastoral Tool (Year A, vol. 7, # 15).
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US