A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 6, n. 47)
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – October 19, 2008
“Give Unto God”
BIBLE READINGS
Is 45:1, 4-6 // I Thes 1:1-5b // Mt 22:15-21
(N.B. Series 6 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 First Reading. For another set of reflections on the Sunday liturgy of Year A, please go to the PDDM Web Archives: WWW.PDDM.US and open Series 3.)
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
This Sunday’s Old Testament reading (Is 45:1, 4-6) introduces us to one of the most fascinating figures in ancient history – Cyrus the Great, the “enlightened” king and general from Persia, whose benevolence made him an unwitting instrument of God’s plan of salvation. The authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 4, explain: “Cyrus, king of Persia from 550 to 530 B.C., left the memory of a deliverer in the minds of the peoples of the Near East. In the empire formed by his conquests, he practiced a conciliatory policy aimed at winning the conquered peoples by its tolerance, by the lessening of the burdens laid on them, by economic programs. Israel did not forget that Cyrus quickly brought to an end, as soon as 538, the deportation to Babylon. He gave back the utensils of gold and silver taken from the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar and, above all, he published an edict authorizing the rebuilding of the Temple. Truly, Cyrus was, for Israel, a providential king; every reader of Sacred Scripture must concede it. This oracle from the Book of Isaiah says the same thing in its own way. It sees history as directed by God, its master, for the benefit of his people. (…) We must thank him for remembering his people.”
Cyrus, the benevolent Persian king, was destined and assisted by the Lord to promote the divine loving plan to liberate the Jewish people from their exile in Babylon. Though a pagan who worshiped the god Marduk, Cyrus was empowered by God to be the instrument of liberation for the Jews, his chosen people. Indeed, God often works through people who may not even recognize his name. King Cyrus was an example of a political ruler who responded to the inner call and followed the promptings of his conscience. The divinely “anointed” Cyrus was truly a model of what it means to practice acts of justice and peace. Without knowing the Lord God explicitly, the remarkable King Cyrus “gave unto God” his due.
This Sunday’s Gospel (Mt 22:15-21) helps us to focus on the basic Christian challenge: “Give unto God” … “Repay to God what belongs to him” (Mt 22:21). Jesus Christ came primarily to restore the rights of God. He had told the Jewish people to seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things would be given unto them. Jesus did not come to be their political leader and liberator, but as an all-encompassing Savior sent by God to teach what it means to “render unto God the things that are God’s”.
The liturgical scholar Adrian Nocent comments: “God is not unconcerned with the earthly and political life of men. This earthly and political life must, however, lead to justice, peace and salvation. (…) Giving to God what is God’s requires fidelity to social and political duties, but according to the spirit and requirements of the Gospel, since everything ultimately depends on God. Every man must live his life as a human being in the social context in which he finds himself, but he must do it in obedience to Gospel precepts. On the other hand, the Church, in proclaiming the Gospel, must remind those in political spheres of the primacy of God and the need of walking in the way of his commandments, if only for the sake of the human happiness of the community, whose well-being is entrusted to them.”
The following article being circulated through the Internet, gives us an idea how challenging and prophetic it is to abide by the Gospel principle uttered by Jesus: “Give unto God” … “Repay to God what belongs to him”. Indeed, it takes a lot of courage for a Christian in today’s world to render to God the homage of truth.
When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good”, but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, “The Rest of the Story” and received a larger response to this program than any other he has aired.
With the Lord’s help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called “one nation under God”.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
What was special about the Persian ruler Cyrus? How did he become an instrument of the divine saving plan? Do we believe that we too are called to be instruments of God’s justice and peace in today’s world? Are our ways and actions benevolent?
How do we respond to the challenge “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mt 22:21)? How do we carry out our Christian commitment in today’s socially-politically convulsed situation?
Do we remind those in political spheres of the primacy of God and the need of walking in the way of his commandments for the sake and wellbeing of those entrusted to them?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Leader: O loving God,
you “anointed” the benevolent Persian ruler, Cyrus
as an instrument of your justice and saving will
on behalf of your chosen people, the Jews.
By his natural benevolence and enlightened ways,
King Cyrus rendered due homage to you.
As Christians living in today’s politically charged society,
may we seek first your kingdom of peace and righteousness
and give you our fitting homage and total worship.
Teach us to be benevolent and kind.
May those we have touched by our witness of truth
render you thanks and praise,
now and for ever.
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.
“Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” (Mt 22:21)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
By promoting a culture of kindness and benevolence and through your daily acts of service and charity to the people around you, enable others to “give unto God” the praise and thanksgiving that rightly belong to him. Be a leaven of transformation and a sign of hope in today’s politically convulsed society.
ACTION PLAN: That we may respond fully to the challenge of “giving to God what belongs to God”, 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, # 47).
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