Daily Retreat 07/16/06
2006 Jul 16 SUN: FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Am 7: 12-15/ Ps 84(85): 9-10. 11-12. 13-14 (8)/ Eph 1: 3-14/ Mk 6: 7-13
From today’s readings: “The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to My people Israel.... I will hear what God proclaims.... Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.... The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”
The Divine Benefits Plan
From a worldly point of view, the Bible is not an apparent success story. Amos, for example, is typical of many of the Old Testament prophets, and in fact, the Book of Amos is the oldest prophetic work in Scripture. Well, not only was his prophetic message scorned, but he himself was rejected and despised. The second reading is the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians - a beautiful and upbeat work, and one of the most profound reflections in all the Bible on the mystery of faith. But Chapter 3 of the letter attests that it was written by Paul during one of his numerous imprisonments on account of his faith. In the Gospel, Jesus specifically instructs His Apostles what to do when they are not welcomed or listened to - when, not if they are not welcomed, but when that happens, for Jesus evidently knows it is a sure thing!
So the Bible is not, nor never pretends to be, an infallible guide to earthly success. In anything, there’s quite a bit of evidence that Sacred Scripture presents an amazingly reliable formula for worldly failure! Yet paradoxically, the Bible is the best selling book of all time, so how do we account for that? Is Scripture simply scripted for simpletons, the original Dummies’ Guide to, well, being a dumber dummy? Or, is the Bible, in spite of its worldly worthlessness, truly the record of the divine success story, how the Celestial C.E.O. is leading His company, not from rags to riches, but from sinners to saints?
Since I never took any classes in marketing, I certainly would have no idea how to “sell” Scripture to the cynical, since it says nothing tempting about “what’s in it for me,” in this world, at least. Nonetheless, I stake my life on the Word of God, as do all faithful followers who, as Paul says, “were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of His glory!” As the psalm reminds us, “The LORD Himself will give His benefits,” and the Bible does reveal quite a bit about the divine benefits package, which, as it turns out, is the only package guaranteed to be truly out of this world!
Am 7: 12-15/ Ps 84(85): 9-10. 11-12. 13-14 (8)/ Eph 1: 3-14/ Mk 6: 7-13
From today’s readings: “The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to My people Israel.... I will hear what God proclaims.... Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.... The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”
The Divine Benefits Plan
From a worldly point of view, the Bible is not an apparent success story. Amos, for example, is typical of many of the Old Testament prophets, and in fact, the Book of Amos is the oldest prophetic work in Scripture. Well, not only was his prophetic message scorned, but he himself was rejected and despised. The second reading is the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians - a beautiful and upbeat work, and one of the most profound reflections in all the Bible on the mystery of faith. But Chapter 3 of the letter attests that it was written by Paul during one of his numerous imprisonments on account of his faith. In the Gospel, Jesus specifically instructs His Apostles what to do when they are not welcomed or listened to - when, not if they are not welcomed, but when that happens, for Jesus evidently knows it is a sure thing!
So the Bible is not, nor never pretends to be, an infallible guide to earthly success. In anything, there’s quite a bit of evidence that Sacred Scripture presents an amazingly reliable formula for worldly failure! Yet paradoxically, the Bible is the best selling book of all time, so how do we account for that? Is Scripture simply scripted for simpletons, the original Dummies’ Guide to, well, being a dumber dummy? Or, is the Bible, in spite of its worldly worthlessness, truly the record of the divine success story, how the Celestial C.E.O. is leading His company, not from rags to riches, but from sinners to saints?
Since I never took any classes in marketing, I certainly would have no idea how to “sell” Scripture to the cynical, since it says nothing tempting about “what’s in it for me,” in this world, at least. Nonetheless, I stake my life on the Word of God, as do all faithful followers who, as Paul says, “were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of His glory!” As the psalm reminds us, “The LORD Himself will give His benefits,” and the Bible does reveal quite a bit about the divine benefits package, which, as it turns out, is the only package guaranteed to be truly out of this world!
posted by FrPitstick | 7/14/2006
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