Daily Retreat 05/06/07
2007 May 6 SUN: FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 14: 21-27/ Ps 144(145): 8-9. 10-11. 12-13 (see 1)/ Rv 21: 1-5a/ Jn 13: 31-33a. 34-35
From today's readings: "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.... I will praise Your name for ever, my king and my God.... Behold, I make all things new.... I give you a new commandment: love one another!"
Passion
The Gospel command to "Love one another!" is fittingly one of the most familiar verses in the Bible - everyone knows that Christian charity is essential to Christian faith, and not an option! Jesus says, "I give you a new COMMANDMENT"; He does NOT say, "I give you a suggestion...." or, "Here's an extra-credit project for those who really want to shine!"
It's noteworthy that the first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, includes an equally constitutive verse about Christian faith, but we often fail to associate these words with our faith: "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God!" When you think about it, this axiom is even more emphasized throughout Scripture than the crucial injunction that we love one another, for Jesus and company often made reference to the Cross and tribulations as the price of discipleship.
It's natural, of course, that we would latch onto the heart-warming insinuations of that commandment of Christian love while passing over the soul-shaking implications of those repeated warnings of crosses and trials, and yet, as I mentioned, both are crucial elements of Christian faith - they go together, they define each other! We need to consider Christian charity in light of Christian adversity, and vice versa.
Jesus commanded, "Love one another!" but He didn't stop there - He went on to define by example what this ambiguous term "Love" means in His vocabulary, "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another!" What does this mean, "As I have loved you"? What is the manner of Christ's love? Quite honestly, it is love that suffers, love that undergoes many hardships, love that faces, rather than flees, adversities! Love that lays down His life for others!
Then what about facing hardships, and carrying the Cross? Is that to be done merely as the stoic resignation to pessimism, saying, "I guess I'll suffer because that's all there is to life - suffering, pain, and hardships!" Is that the Christian "Good News" that sets the world on fire? NO! NO! NO! The Christian Cross is not cowardly capitulation to cruel fate; rather, the Cross is the Divine definition of love first-rate! Love like a mother that spends herself for another, suffering as Christ has done, to share in what Christ has won!
"Love one another!" and "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God!" These two verses go so well together that there's one word that captures both these concepts, to love as Christ loved, to suffer as Christ suffered - both expressed, defined, and exemplified as Passion - the Passion of the Christ!
Acts 14: 21-27/ Ps 144(145): 8-9. 10-11. 12-13 (see 1)/ Rv 21: 1-5a/ Jn 13: 31-33a. 34-35
From today's readings: "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.... I will praise Your name for ever, my king and my God.... Behold, I make all things new.... I give you a new commandment: love one another!"
Passion
The Gospel command to "Love one another!" is fittingly one of the most familiar verses in the Bible - everyone knows that Christian charity is essential to Christian faith, and not an option! Jesus says, "I give you a new COMMANDMENT"; He does NOT say, "I give you a suggestion...." or, "Here's an extra-credit project for those who really want to shine!"
It's noteworthy that the first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, includes an equally constitutive verse about Christian faith, but we often fail to associate these words with our faith: "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God!" When you think about it, this axiom is even more emphasized throughout Scripture than the crucial injunction that we love one another, for Jesus and company often made reference to the Cross and tribulations as the price of discipleship.
It's natural, of course, that we would latch onto the heart-warming insinuations of that commandment of Christian love while passing over the soul-shaking implications of those repeated warnings of crosses and trials, and yet, as I mentioned, both are crucial elements of Christian faith - they go together, they define each other! We need to consider Christian charity in light of Christian adversity, and vice versa.
Jesus commanded, "Love one another!" but He didn't stop there - He went on to define by example what this ambiguous term "Love" means in His vocabulary, "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another!" What does this mean, "As I have loved you"? What is the manner of Christ's love? Quite honestly, it is love that suffers, love that undergoes many hardships, love that faces, rather than flees, adversities! Love that lays down His life for others!
Then what about facing hardships, and carrying the Cross? Is that to be done merely as the stoic resignation to pessimism, saying, "I guess I'll suffer because that's all there is to life - suffering, pain, and hardships!" Is that the Christian "Good News" that sets the world on fire? NO! NO! NO! The Christian Cross is not cowardly capitulation to cruel fate; rather, the Cross is the Divine definition of love first-rate! Love like a mother that spends herself for another, suffering as Christ has done, to share in what Christ has won!
"Love one another!" and "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God!" These two verses go so well together that there's one word that captures both these concepts, to love as Christ loved, to suffer as Christ suffered - both expressed, defined, and exemplified as Passion - the Passion of the Christ!
posted by FrPitstick | 5/04/2007
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