As a student of history, biblical and otherwise, I find that learning from the past can help us better understand today's blessings and challenges. Indeed, we have to interpret the bible in light of the literary genres and worldviews the biblical authors knew, in order to discover how they communicated basic religious truths about God, ourselves and the universe.
Many of us have been watching the pageantry commemorating the life of Queen Elizabeth. We see millions express respect and gratitude for the late Queen’s service as monarch for 70 years.
In the midst of “the pomp and circumstance,” let us not forget the thrust of her life. The Queen became a proponent of a world-wide community encouraging the common good of all its people. In 1953 she described the United Kingdom and the new Commonwealth—with leaders now of 2.5 billion people in 56 countries--as "built on the highest qualities of the spirit of man: friendship, loyalty and the desire for freedom and peace ... (a) new conception of an equal partnership of nations and races....” Her many projects reinforced this vision.
As with some bible characters, we may miss seeing the forest for the trees. Images of corgi dogs may overshadow the Queen's steadfast relationship of values, e.g., with Nelson Mandela. Elizabeth II met Mother Teresa and honored her a decade before daughter-in-law Diana sought out this dedicated nun. Memories of Northern Ireland's troubles may be calmed by last week's memorial with religious leaders of various Christian traditions and different faiths.
So we may ask, how does today’s word of God fit into this? It’s all about relationships. Amos, an eighth century BC minor prophet of Israel, challenges us to deal with people compassionately and fairly. Amos here speaks up against inflating currency and cheating consumers. Does that sound familiar? Amos might ask our political leaders whether today's policies are fair.
St. Paul's letter to Timothy urges us to pray for our political leaders so that ordinary citizens may live tranquil lives. That sounds like a good goal. Paul proclaims Jesus as our mediator who reconciles all human beings to God and through whom all can have eternal life. Paul might ask us, do we pray that God will grace our leaders to choose with integrity the right thing to do for all of us?
In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable (a story with a message) about a manager who’s about to be fired. With his entire future at stake, the manager acted shrewdly to secure his future. The point of the parable is that we have to act decisively to attain our place in God’s kingdom by living a godlike life.
I would like to focus on a theme that weaves in and out of today’s word of God--our relationships.
October 1 our parish will have an “Italian Knight dinner” celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of St. Raphael. The meal’s goal is to bring people together once again after a two-year covid hiatus.
Now overlay “Babette's Feast,” an academy award winner and a favorite film of Pope Francis. The theme is simple. In a small Danish town where people are wary of enjoying life, Babette, a French chef, wins a lottery and splurges on a delectable feast for the townspeople. As they taste and enjoy the meal they start to communicate good-naturedly.
Babette's generosity elicits joy, a foretaste of heaven. The toast at the end captures why I think Pope Francis likes the movie. Here's a paraphrase of the toast:
“There comes a time when your eyes are opened.
And we come to realize…that mercy is infinite.
We need only await it with confidence…and receive it with gratitude.”
Certain recipes or menus nourish good relationships.
Happy families have a good, solid sense of togetherness. They care about one another. They keep in touch. They celebrate: birthdays, anniversaries, special family milestones. They take responsibility for chores; they spend time together; they share good news as well as bad. They keep their word, and thereby build-up trust.
And importantly, they know how to agree to disagree. They can distinguish behavior they find objectionable from negative judgments about people and negative name-calling.
St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians asks us to be imitators of God, to live a life of love, just as Jesus Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. What does this “life of love” look like? Paul gives us, in chapters 4 and 5 in particular, at least five ingredients:
Be authentic, speak the truth, try to live a life of honesty and integrity. We have our own foibles and peccadilloes. Authenticity steers us away from hypocrisy.
Be passionate about what's right. Martin Luther King Jr. had a passion against discrimination; that led him to champion civil rights. Nelson Mandela's hatred of apartheid led him to champion freedom. Jesus had a righteous anger about money changers in the temple. Anger should result in righting wrongs.
An honest job can help others. Work is an integral part of life, useful in itself as well as giving us resources to be helpful.
Watch the way we talk. Have a positive, can-do attitude. Use words for encouragement. Encouragement costs nothing, but it warms hearts and can even changes lives.
And, be gentle. Forgive one another. God's vision is a community welcoming all: especially people who need a place where forgiveness abounds. The church, to paraphrase Pope Francis, is a field hospital where wounds are healed.
With these ingredients, God can work wonders through all our relationships.
