BEING A JOYFUL GIVER

One of the significant advancements in the Navy is the jump from E3 to E4.  E1 to E3 are what we classify as a non-rated person and E4 is the promotion to Petty Officer.  The challenge is you are going from being one of the crew to being in charge of a crew.  The extremes for this promotion can be from trying to continue being one of the crew, using a friendship model of leadership, to the other extreme of letting the newly found power go to your head and the new Petty Officer Lords his power over his former shipmates.

I learned quickly, through the assistance of leaders I respected, that if you want to be a good leader you must be willingly give a piece of yourself for the sake of the crew and in some cases being willing to make a sacrifice.

Have you happened to notice that several of the scriptures we have been hearing lately start out with the title, “Beloved”.  It is an expression of intimacy that communicates the relationship our God desires with us and the price Jesus is willing to pay so that we can experience God’s desired intimacy with us, to the fullest.

When I considered these reading I thought us who are regular daily Mass attendees, who “have purified yourselves by obedience to the truth for sincere brotherly love, love one another intensely from a pure heart.”  (1 Pt 1:22) Not just each other but all of God’s children.

Here’s the challenge from scripture:

While Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus told them exactly what was going to happen, exactly what he was willing to give for them and the glory of his Heavenly Father.  Then in the next verse, James & John ask for the seats of honor in Jesus’ heavenly kingdom.  This Eucharistic sacrifice is not about what we will get but is about what we are willing to give.

Many say, “I am willing to give, IF I get something in return.”  When we place conditions on our compassion, on our service, on the Sacraments, or on our love we are not living according to the example of our Lord and Savior.

“But it shall not be so among you.”  (Mk 10:43) Jesus gave everything as a gift so that we could be truly free.  That’s what makes him great and worthy of our worship and loyalty.  If we try to give in a way that imitates Jesus’ generosity, we’ll become more Christlike, generously inviting others to receive His great gift of salvation.

As we receive, let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be joyful givers like Jesus.

IT’S JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE

I was challenged in the subject of English throughout my high school years.  But when we got to Greek mythology I was an enthusiastic standout student.  The clash of the Titans, Ulysses, etc....  Athens the capital city of Greece, has been continuously inhabited for over 7000 years.  It provides the backdrop for various myths and legends for ancient Greeks.  Its name derives from the goddess of wisdom, Athena, who became the city's patron goddess after a contest with Poseidon.  The two gods competed for who would get the honor of becoming the patron god of the city and offered gifts to the Athenians.  Poseidon hit the ground with his trident and created a spring, showing that he would offer significant naval power.  Athena, on the other hand, offered the olive tree, a symbol of prosperity and peace.  The Athenians, led by King Cecrops I, decided to take Athena's gift, thus making her the patron goddess.[1]

This is also the backdrop in which Paul is preaching.  For centuries the Athenians worshiped and attempted to please the many Gods of sky, seas, seasons, harvest, war, and the dead.  There was a god for everything.  It’s just the way things were.  Paul’s preaching of this "Unknown God" (Acts 17:23) who is “the Lord of heaven and earth, who gives life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24), is met with, “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” (Acts 17:32)

Changing a culture is difficult.  Lou Gerstner, former CEO of IBM, wrote: “The hardest part of a business transformation is changing the culture - the mindset and instincts of the people in the company.”  One key to driving cultural change is the leader must embody the new culture in their actions, words, and behaviors.  Anything less will be perceived as hypocrisy and lack of commitment to the cultural change.[2]

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us an understanding of the Trinity as one of continual self-giving, outpouring, and sharing of truth and clarity.  All that belongs to the Father also belongs to Jesus, thanks to the Spirit of Truth (Holy Spirit).  All this is given to us freely.  What is offered is truth and clarity on the grandest of scales—from the infinite perspective and all knowings of our eternal God.  It should move us beyond our small-minded “personal truth” and individual preferences that lead us to self-centered and self-serving actions. God’s truth pushes us to expand our understanding and experience of God, others, and all creation as relational in nature, for the Trinity is limitless self-giving and outpouring.

While we search for the truth and clarity in our lives, we remember that our leader (Jesus) gave everything.  We are his living and visible disciples who are called to tell His story of hope, mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation.  He promised to send His Advocate to aid us and to be ever-present on our lifelong journey to continue His mission of cultural change, which is a culture of light moving us past just the ways things are.

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[1] Greek Mythology.com.  Athens.  https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Places/Athens/athens.html

[2] Business Insider.  9 Keys To Driving Cultural Change, by David Shedd, David Shedd's Blog April 19, 2011. 

CONNECTED

A debate has been going on for centuries between the inclusivists and exclusivists. Inclusivists maintain, Jesus set an inclusive example and died so all can be saved. The exclusivists say, God chooses among people and some exclude themselves from God. That redemption by Jesus is found exclusively within the Catholic Church. The exclusivists worry following the inclusivists' path takes one down the treacherous path of relativism.

Pope Francis rocked some conservative Catholics in 2013 declaring, in highly inclusive terminology, that everyone is redeemed through Jesus. “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone.” Even atheists? He was asked. “Everyone,” he replied. He used a phrase straight out of the Second Vatican Council documents that describes the church as “the People of God.”

How does one become a member of this people? To be the People of God, he said, “first of all means that God doesn't belong to any particular people because He is the one who calls us ... and this invitation is addressed to all, without distinction, because God's mercy 'wills everyone to be saved.’”[1]

In our first reading today, Barnabas and Paul have teamed up and were having extraordinary success among the gentiles. After setting out on a relatively small missionary trip, the two returned to Antioch’s predominantly Jewish community, where Peter was revered. They enthusiastically had reported their success. BUT (Side Note: if you really want to throw cold water on someone's enthusiasm, throw your "but" in their face) But, then representatives from James came from Jerusalem, insisting the gentiles ought to be circumcised and practice other aspects of Jewish law in order to be saved. Because this sowed dissension and confusion, the Church at Antioch sent delegates to Jerusalem to ask for guidance on the matter. What do we need to do to be saved? What is the Law?

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.” (Jn 15:1) Did you know the secret to pruning grapevines in knowing that the vines produce fruit on one-year old wood. The primary goal of pruning is to maximize the amount of one-year old wood on each grapevine without encouraging the plant to produce so many grape clusters that it lacks the energy and nutrients to fully ripen them. The second purpose for pruning grapes is to encourage the vines to grow a structure that is conducive to harvesting.[2]

The Church encourages us to remain connected to the vine by capturing the traditions of the first Christian communities, holding up witnesses, like St. Athanasius, who inspired by the Spirit, drafted & defended Church doctrine, collected the canon of sacred writings into the bible, and dispenses the sacraments to encourage regular pruning and structure so that when we are sharing our faith story, we remain connected to the true vine. Connected to the vision of Him who laid down His life to gain the gift salvation. Connected to His strategies of invitation, forgiveness, mercy and love. Connected to His Father’s vision of inviting all to partake in the Eucharistic feast of our salvation.

                                                                                     

[1] National Catholic Reporter Publishing Co. https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/pope-francis-envisions-inclusive-church by Thomas C. Fox. June 12, 2013.

[2] Modern Farmer. https://modernfarmer.com/2016/02/pruning-grapevines/ by Brain Barth. February 1, 2016.