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Scripture:

Exodus 14:5-18
Matthew 12:38-42

Reflection:

They repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. Matthew 12:41

The word for repent in the original Greek NT is metanoeō. It is used some 56.  It’s etymology is composed of two words.  Meta means after or along with, and vous mind or thought.  It means thinking differently.   At the preaching of Jonah who was coughed up by a sea monster, the people were astonished and turned to God.   Jesus reminds us that a far greater person was with them now.   He was trying to get our minds and hearts straight on the depths of God’s care and availability for us!   On the very first talk Jesus gave He proclaimed: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Mk 4:17

Perhaps the best word in English for metanoeō is conversion, or turning from sin and worthless things to the wonderful God Who loves us!  It takes a lifetime to turn our lives completely to God.  We see this long and difficult journey in the Book of Exodus.  In our first reading, we see the journey begins with God’s promise to clear our way through near-impossible odds. “As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.” Ex 14:16

It takes a tadpole 2-3 months to become frogs but it takes our whole lifetime for us to be like Christ!  It takes about 19 days for a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly.  There have been some very graced people in a very short time that achieved the holiness of Christ.  But in one way or another, it takes a lifetime of grace and response to experience conversion.

Christ Himself told us: “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” ³³ But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.^”   John 12:32  Christ on the Cross is God’s greatest Theophany to literally drag us to Himself.

The story is told of a priest who bought a rather large crucifix and was stopped by guards at airport.  “This might have a bomb inside! We have to X-Ray it.”   The priest thought if they only knew how explosive the crucifix really is!   This massive act of love certainly needs to be X-Rayed by us to be thoroughly converted to God!

Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.

Scripture:

Exodus 1:8-14, 22
Matthew 10:34-11:1

Reflection:

Fear can make us do terrible things; it can lead to unspeakable violence.

That’s one inescapable lesson from today’s first reading from Exodus. The Egyptians, following the example of their king, are alarmed because the Israelites, who were immigrants, were growing so rapidly that the Egyptians feared they might turn against them and try to take over their country. Thus, instead of welcoming them—instead of seeing them as human beings with dignity whose gifts could enhance Egypt—they forced them into slavery. On account of fear, they turned an opportunity for hospitality into a decision for oppression. On account of fear, they chose to see themselves as “taskmasters” of the Israelites rather than friends. The distressing story ends with Pharaoh commanding that “every boy that is born to the Hebrews” be thrown into the river to drown, a chilling declaration that reminds us of how quickly the persons we fear can become expendable, the loss of their lives a relief rather than something to grieve.

Lest we see this story as ancient history that has no relevance for ourselves, we only need to consider all the many ways one human being can enslave another. Like the Egyptians, we can become “taskmasters” who slowly squeeze life out of others—sometimes those closest to us—by our attitudes, by cruel and thoughtless remarks, by acts deliberately designed to hurt, or by persistent refusals to love, to encourage, or to offer any kindness. Like the Egyptians who made life “bitter” for the Israelites, we make life miserable for others, crushing their spirits and destroying their hopes, when we constantly belittle them, deviously work against them, gossip about them, or continually find fault with them.

There are “Pharaohs” and “Egypts” everywhere and everywhere there are taskmasters and slaves. It’s not surprising because we’ve all lived long enough to know that it is much easier to be cruel and malicious than it is to love.

Paul J. Wadell is Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and a member of the extended Passionist family.

Scripture:

Genesis 18:1-15
Matthew 8:5-17

Reflection:

The Old Testament selection for this Saturday’s liturgy is from Genesis 18:1-15, one of the most powerful and intriguing stories in all the Bible.  Abraham and Sarah, the great Patriarch and Matriarch of Israel, are camped at Mamre, a settlement near present day Hebron.  Sitting in the entrance to his tent on a hot day, Abraham sees three men approaching and, in the tradition of desert hospitality, invites them to join him, offering to have their feet washed and take some rest, while a meal is prepared for them.  Right from the start, Abraham seems to sense that these are not the usual kind of travelers but mysteriously represent the divine presence.

He urges his wife Sarah to prepare a fine meal of meat and bread and milk and serves it to his visitors while they enjoy the shade of the great Terebinth tree next to his tent.  When they have finished their meal, one of the visitors astounds Abraham by promising that when the visitors return next year at this time, Sarah will have given birth to a son! The biblical narrator reminds us that both Abraham and Sarah were very old–so old that Sarah, listening to this conversation behind the tent flap, laughs out loud: “Now that I am so withered and my husband is so old, am I still to have sexual pleasure?”

A scene very similar to this had taken place in the preceding chapter of Genesis, but this time it was Abraham who laughed, burying his face in the crook of his elbow and laughing when God promised him that he would bear a child with Sarah: “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old?  Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?“ (Gen 17:17).  In each case the prospect of new life in such old bodies seemed preposterous.

But the mysterious visitor at Mamre hears Sarah laugh and now the biblical text explicitly says it is the Lord who responds: “Why did Sarah laugh?”  Fearful, Sarah tries to deny it, “I did not laugh.’  But the visitor will not relent: “Oh yes, you did laugh!”  And then the story’s great conclusion is driven home: “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?”  These will be the very words the Angel Gabriel says to Mary when she wonders how she a virgin could bear a child: “Nothing is impossible with God.” (Lk 1:37).

The lessons of this story are beautiful.  First of all, Abraham’s hospitality is rewarded with the marvel of God’s presence.  I think of the words of the Letter to the Hebrews which reminds us of the need for hospitality: “Let mutual love continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:1-2).  But beyond this, the story of Abraham and Sarah and their mysterious visitors reminds us that God brings life where we think that no life can appear.  One of the great fears of the biblical people as a traditional culture was that of barrenness—the shame of not being able to engender life.  But the God of the Scriptures—the God revealed by Jesus—is a God of life and love, one who can bring life and joy into situations we believe are empty and barren.  Even in our moments of suffering and loneliness, God’s presence can be felt and renew us.  Here is where the reminder to be hospitable and the bringing of new life can meet: offering kindness and respect even to strangers can bring a sense of hope to them and make us an instrument of God’s love.

Fr. Donald Senior, C.P. is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament at Catholic Theological Union.  He lives at the Passionist residence in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago.