We Hold a Treasure Not Made of Gold in Earthen Vessels

By Lou Occhi

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072520.cfm
II Corinthians 4:7-15
Matthew 20:20-28

The topic of today’s reflection is based on 2 Corinthians 4: 6 – 7. Preceding today’s reading verse 6 says, “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’ has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of [Jesus] Christ”. The reading continues with verse 7 saying, “Brothers and sisters, we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not of us”. 

I have sung the song “Earthen Vessels” by John Foley, SJ many times and always thought it was referring to the Eucharist in the chalice. It is much more than that. In my view, the reading refers to Paul acknowledging that Christ’s disciples, including himself, are the earthen vessels. I think back on Star Trek. When they approached a planet they always scanned for carbon based life forms. If you break down our physical bodies into the elements we are comprised of we find carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, some phosphorus, calcium and other common elements. These are all very earthy elements found naturally in the environment. To me it is miraculous how we are formed literally out of the earth. Our skin, our eyes, our entire body is made out of these simple elements combined in an unbelievably complex manner.

Here I would like to talk briefly about how these earthy elements become a human being or for that matter any living thing. Let us be clear that what I will be describing is extremely simplified. At conception a new DNA is formed from a combination of the mother’s and father’s DNA. The new DNA starts the process of forming specific person like no other on earth. Bill Gates, of Windows fame, has said that DNA is basically a computer code far beyond anything we are capable of doing. From Wikipedia we find DNA is a long polymer made from repeating units called nucleotides, each of which is usually symbolized by a single letter: either A, T, C, or G . The structure of DNA is dynamic along its length, being capable of coiling into tight loops and other shapes. In all species it is composed of two helical chains, bound to each other by hydrogen bonds. Combinations of the A, T, C and G nucleotides determine the type of protein that will be produced. RNA is a single strand and constructed similarly to DNA except that it has nucleotides called A, U, C and G. A, C and G are the same nucleotides as in DNA. RNA can loop itself into different shapes and is much shorter than DNA. The last major component is the ribosome. These three molecules work together to produce a specific protein that the body is calling for. The DNA is the code for building all the proteins needed to make a unique living thing. The RNA copies a specific portion of the DNA and processes the information into instruction needed by the ribosome to make the specific protein required by the body. This is similar to a typical computer system in that a programmer writes the code, DNA, the computer processes the code, RNA, and the printer, the ribosome, produces the desired protein. In ways beyond my ability to explain, all these proteins are put together to make a living thing. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about a blade of grass or a human, the process is the same. We are told that everything has evolved from something like a primitive cell. However, it is difficult to imagine how this whole process just accidentally started on its own.

Besides all these complicated process being initiated at conception, the person that is conceived is also endowed with an immortal soul and is a temple of the Holy Spirit. This is true of every human on earth regardless of whether they have chosen to follow Christ on not. In C. S. Lewis’ “Tales of Narnia” he talks about a man who always followed Tash, an evil being, as God. Despite this he was a good man and always sought to do good. When he died he ended up in heaven. He saw Aslan, the Christ figure in the story, and asked him why he was in Heaven since he had always believed in Tash. Aslan told him that he always sought to do good and all good is always in Aslan’s name regardless of belief.

The reading from Paul to the Corinthians goes on to say how we are afflicted but not constrained. Despite our human weaknesses and illnesses we are not held back in doing God’s work. We have the ability to go on if we truly desire it. I recently saw a video of Clayton Halsop, a professional violinist playing an extremely difficult piece by Tchiakovsky. This violist suffered from a condition that caused him to lose the use of his third and fourth finger of his left hand so he retrained himself to play with only the first and second finger. He is still an unbelievable violinist despite having only two useful fingers on his left hand. There is also Tony Melendes, a guitarist. He has played the guitar around the world and was invited to play for Pope John Paul II. He was born without arms and plays guitar with his feet. Sometimes our only obstacle is ourselves.

The following verses talk about how we are perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed, always following in Jesus footsteps so that the life of Jesus is manifested in our mortal flesh. I am reminded that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We are tasked to pursue the imitation of Jesus life in our own lives despite all the frailties, obstacles and failures that confront us. Christ had frailties just like we do. He probably got sick from time to time, went hungry, and went without sleep. He was constantly pursued by those seeking healing, salvation or evidence to destroy Him. He suffered from all things that all humans must endure.

When we suffer we should suffer for the sake of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in us. We are tasked to carry on where Jesus left off. When we receive the Eucharist we are receiving the body and blood of Jesus into our own being. There is an old saying that you are what you eat. That holds especially true every time we receive the Eucharist. That Eucharist is absorbed by our body and becomes a permanent part of our physical and spiritual being. In a sense, the Eucharist provides both physical and spiritual nourishment for us.

So, how do we become more Christ like so that Christ is manifested in us. We must accept what is placed in front of us. We really don't need to go out and look for things. God somehow always places our tasks right in our lap. Sometimes theses tasks are easy and other times seem difficult and may even seem impossible. However all things are possible through God. We need to ask His help frequently. He wants to help us but we have to ask. Except for one instance, all the healings Christ performed were to people who came to Him. The exception was the raising a man from the dead. The man was the only son of a widow. The description in the bible says that the widow now had no one to care for her and Jesus was moved with great compassion. I believe that He may have been thinking of His own mother.

We should always remember that Jesus is manifested within our being and that, as such, we hold the light of the world. We must never hide that light under a bushel basket. It is so true that we hold a treasure not made of gold within our simple earthen vessels.

If I had to pick a closing song it would be "We Are The Light Of The World". The refrain says, "We are the light of the world. May our light shine before all so that they may see the good that we do and give glory to God".