10/15/15 Reflection - Ordinary Language
http://usccb.org/bible/readings/101515.cfm
Romans 3:21-30
Luke 11:47-54
This is, I believe, the first time our Scripture readings have confronted us with such complex material, texts better suited to the theologian than the layman. Righteousness, justice, justification, redemption, salvation --- these are the words that we hear in today's readings. All are important words in Christian theology and doctrine, but also equally important to those with faith in Jesus. The problem, of course, is that each of these words carries a very specific meaning for theologians; but the issues involved concern everyone. St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans delves into some difficult matters surrounding the question: How do I attain an eternity with God? Jesus, on the other hand, addresses a complimentary question: How do I avoid spending an eternity with God.
Let me reflect on these subjects by telling you what I believe.
Love is not contained; it overflows in all possible ways. We hear of love's abundance every day even as the news media seem to prefer stories of violence and depravity. Through gifts and sacrifice, through daily persistence and spontaneous expressions, in peaceful surroundings and life's sometimes living hell --- love pours forth. I would suppose that's because it all began with love.
A popular text from John's gospel tells us that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. . ." (John 3:16) The text presumes we know an even more fundamental truth: Even God could not contain God's love. Consequently, God's love overflowed. His love brought forth existence where nothing had previously been; it beget life where all had been still; it generated energy where all had inanimate. The entire universe --- what we know of and what we know nothing of, what can be sensed and what cannot be sensed, what we intently measure and what we cannot even know to measure --- all the universe came into being because divine love spilled forth to fill every void.
Among all the manifestations of God's creative love one was both spiritual and physical; and it had been given the power to choose. The creature was called man. But man's power to choose was not an open-ended proposition; neither were the consequences of his choice. Although all of material creation was ordered to God, only man could choose to love God. "I have set before you life and death . . . therefore choose life. . . ." Says the Lord in the book of Deuteronomy. (Deuteronomy 30:19) And how was that to be done? "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:5)
I am a creature born of love, intended to love, destined for love. God's love was the fountain from which my existence, my being flowed. But as Paul tells us: "I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." (Romans 7:19) Examining how I got in this position would be a digression from the focus here; so, suffice it to say that Paul speaks for us all. "I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." This is the baseline for today's reading from Romans.
From the dawn of man's first footprint upon the earth, a time which coincides with man's separation from God, Divine love has poured forth. It was first made known in promise --- the promise that the head of the serpent, the architect of evil, would be crushed by the heel of the woman. It was made known in the promise that all mankind would be blessed through the descendant of Abraham. God's love began to be actualized, both through the establishment of a covenant between God and the Hebrew people, and through God's gift of the Law. It was at the formal announcement of the Law that the Chosen People first heard the words: "See, I have set before you life and death . . . therefore choose life. . . ." It was in adherence to the Law that life could be found for the Law described the fruitful order of men's lives. But, while the Law could orient toward a productive order, it could not bring about the fullness of what God's immense love intended; for God's love required far more. It could not be restrained. It could not be contained. His love continued to flood creation, pressing it toward the singular end God desired. And, ". . . . when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, . . . so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)
His love was a deluge, sweeping all of creation toward the desired end. It was a love that demanded union between the created and the creator. It was a love that refused to accept the schism between created and creator. And now "He has made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth." (Ephesians 1:9-10)
This is what Paul wrote.
All that exists flows from the profusion, the extravagance of God's love.
It was a patient love that would seek first to prepare mankind.
It was an insistent love that desired the free gift of men's hearts, men's souls and men's might.
It was an extravagant love that would reserve nothing in order to fulfill love.
It was a love that gave totally of itself, even joining the created to unite all things in love by uniting all things in heaven and all things on earth in Christ.
Jesus message is complimentary, but shorter.
God loves you.
Your ancestors waffled in their acceptance of that love.
This time don't blow it.
How can we deny such love?