We hear Joshua’s response to this invitation which he extends on behalf of Yahweh, the LORD: “As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” What that meant for Joshua, we can scarcely know from the sources, and it is not especially relevant for our lives. But what does it mean for you to say, “I will serve the LORD?” The words are often said, or implied; and words such as these can roll off our tongues with little thought: “Oh, sure, I serve God.” Well, do you serve the Lord? Do I? What does it mean to you to serve God?
God in himself, for himself, does not need to be served, worshipped, praised, loved. Our good deeds do not benefit God himself. He gains nothing by our words, actions, love. That is part of our classical Catholic teaching. Human beings gain by our serving God, by loving God, by doing God’s will; and of course the one who truly loves and does good benefits by his or her own actions. One could then argue—and some have—that all talk about “serving God” is irrelevant; that what should be taught is, “Serve your fellow human beings.” Well, the logic may seem sound, the argument appealing, but it is flawed and even dangerous. Truly to serve your fellow human beings, you need to love truth, goodness, beauty, and to act with justice and self-control. Because of our flaws and lack of virtues, human beings in themselves are often less than fully lovable. And yet one loves human beings because of dignity and potentials, which are not rooted in ourselves, but in God. There is no goodness that is not grounded on God; and no genuine love that is not ultimately God’s love flowing through a human being. The best way to serve one’s fellow human beings is to love truth and goodness—and ultimate truth, which we call God. To try to “serve one’s fellow human beings” without openness to divine goodness throws one back onto the resources of his own finite self. We see the results in public figures, such as media stars and politicians: they talk about “serving others,” but often much of self-service and self-exaltation shine through, rather than the beauty of God. To serve God: to seek God, to put His will into practice, to strive to act justly and as kindly as possible towards one’s fellow human beings, to help tend God’s creation with due respect for each creature. One can imagine the LORD’s voice speaking about every creature and the whole of creation: “Who honors you, honors Me.” |
During these weeks of mid-summer, we have been hearing at Mass the famous “Bread of Life” discourse from the 6th chapter of St. John’s Gospel. It is rather lengthy, at times repetitive, but also profound in its message. Christ presents himself to the Chosen People, and through the writing of the Gospel to all peoples, as “the Bread of Life” which has “come down from heaven.” The entire chapter is meant to elicit and strengthen faith in Jesus as the ultimate and truest revelation of the unseen God. We will develop this theme in the week-end homilies. And there is more.
Most of us are hearing Christ’s words as Catholics, some as Protestants. How we hear the words is strongly influenced by the faith tradition in which we were raised, and which formed our minds and receptivity. Catholics surely hear words about the Eucharist in this discourse, often even to the point of missing what underlies the gift of the Eucharist, namely, Christ himself. Protestants in general do not hear eucharistic teachings, but concentrate on the intimate relationship between Jesus and the hearer of the word, and on faith. Both themes are present in the “Bread of Life” discourse, and more.
We all interpret reality based on our experiences, beliefs, attitudes. It is ever good, however, to wonder if our “filters” are not screening out some essential parts of reality, and for us to seek to come into a more complete, truer understanding of reality and our place in it. I will attempt to elucidate this point in our homilies, and invite us to hear the word with a fresh openness. For I truly believe that there is more in Christ’s words than traditional Catholicism and Protestantism have appreciated. There is a fundamental teaching significant for Catholics and Protestants alike, but also for all human beings, regardless of their religious background or faith. Christ speaks to us as human beings, more than as members of religious bodies. There is a “deep-down freshness” in Christ’s words that require a calm listening with the heart to appreciate. As I hear his words, I think that Christ is seeking to draw each of us, and all of us, to live in a greater openness of heart and mind to living truth. If we are not being drawn out of our various positions and beliefs, out of our church pews, so to speak, and to “launch out into the deep,” we are probably not listening to Christ, but merely hearing again our own beliefs echoing in the all-too-closed chambers of our hearts. Christ does not seek to negate our religious beliefs, but to open us up to the ongoing gift of God. Are you receiving what Christ has to give?
Most of us are hearing Christ’s words as Catholics, some as Protestants. How we hear the words is strongly influenced by the faith tradition in which we were raised, and which formed our minds and receptivity. Catholics surely hear words about the Eucharist in this discourse, often even to the point of missing what underlies the gift of the Eucharist, namely, Christ himself. Protestants in general do not hear eucharistic teachings, but concentrate on the intimate relationship between Jesus and the hearer of the word, and on faith. Both themes are present in the “Bread of Life” discourse, and more.
We all interpret reality based on our experiences, beliefs, attitudes. It is ever good, however, to wonder if our “filters” are not screening out some essential parts of reality, and for us to seek to come into a more complete, truer understanding of reality and our place in it. I will attempt to elucidate this point in our homilies, and invite us to hear the word with a fresh openness. For I truly believe that there is more in Christ’s words than traditional Catholicism and Protestantism have appreciated. There is a fundamental teaching significant for Catholics and Protestants alike, but also for all human beings, regardless of their religious background or faith. Christ speaks to us as human beings, more than as members of religious bodies. There is a “deep-down freshness” in Christ’s words that require a calm listening with the heart to appreciate. As I hear his words, I think that Christ is seeking to draw each of us, and all of us, to live in a greater openness of heart and mind to living truth. If we are not being drawn out of our various positions and beliefs, out of our church pews, so to speak, and to “launch out into the deep,” we are probably not listening to Christ, but merely hearing again our own beliefs echoing in the all-too-closed chambers of our hearts. Christ does not seek to negate our religious beliefs, but to open us up to the ongoing gift of God. Are you receiving what Christ has to give?