23 February 2025 #objectivesandinitiatives
It’s long been my habit when asked what Catholicism - or Christianity in general - is all about, to reply, “Read John 6 and Luke 6. It’s all you really need to know.” John 6 is all over the real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and Luke 6? Well, that’s where we’re currently dwelling in the Gospel readings this month, some extraordinary words in the most ordinary of days. It tells us how to act as a follower of Jesus, how to be a disciple, and what sets Christianity apart. It has me pondering a lot of things and looking long and hard in the mirror.
Since the readings start with soon-to-be King David, maybe we should too. David is complicated - his actions don’t always reflect his love of God. In other words, he’s one of us. Anointed as a child, he took a rock to a swordfight, slew the savage Goliath, and sent the Philistines running. He then entered King Saul’s court as a harpist to win over that savage beast too. He married Saul’s second-born daughter Michal and developed a deep friendship with Saul’s would-be-king son Jonathan, which definitely does not endear David to Saul. At this point in time in the readings, Michal has helped David escape the palace by providing him a solid alibi. Jonathon has agreed to be the “inside man” so David knows where Saul is at all times. The peasants are rooting for David too. Poor King Saul has been betrayed not only by his own people but by those he loved the most. I don’t know about you, but I see a little bit of my own family life hidden away in that made-for-television, you can’t-make-this-stuff-up melodrama.
David has the ability, the motive, the skill, and the opportunity to rid himself of his mortal enemy. But does not. He says to his right-hand-man, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?” It’s the precursor to Jesus saying to his right-hand-followers (aka, you and me), love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” because they are God’s anointed too. Sigh.
This following-Jesus gig is much harder than it seems. We tend to ignore the fine print of the discipleship covenant. We love the whole Jesus-is-present-in the-Eucharist, adhere to the Ten Commandments, admire the Good Samaritan, accept the corporeal and spiritual works of mercy, because those are fairly easy and the box can be checked without much interruption of the heart. We can “do” everything correctly without it affecting the interior movements of the soul. It’s the cultural Christian’s way. Double sigh.
Jesus gets to the heart and soul of the matter in Luke 6. He’s asking us to stop with rote action, quit doing the things we’ve always done, and live lives of missionary discipleship. That’s interesting, because…. so are we. #ObjectivesandInitiatives