22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 28, 2022

What is true humility and why is it hard to attain?

Luke 14: 1, 7–14

On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.

“Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.

“Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Music Meditations

• The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor—John Michael Talbot
• Blest Are They—David Haas
• We Are the Light of the World—John Anthony Greif

Opening Prayer

From “Living Space” a service of the Irish Jesuits, 2022:

Lord, you invite us to your table and ask us to live the truth of who you are and who we are, for that is humility. We pray for hearts that serve without counting the cost or looking for rewards.

Companions for the Journey

Jesus seems out of character in the advice he gives today to his host, “one of the leading Pharisees.” Is he assuming the role of a social consultant, advising ambitious people how to get ahead while avoiding public embarrassment?

If you want a higher or more prominent place at an important function then choose the lower seat. Then your host will publicly usher you to a higher place at the table. You’ll look great and everyone will note your moment of glory! Who wouldn’t want such an esteemed place and the admiring and envious glances of peers? So, is Jesus suggesting a pretense of humility to get the first place at important gatherings? This doesn’t sound like the Jesus who had a bad reputation for eating with the disreputable. His table companions certainly wouldn’t have merited for Jesus a, “Here, come up higher,” from a leading Pharisee. He is not suggesting a feint in the direction of humility to earn public esteem. He is doing what he has consistently done, teaching his disciples to be truly humble, putting aside ambition for worldly honors.

Jesus isn’t suggesting we slack off at school; or work less diligently at our jobs; or not accept compliments for the good things we do. He wants us to use our talents as best we can since they are gifts from God and will not only benefit us, but can be used for the well-being of others. But Jesus is reminding us that, behind all our attempts to work hard and do good for others, we must reflect on our reasons for doing what we do. As Christians we try to share the gifts of life we have, not so that we stand out, but so that others can stand up with us, relish life and celebrate the God who has blessed us.

Even more than now, in the ancient Near East, meals were guided by strict rules: the guests were carefully chosen; the foods specially selected; the seating arrangements scrupulously determined. There may not have been place cards, but people had their assigned places nevertheless. Jesus may have been the one invited to dine by his host, but before the meal even started, Jesus became the host, as he suggested a change in the rigid seating arrangements and instructed people about the seats they had chosen. Remember that this is a Sabbath meal. The very people Jesus says we should invited to a “banquet” are those who would have been excluded from the Sabbath meal at this distinguished Pharisee’s home, and possibly from the synagogue itself, because their social or physical condition would have labeled them as sinners. But the Sabbath meal was to be a place that celebrated God’s choice of an enslaved people and God’s gift of liberation for them. When God found them, the Israelites were slaves. God reversed their condition and invited them to the table. The Sabbath meal not only celebrated God’s gracious actions on their behalf, but it also reminded them that they were to do for others what had been done for them: free the enslaved; welcome the stranger; care for the children and protect the widows.

I am sure Jesus doesn’t want us to stop having meals and sharing special occasions with those nearest and dearest to us. That’s not what he means when he turns to the Pharisee who is hosting him and tells him to invite those to lunch or dinner who can’t return the favor. If we make a point to invite the least, “the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind...,” then while at table with them, we might enter into new relationships. Not only would the poor be fed, but we would discover the Christ who identifies most closely with them.

Those neglected by our society not only need our material gifts, they also need the dignity that comes with being acknowledged; they need the gift of our friendship—and we need theirs as well. Together with them, we will experience the God Jesus has revealed to us, who loves us, not because we are distinguished or esteemed in our world, but because God has chosen to love us, rich and poor, haves and have-nots. The reality is that we seldom, if ever, go outside our social and familial circles. Sitting at table with one another will remind us of what God has done for us and who we all are, children of a loving and caring God, who has gifted each of us, whether we are hosting the meal or called in from the highways and byways of life to share in it.

No, Jesus hasn’t had a shift in character. He isn’t suggesting subtle ways to climb the social ladder so as to get places of esteem and influence. Rather, he wants those who have—to reach out to those who have not. And if we sit across the table from each other, who knows where our conversations will lead? Imagine the dinner scene: food and drink being passed and people who previously didn’t know one another, involved in animated conversation. What might we hear at the table as we get to know the guests we have invited? We might hear and come to understand their need for: food and shelter; protection for their rights; good and safe schools for their children; a voice to speak out on their behalf in the community; health care and medicine for their families; help to process legal documents; employment, etc. We rarely get to know those whose lives are at the other end of the spectrum from us. But if we did, by having a dinner together, or initiating a conversation with them, we might come to recognize the others as unique persons and we might come to know their needs as well. Then, first hand, we will know what we must do to be Jesus’ faithful disciples.

Of course, it wouldn’t all be sad talk, would it? At table, we would share stories of our family origins, our children’s antics, recipes and traditions. At table we would discover how much we have in common as human beings, we would see less of what separates us and more of what unites us. Are we being too idealistic? Are we describing a purely imaginative scene that has no parallels in the “real world?” Maybe. But here at Eucharist we are gathered around a shared meal. The kind Jesus has described. He has invited us and we have accepted the invitation. Granted, our parish communities can be pretty homogenous. But if we look a little more closely, we will notice more than enough diversity, especially these days in our very mobile world and with the arrival of so many immigrants.

There are many differences that would keep us separate. Nevertheless, here we are, together at the same table. We will listen to our common family story. It goes all the way back to Abraham and Sarah and to such sages as Sirach, in our first reading. In our worship our story focuses on Jesus and his Spirit makes his words relevant to our day. We may be very different in the world, but here at Eucharist we are family. What have we learned about one another at this table? When we leave this worship space, what can we do for others, those whom Jesus would have us love the way he loves them?

Suggested reading:

• Nouwen, Henri J.M., The Selfless Way of Christ: Downward Mobility and the Spiritual Life
• O’Connor, Flannery, “Revelation” from Collected Works

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to pay you

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

• What in this gospel sounds very noble and right, but is ignored as not practical by most of us?
  Henri Nouwen says that the way to follow Jesus is through “downward mobility”. What does that mean, in real-life terms?
  Is it attainable?
• What forms of self-indulgence do I engage in, because “I am worth it”?
  Who might suffer or be neglected in the process?
• What about our culture encourages us to put ourselves in the forefront of discussions or events?
  What elements of our everyday existence (such as social media) encourage self-promotion?
• What value do we place on celebrity?
  What value do we place on insignificance?
  What value do we place on popularity?
  What value do we place on ordinariness?
  What value do we place on success?
  What value do we place on obscurity?
  What value do we place on money ?
  What value do we place on service?
• What individuals do I think it is important to cultivate, and why?
  What, in others, am I impressed by?
• To whom do I give either time or money without expecting a payoff? (whom do I invite to the banquet?)
• How do I rank myself in relation to others?
• Have I ever felt overlooked or not especially welcome at a gathering of friends or family?
  How did I feel?
  How did I react?
• Who, in our society, are constantly sent to the wrong end of the table?
  Who, in our society, are not invited to the table at all?
• Have I ever been “surprised” by my special welcome at an event or at someone’s home?
  How did it feel?
  To whom can I extend a special welcome as an “honored guest”, metaphorically speaking?
• Why is it important to welcome the poor and marginalized to our tables, and not just donate money to good causes?
• What is humility?
  What is false humility?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

We are each special and unique. But sometimes we need to be more special or more unique than everybody around us. We sometimes need to have the “honored place” at the table of life, and unconsciously expect others to agree. There are subtle tools we employ to get others’ attention, to arouse other’s envy, to stand out from the crowd—self-promotion, complaining about how unappreciated we are, humble bragging, and fame-by-association, to name a few… So we need to look to Jesus as our model; his actions and words were focused on the Kingdom, not on himself. What of my actions/words put the poor, the marginalized or those otherwise unnoticed in the spotlight? What of my actions/words point to me? What lies have I told myself about how under-valued I am compared to others? Have I ever stopped to consider those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder who work so hard for so little? Do I publicly engage in a type of false humility, which might encourage others to tell me I am selling myself short, and expect others to let me know again and again how valued I am? Do I feel the need to demonstrate how close to God I am or how important I am to other important people? What steps can I take to fix at least one of these behaviors?

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Consideration:

Adapted from “Sacred Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits:

How difficult it is to practice the art of humility! How difficult it is not to take the best seat, grab the best bargain, and be the first in line for the concert I must see! Jesus asks us to think of others, to be more award of others’ needs, step back a bit and allow others to be center stage for a change. At the end of each day I take some time this week to look back and examine the subtle or not-so-subtle ways I stepped in front of others to gain attention, praise or some advantage. In my heart, I look at those I might have overlooked in my need to be noticed and instead, I put myself in their shoes. And finally, I consider those times when I was irritated, disappointed or angry because I was not noticed enough, was not praised enough. I ask Jesus to help me with my humility issues.

A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:

“When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to pay you.” We all know that we may not each take this injunction literally. We also know that it is hard to be generous in the face of hostility or lack of appreciation for our generosity. But rather than dismiss the idea out of hand, try to think of some way that you can help the poor, the lame and the blind reach the table of plenty. In addition, there must be someone in your life that you can help in some way, either monetarily or with your time, who cannot, or will not, return the favor. Do it anyway. And, let go of the resentment at doing so.

A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship

Try to pray the following Litany of Humility every day this week:

“Litany of Humility”

Author: Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, O Jesus. That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

Poetic Reflection:

This poem captures the sense of true humility, which starts with honesty before God, and a plea for God’s help:

IV

How calmly I balance here,

On the verge of loving you
again, in ways
I have forgotten.

You love out of your surplus;
I cannot accept out of my need.
How clever this pride
that dresses as humility
that makes of weakness
an excuse for mediocrity.

I am a weak man, Lord—
wrapped simply but completely
in my refusal to try.

Depart from me.
How can you bear my company
and even wish to cleanse me?
I remember you would have washed
Peter's feet, his hands, cleaned
away the remnants of his life.
Yet there was no room in his smallness
for your greatness.

Lord,
if you should but take this withered hand
of mine, and straighten it in love
then suddenly my square world
would go round, my eyes take on a new source
of light, then suddenly,
I might know the urge to fly

—From “War Poems; Eight days in Retreat”, from Psalms of the Still Country, by Ed Ingebretsen, S.J.

Closing Prayer

From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus. That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 21, 2022

What is “the Kingdom” and what does it take to get a place in the choir?

Luke 13:22–30

He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.

Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”

He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.

After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’

And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’

Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where [you] are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’

And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.

And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.

For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Music Meditations

• The Summons—Robert Kolchis
• A Place in the Choir—Celtic Thunder
• You Are Mine—Walkers to Heaven

Opening Prayer

Lord, I ask for inner freedom and the humility to understand that what counts is not my past successes or failures, not what religious groups I belong to. Help me to see that my destiny depends on the outcome of my encounter with you. Jesus, where, exactly, do I encounter, you? [pause to reflect on your answer]. Help me to know you, my Lord, and to understand what “knowing you” really entails.

Companions for the Journey

From “First Impressions 2022”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province:

I wonder if the person who asked Jesus, “Lord will only a few people be saved?” was asking out of curiosity, or because he or she was feeling cozy and part of the “in crowd.” Did this person feel safe and secure thinking that what Jesus was saying about being rejected at the end time could not possibly apply to him, or her? Was the “someone” who asked the question one of those traveling with Jesus towards Jerusalem? Did the questioner think that membership in Jesus’ band automatically brought dividends with no further self-investment; just being with the Teacher would be enough?

The opening of today’s gospel narrative should cause us in the pews and at the altar to squirm. Are we just going along with the group, we who are members of the community and lead respectable lives? We follow the rules and fulfill our obligations. Is that enough? Maybe for us and those who admire us – but not for Jesus. Instead of playing the numbers game, answering the question about how many are to be saved, Jesus deflects the questioner’s inquiry. Forget about how many will be on the final guest list for the banquet, look instead to your own quality of discipleship. Jesus says we are to “strive” to enter through the narrow gate. From the Greek for “strive,” (“Agonizesthe”) we get our word “agony.” This gives us a sense of what effort will be involved to get through that gate. The word could be applied to a strenuous athletic effort, the energy, pain and dedication athletes put into competition like the Olympics. Years of herculean efforts have brought them to the games, it has been a “narrow gate” indeed for them. Jesus calls his disciples to such efforts on behalf of the reign of God. He knows the goal is worth the effort.

If we are not careful, this passage can be a trap for us listeners. In calling us to “strive,” to work hard to enter “the narrow gate,” to be “strong enough,” the impression we might get is that if we put enough effort into it, we can enter the reign of God. All it requires is a lot of sweat, dedication and perseverance. But remember that grace lies beneath the surface of the biblical stories. Entrance through the narrow gate begins with an invitation from God. Having heard and accepted the invitation, we are in the realm of God’s grace, the constant source, energy and inspiration for our “striving.”

Today’s Isaiah and gospel readings show how inclusive is God’s saving outreach. We may have our notions of who is “in” and who is “out”; who is worthy and who is not – but the gospel cautions us not to jump to conclusions and not to be smug. What kind of logic and world are we being invited into when the first are last and the last first? That’s certainly not the world to which we are accustomed. Of course not, it is an entirely new world – a new way of reasoning, judging, rewarding and giving entrance. In fact, the gospel suggests we put our math and standards in storage and let God be God when it comes to who comes through the admissions gate. We should tend, Jesus reminds us, to our own concern. We have heard the gospel, accepted Jesus’ promises, known the difference grace can make in our lives – and now we can strive to reach the finish line – thanks to God!

To help make the point that we do not earn entrance to the reign of God on our own, today’s account begins with a reminder of place. Remember Jesus is on the road, making his way to Jerusalem. A major section of Luke’s gospel (9:51-18:14) takes place on the road to the holy city. So, the reading begins with a reminder that the “striving,” the difficult task and struggle needed to accomplish our salvation, will be first achieved through Jesus’ dying and rising in Jerusalem. Jesus will faithfully fulfill his mission to preach and practice the good news, even though it will mean his death. In today’s passage, as Jesus makes his way to Jerusalem, Luke would not have us forget that the source of our new lives is Jesus; through him we are given the desire and commitment to “strive” to get through the narrow gate.

In Jesus’s society, when people ate together they became part of the inner circle, they were like family members. Those who are locked out of the house, in his brief parable, are claiming prerogatives from Jesus because, they say, they belong to his “company,” they ate and drank with him and his disciples. Based on their standards of acceptance, they are right, they belong with Jesus. But Jesus says more is required of those who sit at table with him. For those of us with him at this Eucharistic table, more is required than membership in our church, parish and community. Salvation is not guaranteed to a privileged group who claim rights based on membership. Those requesting admission at the door proffer still more credentials to get in. They claim Jesus taught in their streets and sat among them in their synagogues. Jesus’ response is abrupt. More than hearing him is necessary; more than being able to recite correct doctrine is needed to make us people who bear his name – Christian. We have to put his words into practice. But how inclusive should that practice be? As wide as the world in which we live. We must be open to all, “from the east and the west, and from the north and the south,” for those who are good, no matter what their background, will be invited to dine with Jesus and the great ancestors of faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Such a vision must have startled Jesus’ hearers who thought they would be among the privileged because they could claim Jesus as “one of ours.”

Why is this gate “narrow?” Gustavo Gutierrez, OP, puts it this way:

The narrow door is clearly restrictive not in reference to people but in terms of the “right” to be saved. Salvation does not come from a mere physical closeness to Jesus (vv. 26-27). It is not enough to have eaten and to have drunk with him or to have listened to him in the public squares. It is not the consequence of belonging to a specific people either, in this case the Jewish people (v. 28). The text does not say it, but in fidelity to the spirit of Jesus’ answer we could add that salvation is not limited to one race or one culture. Salvation comes when we accept Jesus and start to follow him. This is the narrow door, the only door to life and it is a demanding entrance.

We may be too restrictive in our estimation of where God is present and acting. We tend to look only within our church walls to see God’s special ones; we tend to rank one denomination over another as “truer” than others; we tend to make too sharply-defined distinctions between the useful and useless; we tend to jump to conclusions about people’s worth from how they look and speak, the jobs they have or don’t have, the income they make, their place of origin. Well, the last shall be first and the first last and “they” will come from all the points of the compass to sit at the table. So, we had better put on our biblical lens, look again and, if we have not already done so, start “striving” to live as people with another vision of reality.

When we enter the final and everlasting banquet, Jesus tells us, we will be surprised at those enjoying the feast. God has a pretty broad vision and we will be surprised at those who “made it” through the narrow gate. If we accept this vision of the end time then we should start preparing or it now. We need a change of glasses; we need to look at our world through the biblical lens and act accordingly.

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

Strive to enter through the narrow gate.

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

How do you feel about this gospel? The Kingdom of Heaven is not necessarily just the afterlife; if can also be here on earth where Jesus’ dream of a world in which people love one another, do not judge one another, are slow to anger and quick in kindness. Which do I focus on? What does Jesus seem to be saying about the importance of belonging to a certain religion? Much energy is lost arguing about irrelevant and marginal questions, when we neglect what is central and important. What, to me, is central and important about salvation? The invitation to “strive” suggests the need for focus and attention Do I focus on what I am forbidden to do, or on what I am called to do? Where do the choices I make on a daily basis come in? What qualities do I need to develop in my own life? Why does Jesus call the entrance to the Kingdom “narrow”? Who do I think is acceptable to God? How wide is God’s love, compared to the “narrow” gate? Would it include the Prodigal son? The elder brother? Me? Do I believe that Jesus’ efforts on my behalf are even greater than my own efforts? According to the Gospel of John. Jesus is the door. In what ways do I see Jesus as the door to my salvation? Is Jesus encouraging me to walk toward that door, and through it, cheering me on my journey? Is my journey through that door the same as everybody else’s journey? If not, how is it different? It would appear from this gospel that Jesus is warning us about the dangers of smugness, the dangers of judging others. What are my greatest temptations in this area? What are some ways to avoid these dangers? What are some ways we “know” people? (acquaintances, best friends, name-dropping opportunities, soulmates, family, etc.) Simply claiming to know Jesus, is not enough; In what way do I need to “know” Jesus Where do I “see” Jesus in my everyday life, and how do I respond to Him? In what way to I think Jesus ‘knows’ me?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations* will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Why is it not enough to “eat and drink in Jesus’ company”? Ronald Rolheiser, quoting pastor James Forbes, said: ”nobody gets into heaven without a letter of reference from the poor”. What does my resume look like in reference to my attention to or the help I have rendered to the poor, the sick, to migrants, to those suffering from the effects of war and famine? Father George Bobowski prints the following lines on the envelopes that he distributes for fundraising for education of seminarians in Russia: “You cannot buy Heaven with what you have. You can buy Heaven with what you give”.  What do I give, and to whom?

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

The way to eternal happiness, the way to Kingdom Jesus has envisioned, is through a narrow gate. It is not an impossibly small entry, but it is difficult. If you have ever loaded yourself up with as much carry-on luggage as they will let you take on the plane, and then tried to squeeze yourself, your pillow, blanket, rolling bag and a huge carry-on down the narrow aisle, bumping elbows and murmuring “sorry” then finding out the overhead by your seat is full, you know what impedes our entrance through a narrow gate. It is the baggage we carry. That baggage could be money, position, complacency, success, power, comfort, etc. What am I carrying that makes me too wide to fit through that narrow door? Going through that narrow door seems to require both commitment and discipline, not just showing up and demanding to be let in. What must I commit to in order to enter the kingdom, and what discipline do I need to impose on my own behavior? What, as the rich young man asked Jesus, must I do to earn eternal life?

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

The Irish Jesuits, in Sacred Space, have a lovely meditation for this gospel passage:

I spend some time imagining the scene, with myself as the one who asks the question of Jesus. What is Jesus like as he speaks the reply to me? How do his words sound to me? Surprising? Threatening? Liberating? Jesus does not give a direct answer to the question: Will only a few be saved? St Paul insisted: God wants all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. But there is a challenging image here: a narrow door, like a turnstile in a stadium. We cannot take salvation for granted. I need to keep my eye on that turnstile, keep pushing towards it. Salvation is a gift from God and not the right of any particular group. The door may be narrow but the crowd in God’s kingdom will be great. The entrance-key to God’s space and kingdom is to live in the spirit of the gospel and in the forgiveness of God for ways in which we have not lived in his way. In prayer we can offer ourselves to God, and to give to him the best desires and deeds of our lives, leaving judgement to him.

Literary Reflection:

Mary Oliver looks at living in the Kingdom as bringing awareness and gratitude to her everyday life, not by being famous or wealthy, or even overly pious:

“Messenger”

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird—
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.

Closing Prayer

Lord, you are not saying that many will be lost in the end. But you are warning us to deepen our relationship with you and to accept others. Let me play my small but essential part to ensure that all of us may be gathered safely into your kingdom.

“How Much Is Enough?”—Attention

Selfie: what the excessive need for attention does to ourselves and others

Matthew 6: 1‒7, 16‒18

“[But] take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.

When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Luke 18: 10‒14

“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.

The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’

But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’

I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 4: 9‒11

Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

Luke 15: 25‒29

“Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.

He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.

The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.

He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.’”

Luke 10: 38‒42

As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.

She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.

Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.”

Mark 10: 35‒38, 41

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

He replied, “What do you wish [me] to do for you?”

They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.

Music Meditations

• You Are Mine—Walkers to Heaven
• Only in God—John Michael Talbot
• All That I Am—Sebastian Temple

Opening Prayer

Dear Lord, it may take an eternity for me to unpack the fact that I am your beloved. You see me. You love me. You accept me. Help me to take this belief into my interactions with others so that I am not constantly seeking praise, attention and validation and from others around me, wearing them out with my needs. At the same time, Lord, help me to be attentive to those who never ask, but could use a little attention from me—a little affirmation, a little love. Help me to be generous and less self-involved.

Companions for the Journey

Looking for “Like”s in All the Wrong Places

No one wants to be ignored. If you have ever had a childhood experience of being overlooked, not noticed, not picked for the soccer team, you know what that feels like. We all want to feel that we are enough, just as we are, but sometimes we fear that’s not true. So we sometimes try to prove to ourselves that our lives matter, that we matter, that others care about us just for who we are. All of us have moments of insecurity, and need reassurance.

The world we live in can make us feel overlooked, or worse, a failure, an indistinct face in a sea of nobodies.

Some of this insecurity has its root in two cultural movements in recent history, the Self-esteem “project” and social media.

In the early 1980’s the individualism train left the station and created a preoccupation with one’s own self-esteem, doubling down on the fabulous power of ME. The era of self-esteem—learning to value one’s own self , and raising the “unique” child has led us to expect others in the universe to recognize our wonderfulness and feed our egos, so that no one ever fails; loses, or has a moment of self-doubt. Everyone is a star. Unfortunately, this has created, for a lot of people, a crisis of self-esteem: they know they occasionally have made mistakes, have failed, have not been appreciated fully by others, or might be in a job that is, in their eyes, not helping them live up to their potential.

To add to that, the ubiquity of social media has created a parallel universe where people are famous for being famous. Every thought and movement has to be broadcast to the wider universe because what we have to say and do is so very meaningful that others need to know. Why talk on the phone to one person to share a success when you can reach thousands by publishing it on the internet? Our lives are not exactly an open book, however. We carefully curate our lives and experiences, presenting a perfect or almost-perfect face to the world at large, perhaps hoping that the perfection we present to the world can hide the fact that we feel inadequate. People take to the internet to ask questions of the world at large, to connect with others in a very efficient way, but also to brag (Humble bragging counts as bragging, folks), to complain, maybe to fix from the outside what is wounded or even broken on the inside. This combination of preoccupation with our own special-ness and the omnipresence of social media to broadcast same can lead to insecurity, loneliness, or jealousy, for starters. The result is a need for attention to validate our feelings, prop up our egos, and make us feel like we matter. We often appear from the outside as confident, well-adjusted, competent, but have an underlying fear that we are not good enough, not special enough, to pass muster in this world. Most of us are insecure about something. This is such a common experience that we find it all over the gospels.

One even wonders if Jesus, out there in the desert all alone, listening to the emptiness, pierced only by the cries of an animal in distress, had any doubts about his mission. If he were at the stage in his spiritual journey where and trying to figure out what, exactly, his father wanted him to do, he might be subject to a certain type of temptation. This is the temptation to make his Father notice him, prove how important Jesus was to Him, to make his Father prove how much He loved him. Jesus was strong enough in himself to ward off such a temptation, but most of us can easily fall prey to your own self-doubt and look around for external reassurance that we are doing the right thing. Sometimes we need this reassurance over and over again, with new and different people.

Some people need a constant confirmation of their worth, so they spend time reminding others of it, hoping the admiration or envy will serve as validation of what they want to believe about themselves.

The Pharisee went straight to the source. As if God did not already know, this man stood in the temple loudly proclaiming in prayer how many good things he did, and how spiritually wonderful he was, especially compared to the poor wretch of a tax collector. If we think about it, this man was also seeking to point out, to the very tax collector he was comparing himself to, how superior he was morally. What was his intention in speaking so loudly, do you think? Could it be to get the man’s attention, arouse envy and show the other how superior he was? Jesus warns of this when he tell us that we are not to be ostentatious in our prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We need to be careful that our outward piety is not a subtle way of showing others how good we are, how holy we are, how close to God we are.

Another attention-getting tactic is to complain about how underappreciated they are. This is, by far, the most common and effective method we employ to get others to pay attention to us. Look at the elder son in the parable we know so well: he really believed that the way to his father’s love and attention was through doing his father’s bidding on the family farm, forgoing any adventures of his own. But when he felt ignored or taken for granted, he became increasing resentful. Or as Henri Nouwen puts it in The Return of the Prodigal Son:

Obedience and duty have become a burden and service has become slavery. Exteriorly, he does all the things a good son is supposed to do, but interiorly, he has wandered away from his father. He has done his duty, has worked hard every day, and has fulfilled all his obligations but has become increasing unhappy and unfree. [And] when confronted with his father’s joy at the return of his younger brother, a dark power erupts in him and boils to the surface. Suddenly, there becomes glaringly visible a resentful, proud, unkind, selfish person, one that had remained deeply hidden.

To feel good about himself and his life, he needed gratitude and validation from his father, and did not get it until it was maybe too late. What a sad, sad family dynamic. Nouwen goes on:

when I listen carefully to the words with which the elder son attacks his father—self-righteous, self-pitying, jealous words—I hear a deeper complaint. It is the complaint that comes from a heart that feels that is never received what it was due. It is the complaint expressed in countless subtle and not-so-subtle ways, forming a bedrock of human resentment, It is the complaint that cries out: “I tried so hard, worked so long, did so much, and still I have not received what others get easily. Why do people not thank me, not invite me, not play with me, not honor me, while they pay so much attention to those who take life so easily and casually?”

Then there was Martha. Mary and Martha were hosts to Jesus at their home. But it would seem that once Jesus arrived, Mary dropped out of the meal preparation and serving in order to listen to Jesus. Now this really bothered Mary. Here she, was, schlepping food to the table, serving her guest, and it would seem, all invisibly. She was totally ignored. She did not particularly want her sister’s attention; perhaps she did not even want her sister’s help—it would have spoiled the narrative. In fact, she was perfectly capable of telling Mary to help her or asking her to do so. Instead, by telling Jesus to make Mary help her, Martha revealed that what she wanted was attention from Jesus for being such a good host; what she wanted praise and validation from him for how hard she was working.

Henri Nouwen said, however,

whenever I resort to complaints in the hope of evoking pity and receiving the satisfaction I so much desire, the result is always the opposite of what I tried to get. A complainer is hard to live with, and very few people know how to respond to complaints made by a self-rejecting person. The tragedy is that, the complaint, once expressed, leads to that which is most feared: further rejection.

Another method of feeling special and reaping the attention that one deserves, is to claim that we have a unique relationship with someone who matters, that we are very important to him or her. In the gospel of Mark, James and John want to be publicly acknowledged as being “favorites” of Jesus, who will sit at his right and left in the “kingdom” to come. (In Matthew’s gospel, it was their ambitious mother who advocated on their behalf.) Of course, they were only looking at the popularity and admiration such placement would bring, not the bad times the often accompany such notoriety. We too, sometimes look for “fame-by-association” of one type or another, bragging about our children’s accomplishments, claiming closeness with a famous professor, or asserting that some famous person grew up in our town. This kind of self-aggrandizement is very common in an era when glamour and fame are an end in themselves.

We hate this in ourselves, but how do we fix it? Getting off the attention bandwagon is not fast, not easy. Human insecurity militates against it. Our culture militates against it. Social Media militates against it. But to be healthier and happier, emotionally and spiritually, we need to make a start. First would be honesty. We need to ask ourselves why we seek attention. We need to look at the subtle manipulations that we employ to get that attention. The answer is different, and valid, for everyone. Sometimes it helps to remind ourselves that outward attention/validation just leaves us craving more attention, because we have not internalized it. No one from the outside can fix what is broken on the inside. Most importantly, we are advised to limit our social media time, AND our gossip time. Cross off any sites, or limit conversations with people that tend to make you feel worse about yourself or angry. Search for sites that empower, inspire, and nurture. Seek out friends who do the same. The reasons are obvious. In the spiritual dimension, it would be helpful to look a little critically at the culture we operate in and how different it is from Jesus’ vision of the kingdom. Keep Jesus’ actions and words as a lodestar to guide your word and actions. It would be spiritually healthy to reflect on the truth of God’s forever present and enduring love. (For inspiration, read some of the scripture selections listed below.) Spend some time each day, preferably at the end of the day, reflecting on God’s action in your life in big and miniscule ways. Think of it as God’s reminder that you are loved and lovable, just as you are. As an extension of that love, try to become aware of someone in your social circle who is not feeling particularly good about himself or herself right now, or who has suffered rejection from a parent, spouse or child. Reach out and listen. Don’t tell them they are wrong, and why. Listen. Then hug.

And finally, let yourself understand that ebb and flow is ok; we can begin again and again. I can tell myself: “I am not looking for perfect, just a slightly healthier way of feeing about myself. This this is my journey, my task, but I am not in it alone. God is walking with me, all the way.”

Further scripture selections:

• Psalm 139: 1-18
• Psalm 103
• Psalm 108
• Psalm 136
• Isaiah 43: 1-7
• Luke 1: 46-55 (Magnificat)
• Romans 8: 31-39

Further reading:

• Selfie: How We Became so Self-Obsessed and What it is Doing to Us
• The Self-Esteem Trap: Raising confident and Compassionate Kids in an Age of Self Importance

Weekly Memorization

Taken from Matthew 6: 1‒7, 16‒18…

And your Father, who sees what is hidden, will repay you

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

• How much do I need the attention of another?
  Do I take to social media to get it?
• Have I ever run across anyone who was very ostentatious in her religious practices or parading his moral code?
• What is the balance between parading my goodness and trying to be an example to others?
  Do I do any kind of “virtue-signaling” (the foods I eat, the car I drive, how often I go to Mass, how much I give to the poor)?
• Have I ever done something good for someone else and not told anyone about it?
• Have I ever engaged in “humble bragging” (I do so very little for those in need—I do manage to work at a homeless shelter once a week, but that is a small sacrifice when I have been so blessed…sigh…)
• Have I ever tried to elicit denials from people when I rather ostentatiously downplay a good deed I have done?
  What is the payoff?
• Am I religious because I want to be well-thought of?
• Do I have a “secret room” where I am with God?
• Have I ever been tempted to ask someone for a favor, but put my request in the context of that person proving how much I matter to them?
• Have I ever said (even if only in my heart): “If you had been there for me, I would not have felt so sad”?
• Have I ever felt that my contributions to my family or to my workplace have been overlooked while another’s have grabbed all the attention?
  How did I react?
• Do I still resent it when someone grabs the spotlight or when a person is lavishly praised for even showing up at all, when others have been working hard for the good of the group, but not noticed?
• Did any childhood experience of being overlooked (a disabled sibling, a distracted or too-busy parent, not being picked for a sports team or to star in a play, not being invited to the “cool” parties) make me a little needy?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

We have all been the elder brother at some time in our lives. We have all been Martha. For some reason (for example, our childhood experiences or an emotional makeup that is anxious and negative), our insecurity comes from basing our self-image on achievement or on our performance. This, of course, leads inevitably to overstretching our resources so that we are often resentful, tired or frazzled. The result is not pretty. We often resort to criticizing another for taking advantage of us; we throw a tantrum. We make ourselves and those around us pay for our excessive need to be noticed and appreciated. We constantly demand an audience to affirm how wonderful we are, how important we are, how downright special we are. All this is exacerbated by a culture that tells everyone that they are unique and the world owes them gratitude for being who they are. Unfortunately, it exhausts those around us, and makes them, if anything, less sympathetic to our “plight”. I wonder how God feels about our constant kvetching: “Lord, I try and try, an no one notices how hard it is”. I wonder if we wear God out with our neediness. As a seminary professor once put it, sometimes it is not our bad deeds, but our good works that get between us and God. So I need to ask myself: Have I ever been the older brother in any of my relationships? Have I, like Martha, had the need to remind someone whose attention I want that I am working so much harder to do what she wants than others around me are? Do I criticize others in a subtle attempt to make myself look better? Do I exhibit false modesty so that others an contradict me and tell me how wonderful I am? Do I assume God is keeping a list of my accomplishments and my self-sacrifices and loves me more for them? Do I need God to love me more than God loves others? What would help me develop a healthier attitude about attention-seeking?

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

Looking for “likes” in all the wrong places. Read the story again of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Then put it into modern times, using social media instead of a public prayer in the temple. Imagine that you are reading the posting of the Pharisee on Facebook. What is his profile picture like? Has it been airbrushed so that he appears young and fit? Then go to his message and pictures: there he is, having his picture taken with the Pope. Another picture of him with his family in their rented Tuscan villa, still another with the cover of his latest book pictured. The message goes on to say how blessed his life has been, with a very subtle reference to his success, his importance to the Church, his lovely children, his gorgeous wife, etc.. This is followed by gushing comments from his Facebook admirers telling him how envious they are, or how hard he has worked to get where he is. Do you feel happy and empowered reading his message? Do you feel you will never measure up? What role does social media play in your tendency to compare yourself to others? How do you deal with this discouragement? Are you secretly a little glad when the Pharisee receives some kind of setback? So what do you put on your Facebook post? Do your posts lie about your accomplishments? Do you curate your content so that it only contains events you want to brag about? Do you stop following people whose messages are deliberately crafted to get others to envy them? Do you seek out those who have something to say that is inspirational or uplifting? Do you stay connected to those whose posts seem very real, and who admit that they are struggling with an issue? Restrict the need to keep in touch with anyone you have ever met and may never see again, especially if it increases your dissatisfaction with yourself or your life. Try not to let social media become a source of discouragement, anxiety, or envy; if that is all it does for you, QUIT.

Do you stop and realize that God might not be reading your Facebook post or the Pharisee’s? Talk to Jesus about how very troubled or sad you are in a culture of constant self-promotion, and pray for gratitude and acceptance. Spend a few minutes and the end of each day reviewing some events of the day which made you happy. Thank God honestly for the gifts you have been given—the gift of life, for starters.

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

Read the story again of Mary and Martha. Then put it into modern times, using social media instead of a dinner with Jesus as the audience. I imagine that I am Martha. Why do I feel the need to tell Jesus how good a person I am? How important is his approval or admiration to me? Will I report on Facebook or another site that I have hosted the famous Jesus at y house? What need for attention prompts me to find several ways to trumpet my value in the world? What other forms of social media do I get involved in on a more-or-less regular basis? Why do I feel competitive with others (Mary, for example) and try to show them up? Why do I have a need to prove to others that I am better or more wonderful than I have been given credit for? Am I making up for previous slights and oversights which made me feel invisible, or neglected? What about the world I live in which sort of compels me to play the game of self-promotion? Do I ever feel a little embarrassed by what I have posted? Have I ever criticized another publicly as a way to self-aggrandize? Why am I writing a message to Jesus on my Facebook page when he already knows what I have done (good and bad), and who I am as a person? I speak to Jesus about this need I have for attention, to feel important, to matter to others. I pray for the compassion to think of others and how they might feel about my bragging posts. I pray for the generosity of spirit to build up others so that they do not feel competitive with me, knowing we are all loved by God. And finally I pray in thanksgiving for the love and understanding I know God is extending to me each day of my life.

Literary Reflection:

Thomas Merton captures the vanity of singing so that someone notices the song. If the song is praise to God, then no one need hear it but God himself…

A yellow flower (Light and spirit) Sings by itself For nobody. A golden spirit (Light and emptiness) Sings without a word By itself. Let no one touch this gentle sun In whose dark eye Someone is awake. (No light, no gold, no name, no color And no thought: O, wide awake!) A golden heaven Sings by itself A song to nobody.

Closing Prayer

“A Story that will save us”

Tell us a story that will save us (and that will have been enough) all the great songs have been prayed save only one Tell us a story that will save us Go down Lord, & bring us home May our promises free us not chain us May what we desire fill us not entrap us May those persons we love finish us not bind us Go down Lord, & bring us home You are our history, Lord We neither begin nor end outside you May you be for us not weapon, not answer, but cause of peace May our questions show us not division but the smallness of human answers. Go down, Lord & bring us home May our words create Not destroy May our hands nurture Not break May our dreams lead and encourage us Not trap us in despair Go down, Lord & bring us home We are anxious about many things We are lost in many ways Go down, Lord & bring us home.

—Rev. Ed Ingebretzen, S.J.

“How Much Is Enough?”—Money

Mark 10:17–23

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.’” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

Luke 6: 20, 24, 21, 25

And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.”

Luke 16:17–31

There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented, Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’

Music Meditations

• Open My Eyes, Lord—Jesse Manibusan
• My Wealth Is Not in What I Own—Fernando Ortega
• Give Me Jesus—Vince Gill

Opening Prayer

Dear Lord, I know you do not love me because of what I own or because of what I do not own. Help me to see that others love me for who I am, not for what I own. Help me to place my happiness and security not in things, but in relationships. Teach me the danger of using what I possess to control or intimidate others. Teach me to be satisfied with the good things in my life and not constantly striving for more and more—more stuff, more experiences, more admirers. Teach me how much is enough. Help me to cultivate gratitude. Save me from smugness about what I own. Open my eyes to the needs and deprivation brought about by income inequality in my own life.

Companions for the Journey

We hate talking about money. It makes us uncomfortable, irritates us or makes us downright angry. We can talk about money in an abstract sense; however, we are especially sensitive about discussing the meaning that money personally holds in our lives. But make no mistake, we all have feelings and attitudes about money. We often go through life with an unconscious set of rules about how money works, and this may be based on childhood and early adulthood experiences, among other things. Our own experiences with money make up about 80% of how we think the world works. So any discussion of money hits at our deepest held values, prejudices, and insecurities. First of all, most of us recoil at the notion that we are privileged in any way because, well, we just aren’t. Some go so far as to say that privilege does not exist in this country. If we do agree that some are privileged more than others, we tend to downplay the difference unless we find ourselves on the wrong side of the divide. We might feel guilty, which is unpleasant, or feel like the victims of “virtue shamers” which can make us very defensive or angry. So money is a sensitive topic.

To be realistic, let us admit money in and of itself is not inherently evil; it is necessary for sustaining life. It gives us a measure of control and agency. It can give us peace of mind. It can sometimes make life a lot more comfortable or convenient. It can solve a certain number of problems. It gives us power. It can command respect. Let us also admit that poverty is not something to be desired. Ask one of the one in four children with food insecurity in this country, or the many elderly who cannot afford their medicines, or those who have lost family members because they could not afford medical care. While we are encouraged to identify with the poor, this is hard to impossible to do if one is not actually poor. We are also told to care for those in need . However, most of us are not asked, St Francis of Assisi notwithstanding, to actually become poor, because being poor is morally superior. We might choose a way of life, a profession or a vocation that renders us less economically stable than the norm, but the economic instability is not the goal, the calling is. However, money, in and of itself, can be problematic when it becomes the main measure of our happiness and when we lure ourselves into thinking it comes without a cost. The relentless pursuit of more and more can, and inevitably, will, cause dislocation in other parts of our lives.

What am I willing to risk in order get more: Family time? Good reputation/ Honesty and integrity? Happiness? Freedom? My soul? I just hate those questions…..

That having been said, the issue of lack of money, the importance of having enough money, and a culture which tells us that affluence is the reward of good people who work hard—all lie at the heart of a lot of what we think about. Television is full of ads instructing us how to invest our money and with whom, in order to accumulate more and more to live better and better. There are some personal and societal reasons why we are engaged in this quest for more and more. Here a few:

Personal unhappiness or insecurity that tells me I need money and what it can buy to insulate me from my negative feelings. When we are unhappy, we first look for something outside of ourselves to change and/or for something to distract us from what we are feeling. This can include “retail therapy”, dinners out, trips to escape, to ‘get away from it all”. And for a while, it works. We can spend our way, short term, out of a lot of irritation and discomfort. But what we know in our hearts is that this is a short term fix. Sooner or later escapism fueled by spending stops working and we are back where we started. In addition, personal insecurity and the need to be admired or envied can play a role in this quest for more. One of the great vehicles for promoting the idea that money can make us happy is the media, which spends a lot of time dangling before our eyes items that we can never afford, but indicating that they will make us happy, or special. Worse, the fact that we can never have kitchen like this, or a vacation like that can fuel great dissatisfaction with where we are in life. What is the negative side of all of this? As Nancy Bloomer, an Episcopal priest and writer puts it: the dark side of individual freedom and industry is a “me and mine” attitude in which a person’s right to pursue “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ become an excuse to take more money than they need or deserve. In a society that tolerates and even promotes the doctrine of ’more’—more spending, more profits, more producing, more consuming of the world’s resources—an ever growing gap between those who have and those who don’t have has developed, to the detriment of all. (Living Pulpit vol. 12, no 2. Wealth).

Unbridled capitalism is an all-too-common distortion of our economic system which encourages spending and spending, and fuels profits (and inflation). It tends to reduce human beings to faceless, profit-creating consumers or hapless workers in the cog of a great profit-making machine. This increases the divide between rich and poor, between the “makers” and the “takers”. It is a lot easier to increase one’s wealth when one already has some, than it is to start from scratch. What are some of costs of capitalism? Unions fighting on behalf of the worker are having to fight harder against big money and big opposition to retain their membership or to unionize new sites. The profit motive has cost whole communities their health and safety because of attempts to circumvent safety regulations. (I am thinking of the explosion in San Bruno, Gas leaks, fires caused by faulty wiring and construction, toxic waste clean-up being delayed or ignored, and contamination of water in Flint, Michigan, for starters). The fact that industrialization is exhausting natural resources and polluting the world is exemplified by the destruction of the Amazon and by catastrophic climate change that is rearranging where people can exist and grow food. These costs of growth now equal the gains, In dividual pursuit of wealth no longer increases the wealth of the community as a whole. Typically, it concentrates wealth in a few hands while imposing costs on the whole society (New Reasons for Condemning Greed, by John B Cobb in Living Pulpit vo12, no 2., Wealth)

The spirit of competition, which tells me I can only be successful or happy if someone else is less so. It encompasses an attitude about life that tells me I will never be happy until I have more, more. This zero-sum mentality can lead to all sorts of immoral and even criminal behavior, and is so common that we speak of sibling rivalry, (“mom always liked you best”) as amusing or normal) Some feel that we are hard wired by our Darwinian tendencies to be innately competitive (Remember the Disciples arguing with each other about who is most important, or the mother of two disciples agitating for her sons’ special place in Jesus “Kingdom”). This spirit of competition is fueled by the myth of upward mobility which encourages social and physical segregation based on economics. We know that the best schools, often the best houses, the nicest weather and the towns with the best health outcomes are in our wealthiest areas. This is not just an American problem; historically, it seems to be a societal problem writ large. We tend to be most vulnerable to this temptation when we surround ourselves, professionally or socially, with those who only value wealth, and measure one another’s worth by what one has. There is a paradox here: people tend to want wealth the signal to others that they should be liked and admired. But in reality, people often bypass admiring you, not because they don’t think wealth is admirable, but because they use your wealth as a benchmark for their own desire to be loved and admired ( Psychology of Money, p.93)

For a critical element of our society, including the wealthiest and most powerful among us, there seems to be no limit today on what enough entails. The hardest financial skill is getting the goal post to stop moving.

At a Party given by a billionaire on shelter Island, Kurt Vonnegut informs his pal, Joseph Heller, that their host, a hedge fund manager, had made more money in a single day than Heller had earned from his widely popular novel Catch-22 over its whole history. Heller responds, “Yet, I have something he will never have….enough”.. (Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money, p37)

Money is a moral issue. The disparity between the haves and the have-nots is growing wider, while a larger and larger percentage of wealth is being concentrated in the hands of a very few. The middle class is shrinking and more and more people are part of what we call ‘the working poor”. Right here on El Camino in Palo Alto, people are living in cars or RVs because they cannot afford apartments here. Meanwhile, in town after town in our Bay Area suburbs, citizens are railing against of affordable housing. When we are comfortable, when life is going on as it always has, when our work rewards us and our investments guarantee our safety net in old age, we do not like dwelling on these issues. We deplore a situation where people are homeless and 1 in 4 children is food insecure, but we do not want the remedy to change how we live our lives, or to change the small town feel of our local community, with nice houses and grassy lawns, with good schools and safe streets, with lovely restaurants and well-stocked grocery stores. We do not want to be inconvenienced . More traffic?(shudder) housing density/apartments?(shudder)? More taxes ?(shudder) Most of us do not want to admit how well-off we are in the large scheme of things, and do not want to admit that we might be part of the problem.

We deplore the results of climate change. It is so hard to look at people in our own country losing everything to wildfires and floods, to drought and tornadoes, to rising sea levels and the miles of garbage polluting our oceans. South of the equator, droughts and storms caused by climate change are making it impossible for people to grow enough to feed their families. The destruction of our rain forests and other wilderness habitats as a result of industrialization and the profit motive writ large, are causing the eradication of many species of animals.

Yes, we are dismayed, distressed, depressed, even, by the pain and suffering of people, by the harm to our planet—much of which is caused by the drive for ever more profits, by ever more money for those that already have enough—but we seem to come to a dead end. Sometime we feel powerless in the face of an economic and cultural system which has worked for so long; any solutions seem impractical or beyond our reach. However, the biggest obstacle in trying to fix the mess we are in is our own resistance to being inconvenienced in any way and our resistance to changing our attitudes and habits.

Do I want to stop eating beef, stop watering my lawn, stop driving to the store every day ? Nope!

Do I want the state’s funding for schools distributed more equitably, without loopholes for parent “foundations” to enhance funding certain schools in affluent areas? Nope!

Do I want a high rise with a large proportion of “affordable housing” in my neighborhood? Nope!

What as people of God do we say about the dangers in inherent in the relentless pursuit of more and more money?

First, the spiritual consequences of the service to wealth remain destructive. Those consequences spill out over into the culture in selfishness, corruption and hardness of heart. Even a market economy requires honesty, loyalty and discipline. Sometimes, when we read what Jesus has said, or what the saints have spoken or written, we tend to read what they say as if it applies only to another time, another group of people. What does an unemployed carpenter/itinerant preacher from an economic backwater like first century Israel have to say to the products of a sophisticated, industrialized, complicated like the world that you and I live in today? As it turns out, A LOT—at least morally.

The antidote to the monetizing of our souls is a healthy spirituality of money and wealth. And, it is not easy to develop. The first step might be an honest look at ourselves and our culture and becoming more conscious of our attention to money. Someone once said: show me your checkbook and your datebook and I will show you your priorities. Jesus said: Wherever your treasure is, there is your heart”. This requires a level of introspection and level of honesty that just might make us more open to the message of scripture about the dangers of too much money. Like the rich young man, are we letting our preoccupation with our money and possessions keep us from living our lives authentically and keep us from furthering Jesus’ Kingdom?

Did Jesus really side with the poor against the rich? How did he feel about generosity (not just generosity of spirit—but actual generosity-- actually opening our purses and pockets to those who really need it? ) It was clear that Jesus himself relied on charity: Who do we think fed, clothed, shod, and housed Jesus and the apostles as they were wandering up and down the dusty roads of Israel? He tells us in Luke to give to everyone who asks, and if someone wants our cloak, we are to give him our tunic as well. In other words, we simply cannot ignore those who have less than we do. The great fault of the rich man in his exchange with Lazarus is that he simply ignored the abject misery and poverty that was right before his very house every day. We tend to do the same: how many times do we simply avert our eyes when someone is standing at the entrance to Safeway with a sign? We are too busy hanging on to what we have and sizing up who has more, that there is just no bandwidth to deal with someone who has so much less.

I wonder how Jesus would feel about the great income equality that exists now? What is meant by social justice? When we read about the landowner who gave all the laborers in the vineyard the same amount of money, no matter how long they worked, it makes us crazy. But what the landowner promised was a just wage to each… for that landowner a just wage was what it took to house and to feed a family for a day. Boy, that really flies in the face of our notion of paying someone based on his commercial worth! Instead, Jesus praises generosity to others: “Give and there will be gifts for you”—and these were not monetary gifts that were promised. That was very clear. Nor did Jesus necessarily praise those who gave more than others, but rather those who made sacrificial gifts, like the poor widow. She was the victim of scarcity, but cultivated an attitude of abundance, which created an openness to the needs of others.

In examining my own relationship with money I need to ask: Do I come from a mentality of scarcity that has me worried about running out of money? Do I feel insecure about other things which feeds my tendency to hang on to what I own? Do I equate money and happiness? Can I cultivate a spirit of abundance and gratitude? How much is enough?

“Getting and spending, we lay waste our lives” William Wordsworth has written an epitaph for our culture.

Further reading:

• Market Assumptions: Pope Francis’ challenge to income inequality by Robert W. McElroy in America magazine >>

Weekly Memorization

Taken from Mark 10:17–23…

How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of Heaven

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

In your daily life do you think of wealth or talent as a blessing from God? How has your wealth or talent been a blessing in your life? How has it been a distraction from your relationship to God? How do I define “rich”? Can you list the ten things that you are most grateful for in your in life? Is the way you live your life consistent with what you say value the most? From Grace Baptist church: In Mark 10:18 Jesus declares that God is good. How does trusting God’s goodness allow you to personally “keep yourself free from the love of money”? Have you made your money an idol? Can you answer ‘yes’ to these questions? -Do you pray for more money? -Do you fantasize about spending money? -Do you use spending or stuff to make you feel better (retail therapy)? -Do you compare your possessions to others? -Do you struggle to share or give? How does our consumer culture make it hard to say we have enough? What, from my life experiences, has shaped how I view money? What, from the milieu I inhabit, shapes my views on money? How does my family/society treat those who choose to turn their backs on wealth and success in order to, say, work with the poor or disenfranchised? Would your loved ones be happy or dismayed if you made such a choice? Or: Would I be happy if my child made such a choice? Do I view the accumulation of money as a symbol of my talent and hard work? Do I view the accumulation of money as necessary in the culture we live in? Do I view the accumulation of money as a hedge against misfortune or inconvenience? Why do you think Jesus seems to find wealth a problem? In the light of the gospels, what do I do with my money? How does money fit in with my identity as a Catholic? As a disciple of Jesus? How does money define my spirituality? How do we determine how much money is enough for us? Do we feel we don’t have enough as long as someone else has more? How do we determine how much money is enough for another? How much money is too much?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

The Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven) is, according to theologians, not Heaven. The Kingdom is a situation, a set of relationships where truth and integrity, love and compassion and justice and the sharing of goods prevail… (Living Space) The Kingdom of Heaven is Jesus’ vision of a world in which people care for one another, where there is no war, no poverty, no one disadvantaged by “the system”. What, to me, is The Kingdom of God, and what would it look like? How feasible is it to bring about this Kingdom? Do we have to do more than just trying to stay out of sin? Are we called to seek and find Jesus and help sustain the Kingdom? How can excess wealth get in the way of our finding Jesus? How can wealth be a distraction?

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

The following meditation in the Ignatian style, is called Prayer of Consideration, and it invites the reader/listener to enter into the scene of the scripture story, becoming, in one’s imagination, part of the event. We use insights gained from this type of meditation to look at our own lives and respond in love to God’s salvific action.

Read Mark 10:18-22 (the man of great wealth). Imagine that you are the man who has approached Jesus with a question: “What must I do earn eternal life?” Are you sincere? Imagine Jesus’ response to you (keep the commandments). Then look around you and see all the disciples watching this exchange. How do you feel? Can you honestly say that you could answer as the man did? Then Jesus invites you to sell all you have, give the proceeds to the poor and become one of his followers. Why do you respond the way you do? What attachment (is it money or is it something else?) might be hindering you from becoming a follower of Jesus?

A Meditation in the Franciscan style--Action:

Luke 16: 19-31 Why did the rich man go to hell? We are not told that he acquired his wealth by foul means. We are not told that he personally, is responsible for the poverty an d misery of Lazarus. In fact, we are not even told that Lazarus begged from him directly and was refused. We are not told that the rich man committed any crime or bad deed. All we are told is that he feasted and dressed in fine clothing. Should he go to hell for that? We he did sin…He committed a sin most of us don’t even think about. It is the sin of omission. The rich man chose not to see Lazarus at his doorstep. He just did not see him. He was spiritually blind, spiritually unaware. This parable challenges you and me to look around and see, and to act on what we see .It prompts us to turn down the noise, pause from the rat race, put aside our own preoccupations—and notice Lazarus at the door. And to do something. Here are some practical suggestions: 1. Reflect. What does where you spend money say about your priorities? 2. Tithe. Give a fixed percentage of your income to your church and to the poor. 3. Create a "charity bin" in your home. Every time you go shopping, buy something(non-perishable) to drop in the bin. When it is full, take it to the nearest church or soup kitchen that has the resources to distribute it to the poor. 4. Show by example, and teach your children that no matter how little they have, some of that belongs to others. Take them to someplace where they can see how privileged they are to have a home and food and schooling….. 5. Adopt a family charity 6. Have family talks about limiting consumption of luxuries Inspired by a homily for 28 Sunday B in The Word In and Out of Season by W. Bausch

Literary Reflection:

What does Wendell Berry, according to this poem, say is the best way to enter the Kingdom of God?

“Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front”

Love the quick profit, the annual raise, vacation with pay. Want more of everything ready made. Be afraid to know your neighbors and to die. And you will have a window in your head. Not even your future will be a mystery any more. Your mind will be punched in a card and shut away in a little drawer. When they want you to buy something they will call you. When they want you to die for profit they will let you know. So friends, every day do something that won’t compute. Love the Lord. Love the world. Work for nothing. Take all that you have and be poor. Love someone who does not deserve it. Denounce the government and embrace the flag. Hope to live in that free republic for which it stands. Give your approval to all you cannot understand. Praise ignorance, for what man has not encountered he has not destroyed. Ask the questions that have no answers. Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias. Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not plant, that you will not live to harvest. Say that the leaves are harvested when they have rotted into the mold. Call that profit. Prophesy such returns. Put your faith in the two inches of humus that will build under the trees every thousand years. Listen to the carrion--put your ear close, and hear the faint chattering of the songs that are to come. Expect the end of the world. Laugh. Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts. So long as women do not go cheap for power, please women more than men. Ask yourself: Will this satisfy a woman satisfied to bear a child? Will this disturb the sleep of a woman near to giving birth? Go with your love to the fields. Lie easy in the shade. Rest your head in her lap. Swear allegiance to what is nighest in your thoughts. As soon as the generals and the politicos can predict the motions of your mind, lose it. Leave it as a sign to mark the false trail, the way you didn’t go. Be like the fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong direction. Practice resurrection.

from Collected Poems

Literary Reflection:

Concern for the obsession with money is not a new phenomenon. Read what William Wordsworth had to say in 1802, in the midst of the Industrial Revolution:

“The World is Too Much with Us”

The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;— Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

Closing Prayer

Adapted from Sacred Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits:

Jesus, we offer to you in prayer all that we are and al that we have. We ask for help in using wisely all that we possess, and living easily with what we might like to possess but cannot. Bless those that have so little and open our eyes to what we might to help. Us. Give us the spirit of generosity. And finally give us gratitude for what we have, because what we have is enough.

Pope Francis's Challenge to Income Inequality

From Robert W. McElroy, in America Magazine:
”A sustained reading of Pope Francis’ words on inequality and the barrage of criticism that has greeted them raises another possibility, namely, that the backlash against the pope’s message did not arise because he failed to recognize the centrality of markets, the nature of economies like the United States and the trajectory of authentic Catholic social teaching, but precisely because he did recognize the realities, and in doing so has raised fundamental questions about justice and the American economic system.”
Read the article at americamagazine.org >>

Robert Cardinal McElroy, a graduate of Stanford, wrote this when he was Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco. He has since become the Bishop of San Diego, and has recently been named to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis.