Into the Desert

Good Friday – 3 April

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 23:39:11 -0500

Encountering the Word See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were astonished at him—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals—so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate. Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. [Full text: Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12] Contemplating the Word This is the final day in our program. The journey of Lent comes to a conclusion and we enter into the silence of the tomb. The joy of Easter Sunday is just around the corner, but we are not there yet. I remember the first time I encountered this reading from the prophet Isaiah. Its relevance to Jesus seemed so obvious, even though it had been written centuries before. I have since learned that Isaiah was a prophet, not a fortune-teller. He didn’t have Jesus explicitly in mind. What he understood was God’s preference to reside in, and work through, the abandoned and the rejected: ‘whatever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do to me’. God’s ways are not our ways. Those who see themselves as calling the shots when it comes to God’s plan are, invariably, sadly mistaken. Isaiah recognises this and sees in “the suffering servant” (either a person of his acquaintance or himself) the presence of God – suffering in and with that person. That this account would one day be applied to Jesus should not be surprising to us. There is a remarkable consistency in the way that God works. His ways are not our ways. In fact, he avoids our ways, because utilising them would give us the mistaken impression that we are in charge. In Jesus we see that God defies human logic. Being the Word As we contemplate the suffering and crucified Christ on this day, it can be salutary to acknowledge that, as we live our vocation as baptised sons and daughters of God, the cross is never far away. In your journey towards the fullness of the life God is offering you, you will experience both death and resurrection a number of times and in a number of ways. In your death (metaphorical and physical) God provides you with the opportunity to locate a central reality in your life: that you are not God, God is. The question is, do you resist what God is teaching you? To find out, answer these quick questions for yourself: who owns your time, who owns your energy, and who owns your heart? If, like me, you find yourself thinking that you own your time, energy and heart, then be aware that you and I are still on the journey into healing and into life. There is more to come. It would be nice to think that God can save us from the struggle inherent in the human condition: that suffering and death might no longer be part of our lives. But that is not what we are offered in Christ. Instead, this is the reality that Jesus came to show us; that in him every aspect of human experience, the good as well as the bad, can find meaning and be caught up into the eternal life that the Father offers us through the Son and in the Spirit. During this week, we’re reminded that we stand at the foot of the cross and are caught up into the eternal life of the Blessed Trinity. There the Son pours out his life in love of the Father, and in so doing breathes on us the Spirit, allowing us to participate in the resurrected life that the Son experiences.

Holy Thursday – 2 April

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 23:35:50 -0500

Encountering the Word Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” [John 13:1-15] Contemplating the Word It is always interesting to me to reflect on an apparently well-known Scriptural account and to read it, as it were, for the first time. It’s a little like sitting down to a favourite meal, one you’ve had many times before, and while you’re eating, savouring every mouthful and locating the different tastes and other factors that come together to make it your favourite. There is much to notice and savour in this account. Words like festival, Passover, knew, hour, depart, world, and Father impact in the first sentence alone. Each word there can be contemplated in its own right, each with its own contribution to the overall significance of what it is we are being asked to think about. Personally, I’m struck by the reference to Judas’ father in the third sentence. Judas was a man with a past, a family, and there were people who loved him – how on earth had things got this bad? It makes me sad and very aware that ‘there, but for the grace of God…’ It is very easy to focus on the obvious with this account, so let’s get it out of the way: Christian leadership is only authentic when it participates in the servant leadership of Jesus Christ. Christian leaders who act in any other way are failing in their vocation and need to sort themselves out. They are a disgrace to themselves and an obstacle to the coming of the kingdom. So much for the obvious: of much more interest here is the conversation between Jesus and Peter. In an apparent fit of humility, Peter resists having Jesus wash his feet. He believes this is the right thing to do – after all, Jesus is his Lord and Teacher and ‘must not be allowed’ to assume the position of a slave. The exchange is a reminder of how difficult it is to accept the life that Christ offers us is something that he does to and for us. Our role is simply to accept what is being offered. It seems so simple and yet how quickly we revert to standing our ground as we seek to tell God how we think he should proceed. This isn’t Peter’s problem alone: ‘there, but for the grace of God…’ Being the Word The tendency to tell God how we think he should proceed impacts significantly on our attitude to mission. There are certain things we think are a good idea, and we get our noses out of joi

Holy Week – Wednesday 1 April

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 23:31:36 -0500

Encountering the Word Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.” [Matthew 26: 14-25] Contemplating the Word Yesterday we contemplated John’s depiction of this fateful evening; today we read Matthew’s. Matthew emphasises that Jesus is in control of the situation. He knows precisely what is happening. He knows where he will celebrate the Passover with his disciples. He knows that the disciples will meet ‘a certain man’ who will allow them to use his house. He knows he is being betrayed and he knows by whom. Does he know why Judas is betraying him? The account doesn’t say. Perhaps it doesn’t matter. Betrayal is betrayal, no matter the reasoning. We are a long way from the electric moment at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. There, Jesus stood with the man who baptised him and who knew who he was, and the Father spoke and the Spirit descended. In today’s scene Jesus sits with his friends, but they have no comprehension of what is going on. Jesus is, to all intents and purposes, alone. John the Baptist is long since dead, and the Father and Spirit remain silent. It won’t be until it is all over that the Trinity will explicitly manifest itself again. The Son will cry out to the Father and in so doing will pour out the Spirit. But there is a lot to happen before that final moment. God’s plan for our salvation will need to come to completion. God’s plan has been ever-present down through all the ages of humanity. From the moment when God sent our first ancestors on the quest to learn to search for him, God has been calling us back to himself. How to do this without compromising our freedom has been God’s constant preoccupation. God doesn’t want slaves: he wants free, loving, sons and daughters. So his plan needed to be as subtle as a heartbeat. We had to be left free to turn towards him or to turn away. He invites us and he lets us choose. There have been moments throughout history where it has seemed as if all had been lost. The terrible devastation that human beings can cause to one another and to the world can come close to obliterating hope. But God’s plan is not only as subtle as a heartbeat; it is as relentless as a drumbeat. Nothing can stifle it: not our failures, not our sin, not suffering and not death. It is this truth that we contemplate over these days. Being the Word Who do you and I think we are, if we think we can contribute in any way to what God is seeking to do in the world? Why would God choose us, since in so many ways we are inadequate? These are the sorts of questions that have always plagued people of faith. St Paul wrestled with these questions, aware that his own personal history revealed how inadequate to the task he was. In the end, he could only trust that God knows what h

Holy Week – Tuesday 31 March

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 23:27:41 -0500

Encountering the Word After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do. ”Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times. [John 13:21-33, 36-38] Encountering the Word These scenes throughout Holy Week are so familiar to us that it is easy for the subtle details to pass us by. We can also fail to see how they are relevant to us, beyond noting that they represent significant events in the last days of Jesus’ life and ministry. Here we are reminded of the many famous paintings that have depicted this scene down through the centuries. Peter asks John to ask Jesus what is going on. Jesus offers a piece of bread to a slightly bemused and distracted Judas. The remaining disciples are oblivious to the significance of what they are witnessing and are chatting in small groups as people do at such events. In these artistic depictions, we stand on the outside of the painting looking in, much more aware of what’s really happening than any of the people represented in the painting, with the exception of Jesus himself. But are we really on the outside looking in? Aren’t we the disciples relaxing and simply chatting among ourselves, largely unaware of the significance of what’s happening around us? Or perhaps we are really Peter, intent on finding out what’s happening and full of promises about what we are going to do…and then failing to deliver. Or, dare we wonder, are we Judas, so clear in our minds about what needs to happen, and so willing to do anything to ensure that our plans and intentions are carried out? Peter makes his promises and Judas has his plans. Peter’s promises are spoken out loud and, while they will later come back to haunt him, they are part of his road to holiness. Judas’ plans are hidden away in his heart and will soon destroy him. Peter learns humility and seeks forgiveness. Judas embraces despair and does not ask to be forgiven. The sin of Judas wasn’t, I believe, confined to the fact that he betrayed Jesus. His sin was that he failed to reach out to the only one who could rescue him when he needed it most. Being the Word The plans and intentions of Judas and Peter should not be dismissed lightly. We all have our plans and intentions, and they are important. At the very least, they say a lot about who we are and where we stan

Holy Week – Monday 30 March

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 23:23:36 -0500

Encountering the Word Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. [John 12:1-11] Contemplating the Word Without wanting to be flippant, it is Lazarus that I feel most sorry for here. The man was recently brought back to life by Jesus and, through no fault of his own, has become something of a local celebrity. Now, because of the fuss being made of him, his life is once again on the line. Seriously? Can these people not see what they’re doing? The human ability to miss the big picture is a regular theme throughout the life and ministry of Jesus, and it reaches its denouement during Holy Week. On the one hand, those who feel threatened by Jesus increasingly believe that they know the best course of action and can understand what is required of them. However, the reality is that they have no idea of who Jesus is. Not only that, they cannot see how it is that God will bring about his plan…not only in spite of their actions but THROUGH their actions. God can use it all. Compare Mary of Bethany and Judas. Both are acting, and their actions are impacting on Jesus. One is acting out of love and, even though her action is extravagant, Jesus appreciates it because of the love that motivates it. The other is acting out of some other motivation (jealousy, point scoring, greed?), and even though his suggestion is reasonable, Jesus rejects it, because it is not motivated by love. He can see into their hearts and responds to what is motivating them. You know where this is going: we are being invited to reflect on what it is that motivates us. Most of us are well practiced in keeping up appearances. Reflecting on what lies in our hearts can be difficult to do. Allowing ourselves to become that present to the truth inside can be challenging and, at times, mortifying. This is why, around this time in the Lenten season, we are strongly encouraged to participate in the sacrament of Reconciliation. It’s not about turning up with some cobbled together list of ‘sins’ and getting it over with. Instead, it’s about taking the time to reflect on what motivates the things that you do, and asking God into your heart to provide his healing. What it is that motivates you is already very clear to God. The only question is whether or not it is clear to you that you need God’s help. Being the Word The relevance of today’s Scripture reading to our mission as baptised Catholics should be reasonably clear by now. The document that has been our constant reference point throughout this program, Evangelii Gaudium, makes regular reference to the call that we’ve all received: pay attention to the needs of others – particularly to the most vulnerable in our society and world. Jesus’ words, ‘you always have the poor with you’, remind us of our obligations in this regard. We cannot afford to take our eyes off those in need,

Sunday 29 March (Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion)

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 23:19:08 -0500

Encountering the Word They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” [Full text: Mark 11:1-10] Contemplating the Word In our reflection for Ash Wednesday we noted the yearly Catholic dilemma: do we wipe off the ashes after the ceremony or not? We decided it wasn’t a big deal either way. The ashes are traditionally made from the dried palms that were handed out the year before on this day: Palm Sunday. In my experience, the liturgy for Palm Sunday brings with it one or two light-hearted dilemmas of its own… We’ve all been there – standing in a makeshift procession, holding a piece of greenery having been asked to vacate our seats so that we can walk back in again with the ‘crowd’. Do we leave our seats and participate, or do we stay put? And having decided to make the trek outside and risk losing our seats…do we participate reluctantly or do we sing ‘the King of Glory comes the nation rejoices’ (or similar) with gusto and enter into the spirit of the occasion? Are we a willing participant or a reluctant observer? In cultures well attuned to processions it probably all works very well. In ours it tends to limp along, bringing with it a sense of foreboding: this Mass is going to be a long one. After all, we still have the reading of the Passion to go. But what’s this day about? It’s about many things: suffering, sin, confusion, hope, faith, commitment, and redemption…the list goes on. Personally, I think it is also about the human propensity to completely misunderstand a situation. It is about premature celebration. It is important to celebrate successes, but premature triumph is not helpful. It reveals a naïve optimism, and fails to take into account the full reality of what lies ahead. Mountaineers sitting at Everest’s “Base Camp One” are pleased, while fully aware that they have only just begun and the real work lies before them. The champagne is kept for later. It is easy to imagine that thoughts concerning premature celebration are on Jesus’ mind as he is escorted into Jerusalem. Jesus doesn’t prevent this celebration, and he doesn’t absent himself as he had done in similar circumstances previously (see John 6:10-20). He allows the drama to unfold around him, and he allows himself to experience it. How aware is he that this triumphal atmosphere will be revealed as hollow later when many in the crowd are calling for his crucifixion? The events of Holy Week are a rollercoaster. The week begins in the heights as Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem, and via a path of extraordinary suffering and eventual death, concludes on a height that we can scarcely comprehend – the triumph of life over death. Being the Word Perhaps we have not had too much difficulty with the first two aspects of the Archbishop’s message referred to earlier: 1. that we are all called to proclaim our faith and 2. that we are called to go to all people. It might be at this point that we begin to have a few qualms: 3. we must proclaim ALL of the Gospel message. For one of the greatest challenges we all face is to avoid the temptation to edit the truth of what God is doing in and through Jesus Christ to suit ourselves. We tend to focus on the bits that make sense to us, or which we think will be most palatable to the people we are dealing with. I know in my own work with people of quite varied faith backgrounds, I have to keep alert to the moment when I need to say that while I agree that there are a wide variety of religious, philosophical and scientific insights that are valuable, and contribute greatly to our understanding of things,

Introduction to each section

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 18:53:31 -0500

What the four categories in this program mean

Making use of this program

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 18:52:01 -0500

What is this Lenten resource about

Saturday 28 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 18:09:46 -0500

Encountering the Word Many of the people therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.”…Now the Passover was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” [Full text: John 11:45 – 56] Contemplating the Word The tension is escalating – “will he come or won’t he?” “What will happen if he does?” The pieces on the chessboard are moving into position: the King is about to be sacrificed because the knights, the bishops, and the rooks mistake him for a pawn and believe that he is expedient. Only the Queen has any idea of what is going on, but she isn’t recognised either: and ‘a sword will pierce your soul too’ (Luke 2:35). Jesus has upset the status quo, and that breeds fear and confusion. We might not always like our present reality, but we take consolation from knowing what it is. It may not be perfect, but it is ours. Jesus has put everything in doubt. This is the fear that will escalate over the next few days, until it culminates in the events of Good Friday. During these days, Jesus is not the only one under pressure. Because of his insistence on proclaiming the truth of who is and of his Father’s love, others are also struggling. The crowds won’t know which way to jump and will swing backwards and forwards. The same crowd welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, will call for his blood on Good Friday. The Pharisees will go on debating and good Pharisees, like Nicodemus, will find themselves isolated. The disciples will pledge their undying allegiance and then run at the first sign of trouble. Pilate will intuit that there is more to this man, Jesus, than meets the eye, and will attempt to keep the peace and exonerate his lack of action. Only the holy women stand their ground, led by the mother whose experience of her son has always been a mystery to her, and yet her faith has never wavered. She witnesses to it all. The question is, in our life of faith, do we exhibit the indecision of the crowd, the Pharisees, the disciples, and Pilate? Or do we stand our ground alongside the Queen? Being the Word We can be Pontius Pilate. For many of us, the tendency to want to have it both ways is very strong. For example, we like the consolation that our faith brings, but don’t really want the inconvenience of having to live that faith in the full glare of the world’s scrutiny. We hope to do enough to get ourselves over the bar, but we want to hedge our bets. As discussed yesterday, we are to be evangelisers by our very nature. This highlights an important point with regard to Catholic evangelisation. As Archbishop Prowse noted in his address to the Catholic Education Office, Catholics reveal who they are and what’s important to them, not primarily through their words but through their actions. It is how we live that reveals what it is, and who it is, we believe in. Words are important, but they come second. The young Christian fundamentalist (see the yesterday’s ‘Being the Word’) had his words – words that polarised and at times taunted. The young Catholics had their actions (what they were doing that evening and how they set about doing it) that spoke to an eternal quest beyond

Friday 27 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 18:05:57 -0500

Encountering the Word The crowd took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” They answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone yo...

Thursday 26 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 17:59:30 -0500

Encountering the Word Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” [Full text: John 8:51-59] Contemplating the Word The Gospel writer is playing with time. Long before Einstein arrived at his theory of relativity, and the very nature of time began to be questioned, John recalls that Jesus would speak about time with a degree of fluidity that appeared to be madness to those who listened. Not that Jesus was postulating a scientific theory: he was not. Instead, he was expounding a theological reality: time is nothing to God. We have a tendency to think about God and God’s experience as being somehow similar to ours. We think of God as existing in space in the way we do, as being like us (except more powerful), or as living in much the same way we do (except for a much longer time). This is the way children think of God (an old man with a beard sitting on a cloud who has been there for thousands of years) and many of us, in one way or another, carry this childish view into adulthood. No wonder educated people can have difficulty with people of faith: the way in which we often talk about God is entirely ridiculous! To have any hope of understanding what Jesus is saying in today’s reading, we need to step outside our narrow concepts of past, present and future, and allow ourselves to contemplate eternity. We cannot focus on developing every aspect of our notion of God here, so let’s just think about God and time. The fundamental thing to understand in this respect is that God does not exist in time. Time is a created reality (i.e. it impacts on creation). God exists in eternity. Eternity is a state outside time. More precisely, it is a state of being where past, present and future are all present. To God everything that is past and everything that is future is happening now. God has no past and God has no future: all is present to God. When Moses asked God for his name, God replied ‘I am who I am’. That is to say “I exist…in the now” (Exodus 3). Until we get that point we find much of the different elements of our faith hard to comprehend. For example, we won’t understand death. Death is for each of us a future reality. We don’t know when it will happen but, if you are reading this, it hasn’t happened for you yet. For God, your death has simultaneously already occurred (the future is present to God) and it will never occur (the past is present to God). That is to say, all are alive to God. God sees us all, from our first ancestors through to our final descendants, and he holds us all in being. Now, re-read today’s Scripture reading: perhaps it will make more sense… Being the Word It is significant that Jesus refers to Abraham in today’s Gospel reading. Abraham is a central figure in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Why? This Bronze Age nomadic chieftain stands at the dawn of the divine response to the human plight. Somehow, God managed to break into the consciousness of a man who had never heard of him, and offer him a way forward. God had a plan, and centuries later, not only is his name recalled by Jesus, but we know what he represents too. In spite of impossible odds,

Wednesday 25 March (Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord)

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 17:55:35 -0500

Encountering the Word In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words…Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. [Full text: Luke 1:26-38] Contemplating the Word At the beginning of this week we attempted a monumental task – to say something sensible about the redemptive nature of Jesus’ suffering and death in the short space that we had available (see Sunday Week 5). Today we are given the opportunity to see how Mary, the mother of Jesus, connects with that earlier discussion. For, in the Catholic and Orthodox tradition, there is no one whose presence and action is more significant, except for Jesus himself. To understand Mary’s significance we need to move beyond thinking that she is important simply because she is the ‘Mother’. While this fact is of enormous importance, we miss something if we do not reflect on Mary in her own right. Yes, she is the mother of Jesus, but before and after that she is her own person, with her own relationship with God and with her own choices to make. In the task of understanding her significance, we are helped by thinking right back to the story of human origins in the book of Genesis. There we see the representation of the human predisposition when it comes to dealing with God: the ingrained tendency to both want God and yet to desire to hide from him (see Genesis 3:10). This inspired, insightful account of the human wariness when it comes to God, speaks to us of our own tendencies in this regard. We both want God and we want to be god. This is where Mary is so important. Into the life of this young woman, God comes walking. But unlike all human beings before her, she does not hide. She questions, she admits her confusion, but she stands her ground. Where all before her have been ambiguous in their response to God and his desire to be with them, there is no ambiguity in her. In spite of all the questions and doubts cascading in and around her, she quietly and simply says ‘Yes’. The redemptive significance of that ‘Yes’ has resounding throughout the ages, second only to the ‘Yes’ uttered by her Son in the garden of Gethsemane, when he responded, ‘let it be done unto to me according to your will’. Being the Word In response to our baptismal vocation to be missionary disciples, we can do no better than to contemplate the response of Mary of Nazareth. Her ‘Yes’ to what God was asking of her stands as a resounding proclamation that it is humanly possible to say ‘Yes’ to God with the whole of our hearts and to keep saying ‘Yes’. In this, Mary shows us what it means to be the perfect disciple of Jesus: completely given over to manifesting him to the world. To do this, we Catholics will need to continue on the road of deepening their understanding of our faith in increasing numbers. In this regard, Martin Teulan (the Director for Catholic Mission Australia) has a number of insights that are particularly helpful. He imagines a Church were the formation of lay people becomes a priority: “This formation program would be deep, broad and powerful so that lay people in the Church would be formed to a level similar to that of priests and religious women and men. This is best achieved by beginning with an existing core of committed Catholic lay people in our Australian parish communities, journeying with them on a one-on-one basis and empowering them to outreach to others”.[1] He further explains: “This intense formation includes training Catholic people in the kerygma, the basics of the faith. This is often a new understanding for Catholics, but Pope Francis gives a simple, ‘joyful’ e

Tuesday 24 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 17:51:54 -0500

Encountering the Word

Again he said to them, â€œI am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.â€ Then the Jews said, â€œIs he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, â€˜Where I am going, you cannot comeâ€™?â€ He said to them, â€œYou are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ^ÂI told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.â€ â€¦ â€œWhen you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.â€ As he was saying these things, many believed in him. [Full text: John 8:21-30]

Contemplating the Word

We find in this reading the ongoing conundrum facing those who experience Jesus: recognising who he is and yet still not having a clue. Before we get too complaisant, we need to acknowledge that the scribes and Pharisees are not the only ones who have this problem: so do we. The significance of who Jesus is can become muted in our lives, so that we end up relating to him as just a nice guy who lived a long time ago, and whose basic message was that we should be nice to one another. What a waste of time.

John challenges us to understand that in order for the reality of who Jesus is to impact on our lives, we need to go in search of him. We are not passive in this relationship, for if we allow ourselves to be passive, we will not find what we are looking for. You are to be active in your own faith-life.

This is where the Catholic understanding of faith is different to that espoused by some other Christian denominations. The Catholic stance is premised on a view of faith presented by St Paul and nuanced by St James. Paul talks about faith as â€˜justifying usâ€™ (Romans 3:28). The traditional divergence between Catholics and others on this text can be expressed by saying that most Protestant reformers interpret Paul as saying that it is â€˜belief in Jesus Christâ€™ that saves a person. That is to say, it is a passive view of faith where the only thing that really matters is our acceptance of what Jesus does on our behalf.

However, Catholics also have access to the teaching of St James. He reminds us that faith in Jesus, if understood as simply what we believe, is not in itself enough. The faith that we hold must become incarnated in what we do (see James 2:14 and following). Understood correctly, James is not contradicting Paul. James is helping us see that when Paul writes of faith justifying us, Paul intends faith to be expressed in the reality of our lives. How do we know this? Not only because James writes of it, but because Paul himself lived that way. Paul was not content to stay at home and believe in Jesus. As somebody once said: Paul couldnâ€™t find a donkey fast enough in his quest to get around the known world. His faith propelled him into action: faith and deeds together reveal the true quality of a personâ€™s relationship with God in Christ â€“ and it is that relationship that is salvific.

Being the Word

In further verification of the interpretation of faith presented above, we have the words of Jesus as presented in the Gospel according to Matthew. In that text Jesus tells us that not everyone who calls him Lord (i.e. believes in him) will enter the kingdom of heaven. That is reserved for those who do the will of his father in heaven (see Matthew 7:21). Faith and action have to go together.

This ups the stakes when it comes to the way we live our lives and enter into our baptismal vocation. Our lives are to proclaim our faith. Our values, attitudes and priorities are meant to provoke questions in the hearts of those we know and associate with. If no one can tell that we believe in Christ simply by looking at what we do, then what we believe will ultimately be of no use to us (or them) whatsoever.

Calling us all to be â€˜teachersâ€™ of the faith, Pope Francis reminds us that: â€œâ€™We need to remember that all religious teaching ultimately has to be reflected in the teacherâ€™s way of life, which awakens the assent of the heart by its nearness, love and witness.â€ (Evangelii Gaudium 42)

Speaking to the Word

Spend a few minutes in prayer to the God who is as close to you as your breath. Ponder the reality of Godâ€™s presence and contemplate the thought that God has something for you â€“ a plan that is as unique as you are. Donâ€™t worry about what that plan is nor about what you are to do. Your role is simple: sit in Godâ€™s presence and wait for him.

Remain silently in Godâ€™s presence for as long as you feel inclined or opportunity will allow. Then bring before God any sincere prayers of intercession that you have. Instead of asking God to do things for you, ask that he might achieve whatever he wishes through you.

Finish by praying the great yet simple prayer of praise to the Blessed Trinity: Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

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Monday 23 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 17:42:17 -0500

Encountering the Word

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, â€œTeacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?â€ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, â€œLet anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.â€ [Full text: John 8:1-11]

Contemplating the Word

Yesterday we raised the question of how best to relate to people whose lives do not yet reflect the fullness of truth that we seek to live by. We noted that being judgemental and premature in our dealings with others is not at all helpful. After all, as Jesus taught us, the standards by which we judge others will be applied to us: â€œlet anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at herâ€.

In this account, Jesus shows us how to relate to someone whose moral behaviour may not be in accord with what we believe should be the case. It challenges our tendency to either confront people too soon and too vehemently, or to ignore the behaviour altogether. Here Jesus walks with the woman along the line balanced between love and truth.

As he does this, notice that Jesus ignores the womanâ€™s accusers and gives all his attention to her. Her suffering and humiliation is palpable. Her life is on the line. The crowds have gathered, rocks in their hands, ready to sentence her to a painful and bloody death. She is in need of Jesusâ€™ help â€“ and he gives it to her. Yes, he will soon challenge her to â€˜go and sin no moreâ€™, but that is not where he begins.

Jesus begins by writing on the ground with his finger. He gets down into the dust, joining her where she has been metaphorically thrown. Jesus begins his relationship with this woman not by chastising her, but by humbling himself before her and identifying with her. Then he attends to her immediate need â€“ he saves her life. Only once she is out of danger does he speak to her of how her life needs to change. Thatâ€™s the order in which Jesus proceeds: he humbles himself and identifies with her, he attends to her immediate most pressing need, and only then calls her to change.

This raises the obvious question â€“ how often do we try to shortcut the process by jumping to the end point? Can we fall into the trap of being so keen to challenge people that we forget that that dimension is best left until after they have become thoroughly convinced of our love and our care for them? How many people do we turn off the practice of the faith by our premature enthusiasm to challenge how they are living?

Being the Word

As the momentum of Lent builds, we become more and more aware of the enormity of what Jesus is doing on our behalf. That is as it should be. However, we can very easily focus entirely on what he is doing, and let ourselves off the hook. We can fail to realise that we are called to be â€˜as Christ Jesusâ€™ (see Philippians 2). What we mean by this is that our existence as part of the body of Christ involves the ongoing process of growing in his likeness â€“ even down to emulating his death and resurrection. While dying is something that Jesus did for us, it is also something he does in and to us. Anyone who has lived a life of grace intuitively knows what this means. The seed that is the ego must fall to the ground and die (see John 12:24). The path to true conversion of heart is punctuated with many deaths and many moments when the Spirit breathes life into us again.

This is all very well in theory. However, it can be somewhat disorienting when it impacts on our lives and on our experience of Church. The little deaths that we all experience (personal frustrations, humiliations, aggravations and disappointments) have a tendency to undermine our confidence in what weâ€™re doing (if the experience is personal) and in what the Church is doing (if the experience is ecclesial). I canâ€™t tell you how many people Iâ€™ve met over the years who have stopped the practice of their faith because, in their estimation, the Church is not as perfect as it should be. This can represent a failure to understand that the Church is made up of people like you and me. There is no â€˜dress codeâ€™, no entry fee, and no prerequisite of perfection to join. Sinners are welcome. This is both the glory of the Church and its daily cross: for you and I have the potential to both proclaim the kingdom of God and to cause great harm to that proclamation.

Sometimes through our actions (and often through our inaction) we bring â€˜deathâ€™. It is the Spirit of God, when the given the opportunity, who can breathe life into that death. It is for this that we pray, and it is why, during Lent and beyond, that we repent.

Speaking to the Word

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Sunday 22 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:11:00 -0500

Encountering the Word

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, â€œSir, we wish to see Jesus.â€ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, â€œThe hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorifiedâ€¦â€ [Full text: John 12:20-33]

Contemplating the Word

On the surface of it, there is an apparent non sequitur in todayâ€™s reading. Why should the fact that some Greeks have turned up wanting to see Jesus cause him to say â€˜the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorifiedâ€™? What is it about the Greeks?

It relates back to an earlier reading in this Lenten series (see Sunday Week 4). There Jesus reflected on his immanent suffering and death, where he would be raised up like the bronze serpent in the desert, held aloft so that anyone who was bitten could look on it and be saved. Jesus, by being physically held aloft (i.e. raised up) on the cross becomes the one upon whom anyone can look for salvation. Anyone.

Now the Greeks have arrived, and Jesus takes this as the sign that Godâ€™s plan of salvation for all is being fulfilled. The Greeks represent us all: the non-Jewish people who are ultimately to be included in Godâ€™s plan to restore all things in Christ. So Jesus, upon hearing of the arrival of the Greeks, says â€˜now the hour has comeâ€™.

Of course, this raises the obvious (and, I must say, perennial) question: why did Jesus have to die to fulfil Godâ€™s plan? Doesnâ€™t this paint a very harsh picture of God? Couldnâ€™t God have found another way? These are important questions, as not only is our understanding of God potentially undermined by misunderstanding what is going on here, but so is what God requires of us also in doubt. After all, as noted previously, our lives will inevitably reflect the pattern of Jesusâ€™ life.

To understand the need for Jesusâ€™ death from Godâ€™s point of view, you have to be prepared to acknowledge the central problem human beings have when it comes to God. It begins by noting the obvious: we are not God. The major problem stems out of this fact. Not only are we not God, but we choose to act in ways that indicate that we believe we are. Every time we do something selfish, destructive, or harmful etc. we make the implicit statement that who we are what we want is of paramount importance. Often without realising it, we are making the statement that we are the centre of the universe.

This is not real. You may be pretty special, but you are not the centre of the universe. God is. This tendency to usurp God leaves humanity in a difficult position: stuck in unreality concerning who we are, and completely unable to do anything about it by ourselves. In fact, the only one who can rescue us from the delusion within which we all reside isâ€¦God.

Enter Jesus. The only way that God could assist humanity to bridge the gulf between our unreality and the reality that only God expresses, was by becoming human and restoring our connection to that which is true, good and beautiful. God needed to act in the person of a human being capable of living in such a way that none of the futility of sin and unreality was manifest in him. The self-preoccupation of humanity could only be negated by the complete selflessness of a human being prepared to give his very self to God. And so Jesus needed to die â€“ not because God needed him to, but because we do.

The bridge between God and humanity, historically broken, is restored in Christ. Human beings could not (of themselves) restore the bridge, as they were the ones who had broken it. Only in Christ, true God and true man, could the relationship be restored. God had to do it for us. In Christ the truth is acknowledged â€“ that humanity is powerless and broken. In Christ, another truth is also acknowledged â€“ that the sinfulness and weakness of humanity is not beyond the power of God to restore.

Being the Word

Salvation is for all. This straightforward statement carries with it the energy that has directed the missionary endeavours of the Church for over 2000 years. Those, for whom the encounter with Christ has been real, cannot but speak about that experience. The failure to speak (i.e. to proclaim with our lives and our words) calls into question the reality of the Christ-experience in the first place. It is not for no reason that Pentecost is described as â€˜rushing windâ€™ and â€˜tongues of fireâ€™: this is imagery that depicts energy and transformation.

Enthusiasm goes a long way, but the message we proclaim needs to be contemplated, and the way that we present that message needs to be thought about. For example, evangelisation does not mean haranguing people into seeing things the way we see them. There is a world of difference between issuing an invitation and engaging in bullying tactics.

The problem comes when we focus on the end point and not on the journey. When we do this, we operate out of a conviction that everyone should believe certain things and should live a certain way. While this might be to some degree true, the fact is most people donâ€™t arrive at this â€˜end pointâ€™ overnight. Indeed, some donâ€™t arrive at that point at all this side of the grave (thatâ€™s what Purgatory is for). Instead, most people most of the time, can only contemplate the next step in their journey. God is calling them, but their road to God will be long and winding. Our tendency to want to leap frog them along that road may work for us, but is disrespectful of them and ultimately counterproductive to the work God is doing with them. This is Godâ€™s work, not ours.

How many people in the history of Christianity have walked away from their nascent faith because somebody (or the Church) imposed on them ideals for which they were in no way prepared? Do we demand of people who have not as yet started to get fit that they get out there and run a marathon?

With this in mind, Pope Francis challenges us to understand that calling others to faith requires a particular set of predispositions on our part, for otherwise people will close off from the message we proclaim. We are to be people who manifest â€œapproachability, readiness for dialogue, patience, a warmth and welcome which is non-judgmental.â€(Evangelii Gaudium 165).

Speaking to the Word

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Saturday 21 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:07:57 -0500

Encountering the Word

When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, â€œThis is really the prophet.â€ Others said, â€œThis is the Messiah.â€ But some asked, â€œSurely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?â€ So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, â€œWhy did you not arrest him?â€ The police answered, â€œNever has anyone spoken like this!â€ [Full text: John 7:40 â€“ 53]

Contemplating the Word

The people are in confusion yet again. As we noted in yesterdayâ€™s contemplation, confusion can be a regular state of affairs when it comes to dealing with God. The problem becomes even more apparent when trying to work out what it is God is doing (and wanting us to do) here and now. As men and women called to mission, coming to terms with what God is asking of us should be an ongoing preoccupation. Do most of us even give it a second thought?

Of course, a significant problem is always â€“ â€˜even if I want to do what God wants, how do I know what that is?â€™ Because we are not sure how to proceed, we settle for simply doing our best and we live in the hope that ultimately that will be good enough. Perhaps it will be, and perhaps not. Iâ€™m reminded of the parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14). The fellow who buried his in the ground was doing what seemed sensible to him, and was found wanting.

That having been said, it has to be acknowledged that some terrible things have been done through the centuries in the name of doing â€˜what God wantsâ€™. Look out for anyone who stands up and says with certainty â€˜this is what we should doâ€¦God wants itâ€™. Suicide bombers do what they do because they believe God wants it, and in their minds that is enough to justify the carnage.

The Catholic approach must be different. In humility, we must acknowledge that while we are heirs of the truth as revealed in Jesus Christ, our grasp of that truth is in constant need of expansion and reform. Religious wars and intolerance of those who see things differently have plagued our history too. Discovering what God wants is something we must do together, for our capacity for self-deception in these matters is high.

Our words and ideas falter in the face of God, which is why we are to be constantly open to hearing what other people have to say about God. Not because they understand God any more than we do, but because together we have a chance of feeling our way towards a deeper understanding. Learning to know God is an important component of the journey we are on. If we are to understand and cooperate with Godâ€™s plan to work in and through us to reveal his kingdom, we must make our intimate connection with God a central focus in our lives.

Being the Word

For the Catholic, salvation is not simply something that Jesus does on our behalf (that is to say, â€˜forâ€™ us). While it starts and ends with that, salvation also involves what God is doing in and through us. We are involved in our own salvation.

This is an â€˜inconvenient truthâ€™, and yet, it is the only way to make sense of our experience. Living the life of faith can be hard. On a day-by-day basis you and I are called to take up the cross and follow the one who has gone before us. We do this in faith and in hope, knowing that Jesusâ€™ death and resurrection has transformed everything. But follow in his footsteps we must, for we are to be â€˜as Christ Jesusâ€™ (see Philippians 2).

To be as Christ Jesus we must expect that the pattern of his life will be ours. What might this mean? Firstly, there is only one starting point. Like him, we are to be intimately connected to the Father, and our relationship with God is to be at the centre of all we say and do.

Then, like Jesus, we are to speak the truth of the Fatherâ€™s love through every word and deed. On the surface of it, this sounds nice. But as Jesus experienced, truth and love shine a light into the crevices of society and into the very hearts of people (including ourselves), and that degree of clarity is not always appreciated. And so, like Christ, we can expect to be misunderstood, falsely accused and (in one way or another) put to death. You must be the same as Christ Jesus: take up your cross and follow him.

Speaking to the Word

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Friday 20 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:05:07 -0500

Encountering the Word

Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, â€œYou know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.â€ Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. [Full text: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30]

Contemplating the Word

From one perspective, this is a reading about what the people â€˜knowâ€™. The people claim they do not know who Jesus is. Jesus responds that it is very clear who he is and, if they do not know, it is because they choose not to know.

Knowing God, it must be admitted, can be a little complex. When it comes to God we need to make use of imagery and symbols, as concepts can only take us so far, and are ultimately inadequate. As perhaps our greatest theologian, St Thomas Aquinas, remarked: anything we can say about God is more untrue than it is true. For example, we say God is â€˜Fatherâ€™ and this is true. However, God is more unlike any father we can imagine than he is like that father. Or we can say God is â€˜Motherâ€™. This is also trueâ€¦but only if we understand that God is more unlike any concept of mother that we have than he is like it.

Arguably the most accurate description of God is â€˜God is loveâ€™ (see 1 John 4:8), but even this becomes an unlikeness because our understanding of love is woefully inadequate. We must not presume that what God means by love is what we mean. Love is the force that called the universe into being. It creates, it destroys, and it wields a power that outshines even the brightest sun. Love, as we typically understand it, is often a faint echo of the reality that is the love that is God. Yes, love consoles and it heals. But it also challenges, cries out for justice, and will not rest when it sees the one it loves in danger. Love is both a calm sea and an erupting volcano.

These Lenten readings confront us with this challenging dimension of Godâ€™s love. Dare we contemplate the thought that God is looking into our hearts and lives, and pondering what he needs to cut away (see Luke 13:6-9)? He desires to remove anything in us that is not a reflection of his love.

That which is not of God cannot exist in Godâ€™s presence. He is looking with love into your heart, seeking to find the fruits of the Holy Spirit. He cannot be fooled or bargained with. He desires to have you with him for eternity, and is looking to see if you have the capacity to be with him there. What does he find?

Being the Word

In light of what we have been reading and discovering throughout this Lenten program, we can say that we are to be people whose hearts are intent on discovering and responding to the presence of God in our midst. It is in this context that, I hope, the following reflection makes sense.

Recently I was visited by a couple of very nice young women from a more recently established Christian denomination. The conversation started out promisingly enough â€“ I was asked if I believed in God. When I said â€˜yesâ€™ I was told that was surprising as (according to my guests) most people today are agnostics. However, I was reassured that it appeared that I was not â€˜most peopleâ€™.

We were off to a good start, until I was invited to agree that the world is in a bad state and that we should be worried because God is coming back at any minute to sort it all out. I tentatively noted that I did not agree. My guests wondered how a person could believe in God and yet not believe that the world was about to be punished. Recognising that the two women were quite perplexed, I felt the need to explain myself. I put it this way:

â€˜To be fixated on the thought that God has a future plan for dealing with the world and with the harm caused by humanity is to fail to recognise Godâ€™s current plan. The kingdom of heaven is among us. If we are attentive we see signs of God at work all over the place. Every act of kindness and compassion, every parent who wants something better for his or her children, every teacher wanting to pass on knowledge and an appreciation of life is inspired to do so because God is at work in their lives. They may not recognise that they are working in accord with Godâ€™s plan for the world, but they are. Every good act is a participation in the life of God and performed in response to and in the strength of Godâ€™s grace. The future is Godâ€™s business. As Jesus said, â€˜you do not know the day or the hourâ€™. Our job is to focus on today and to co-operate with what God is doing here and now.â€™

Recognising that God is at work and that his kingdom is amongst us is the catalyst for our participation in mission and evangelisation. Catholics donâ€™t have to point to a God who is watching over us from a distance with a plan thatâ€™s about to come down on us like a ton of bricks. Catholics witness to the reality that God is here amongst us by the joyful quality of our lives and the hope that we share. If that is not your personal experience of your own faith, then the challenge to ongoing conversion is one that you might like to think about.

This provides the context for the final part of Archbishop Prowseâ€™s handy summary: we are all called to proclaim that message all of the time. Because our evangelical stance is grounded in who we are, we can see how it is entirely possible to proclaim our faith all of the time. If our understanding of mission and evangelisation were entirely dependent on the words we use, then proclaiming the message all of the time becomes daunting and even impossible.

Speaking to the Word

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Thursday 19 March

Shane Dwyer — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:01:51 -0500

Encountering the Word

When (Jesusâ€™) mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, â€œJoseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.â€ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife. [Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24]

Contemplating the Word

We are so used to this story. It is part of the collection of stories that circle around the advent of Jesus and which seek to explain his significance as the fulfilment of Jewish prophecy. He is the â€˜longed forâ€™ one, the son of David, intended to reign forever. For most of us, most of the time, these stories are about the past. They are curious and important only to the degree that any myth worth its name holds an enduring significance. However, we can fail to note their significance for us here and now.

The word â€˜mythâ€™ has been used very deliberately. In the Christian context the word carries a particular meaning. Generally â€˜mythâ€™ is related to as a synonym for â€˜fantasyâ€™. That is not the way we use the word. Instead, when we say â€˜mythâ€™ we mean a story, or an account of a possibly actual event, the meaning of which holds an enduring and ultimately mysterious significance. It is an account, rich in symbolism, in which God and, as a consequence, we stand revealed.

So, what does this account of a particular event in the life of St Joseph tell us about God and us? Or to put it another way: besides being an interesting story concerning a decision St Joseph had to make, how is it relevant to us and who we are?

It is an account of a man in crisis. Confronted with an unexpected turn of events, Joseph has to make a choice. The rules in which he was well formed required a particular response from him. As a righteous man, he was required to denounce his betrothed and expose her to the harsh glare of public scrutiny. Maryâ€™s young life was on the line. Yet God invites him to a life beyond those rules, freed up to follow the promptings of the Spirit.

On this feast of St Joseph, we recall that we only remember him today because, when it counted, he left the rules behind and embraced compassion and the Spirit-filled life God was offering him.

Being the Word

Learning to listen to a voice that is beyond logic and rules can be difficult for people formed in the contemporary Western mindset. For something to be valid, it has to make sense to us, often within a restricted set of parameters. This is where openness to the way other peoples engage with reality can be very helpful to us. Pre-Western indigenous cultures are a great gift, as we seek to understand realities that cannot be scrutinised by either the microscope or the telescope.

However, it has to be admitted that we have had a tendency to relate to other cultures on the basis that they need to become more like us. Unfortunately, this can be particularly so when it comes to introducing those cultures to the faith with which we have been entrusted. This is a problem that needs to be seriously contemplated and responded to. Graeme Mundine, in his reflection on Evangelii Gaudium, reminds us that:

â€œThe good seed has been planted in Aboriginal peoples and has flourished. The Holy Spirit has always been in this land and we have always known about God. We called God by different names but we have always been in relationship with the Creator. In more recent times a new seed was planted and Aboriginal peoples began a relationship with Jesus Christ. We encountered Christ as Aboriginal peoples and we express our faith in ways as culturally diverse as we areâ€.[2]

As an example of the sorts of problems Aboriginal people encounter in their practice of the Catholic faith, Mundine highlights a recent development that has, to his mind, adversely affected the situation of Aboriginal Catholics:

â€œToday, with the introduction of the new translation (of the Roman Missal), the Aboriginal Our Father cannot be used because the law only allows the Western version. This version creates barriers for Aboriginal peoples because we can no longer see, speak or dance as ourselves within the celebration in the community of the Jesus story. The new liturgy has shown that there seems to be only one way to celebrate the life of Jesus which is foreign to Aboriginal peoples and we cannot see the Aboriginal face of Jesus within the celebration of the Eucharist.â€[3]

As a result of the ongoing problems Aboriginal people experience within the context of the Catholic Church, Mundine wonders:

â€œPerhaps the issue is that non-Aboriginal people do not really understand inculturation. Itâ€™s not something that is â€˜doneâ€™ to Aboriginal peoples. Nor is it about simply seeking permission from the Bishops and Priests to allow some symbols of Aboriginal Culture in the liturgy. Inculturation is the coming together of culture and faith and must be undertaken by people who are both of the culture and the faithâ€.[4]

Speaking to the Word

[1] Ibid., pp. 13 -14.

[2] Ibid., pp. 13 -14.

[3] Ibid., p. 14.

[4] Ibid., p. 15.

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Wednesday 18 March

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 23:57:55 -0500

Encountering the Word

But Jesus answered them, â€œMy Father is still working, and I also am working.â€ For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God. Jesus said to them, â€œVery truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. [Full text: John 5:17-30]

Contemplating the Word

If you can, track down the full text of this Gospel reading: John 5:17-30. It is amazing. Centuries before the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity was ultimately defined, the Gospel writer is inspired to reflect on the distinctiveness, and yet the inherent interconnectedness, between Father and Son. The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father, and yet they are woven together in a harmonious whole, like notes coming together to form a symphony.

The Son sees what the Father does and he does likewise. In this, he shows what we too are to be doing. For we have only one purpose in this life: to participate in the work that the Father is bringing to completion. The Father is only doing one thing and only wants one thing: he is bringing all things together in Christ. This is Godâ€™s master workâ€¦his planâ€¦his kingdom. When we pray that â€˜Godâ€™s will be doneâ€™ and that â€˜Godâ€™s kingdom comeâ€™ we are actually praying for the same thing twice.

To understand the significance of this, we need to try to see things as God sees them. God exists outside time: his is an eternal perspective. Being creatures bound in time, we can wonder if and how Godâ€™s plan will be achieved. Certainly it seems that there is a lot going on that has nothing to do with the Fatherâ€™s desire to restore all things to himself in Christ, but that is because we are bound in time. We fail to see what God is doing.

It can be salutary to reflect on the following thought: that only those things that participate in Godâ€™s plan are real. Christ is Godâ€™s plan. That which does not participate in Christ is not true, and the day will come when it will be as if it has never existed. How can we say this? For only God is eternal and only that which is of God can exist for eternity. The often-terrible realities that plague us now will stand revealed as being nothing and without power. Sin, suffering, fear and death will be no more.

Being the Word

Understanding that only those things that participate in Christ are real and will last in to eternity, should help us focus on what we are doing. We are to free ourselves from those behaviours and preoccupations that are ultimately futile. As men and women brought up in the West, we are plagued by futility. What is the pursuit of celebrity culture, for example, if not a preoccupation with the inane?

I said to a group recently: â€œwouldnâ€™t it be interesting if every baptised Catholic put even a third of the energy into prayer and social justice that we put into sport? What an amazing Church and world this would be.â€ I must admit that Iâ€™d wanted to say â€˜put as much energy into prayer and social justice as we do into sportâ€™ but I didnâ€™t fancy being lynched that day. I compromised and thought, â€œeven a third would do.â€

To achieve the renewal required of us as a Church is going to take enormous spiritual, psychological and physical effort. It is why the desert remains a powerful image. Only a fool takes crossing the desert lightly. Now is the time for the brave of heart. Pope Francis is aware of the enormity of the task:

â€œIt is a sign of great hope that the Pope invites us to be â€˜bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, styles and methods of evangelisationâ€™ (EG33) in our communities. It is no easy task to unravel whatâ€™s seen as normal and immutable in order to invite a different way of thinkingâ€.[2]

Speaking to the Word

[1] Ibid., p. 17.

[2] Ibid., p. 17.

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Tuesday 17 March

Shane Dwyer — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 23:54:01 -0500

Encountering the Word

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalidsâ€”blind, lame, and paralysed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, â€œDo you want to be made well?â€ [Full text: John 5:1-16]

Contemplating the Word

Those of us who are physically able, and who take pride in our ability to get things done with ease, may resist the observation that, from the perspective of the God who loves us and calls us into being, we are blind, lame and paralysed. Our inability to see the presence of God around us and to consistently identify whatâ€™s really important is indicative of our blindness. Our halting attempts to reach out to others and to take the journey beyond ourselves and our habitually narrow worldview is indicative of our lameness. Our unwillingness to go the extra mile and genuinely stand beside those in need in spite of the cost to ourselves is indicative of our paralysis. We resist the thought that we are the blind, the lame, and the paralysed referred to in the reading today, and yet isnâ€™t that precisely the problem: that we cannot see that this is most often our reality?

In this, Iâ€™m reminded of an earlier reading â€“ the Transfiguration (see Sunday Week 2 of Lent). There we noted the disciplesâ€™ inability to process what was happening before their eyes. James and John are rendered mute, and Peter completely misunderstands what is required of him. Most of us, most of the time, have very little idea of what God is doing, much less have much awareness of how we are to respond. We are the blind, the deaf, the lame, the leper, the paralysed and the possessed that feature regularly throughout the Gospels.

Another way of looking at it is that we suffer from a crisis of imagination. We cannot imagine that God wants to work in and through us as he reaches out to everyone we come in contact with. Our relationship with God is like swimming in a pool. We are content to play around in the shallow end of the pool, imagining that it is not our place to take our feet off the bottom of that pool and swim into the deep. The problem is that playing around in the shallow end of the spiritual pool is not going to satisfy most adults. We have to go deep â€“ where it is challenging, a little dangerous, but ultimately much more satisfying. If we do not, our spiritual lives are in danger of withering up and dying.

But how do we do this? Paul describes it perfectly in his letter to the Romans (12:1-2). On the surface of it, it is so simple. Paul says that you are to â€˜give yourself completely to Godâ€¦do not compromiseâ€¦if you do this, God will transform you and your lifeâ€™. So simple and yet, where do we start? I invite you to try it today and see how you get on. If you are anything like me, you will form all sorts of good intentions and then find yourself stumbling at almost every hurdle. Years of failure can wear you down. You start to wonder whether what Paul is describing is possible, or even desirable. You relax, you compromise, and you go back to the shallow end of the pool.

This is an important moment. It is the moment when we realise that without grace there is nothing we can do. Left to our own devices we can achieve very little when it comes to the life God is offering us. In fact, without grace we can achieve nothing. But that is alright. The life of faith has very little to do with our personal achievement. On the contrary, all we can do is believe that God wishes to fill our lives to the brim with his love and his presence, and then ask him to bring this about in us. The people in the deep end of the pool (the saints) are not heroic, strong people in their own right. They are just people who said â€˜yesâ€™ and allowed God to lead them into the deep. The proclamation of the Gospel to all people all of the time can be an overwhelming prospect, until we recall that all we are being asked to do is to trust God to lead us. The rest is up to God.

Being the Word

That we are blind, lame and so on inevitably impacts on our ability to carry out our mission. The problems our inabilities cause are myriad, but there is one in particular that Pope Francis often asks us to think about. It concerns our collective inability to see past our long established ways of doing things, and our desire to preserve our structures in preference to truly responding to the needs to those around us:

â€œâ€˜The Church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide openâ€¦ Everyone can share in some way in the life of the Church; everyone can be part of the community, nor should the doors of the sacraments be closed for simply any reasonâ€¦The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weakâ€™ (EG 47). Grace and mercy come before â€˜holinessâ€™ and judgement in the Kingdom of Godâ€.[2]

In this we are to be constantly open to being a Church that is not monochromatic in its self-expression. Pope Francis notes:

â€œIf we are to open to a less monocultural and monotonous Church we need to be aware and open to the everyday encounters which hold the promise of change. I am drawn to the words of Benedict XVI who speaks of this. â€˜Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive directionâ€™ (EG 7)â€.

That the Pope is challenging us to move out of our cultural comfort zone is clear:

â€œThe message that we proclaim always has a certain cultural dress, but we in the Church can sometimes fall into a needless hallowing of our own culture, and thus show more fanaticism than true evangelising zealâ€™ (EG 117)â€.[3]

Speaking to the Word

[1] Connolly., p. 10.

[2] Ibid., p. 10.

[3] Graeme Mundine, “Leadership for Mission with Aboriginal Peoples,” in Living the Joy of the Gospel: The Francis Effect, ed. Danielle Achikian, Peter Gates, and Lana Turvey(Sydney: Catholic Mission & Catholic Religious Australia, 2013)., p. 15.

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