Sunday Reflection with Canon Robin Gibbons: 3 November 2024

Rembrandt - Moses with the Ten Commandments Google Art

Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do you have a Bible in your home, and treat it with care? How do you use the scriptures in your prayer and faith life, perhaps as both a resource and a guide, a readily available treasure to dip into, as and when necessary? Or as some do, have they become a part of the fabric of your daily/weekly prayer life, perhaps through the daily office or the practice of Lectio Divina?

These are important questions which I hope challenge our understanding of these Books of the Oracles of God, and the Gospels of the revelation of Christ. It doers matter that we as practising Christians, as Catholics, whose liturgical lectionary, daily and weekly, uncovers the story of salvation, helps us understand that our scriptures are an essential part of our own faith life, for they are the living Word present amongst us.

When we learn about the various component books of the Old Testament, and make the New Testament an essential element of our own wisdom journey with Jesus, both in the gospels but also in the other portions of the NT our religious life becomes so much richer. It is crucial that in a world in need of guidance for us to begin understanding our scripture better, being prepared to be surprised by what comes to us as a message for challenge and change, and be unafraid to become open to its power.

Hence this small sentence from Mark's gospel opens out for us a great gift. It comes when Jesus, having had an exchange with the scribe about the greatest commandment says this to him : 'And when Jesus saw that [he] answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."' (Mark 12: 34)

There we have it, a momentous comment if we but could accept it, namely that if we allow ourselves to enter into the world of the scriptures, and dialogue with them, that force of the Spirit opens up for us a new insight. Perhaps a different view on our own and others experiences, and we begin to perceive that the apparent veil between the world of God and ourselves, is not an insurmountable barrier, but can be bridged in so many ways. We too are not far from the Kingdom of God, but to discern it, we need to pray for that gift of the scribes understanding.

Nevertheless all of our journeying, all of our search for God and the Kingdom cannot be disassociated with a particular call of the Holy One to each one of us. A call heard, then written in the scriptures and reiterated by Jesus as a command. To the Israelites God communicates a desire to be their God, and they be a people in relationship to this Holy Unseen One. We hear the oracle of God uttered through Moses: 'Hear, O Israel!* The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. Take to heart these words which I command you today'.(Dt 6:4-6)

The first part of this evocation became one of the most significant prayers of Judaism, said at Morning and Evening Prayer and on great festivals, in what for Judaism, becomes their great declaration of faith, perhaps their most singular affirmation of faith in the Oneness of God- a prayer so holy it is traditionally prayed with the hand covering the eyes. Here in such simple words is the ground of all that we do, to love the Lord our God totally.

In his discussion with the Scribe in our gospel today, Jesus builds on the Shema by bringing with it the second commandment that binds together humans and life on earth, with the realm and presence of the Most High. But it is the scribe, not Jesus, who articulates this, just as we often articulate the word of God through our own understanding of the living scriptures-and then make it real in the living out of what we learn and make our own. Here is the Scribe: 'The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.'And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices". (Mk 12: 32-33)

There is no difficulty in finding this enactment of love lived out in the events going on around us at this moment in global time. We are well aware that climate change, the result of human actions, has shown itself as a reality with consequences. The devastation of the hurricanes in the USA, and now the unfolding tragedy of the terrible flooding and consequent loss of life and property, not to mention livelihood and livestock in parts of Europe, and this week in seen in the deluge that took place in Valencia and other areas of Spain. The visuals of the disaster are harrowing, but in the midst of this is also the great sign of human care, that love of our neighbour seen in the work of the emergency services, the army and other official bodies, but also in the thousands of volunteers and carers helping clear up the immediate mess, but prepared go onwards to help rebuild, comfort and restore normality to a traumatised people. That is a different but greater type of change, the transformation of human hearts.

Compare these actions with the divisive rhetoric of recent American Politics seen in the words and actions of certain aggressive leaders, where the word love is replaced by words of hate, care of others by denigration of particular groups. We pray for a positive outcome for the peoples of the USA, but perhaps more importantly, we pray that we learn to turn our faces and eyes towards the examples of love found in scripture and live them out as fully as we can in the challenges of life. This is the offering, the sacrifice of the heart, worth everything, seen in those who are giving help to their neighbour in Valencia and elsewhere. We remember them all in our prayers, and we bring them before the Holy One, who we love, but like the scribe we pray that our understanding of the living word may become our own deeds that may help change our world.

Lectio/Prayer

The First Blessing of Jewish Morning Prayer during the recitation of the Shema.

Praised are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, creating light and fashioning darkness, ordaining the order of all creation.

You illumine the world and its creatures with mercy; in Your goodness, day after day You renew Creation. How manifold Your works, O Lord; with wisdom You fashioned them all. The earth abounds with Your creations. Uniquely exalted since earliest time, enthroned on praise and prominence since the world began, eternal God, with Your praise and prominence since the world began, eternal God, with Your manifold mercies continue to love us, our Pillar of strength, protective Rock, sheltering Shield, sustaining Stronghold.

Our praiseworthy God with vast understanding fashioned the rays of the sun. The good light He created reflects His splendour; radiant lights surround His throne. His heavenly servants in holiness exalt the Almighty, constantly recounted His sacred glory. Praise shall be Yours, Lord our God, for Your wondrous works, for the lights You have fashioned, the sun and the moon which reflect Your glory.

Our Rock, our Redeemer, our King, Creator of holy beings, You shall be praised forever. You fashion angelic spirits to serve You; beyond the heavens, they all await Your command. In chorus they proclaim with reverence words of the living God, eternal King. Adoring, beloved, and choice are they all, in awe fulfilling their Creator's will. In purity and sanctity they raise their voices in song and psalm, extolling and exalting, declaring the power, praise, holiness, and majesty of God, the great, mighty, awesome King, the Holy One. One to another they vow loyalty to God's kingship, one to another they join to hallow their Creator with serenity, pure speech, and sacred song, in unison chanting with reverence:

Holy, holy, holy, Adonai tzeva'ot; the whole world is filled with His glory.

A Prayer in a Time of Distress

Almighty and everlasting God, You are a source of constant strength to those who suffer and a comfort to those who grieve.

May the prayers of your children who are in trouble rise to you like incense. Hear our prayer.

We claim your promises of wholeness for us all, as we pray for those who are ill or are suffering loss, and long for your healing touch. Hear our prayer.

Make the weak strong, the sick healthy, the broken whole, and confirm those who serve them as agents of your love. Hear our prayer.

To everyone in distress, grant mercy, grant relief, grant refreshment and an inner peace. Hear our prayer.

As people begin to rebuild, we commend their neighbourhoods to your care.

Give us strength of purpose and concern for others, that we may create a community and world where your will may be done.

Hear our prayer. God of compassion, for you watch our ways, and weave out of terrible happenings wonders of goodness and grace. Hear our prayer.

Surround those who have been shaken by tragedy with a sense of your ever-present love, and hold them in faith. Though they are lost in grief, may they find you and be comforted;

Through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives and rules this world with you. Amen.