Thursday, November 29, 2018 – Encountering God in Today’s Readings

Perhaps you have heard of Pope Francis’ “Culture of Encounter.”  In very general terms, this Culture of Encounter is interaction marked by mutual respect and openness to understanding in a context of real relationship.  You can encounter God—and God can and does encounter you.  You can encounter other people.  In an encounter there is a mutual, honest sharing–even when there are significant differences.

One of my favorite Pope Francis quotes comes from Evangelii Gaudium: “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day.” (paragraph 3)

With that in mind, I am working to encounter God through the readings of today.  These readings are hard for me.  I need the concept of encounter to be open to what they say.

Encountering God in Revelation

Throughout much of November we have been in Revelation.  We hear John’s apocalyptic vision.  Scripture scholars tell us Revelation was written during a time of persecution, probably the persecution of Domitian around 95-96 AD.  Christians were being martyred everywhere.  To them, the visions of John would have been reassuring:  the world is calamity around us; we are dying; it helps to believe that perhaps this is part of the end of time, that Christ will return soon, that our deaths will lead to glory.

Their deaths did lead to glory—for them.  The Church has always believed that martyrs go straight to heaven. And the faith of the martyrs to their death helped bring about the conversion of Constantine and the Mediterranean world.

But time did not end.  Times of struggle have happened again and again through the centuries.

In today’s reading from Revelation, St. John describes the fall of Babylon.  Babylon then was Rome.  At other times Babylon has been power and evil in many forms, many nations.

Babylon Today?

Today, I wonder:  is Babylon the US?  Drugs and violence?  Dictators?  Islamic zealots?  Across the world—is it the “Culture of Death”?

Am I living in Babylon?  Is God warning me, us, that times of persecution are coming?  Is God warning me, us, that we might look to ourselves and see how much in conformity with his Word we are?

Though the picture is of glory, It is not with comfort that I read:

After this I heard what sounded like
the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying:
“Alleluia!
Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God,
for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great harlot
who corrupted the earth with her harlotry.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.

To the people in St. John’s day, that would have been beautiful music!

But, for me, today, it is not music.  When I listen to news, when I hear of scandals in the Church or even when I hear the tones of many who talk about Church issues, I wince.  It all sounds like Babylon to me.  I don’t want the end to come.  I want and pray for more time, more efforts for conversions.  “Please, God, give us more time!  Please, God, help us know what to do bring EVERYONE to you.”

I keep yearning for Ezra and Nehemiah to appear and name clearly what God asks of us.  I yearn for all of us, clergy and laity alike, to compare what we believe and practice to what God’s Word says. Then for us, like the Jews returning from Babylon, to weep, rend the garments of our hearts, and repent.  God’s Word says follow the 10 Commandments AND the 8 Beatitudes.  It says “take up your cross” AND be a Good Samaritan.  It says live by faith AND faith without works is dead.  It says be humble AND tell the good news from the housetops. There is a whole section of the catechism, “Life in Christ,” that spells out how we are to live as Christians.  Do we read it and compare it to our lives?

Encountering Jesus’ Message to His Disciples

The Gospel conversation today takes place during Holy Week.  Jesus is within three or four days of his death.  He is trying to prepare his disciples.

His words would have frightened me:

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Yet Jesus ends on a positive note.  He tells his disciples they will see him come again with great power and glory.  He tells them:

But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

Encounter–God’s Heart and Mine

Encounter happens when people are honest and vulnerable with each other.  God, in these Words, was speaking comfort to people in a time of trial or about to enter into a time of trial.  But today, I do not find them comforting.  God’s Word today frightens me.  I have heard more than one homilist this month say in effect, “These readings in November do not say what it sounds like they say.  God is not warning us. He is reassuring us. He is speaking hope.”

While I have great hope in God, I know God speaks Truth.  Truth here is that at some point evil loses.  Before it loses, there is great tribulation. This is true when evil loses in an individual or in the Church or in history.

History speaks Truth, too.  History tells us that those times of tribulation have come again and again.  As a pastor told me many years ago, “In every life there are at least one or two times of tribulation.”  In every century, too.  In every land sooner or later.

The psalm today reminds us “Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”  For those called to the wedding feast (hopefully we are all included), times of tribulation pass to times of joy, feasting, and glory.

But first we follow Christ—ALL of Christ—ALL he says, 10 Commandments and Beatitudes alike.  In the end, for me, this encounter says, “Mary, do not be a cafeteria Catholic.  Choose God–all of God.  God is mercy–and justice.  God is justice–and mercy.  So must I be.”

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for this encounter with You today.  It is a confrontation to remind me that struggle between good and evil is a part of my life, of every Christian’s life.  During tribulation we must choose You over evil. There are consequences for what we choose–eternal consequences.  Lord, I worry about the many, many, many people I know who no longer believe in You, who do not live by Your laws and beatitudes.  I worry about the many people who believe in You and follow You where it is comfortable, but do not want to go with you through times of tribulation.  Lord, You know that sometimes I’m in that category.  Keep on confronting and pricking and questioning me, until I am strong enough to be called into the wedding feast of the Lamb. Keep on calling ALL of us, Lord, that we might ALL enter in with You.  Lead me, guide me, Lord.

Note:

Next week, as Advent and a new cycle of readings begin, Dan McFeely and I will trade days.  Dan will write for Thursday and I will write for Monday.

About the Author

Mary Ortwein lives in Frankfort, Kentucky in the US. A convert to Catholicism in 1969, Mary had a deeper conversion in 2010. She earned a theology degree from St. Meinrad School of Theology in 2015. Now an Oblate of St. Meinrad, Mary takes as her model Anna, who met the Holy Family in the temple at the Presentation. Like Anna, Mary spends time praying, working in church settings, and enjoying the people she meets. Though formally retired, Mary continues to work part-time as a marriage and family therapist and therapy supervisor. A grandmother and widow, she divides the rest of her time between facilitating small faith-sharing groups, writing, and being with family and friends. Earlier in her life, Mary worked avidly in the pro-life movement. In recent years that has taken the form of Eucharistic ministry to Carebound and educating about end-of-life matters. Now, as Respect for Human Life returns to center stage, she seeks to find ways to communicate God's love and Lordship for all--from the moment of conception through the moment we appear before Jesus when life ends.

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18 Comments

  1. Hi Mary,
    You are a gift from God. Very inspiring reflection. God bless you and all at Catholic Moment.

  2. Thank you Mary. Very deep reflection. I feel it is a wake up call. As the year ends to rethink my life afresh, and ask for reconversion.

  3. After reading this this Gospel I really had a difficult time understanding. After reading your reflection it changed everything. Thank you Mary for your help.

  4. Keep on confronting and pricking and questioning me,until I am strong enough to be called into the wedding feast of the Lamb…
    Thanks Mary for your thought-provoking reflection with beautiful piece of prayer.It really speaks to me…

  5. Thanks once again for an inspiring reflection. Commandments AND beatitudes. I didn’t associate them as closely together until today.

  6. Dear Mary, thank you for your reflection today. I shared many of the same thoughts/fears as you when I read today’s readings. I too plea in my heart for more time. Your reference to “cafeteria Catholics” sent me swirling , that this is the world today. Even our church, Pope Francis, government etc. we pick and choose how our faith will fit our personal “world”. Your reflection today is a great reminder for us to lean only the pillars God has given us and not use man made canes. I join you in pray for all of us!

  7. I love what you and others do in this webpage, providing meaningful reflections that helps bible readers understand readings and gospel in a beautiful way. You have helped us closer to god with your writings, please continue with your rare and precious God given talents. I believe you are invitees to god’s wedding feast as his party servers, and we are to be invited to as his guesses, you r blessed to be his right hand on this earth. Thank God for your works.

  8. You spoke to me when you said, “Before evil loses, there is great tribulation.” I am living this, and have been for at least 2 years now. Thank you for your reflection.

  9. Mary, it does feel like Babylon in America and across many countries. But, I am hopeful we’ll come out on the good, God side of life. Your ending prayer felt like it was written for me. Thanks again for a spot-on reflection. I will start my work day with the idea of cultural encounter.

  10. Mary, thank you for immersing us in today’s readings. You ask for a prophet like Ezra or Nehemiah to tell us what God wants. I believe that Jesus is sending us his Blessed Mother to teach us and to prepare us to meet her Son. I recommend following her messages to the world given during her many appearances on every continent throughout this century, which call us to pray the Rosary from the heart, to read Scripture daily, to fast, to seek Jesus’s mercy through Confession, and to receive the Eucharist as often as possible. Inspired by confidence in Jesus’ infinite love and mercy and led by Mother Mary may we each be prophets in our own small way to fight against the evil of Satan that is gripping so much of our world. The Blessed Mother assures us that through prayer, good will triumph.

  11. Mary, like you, my stomach turns every time I turn on the news and hear about some new atrocity in our Church. Recently, Canadian news media have been reporting on hazing in a Canadian Catholic school. 14/15 years olds were accused of sexual assault as part of a hazing ritual. Sadly, the principal did not report it to the police for two days. The journalist reported that school authorities turned a blind eye because this type of behaviour had become normalized. Then she played a very old British clip in which the commentator was touting the greatness of this particular private school. He commented that bullying was a fine art in British private schools. That clip was in black and white, that’s how long such behaviour has been condoned.

    Mark 4:22, Luke 8:17 & 12:2-3 tell us that what is done in the dark will come to light. And that’s happening. Because of social media today, people are waking up to the realization that abuse of any kind is not normal. There are other types of abuses that are so subtle they may never come to light because gossip, innuendos, back-stabbing have become a part of daily life. Good people stand by and do nothing.

    Your reflection reignited some painful events in my life, sadly I doubt anything will ever be done about it. This first Sunday of Advent, Jesus tells us not to give into the worries of life, so I decided that would be my liturgical new years resolution. I keep hoping, this too shall pass. Keep me in your prayers. God bless.

  12. Chris, it makes me wonder how St. Mike’s can even be calling itself a Catholic school when the administrators aren’t committed to living by Christian standards.

  13. A – it really is disturbing! Here in Canada, many Canadians become indignant when they hear of abuses that occur in the U.S., when we need to be looking in our own backyard. As well, it’s not just in North America, these atrocities are happening world-wide, in all types of organizations, not just in Churches (every denomination, and non-denominational). I feel that there is a purge happening starting with the Catholic Church! It’s times like these I think if nothing is impossible for God, why can’t he cleanse the temple with a wide sweep of his hand! Wishful thinking, eh?

  14. Mary, I also see the US as Babylon in today’s reading. It was quite an eye opener. “Because your merchants were the great ones of the world, all nations were led astray by your magic potion.” And “She has become a haunt for demons. She is a cage for every unclean spirit, a cage for every unclean bird, a cage for every unclean and disgusting beast.” That there will be great tribulation before evil is defeated—very scary stuff. I have always been afraid that my faith wouldn’t be strong enough and, like Peter, I would deny my Lord out of fear. I pray for more time for my faith to strengthen, for my family’s conversions…may God have mercy on us all.

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