2003 photo

 

july 7 2006

Am 8:4-6, 9-12 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! “When will the new moon be over,” you ask,“that we may sell our grain, and the sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the containers for measuring, add to the weights ,and fix our scales for cheating! We will buy the lowly man for silver, and the poor man for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!” On that day, says the Lord GOD, I will make the sun set at midday and cover the earth with darkness in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentations. I will cover the loins of all with sackcloth and make every head bald. I will make them mourn as for an only son, and bring their day to a bitter end. Yes, days are coming, says the Lord GOD, when I will send famine upon the land: Not a famine of bread, or thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the LORD. Then shall they wander from sea to sea and rove from the north to the east In search of the word of the LORD,but they shall not find it.

Ps 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131
R. (Matthew 4:4) One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,who seek him with all their heart.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
My soul is consumed with longingfor your ordinances at all times. R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. The way of truth I have chosen; I have set your ordinances before me.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Behold, I long for your precepts;in your justice give me life.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
I gasp with open mouthin my yearning for your commands.
R. One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Mt 9:9-13 As Jesus passed by,he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said,“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” There are parts of this Gospel reading that appear at first to counter other readings. There are readings that say that those who belong to God should not cast their pearls before swine or spend time in the company of the evil. The answer seems to me to be the intent of those sitting at table with the sinners. If it is to bring the healing Word of God and love this seems to be the way that Jesus is teaching here. In my understanding it would be different if I sat with sinners with the intent of sharing God's love and when they did not respond and continued to act Godless, if I remained in their company and shared their activites I would have left my faith and God's way behind. If in my mind and heart I am bringing the light and love of God to others then to be in the company of sinners is a part of the journey and a blessing.

"I come not to call the rightesous" It seems to me to be one of the great traps of being a person devouted to a Religous Life consecrated to God that righteousness is ubiquitous. It has a way of being like water and seeping into the seams of all Religious garments. It is one of the challenges that in conversion I need to daily dry off and remove the movements and tendencies to righteousness that constantly are creeping into all of the day's thoughts, words and acts. To walk in the light and love of Jesus, I need to cast off all righteousness. Any brother or sister who has sinned has done something that I am in all respects equally capable of. There but the grace of God, go I . I pray for a clean heart and renewed spirit. I ask God to help me meet the challenges of this new day and see the blessings and graces in them.