LOVE ADOPTS

 

I can only imagine how horrifying it would be to outlive your son or daughter.  It is not supposed to be that way.  It is not nature’s way.  Amped up to another level is that this grown child of yours is innocent, yet has been sentenced to death and there is nothing you can do.

That was the predicament of Mary when she saw Jesus die in a mangled mess on the cross.  His passion was her passion.  What comes in the next scene is a point of reference in Christianity on her unique maternal role and how her faith should be normative for Christians in example and practice.  Knowing every breath is a struggle, the inner conflict of this mother is wanting to hear from him but to lift himself up must be excruciating.

Nevertheless, Jesus lifts himself up and speaks to put both his earthly and spiritual houses in order.  An important legal backdrop according to Brant Pitre’s The Jewish Roots of Mary is that declarations of something being bestowed by the condemned at the site of their execution is legally binding.  In Roman law, the witnesses of such words from Jesus could establish in court a last will and testimony.  With a spiritual context and a secular frame of reference, he puts in place a familial connection to found his spiritual family: The Church. Therefore, a fruit of the cross is adoption through his mother Mary who always points us to Jesus Christ.

THE THIRD WORD

“Jesus said to his mother: “Woman, this is your son.”
Then he said to the disciple: “This is your mother.” (John 19:26-27)

Before these verses are explored, I want to lay some foundations.  One is to acknowledge that in Mary there is a lot to learn from her faith. Second, no Christian could love Mary more than Jesus does.  Third, in light of Jewish and early Christian tradition, she was the mother of Jesus alone in the manner of the flesh.  Otherwise it would be strange for Jesus to bypass having another son of Mary take her in.  The beauty is that she would have a spiritual and yet tangible role as mother eternally bonded in the cross to all Christians as I will demonstrate.

Decades before the cross, this “woman” was one who said yes to God’s will knowing there could be the appearance of scandal in pregnancy before the wedding ceremony.  She said yes in a context of worship in saying, “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” and “my soul magnifies the Lord”.  But I want to especially emphasize that she was a woman of faith who rightly worshiped God and viewed humanity in a prophetic way.

She carried a devotion to her son that was not lost in statements she made about justice coming to mankind through Jesus. In her response to God in the presence of his angel she spoke of the high being made low and the poor being exalted. Such is what goes topsy-turvy when the full gospel impacts a culture: oneness and equality happen. This is something she celebrated when she first conceived Jesus in her heart before conceiving in her womb.   This was Mary’s family morals for humanity because this was the agenda of God the Father in sending the Son.

But, Mary, was “full of grace” (Luke 1:28) and had discernment and a prophetic voice for Jesus in words and presence that endured to the day of Pentecost.  Her life was lived in gratitude, treasuring the events of Jesus in her heart though anticipating the cross since old Simeon prophesied that a “sword will pierce your heart as well” (Luke 2:35).

She was also prophetic at a wedding as she magnified the Lord again though not with all clarity.  She boldly interceded to Jesus for the need of more wine. Jesus did not dismiss her with the word “woman”, any more than he did from the cross. In fact, the idiomatic expression “what have you to do with me” is poorly translated in English and would seem he dismisses her. But Jesus was really communicating to her there is no barrier between them, his hour of the cross had not yet come yet borrowed time would start with that first miracle.  She knew there would be a dark hour to come but Jesus knew that that hour was not that wedding but later.  This would explain him saying this prior doing as she requested though he had said, “My hour has not come” (John 2:4).

She may have perceived a foreshadowing of the cross where she would be a witness to the wine of his blood poured out of his side, with water, to birth the reality of the Bride of Christ into sacramental existence. This is where her heart was pierced and how we see in Mary’s solidarity with Christ how his passion is felt by her and is relatable.

From the early years of Christianity, she has been written about as mother of all believers.  She was and is the living reference of Christ’s nativity (the Christmas story) and the household of faith. This was strongly attested to by Origen of the 3^rdCentury on how all Christians share in John’s blessing.

For none of these plainly declared His Godhead, as John does when he makes Him say, I am the light of the world, I am the way and the truth and the life, I am the resurrection, I am the door, I am the good shepherd; and in the Apocalypse [book of Revelation], I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. We may therefore make bold to say that the Gospels are the first fruits of all the Scriptures, but that of the Gospels that of John is the first fruits. No one can apprehend the meaning of it except he has lain on Jesus’ breast and received from Jesus Mary to be his mother also. Such as one must he become who is to be another John, and to have shown to him, like John, by Jesus Himself Jesus as He is. For if Mary, as those declare who with sound mind extol her, had no other son but Jesus.Is it not the case that every one who is perfect lives himself no longer, (Galatians 2:20) but Christ lives in him; and if Christ lives in him, then it is said of him to Mary, Behold your son Christ. What a mind, then, must we have to enable us to interpret in a worthy manner this work, though it be committed to the earthly treasure-house of common speech, of writing which any passer-by can read, and which can be heard when read aloud by anyone who lends to it his bodily ears? What shall we say of this work? He who is accurately to apprehend what it contains should be able to say with truth,  “We have the mind of Christ, that we may know those thingswhich are bestowed on us by God” (Origen, Commentary of the Gospel of John, Book I, 3^rdCentury. Quoted in personal conversation by Fr. John Behr, February 2019, emphasis added).

 

A proper response to feminist critiques of Christianity is to point to Mary as an example on the Christian dignity of women far beyond pregnancy. Before the conception of Jesus, she said, “let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).  Mary’s grace informed femininity points to Christ.  “Let it be done to me….” is an anthem for men and women to live a faith in harmony with God.

Good Mariology is good Christology in articulating Christ’s identity better. In Mary there is a fuller view of how “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).  Mary is a controversial point in Protestantism, but the early Church put her in her elevated place to define all that Jesus is and be an example of all that the Church is called to be. This is why she was referred to as the Theotokos (God-bearer) in the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.  She was named the Theotokos in the Council of Ephesus not to glorify her but protect the doctrine of Jesus being 100% divine and 100% human.  Mary refines the unity of faith and “magnifies the Lord”.

So, with that, let us now reflect on the full meaning of adoption in Christ being bound in spirit, matter and form but to God the Father.  Let us take her into our home and invite her intercession, receive her exhortation to “do what he tells you” (John 2:5) and learn from her humility. In doing this we can be very much like John.  Furthermore, she will behold us as her children and in Christ, “pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death” (The Rosary) with a lifetime of life in the Church called to pray, teach and live the “Our Father”. Apostle Paul summed this up well on the adoptive effects of the gospel when he said, ^“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba!Father’ “(Romans 8:15)!

Right Road On The High Road

I think about “Rocky Mountain High” when I think of retreat.  People who have an intentional life of faith sometimes go on a retreat to the beach or mountains and set aside time for prayer which can be a good experience.  But eventually we have to come back to earth.  We are meant to walk this earth announcing in word and deed that God is relevant.  That is at the heart of Jesus’ nature.  “God so loved the world…” is not just a catch phrase at a sports game but a way of life. 

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus (Matthew 17:16). 

took with him – – It is not enough for the believer to white-knuckle themselves by willpower to their retreat or in any Christian growth experience.  The grace of God comes first always whether it is clear to us or not. 

There he was transfigured before them- Much fanfare is given in light of the spectacular descriptions here.  Pope Benedict VI makes a point that in a way this was the moment in Jesus’s earthly life where he ironically was not transfigured but was his normal self and thus meaning his glory was hidden otherwise. 

Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus- – In God’s involvement on the earth before, during and after the events of the gospels there are adornments in person or things that confirm what God has done or is doing.  In a parallel passage on the same event there is more detail here where it is pointed out how  they “appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). 

The wording in the original Greek is literally what the Greek translation of the Old Testament uses for the exodus of Moses.  The word meant “the way out” of Egypt but here it is a heavenly direction. “What he was going to accomplish” is about the work of redemption on the cross. 

Lord, it is good for us to be here- – God really does not need our good ideas.  And we do no favors to ourselves when we emphasize a geographical location due to what the think it is intrinsically to be.  Such are the thoughts that we can have when we are unsettled and absent God’s peace. 

I will put up three shelters- –  The following could be an imaginative translation of what he is getting at. 

What an awesome experience!  Let’s turn this into a new village! We’ll hang out, do a  Torah study with Jesus, Moses and Elijah and Jesus will bring the wine.  Sure, I’ve got a wife down the mountain and there are masses of people that want to get into this new kingdom thing (whatever that is) but let’s settle. Letting his excitement get ahead of him, Simon Peter puts Moses and Elijah on equal footing with Jesus.  The Father loves them, but not like He loves Jesus.

Peter is centering on this experience to be the end all. The kingdom of God does go beyond earthly things and is across the generations and in part he is right to recognize that.  But those are things and not a person.  Christianity is based on the person of Jesus and his central work of being crucified and being raised from the dead.  Days earlier the cross was a scandal in his mind.  When Jesus was first announced by John the Baptist it was as the Lamb of God (which in Jewish tradition is sacrificed).  If one does not get that and keep this truth engrained they will miss how sacrifice in the gospel and the Christian life is entwined. “Love without sacrifice is meaningless.  Sacrifice without love is unendurable” (Dr. Scott Hahn). 

a bright cloud covered them- – Through the Bible there is a theme of clouds as symbolic of covenant or community.  Here it is both in the sense of God being a community of holy persons and that the establishment of The New Covenant is drawing near. 

This is my Son, whom I love- – But with that overwhelming presence of God the Father, Simon Peter gets his perspective readjusted.  But notice it is not, “Listen to my Son or I will smite thee.”  The Father brings it back to love and repeats what He said at the baptism of John the Baptist.  He is well pleased in Jesus.  Jesus is enough. Jesus and the message of sonship for those in him does not change

Listen to him- – Where John the Baptist says “Behold” the model of ongoing conversion is “Listen”.  That is a means by which faith comes (Romans 10:17). 

they fell facedown to the ground, terrified- – At best they interpret the love going on as only to Jesus and the Father is fresh out of mercy.  But the gospel shows us that “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). 

But Jesus came and touched them.- – Coming to the end of ourselves and admitting we are powerless over our sin is a sobering experience. Wrong does not mean one is bad and deserving only punishment.  So Love Incarnate steps in and does what He does: He pushes out that fear. But Jesus embodies perfect love and “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:17).  Jesus will manifest his presence in some way for that if we let him.  Where shame immobilizes us in a sort of spiritual shock, Jesus changes the story.    

When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus- – The story comes to the full circle with Jesus being central.

When I was a Protestant, Peter was the comedy relief in a lot of sermons.  Now with a passage like this, I have to laugh at myself.  What goose bumps have I raised to the level of Jesus?  Have I mistaken a definition for myself that is like being too spiritually minded for any earthly good?  Where has Jesus called me down from my “Rocky Mountain High” and I have refused to come back to the simplicity of devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3)?   

Again, Jesus does not change.  But He does love us enough to call us to Himself in purity and practicality.  Let’s cast off pretentious ideas, listening, and surrender to him. 

Consumed With Grace

It is a nice thought to be bold towards others when it is only in thought, but quite another to be bold with those who are not loving towards us.  But if we rise to such occasion, we are then a light in the world as we walk in the light.

Such is the occasion that I want to cover in this blog entry but often in others as well.  Two blogs ago, we see Peter and John deal with a marginalized, disable person with equality, grace and being practical with his physical need.  This was great.  Last blog, we see Peter talking straight to the crowd that a few years ago were likely okay with the crucifixion of Jesus.  Peter is gracious to a large group as well and treats them with a perspective of them not knowing what they did and there is room for God’ forgiveness.  God is the God of second chances.  These are two degrees of being a light.

For those of us who are Catholics, there has been a lot of talk about the New Evangelization.  I have not read too much of the related encyclicals, but I suspect much of it is a renewal of the fervor we see in the “Old Evangelization” we see here.  I can also see where Pope Francis is onto the same principles described below.  And now, without further ado, here is a third degree of dedication in this cause to a third degree.

4 While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, 2 much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. 3 So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening…5 The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone.’12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them

This is important.  Peter had been filled with the Holy Spirit through a decision to follow the word of Jesus (see Acts 2).  Peter had a level of dependence on God for the right words that started with His indwelling.

by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.

Peter had a message of Jesus in the context of the cross and the resurrection.  What I have heard from Dr. Scott Hahn, and makes increasing sense to a new Catholic like myself, is that preaching Christ crucified is preaching a gospel that is Eucharistic in nature.  That is that He can be received in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in communion because of that ultimate act of self-giving of Jesus on the cross.

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. 14 When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another. 16 They said, “What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. ….19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20 for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John…

When is the last time we were bold about anything?  Our favorite soda? Movie?  Politician?  Or what about trying to have an expert opinion?  And what is “expertise”?

In this context, boldness is a very pregnant word.  They were noted in their boldness from healing the beggar, to preaching the grace of Jesus to the crowd.

…and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they… recognized them as companions of Jesus.

Those characteristics included being relational to the marginalized and speaking truth to the multitudes.  They were imitating the nature of Jesus in being comfortable in their own skin with anyone and everyone.

The last element from the story is unpleasant but relevant for anyone that wants to carry the sufferings of Jesus fully to the world: being willing to go to the death for testimony of Jesus.

Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.

Peter was one half of the duo laying their lives down for Jesus.  He does this, as seen above, “filled with the Holy Spirit”.  Without that encounter, Peter lacked the courage to not deny Jesus to a servant girl.  But with that encounter a few years later there is a great difference.  For Peter and John, they had walked with Jesus but continued in Him by teaching according to His revelation, fellowship, communion and prayer (Acts 2:42).  We know Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  So what is stopping us? It is for us to let God re-evangelize us from our complacency in the context of repentance and being filled of Him.  Then we can live and proclaim truth relationally and boldly.

Sundays With Simon Peter–A Hand Up

 

 

“Perfect love drives out dear”.  With what I am about to share combined with the recent death of Nelson Mandela, I hope to speak to two systems that are available to us in some way or another and the stark contrast they have for us who are the givers or receivers in their mindsets. 

 

In Roman times if there was a recent conquest of territory then there would be a herald who would come into town and announce the new way of doing things with not the least of them being that you have to pay taxes.  The power differential was huge for the hearer because of the fear that the herald and his crew represented.  The new way of life is coming, it is Roman, and if you mess with them they have a cross picked out for you. 

 

For the herald and his crew there were two things going for them: the evangelion and Civis Romansus.  The evangelion was the imposing agenda of the empire, or the overarching new empirical truth.  Civis Romanus was the calling card to not be messed with by “the local rabble” as an individual.  There was a commonly told story that if a Roman citizen was surrounded by bandits he could just say “Civis Romanus!” and they would back off.  That was how intimidating the empire was.  

 

But in a backwater, conquered territory there came a carpenter from Palestine.  An itinerant teacher of the Jewish Law who was crucified and some say rose from the dead.  A few years after that a few ex-fishermen become heralds of this new evangelion.  But they did not come to intimidate.  They were there to serve, to love, to heal. 

 

Acts 3:1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,[a] stand up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

 

There are several things to glean from this powerful story. 

 

4 Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”

 

Beggars in that day would not be encouraged to look up in a way that would be consistent with equality.  After all, they or their parents sinned to be in that position.  But instead of affirming to the man defeat, Peter and John affirmed dignity. 

 

6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,stand up and walk.”

 

Peter had gone through a lot of fire in his life.  He knew what he was, and he knew what he was not.  But most importantly, Peter knew who Jesus was and what He could do.  After dignifying the lame man, he empowered him with the same power of Jesus that he had received. 

 

And he took him by the right hand and raised him up

 

Peter in his interaction has progressed very quickly in this interaction from giving the man dignity, empowerment and relationship.  I say relationship because to clasp hands like this implies symbolically or literally that this marginalized man has a place for dinner that night at a table.  In a letter of Paul, he refers to meeting Peter, James and John with the extension of the “right hand of fellowship”. 

 

So what do dignity, empowerment and relationship combine into?  Salvation.  I say this because Jesus was out to make sure people received salvation as a holistic experience.  The word for saved is sozo, which means whole.  “Call on the Lord and you will be saved.” Is said a lot.  But when the woman was healed by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment, she was also sozo.  Peter understood that he needed to give a holistic experience to than man because this was the nature of Jesus.  As Paul would later write, “the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.”  From Greek: evangelion, dunamis, sozo.  That is to say that the good news of Jesus is the dynamite effect to wholeness to anyone who believes.