Daily Mass Reflections - 9/19
“But wisdom is vindicated by all her children” ~ Luke 7:35)
In many respects, today’s Gospel (Luke 7:31-35) is about Jesus breaking down barriers and challenging the status quo. It is here where we find him essentially taunting the Pharisees for their inability to look past their preconceived notions and rigid guidelines of the law, and in doing so failing to recognize the Messiah amongst them in their very midst. “For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”
Damned if you do... Damned if you don’t.
Herein however lies the beauty of our church. Although we are less than perfect people individually, together we are the living, breathing body of Jesus Christ, or the ”Mystical body of Christ” which Paul spoke of yesterday (1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31) and elaborates upon in greater detail today (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13). Many others would go on to do the same, including one of the more prolific Popes of our Church https://discover.hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/Mystici-Corporis-Christi-Revisited. The vindication for our many imperfections is not from ourselves but from Jesus, the Bridegroom of our church, who earned the right for us to be gathered together to celebrate eternal life with him and with one another.
Paul writes about spurning our childish ways in favor of a deeper, more mature faith in today’s 1st Reading. Our goals must always be to grow in love. Patience, gentleness and humility are the virtues to strive for, and as we yield to God’s grace whole dying to our misguided pursuits there is no question we can receive them as the Holy Spirit continues to grown and flourish within us. For in the words of Canadian philosopher Matshona Dhliwayo, “It is better to die for your virtues then to live in your vices.”
Come Holy Spirit, enkindle the hearts of the faithful, and they will renew the face of the Earth.
