RENEWsletter for September 20, 2009 - 25th Ordinary

Good morning Renewers--
Have you ever encountered someone who was irritated with you just because you were happy? That sometimes happens to Christians who somehow see the silver linings in the dark clouds more readily than those around them. A fan of Star Trek will remember the Organians who irritated both Capt. Kirk and the Klingon Cmdr. Kor with their insistence that there was no danger, no one had died, and both warring parties, the Klingons and the Federation, were welcome on their planet. They turned out to be all-powerful energy beings and really were in no danger.

Well, the readings for next Sunday, the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, deal with Jesus's, and our, mission here on earth, what the forces of fear planned to do to him and us, and how we will overcome them. The readings can be found on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/092009.shtml and in your Bible in:

Wisdom 2.12, 17-20
Psalm 54.3-4, 5, 6, 8
James 3.16 - 4.3
Mark 9.30-37

"Let us beset the just one!" cry the wicked in the First Reading (Wis. 2.12). They've heard that God will defend him (v. 18), but they're going to put him to the test anyway. Kinda reminds me of the "frivolous lawsuit" idea... you have people who know they can't win, but they'll tie things up in court as long as they can just to be obnoxious. Have you ever been hampered by someone who knew you were right, but just resorted to name-calling or tale-bearing to try and get you to make a mistake, maybe? There are lots of stories like that in the political realm. Think of filibusters...

But the Responsorial Psalm gives the response we should take to heart when it happens to us: "The Lord upholds my life!" (Ps. 54.6). The opposition rises up against us, the ruthless seek our lives (v. 5). But God is our help (v. 6 again). Once the frivolous lawsuits are thrown out and the filibusters end, we can praise the Lord for his goodness (v. 8).

The Second Reading also maps out what our response can be when the wicked beset us. Be cool. Chill. Relax. Foster purity, peace, gentleness, compliance, mercy... and you'll bring forth good fruits of consistency and sincerity (Jas. 3.17). It is our passions... our negative passions, if we let those wicked ones stir them up, that cause conflicts among us and give the wicked the victory (ch. 4, v. 1). When we pray, we mustn't ask for the things and events that our fears, our anger, our pain, or our frustration demand. That's "asking amiss" (ch. 4, v. 3). We must instead ask for the peace of God to fill our hearts, and that will put all the passions and the attacks of the wicked in a whole new light.

The Gospel Reading gives another dimension to these concepts of dealing with high feelings. Jesus was letting his disciples in on what was to come in his own ministry. He would be killed. But 3 days later, he would shake death off and take up his life again (Mark 9.31). The attacks of the wicked would never bring lasting victory for them.

The disciples didn't understand and in discussing it among themselves fell to arguing (v. 33). But when Jesus asked them what the hubbub was, they didn't want to say, because they were arguing over who would wind up greatest in the kingdom (v. 34). The object lesson that Jesus gave them can work for us, too, when those "filibusters" of the wicked beset us. "If you want to be first, be last" (v. 35). In other words, change your perspective. Don't let your passions guide you. Don't covet someone else's position. Be as a little child (v. 36). Defenseless. Trusting. Dependent on God. This is scary only if you fear the wicked and their filibusters. Christ takes away all the fears we give him, and replaces them with peace. With that peace we receive Christ himself, and the Father who sent him (v. 37).

When the dark clouds roll in, and the enemies of peace say, "See? See? Dark clouds! I told you so!", then relax, trust God, and point out the silver linings. Bless you all and have a great rest of the week.

Randy Jones
"Those who cannot see the silver lining say the storm is bad"