RENEWsletter for July 11, 2010 - 15th Ordinary

Hi, all--
What do we have to do to inherit eternal life? Is it like the Twelve labors of Hercules? A dozen tasks so difficult only a super-human could accomplish them? Is it like Atlas who had to hold up the heavens on his shoulders forever? Or maybe it’s more like passing the Bar Exam…? Or getting your driver’s license. Nope. Nothing like any of those. Read on…

The readings for this coming Sunday, the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, are:

Deuteronomy 30.10-14
Psalm 69.14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 or Psalm 19.8, 9, 10, 11
Colossians 1.15-20
Luke 10.25-37
You can find them on the web at: http://www.usccb.org/nab/071110.shtml.

The First Reading is one I love from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy. God's commandments are not too mysterious for us (Deut. 30.11), they're not up in the sky (v. 12), and they're not across the sea (v. 13). They're within our own hearts (v. 14). Ancient mythology often sounds so remote and silly we can’t believe people as smart as the Greeks believed in it. The rituals of Tai Chi, or the claims of Scientology, or even some of the traditions of our own Church may at times make little sense. But the commandment of the Lord -- to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deut. 6.5, and Luke 10.27), and to love your neighbor as yourself -- is NOT hard to understand. It may be hard to put into practice, but it certainly isn't hard to understand.

The psalmist expresses the practical side of being close to God in the first Responsorial Psalm option. "Turn to the LORD in your need, and you will live" (Ps. 69.33). God loves us with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength as well! And in the second optional Psalm, expands on the practicality of God’s precepts. They refresh the soul and give wisdom (Ps. 19.8). They make the heart rejoice and enlighten the mind (v. 9). They endure forever and are true and just (v. 10). They are more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey (v. 11).

For Paul in the Second Reading, understanding God is possible through his son. Jesus is the spittin' image of God (Col 1.15). When we look at him, we see God! Everything on earth or in heaven, visible or invisible, was created by Jesus, and for Jesus (v. 16). The image of God is therefore right within us as we are part of creation (v. 20). And within our neighbor.

And who is our neighbor? As Luke relates in the Gospel Reading, the one who needs our help is our neighbor (Luke 10.29ff). Our neighbor may not look like us. May not practice our religion. May speak a language we don't understand. But no matter how different from us he or she may appear, it is the image of God we're looking at. God so loved the world, us and our neighbors, that he gave his only son... (John 3.16). How much will we give?

So, as Jesus told the lawyer, “Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself, and you will live” (v. 28). Then he said, “Do as the one who treats his fellow man with mercy” (v. 37). And there we have the answer to the question, “What what do we have to do to inherit eternal life?” (v. 25).

Have a good week.

Randy Jones
"Those who cannot help say the situation is bad!"