Breaking Open the Word - 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – February 16, 2020
Our discussion today began with the Second Reading, St. Paul’s glorious description of “God’s wisdom” which he wishes to teach to the Corinthians and to us. One Sister shared her reflections on what this “mysterious, hidden” wisdom could be: the nature of God as Trinity. This truth is the fundamental mystery of the universe, yet it is one which we could never have known unless God Himself revealed it through the Incarnation of His Son. And if God is Trinity, then “God is love,” as St. John says – the three Persons exist in total self-gift. It is our astounding vocation as Christians to share in this life of love for all eternity!
What about that famous line later in the passage, which mentions “what eye has not seen, nor ear heard”? Most of us are familiar with this verse as a description of the joys of Heaven, which we cannot even imagine until we attain them. However, another Sister offered a different interpretation. St. Paul says that “God has revealed [these things] to us” (emphasis added) – they are not just something that is to come, they are something that has already been manifested. Sister suggested that this could refer to the Paschal Mystery, which is the “greatest and most stupendous work of God’s love,” to quote St. Paul of the Cross. The mystery of God’s nature as Love, which is so glorious that it had “not entered into the human heart,” is revealed most clearly in the shocking paradox of the Cross and Resurrection.
Today’s Gospel, taken from the Sermon on the Mount, also offered us many avenues for reflection. Our Lord famously declares, “You have heard it said . . . but I say to you,” taking the commandments of the Law and asking that His disciples live them on a far deeper level. As one Sister said, the utter uniqueness of Christianity is its basis on love, rather than fear or mindless submission. It is not enough to obey the commandments externally; our obedience must spring from an internal disposition of love. If we do not give our whole lives, both inner and outer, to Christ, then we would do well to listen to His words to the Church of Laodicea: “because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My mouth!” (Rev. 3:16) Jesus demands a radical commitment to the Gospel, one that reaches to the very core of our being. Only then will we begin to be transformed, to be able to fulfill our vocation of sharing in the life of the Trinity.
Finally, we shared some thoughts on the beautiful first reading from the book of Sirach. The entire passage is a poetic reflection on free will, the awesome ability of the human person to determine his or her eternal destiny. In a society that focuses heavily on the emotions and on following “what feels right,” we can sometimes lose sight of this fundamental truth. However, our free will is always capable of choosing the good, even if our emotions rebel (as we all experience, given the disunity in our fallen human nature)! It is one of the most consoling tenets of our faith that God will judge us based not on our success – which is often determined by factors outside our control – but on our firm will to do His Will and on our trust in Him.
Lent will be here before you know it; join us next week for the final Sunday of Ordinary time before the beginning of the Great Fast!