Mystery's Self-Communication

How does Numinous Presence, Ultimate Mystery, get through to us limited human beings in our very material world?  It was not through God's finger writing on stone tablets.  Numinous Presence chose the Israelites in the desert and in  exile to begin a dynamic process involving centuries of telling stories, writing them down, later editing, copying in scrolls, and, finally, as a community, determining which of these belonged on the approved list of sacred writings, Scripture.  We have the Jewish people to thank for being receptive to this Divine process and for giving the world a glimpse of Who is calling us into loving relationship. 

Feeling Down?

If this picture of happy people on a hot day in the tropics doesn't cheer you on this very wintry day, maybe this advice from St. Thomas Aquinas on today's calendar will:

"Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep,
  a bath, and a glass of wine."

(calendar from the gifted sisters at Ministry of the Arts)

The Depths of God

St. Paul wants to make it clear to the Corinthians that he is preaching to them, not just using human reason, but letting the Holy Spirit use him to help us glimpse the mystery of God.  "To us God has given revelation through the Spirit, for the Spirit explores the depths of everything, even the depths of God."  We want to know God better so that we can love God better.  Surrendering to the Spirit ushers us into the Mystery.

First Be Reconciled

"So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering."  This quote is from Matthew 5:20-26, a passage in which Jesus warns us how anger disrupts our relationship with God.  As I meditated on it this morning, I thought of relatives and friends with whom I am not at peace and also of public figures whom I find it hard to love.  Is my offering at the altar a true surrender of my heart? 

Langston Hughes

We need to be celebrating Black History Month.  Here's a quote I came across this week from Langston Hughes who died in the 1960's:
"Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed.
  Let it be that great strong land of love
 Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme."

Let your light shine

"You (plural) are light for the world," says Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16.)  A lamp would be useless under something like a bed.  Our goodness as followers of Jesus must shine for all the world to see.  I found myself in meditation remembering the Paschal candle being carried up the aisle during the Easter Vigil, everyone sharing its light with their neighbor until the whole church was glowing.

Salt

There's still snow in the air, but not too much accumulation today.

"You are the salt of the earth," says Jesus to us (Matthew 5:13.)  Salt was very important in ancient times, not only for flavor, but for preserving food, to purify, and as part of sacrifices.  If we stop witnessing to the world by our good deeds, we are as useless as the salt from the Dead Sea, which, because of chemical impurities, could decompose and lose its taste.

The "you" is plural.  Jesus wants to use all of us together to save the world and give zest to life.  It is as a community of witnesses that we are to show our country and our world the goodness and love of Jesus.  We Catholics make up a large percentage of our country's population.  If we took the teachings of Jesus more to heart, our nation would be salt for the world.