The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to see beyond what our limited ability reveals by trusting in Providence to guide us in truth, goodness, and love.
Seeing Beyond
The reading from the Prophet Ezekiel proclaims a Prophet Among Them.
* [2:1] Son of man: in Hebrew, “son/daughter of…” is a common idiom expressing affiliation in a group; in this case, “a human being.” The title is God’s habitual way of addressing the prophet throughout this book, probably used to emphasize the separation of the divine and the human. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 123 is a Supplication for Mercy.
* [Psalm 123] A lament that begins as a prayer of an individual (Ps 123:1), who expresses by a touching comparison exemplary confidence in God (Ps 123:2). The Psalm ends in prayer that God relieve the people’s humiliation at the hands of the arrogant (Ps 123:3–4). (Psalms, PSALM 123 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes a Thorn in the Flesh.
* [12:5–7] This person: the indirect way of referring to himself has the effect of emphasizing the distance between that experience and his everyday life, just as the indirect someone in Christ (2 Cor 12:2) and all the passive verbs emphasize his passivity and receptivity in the experience. The revelations were not a personal achievement, nor were they meant to draw attention to any quality of his own.
* [12:7] That I might not become too elated: God assures that there is a negative component to his experience, so that he cannot lose proper perspective; cf. 2 Cor 1:9; 4:7–11. A thorn in the flesh: variously interpreted as a sickness or physical disability, a temptation, or a handicap connected with his apostolic activity. But since Hebrew “thorn in the flesh,” like English “thorn in my side,” refers to persons (cf. Nm 33:55; Ez 28:24), Paul may be referring to some especially persistent and obnoxious opponent. The language of 2 Cor 12:7–8 permits this interpretation. If this is correct, the frequent appearance of singular pronouns in depicting the opposition may not be merely a stylistic variation; the singular may be provoked and accompanied by the image of one individual in whom criticism of Paul’s preaching, way of life, and apostolic consciousness is concentrated, and who embodies all the qualities Paul attributes to the group. An angel of Satan: a personal messenger from Satan; cf. the satanic language already applied to the opponents in 2 Cor 11:3, 13–15, 20.
* [12:8] Three times: his prayer was insistent, like that of Jesus in Gethsemane, a sign of how intolerable he felt the thorn to be.
* [12:9] But he said to me: Paul’s petition is denied; release and healing are withheld for a higher purpose. The Greek perfect tense indicates that Jesus’ earlier response still holds at the time of writing. My grace is sufficient for you: this is not a statement about the sufficiency of grace in general. Jesus speaks directly to Paul’s situation. Is made perfect: i.e., is given most fully and manifests itself fully. (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Mark describes the Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth.
* [6:1] His native place: the Greek word patris here refers to Nazareth (cf. Mk 1:9; Lk 4:16, 23–24) though it can also mean native land.
* [6:2–6] See note on Mt 13:54–58.
* [6:3] Is he not the carpenter?: no other gospel calls Jesus a carpenter. Some witnesses have “the carpenter’s son,” as in Mt 13:55. Son of Mary: contrary to Jewish custom, which calls a man the son of his father, this expression may reflect Mark’s own faith that God is the Father of Jesus (Mk 1:1, 11; 8:38; 13:32; 14:36). The brother of James…Simon: in Semitic usage, the terms “brother,” “sister” are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters; cf. Gn 14:16; 29:15; Lv 10:4. While one cannot suppose that the meaning of a Greek word should be sought in the first place from Semitic usage, the Septuagint often translates the Hebrew ’āh by the Greek word adelphos, “brother,” as in the cited passages, a fact that may argue for a similar breadth of meaning in some New Testament passages. For instance, there is no doubt that in v. 17, “brother” is used of Philip, who was actually the half-brother of Herod Antipas. On the other hand, Mark may have understood the terms literally; see also 3:31–32; Mt 12:46; 13:55–56; Lk 8:19; Jn 7:3, 5. The question of meaning here would not have arisen but for the faith of the church in Mary’s perpetual virginity.
* [6:4] A prophet is not without honor except…in his own house: a saying that finds parallels in other literatures, especially Jewish and Greek, but without reference to a prophet. Comparing himself to previous Hebrew prophets whom the people rejected, Jesus intimates his own eventual rejection by the nation especially in view of the dishonor his own relatives had shown him (Mk 3:21) and now his townspeople as well.
* [6:5] He was not able to perform any mighty deed there: according to Mark, Jesus’ power could not take effect because of a person’s lack of faith. (Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Jeanne Schuler comments that prophets steer us to higher ground. Without a jab or two, complacency holds us back. Paul sucks in the joy of God’s momentous revelations. But this exuberance is punctured by thorns. Paul begs God for relief: “Take away this curse.” God refuses. Some thorns are embedded in the self. They are not alien forces. They are me. God does not seek the pristine me but the mottled me.
One hand opens to the reality of God’s love for me. The other stretches out for more. We exist in this tension: dwelling in the hands of God we yearn for all weakness to be gone. But thorns turn us back to the God for whom we are already enough.
The recovering alcoholic thanks God for the affliction that dragged her into the depths. From deep in the pit, she cries for help. Help comes. We are not alone. (Schuler, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “Distinguishing God's power and our faith,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"And perhaps, as in the case of metallic substances there exists in some a natural attraction toward some other thing, as in the magnet for iron, and in naphtha for fire, so there is an attraction in such faith toward the divine power according to what Jesus said: 'If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, 'Move to another place,' and it shall be moved' (Matthew 17:20). Matthew and Mark wished to present the all-surpassing value of that divine power as a power that works even in those who do not believe. But they did not deny that grace works even more powerfully among those who have faith. So it seems to me that they accurately said not that the Lord did not do any mighty works because of their unbelief, but that he did not do many there (Mark 6:5). Mark does not flatly say that he could do no mighty work there at all, and stop at that point, but added, 'except that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them' (Mark 6:5). Thus the power in him overcame even their unbelief." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.19) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 comments that there is a freedom that comes with recognizing our limitations and embracing this kind of childlike dependence on God. The more we honestly acknowledge our weakness, the more room we make for God’s strength to grow in us. We realize that there’s only so much we can do ourselves. But we also realize that as soon as we stop thinking everything depends on us, God will show us what he can do.
So let’s embrace our “littleness.” Let’s lean into our weakness and rely on God’s strength so that we can reveal his power more and more clearly.
“Father, I acknowledge my weakness. Lord, come and carry me!” (Meditation on 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that Ezekiel who was taken to Babylon in 597 BCE reminds the people that God will stand firm with the people even after the destruction of the Temple in 537 BCE and the removal of the people to Babylon in 537 BCE. Paul proclaims that God’s grace is sufficientto conquer his ‘Thorn in the Flesh’. Friar Jude reminds us that tradition from the early days of the Church holds that Mary only had one Son and that the “brothers and sisters” mentioned in Mark are references to cousins.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that faith is strengthened by acknowledging that everything changes.
The inner process of change and growth is fundamental to everything, even our bodies. Having undergone several surgeries, cancer, and a heart attack, I’ve been consoled by the way my body takes care of itself over time. In religion, however, many people prefer magical, external, one-time transactions instead of this universal pattern of growth and healing—which always includes loss and renewal. This is the way that life perpetuates itself in ever-new forms: through various changes that can feel like death. This pattern disappoints and scares most of us, even many clergy who think death and resurrection is just a doctrinal statement about Jesus.
Religions tend to idealize and protect the status quo or the supposedly wonderful past, yet what we now recognize is how they often focus on protecting their own power and privilege. God does not need our protecting. We often worship old things as substitutes for eternal things. Jesus strongly rejects this love of the past and one’s private perfection, and he cleverly quotes Isaiah (29:13) to do it: “In vain do they worship me, teaching merely human precepts as if they were doctrines” (Matthew 15:9). Some Christians seem to think that God really is “back there,” in the good ol’ days of old-time religion when God was really God, and everybody was happy and pure. As if that time ever existed! This leaves the present moment empty and hopeless—not to speak of the future. (Rohr, n.d.)
We implore the Spirit to allow Wisdom to prevail when we are led astray by our presumptions, preconceived notions, and prejudices.
References
Ezekiel, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/2?2
Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?1
Meditation on 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/07/07/1017994/
Psalms, PSALM 123 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/123?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Evolving Faithfully. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/evolving-faithfully/
Schuler, J. (2024, July 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/070724.htm
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jul7
2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/12?7
