WwtW: God perfects our faith through the division and strife we encounter when we live as peace-makers

Wednesdays with the Word (OT C, 20).  A new series for this blog!  I've started a Bible Study at my parish, looking at the coming Sunday readings.  We meet Wednesday mornings after Daily Mass.  I'll be posting the notes I make for them here afterwards.  I regard producing these notes as the first 1/3 of homily writing: contextualizing and understanding the scriptures.  The next third is what we ask together as a Bible Study: how do these readings renew us in our awareness of God's action in our lives?  Given the reality of God's grace, how are we to respond?  The next third, which I'll get back to next month after what seems like a long summer off, is packaging that Good News into an engaging homily

Gospel (Lk 12:49-53)

Context.           This is part of Jesus’ long journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:48; Wks 13-31).  For the last few weeks, we’ve been reading a section (12:1-13:9; Wks 18-20) on vigilance in the face of eschatological crisis.  To ready themselves for the end of the world, disciples have been invited to some pretty extraordinary acts: being liberated from possessiveness (even with regard to one’s basic bodily needs), and serving as a table-slave in the Household of God.  We now come to a reading that looks at the consequences of this.

Interpretation. The consequences will be division.  Jesus’ question regarding peace should surprise us, because this has been a key theme of the Gospel so far: from the angels announcement of his birth, to his instruction to the 72 disciples to announce peace as they go out.  But, division has come: people have reacted differently to Jesus.  Was this an accident?  No, it is part of God’s plan.  An incident that illustrates it is when Jesus communicates peace to the sinful woman (7:36-50; Wk 11).  The Pharisees respond with division.  Peace will come, but only through division.  It is up to us how we respond.

Hebrews 12:1-4

Context.           The origins of this “letter” are shrouded in mystery: we don’t know who wrote it, who is was intended for, or whether it was even a letter (it may well have been a homily).  We do know that it’s the only Biblical book to substantially engage an important strand of its surrounding culture: neo-Platonism.  Its central theme is the priesthood of Christ, crucified and exalted: Christ did what Jewish cult could not do – provide permanent cleansing from sin, through the New Altar of the Cross.  We are called to follow our “forerunner” on his pilgrimage, bringing us home to heavenly rest.  The sections of the letter we’ll read over the next few weeks deal with quite how we’re to walk this walk; they’re the consequences of earlier Christological section of the letter.  Like master, like disciple: suffering is the inevitable consequence of obedient faith.

Interpretation. The previous section of Hebrews celebrated Jewish heroes of the faith, such as Abraham (which we read last week).  These stand as evidence the race can be run, and as supporters in the stadium, cheering us to victory.  The language of cloud reminds us of God’s appearances to mortals.  Supreme among our cheerleaders in Jesus, who perfects our faith.  We put our faith in the faithful one who trusted in God to vindicate him despite the shame of the cross (the Greek could be translated “disregarding the shame” or “despising the shame”; the point remains the same).

Questions

1.      Most commentators understand the reference to “fire” as being to eschatological judgment, along with a possible reference to Elijah’s attack on the prophets of Ba’al.  But, some read it as a reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit.  How would this affect your reading?

2.      Have you experienced division because of your Christian commitment?

3.      Who are some of your best supporters in the crowd?  Saints, friends, mentors?

4.      How does the Christian life resemble a race?

5.      What are some ways to “keep our eyes on Jesus”?  What can distract us from doing this?

6.      Who or what do we identify as what we need to resist?  Is it other people, our own tendency to sin, something else?

Credit where credit's due.

The main books I used to prepare:

Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke.  NICONT.  Wm. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Mich.: 1997.

L.T. Johnson, The Gospel of Luke.  SP.  Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn.: 1991.

_______, Hebrews.  NTL.  Westminster John Knox, Louisville, Kentucky: 2006.

Frank J. Matera, Strategies for Preaching Paul.  Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn.: 2001.