We Are Made For More

15 June 2018

Jesus continues to tell us that we are made for more. Yesterday He called us to the highest standard and not to settle for the bare minimum when it comes to the virtuous life. Today he continues to unpack the commandments with “extra” insight that calls us to do more. Seven out of the Ten Commandments focus on how we should treat one another and only the first three focus on God. Therefore, it seems pretty darn paramount, to God, that we get our relationships with one another right. I think the answer is blatantly before us even though it may be difficult to see. The order of the Commandments is no mistake and is the proper order for living the virtuous life. It is only when this proper order is in place that we can really start to lean into those extra, above and beyond, made for more things that Jesus is constantly teaching us about. The order is: Love God first and before ALL others, His name is to be honored, set aside one day a week just for Him….then treatment of family, friends, and strangers will be in their right order, flowing out of and from pure and total love. 

Today’s commandment is “you shall not commit adultery” and I think it is safe to say that we all completely understand the magnitude of this sin. It seems like we are well versed on the “badness” of adultery and all the extra ways that we might commit adultery in our thoughts, words, actions, etc. I’d like to go a little deeper. 

I know for me, I treat people differently based on whatever commonality I have with them. For example, if you are a Notre Dame fan, it is very likely that I will give you the shirt off my back if you ever need it. And obviously, if you are from Hawaii, we must be and probably are related so you might just be remembered in my last will and testament. Oh, you walked the Camino de Santiago? We are now best friends for life and you are stuck with me forever. I even connect over silly and frivolous things like, “Your favorite color is yellow? Here’s a pint of my blood.” “You love guacamole too? I’m pretty sure we are soul mates!” I think the break down that leads us to unfaithfulness of any sort – adultery, betrayal, gossip, slander, lying – can be found in our inability to connect over the one commonality that we all share.  We are God’s masterpiece, created in Their image, and we are all one in Love. The same Spirit that breathed life into the universe resides in you and me and in every single human person ever created. Our failure to honor that Spirit in one another is exactly how we can be “unfaithful” to one another. 

My friend Dotti says that if we truly believed that each one of us is a living tabernacle, we too, would bow in reverence to one another the same way we bow in church before the tabernacle. I feel like we would never feel the temptation to “use” each other again if we really believed this. Unfaithfulness is essentially using others for something that is devoid in ourselves and if we were properly ordered, we would know that first and only, God fulfills all that is missing. The references to cutting off your hand if it causes you to sin or plucking your eyes out is really an emphatic way to tell us to get the order of things right. 

We are made for more and it is up to us to take the message of today’s gospel to heart. I honor the Spirit of the living God in you, today, and I bow in reverence to that Spirit. I promise to honor you as a masterpiece created in complete love and I pray that you will do the same to me. Have a blessed day and it is well with my soul. 

Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 363

Reading 1 1 KGS 19:9A, 11-16

At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.
But the word of the LORD came to him,
"Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by."
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake— 
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
A voice said to him, "Elijah, why are you here?"
He replied, "I have been most zealous for the LORD,
the God of hosts.
But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant,
torn down your altars,
and put your prophets to the sword.
I alone am left, and they seek to take my life."
The LORD said to him,
"Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus.
When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram.
Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel,
and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah,
as prophet to succeed you."

Responsorial Psalm PS 27:7-8A, 8B-9ABC, 13-14

R. (8b) I long to see your face, O Lord.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. 
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.

Alleluia PHIL 2:15D, 16A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 5:27-32

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you, 
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin, 
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin, 
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

"It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."