Word to the Wise
Sunday, July 14, 2024 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Amos 7:12-15; Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10; Mark 6:7-13]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.. [Ephesians]
There is a rather stark contrast between the second scripture for today and the other two. The first and third scriptures, from the prophecy of Amos and the Gospel According to Mark, deal with discipleship and rejection - a kind of "nitty-gritty" warning about the cost of discipleship. The second scripture, from the opening words of the Letter to the Ephesians, is almost poetic and lays before us a vision of salvation that was formed "before the foundation of the world." Some scripture scholars believe that this letter was written by Paul during his last two years of imprisonment in Rome, and reflects his grandest vision for all the communities that he founded and fostered.
Grand visions can motivate one to persevere when apostolic evangelizing gets tough. Why should anyone "repent" and "be saved?" That message can, as the gospel warns, receive an indifferent or hostile response. Paul invites us to look up once in awhile to glorious and profound realities. Recent discoveries by the Hubble and Webb telescopes out in space reveal millions of stars and planets. We are like those little sparrows in the Gospel According to Matthew for whom God has care just as God cares for the vast universe. We can seem like one infinitesimal speck in God's providence but God loves that speck. St. Paul reveals to us the reason why he endured all that he endured to preach the good news to the Gentiles. Such a vision can help us get the "big picture" that makes every day Christian living worthwhile. AMEN