Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 124
Reading 1
You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped;
you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.
All the day I am an object of laughter;
everyone mocks me.
Whenever I speak, I must cry out,
violence and outrage is my message;
the word of the LORD has brought me
derision and reproach all the day.
I say to myself, I will not mention him,
I will speak in his name no more.
But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones;
I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
for your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings fast to you;
your right hand upholds me.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Reading 2
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God,
to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.
Do not conform yourselves to this age
but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and pleasing and perfect.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
"God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you."
He turned and said to Peter,
"Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory,
and then he will repay all according to his conduct."
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
The Pleasure Principal is a theory in psychology that says that we, as human beings, are driven by things that give us pleasure and that we instinctively avoid things that cause us pain. These are some of the most primitive instincts that drive us throughout our lives. As we get older, these factors may develop into a way that we live. What causes us joy and happiness? What causes us to be hurt both physically and mentally? Joy and happiness can easily be linked to our physical reaction to stimuli, releasing endorphins and dopamine; enforcing the behaviors that we are either engaging in or seeking relief from. This can then lead to subconscious or conscious decision-making based on the “reward” we seek based on these actions. Much like a dog that can be trained in this understanding, we too can train ourselves to be seeking pleasures and avoid sometimes necessary pain in order to find an easier way to live. This entire concept is rooted in the physical world and a society that emphasizes this in daily living. This can be a challenge to many people and can lead to a pursuit of things that offer material satisfaction and relief above that which is spiritual. We as Christians understand that this way of thinking and living leads to an unhealthy focus on the material, while the mental and spiritual aspects of our existence suffer as a direct result. We become sick and desolate; a slave to our passions. Being a Christian means that, in order to experience our lives the way that God intended, these physical motivations must be controlled and sometimes eliminated from daily living. The primary focus must be on God and our spirituality instead of physical needs, wants, and desires. If we put our physical longings first, then we will naturally pull away from God as a result;, for God is beyond the restraints of physicality; He is not bound by anything that is constructed within the physical realm.
The physical realm is only one small part of us and must be put into perspective regarding its relationship to our mental and spiritual existence. Our mental and spiritual capacity extends far beyond that which is physical. If we choose things of a physical nature, then we are immediately restricted by that which we choose to experience. Shackled with the chains of physical stimuli, we can never experience things that originate in the spiritual realm and that which includes God Himself. Enmeshed in these things will also entrap our decision-making capabilities and create a cycle of seeking, using, and discarding objects that satisfy us in the moment, but cause damage to us in the long run. Any person who suffers from an addiction can probably relate to what is being described. Others whose behaviors are erratic, if not socially acceptable, can most likely see how the behavior is created around the Pleasure Principal: they want something and will do just about anything to get it, even leading to types of criminal behavior.
The Prophet Jeremiah gives a powerful example of the internal struggle he faced while bringing the Word of God to the people. He faced opposition, ridicule, imprisonment, and torture. His social status was reduced and there were those who plotted to kill him. All of this could have been avoided if he decided not to tell the truth and instead take that easier path of going along to get along, whereupon he would have been able to lead a pleasurable life with all the benefits of being in agreement with those in positions of power. Yet, when confronted with opposition and pain, he rose above it. The Spirit moved him and caused him to speak out. When his body and mind urged him to avoid the pain and torment, the Spirit of God overwhelmed him to a point where it burnt his heart and seeped into his bones. He ignored the physical rewards in return for something greater: the spiritual reward and the presence of the Holy Spirit. It overwhelmed him and caused him more joy and happiness than whatever this world and the moment could offer.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that this takes a “renewal of the mind.” What is good, pleasing, and perfect in the eyes of God are not the same things that we find in the allures of the flesh. The flesh is corrupted while God is not. Thus, that which comes from God will always be of greater quality and better for us in the long run. Even suffering takes on a different form. This is not something to be avoided but is something that should be embraced; taking on the image of the Crucified Christ, going forth in this life, proclaiming His name. A renewal of the mind takes a transformation of sorts; fundamental change in the way one does things. Jesus could have easily avoided His own crucifixion and continued His ministry, but ministry alone was not the reason for the Incarnation. It was only a part of it. His crucifixion was an intricate part of our salvation story and one that we need to model our lives after. Each day presents us with an opportunity to see what things we are doing correctly and incorrectly based on the ordering of our desires in relation to our spirituality. What do we put first? What are our motivations? Things that are grounded in the physical will always have a physical end with an expiration date. Those which are spiritual never end. The Apostle Paul knew very early on in his ministry that what he was doing would eventually lead to his death. In fact, he encouraged it. Jesus also knew and embraced it. Even though both struggled in their humanness regarding this, there was victory over the temptations with prayer and a reliance on God: “Thy will be done not mine.”
Reliance on God is the key to victory over those things that will lead us down the wrong path and ultimately to our destruction. Putting God first and us second, deflating our ego, and turning our will over to Him is necessary to free us from our natural focus on things that might give us pleasure and satisfaction in the short-term, but will impeded our relationship with God and degrade the part of us that goes beyond the material with its limitations: the spiritual aspect of our existence. There is a spiritual realm and that is eternal. The physical part of God’s creation has its limitations and a definite expiration date. We may be drawn to it because our physical bodies are a part of it, but our soul is naturally drawn to God. If we reduce our attention on that which is physical, then the spiritual will rise in prominence and power, overtaking that which could lead to our downfall. This can take a reset of our values and our moral compass but, with God’s assistance, this can be accomplished and we will be better off as a result.
God wants us to be joyous and free from the bondage of sin, which have their roots in this world. To rise above it does indeed take a “renewal of the mind.” With the guidance of Jesus Christ, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the assistance of a loving Father, it can be accomplished. We do not need to be slaves to our passions. Instead we can choose to be slaves to Jesus Christ. One leads to destruction while the other has no limits. The choice is ours.
Deacon Tom
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