Lectio Divina Reflection - Sunday's Gospel (9th. Sunday Ordinary Time 1.6.08) FOUNDATION OF DISCIPLESHIP & FRUIT THAT LASTS

[BarbaraTherese]

Gospel

HERE
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Jesus presents a complete program of a new style of life founded on his Person:

• He is the “Good News of the Kingdom” on which are founded the new times.
• In this particular text of the seventh chapter, Jesus affirms that one enters the Kingdom of Heaven consciously choosing the values of that Kingdom with decision and responsibility.
• This is a decision which is translated in works which can be known: the works of the “children of God”
  Here Jesus refers, not so much to external works or extraordinary manifestations, but he refers particularly, to the foundation of every life of discipleship:
• to “do the will of my Father who is in Heaven”
  (Edit here)

Here we see clearly how Jesus does not allow himself to be made fun of, he the Just Judge knows who belong to him and who do not! In John’s Gospel, we find the same theme, for example in reference to Judas Iscariot and of the choice of the Twelve: Jesus answered: “Did I not choose the Twelve of you?

Yet, one of you is a devil!” He meant Judas, son of Simon Iscariot: since this was the man, one of the Twelve, who was to betray him. “I am not speaking about all of you; I know the ones I have chosen; but what Scripture says must be fulfilled: “He who shares my table takes advantage of me.” “No, you did not choose me, I have chosen you and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last;(My comment: the fruit which lasts are the fruits of The Holy Spirit which build up Charity, the greatest of which is Charity itself?) so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name”

This is a theme which is also common in the Old Testament. For example we find it in Hosea in relationship to the People of God who in spite of having “rejected the good”, cries out: “My God, we Israel know you!” The parable of the ten virgins, of the two houses speak to us about this. But also other passages of the Acts and of the Letters of Paul make us notice this reality which already existed in the primitive Church:

• that is the presence of those who carry out their ministry in the name of Jesus,
• but, in fact, they are workers of iniquity,
• disobedient to the will of God
• and, therefore, they are foreign to the Kingdom of Heaven. From here follows Paul’s exhortation to the disciples to live: “Work willingly for the sake of the Lord and not for the sake of human beings. And wholeheartedly do the will of God”

Jesus recognizes as his own only those who do the will of the Father, because he is also recognized by them

He warns his disciples about false prophets “who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves" In this text the term “prophesized” refers to the ministry of teaching with authority, done in the name of Jesus, within the Christian community.

Paul also refers to this in 1 Co 12,28 and Eph 4,11. This is one of the gifts together with exorcism and the manifestation of other wonders, which contribute to the edification of the Church facilitating the proclamation of the Good News. This is why this is a gift like all the other gifts which bears within itself great responsibility.

The “workers of iniquity”, even if gifted with these gifts, cause harm to and ruin the Church (the house of God) by their hypocrisy. (My comment: hypocrisy can be an interior disposition and not manifested in an exterior manner, as in the Parable of the Publican and The Sinner - where their dispositions are interior and contained in how they address God in prayer) Perhaps this is also the sense of the parable of Jesus about the two houses being built, one on sand and the other one on rock. This is why, it is not so important to work so much but rather to build on the Word of God, putting it into practise with docility and charity,*** because without charity which unites us to God and to his will we are nothing and nothing which is useful***

“The prophecies will disappear; the gift of tongues will cease and the science will vanish” . Only “charity will remain, will have no end”