Our four week foray into the sometimes difficult but always enlightening Letter to the Hebrews comes to an end today. Yesterday we heard some very direct statements about behaviors that ought to be part of every faith-filled Christian’s life. Today, we hear more such statements followed by a typical first century doxology praising God’s munificent goodness.
At the same time, the tensions of a Christian’s life are apparent in today’s readings. First, there is the tension between God’s initiative, God’s grace, and our activity. Second, there is the tension between work or activity itself and rest and withdrawal. We should not accept easily the oft-heard opinion that Protestant Christians believe they are saved by God’s grace and Catholics believe they are saved by their works. This simple description of convictions does justice to neither Christian stance. Our good deeds, generosity, and doing God’s will – all referred to in the first reading – are the fruit of God’s gifts to us.
In the Gospel we see illustrated the second tension. Jesus has urged his worn-out followers to get away from the demanding crowds. He and they need prayer, time alone, time to eat, time to center on God in order not to forget why they are working so hard and to be reinvigorated for this work. As we see in the story, others may prevent this. Jesus, out of pity, interrupts his effort to get away and responds to the insistent crowds who would otherwise be without a shepherd. We cannot put off the immediate needs of others or our own comfort, but we will not serve them well if we do not nourish our activity with prayer, quiet, and solitude. Such is the tension with which we Christians live.
We are blessed indeed to have the Lord’s presence in our midst. We can come away and spend time with the Lord rather readily in our situation here at the Woods. We can never take this blessing for granted.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator