Dear friends,
I have been always struggling with the interpretation of today’s second reading. As could be understood at a first reading and interpretation of it, Paul distinguishes two states of life: the unmarried – virgin – and the married. He points out that a virgin or unmarried person is anxious about the things of the Lord whereas a married woman is anxious about the things of the world. Taken literally, this distinction has led the church to understand consecrated life as superior to marriage. The consequence is that holiness or sainthood was mostly regarded as a matter pertaining to consecrated life rather than a call to every Christian. Likewise, for the call to missionary discipleship. One can understand the challenge the Church faces today to make lay Catholics embrace the requirements of missionary discipleship, of preaching and courageously bearing witness to the Gospel.
To the contrary, Paul’s insistence here is less on opposing the two states of life that are at the same time two vocations or calls through which one can respond to God’s call than on inviting his people to holiness and sainthood. Paul’s call is an invitation to be free from every bondage of the world that could refrain us from fulfilling God’s command. Consecrated people as well as married people are reminded that the goal every Christian should have in mind is to demonstrate faithfulness to Christ and to live up to the exigences of the gospel which set us free.
It is precisely that freedom that Christ demonstrates when he teaches with authority in today’s gospel. He does so because Christ does not tell stories, he shares and does what he has seen his Father do. He is the Truth, teaches the truth and realizes His true signs as true Liberator. When he invites people to believe in the works he does, Christ reminds us that His authority comes from his Father and those who believe in him will be able to do likewise. Here is the junction between Paul’s call to holiness and the courageous discipleship mission to which Christ invites the whole Church and every individual who dares to follow him.
Today, like in the time of Christ and Paul, we are invited to long for a personal communion with Christ by our courageous involvement in the life of missionary discipleship. To be able to do so, we are challenged to know Christ rather than to know about Christ. Knowledge of who Christ is will afford every disciple the courage and strength to teach and witness with authority. This will happen only when we come to demonstrate our adherence to Christ and declare like the apostles, saying, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).
Let us continue to pray for one another and for our parish family as we strive to speak with authority and to let God realize His wonders in the world through our commitment to the truth of the Gospel.
Fr. Emery