Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Father Maurus (93) and Father Ken (62)
share the same birthday,
October 7

Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,
that the blessing of Abraham might be extended
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Saint Paul’s doctrine that we are saved by faith may have distressed calcified Pharisees but it was not a new teaching to Judaism. The doctrine of reliance on God’s mercy, of accepting and living within God’s love and under God’s gracious authority faithfully expresses the spirit of the Jewish faith.

Jesus’ complaint against the Pharisees was about a sin which is endemic to all three of Abraham’s religions (Jews, Christians, and Muslims.) That is an attitude of “managing” the relationship with God by scrupulously observing the minutiae of the law while maintaining one’s own narcissistic ambitions. A “Pharisee” deals with God as a “good child” manipulates people and words and arguments to get what she wants. For the child in a healthy family this is a normal stage on the way to personal maturity. Her parents will honor her emerging individuality with humor and firm discipline. Eventually, she will identify her own wants and needs in the functioning of the family system.

But an adult should have gotten through that. Mature adults develop loving, secure relationships in which they can gracefully offer, ask, give and receive according to their resources and needs. Such a family moves with the cohesion and grace of a flock of birds.

Saint Paul’s insight, critical to the new Christian tradition, went beyond the Jewish tradition as it integrated Jesus’ life, death and resurrection into the ancient religion. His crucifixion changed everything. It was a new wine that required new wine skins.

By his death on the cross – effectively taking upon himself the curse of all human guilt – Jesus surrendered every pretense to being good.He claimed responsibility for all sin. You’ll recall that he rebuked one plaintiff, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good!” And Saint Paul said of him: “Though he was in the form of God he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself…. 

Imagine that! Being God didn't tempt Jesus. He wanted to be human, as you and I must finally surrender to being human. 

In Jesus God completes his outreach to his troubled creation. He has stepped beyond every boundary of propriety we might suppose God should observe. We might believe God should keep his power, security, and luxury. He should not become foolish, guilty or shameful. 

But Jesus insists on becoming one of us. In so doing, he offers himself as the victim of our savagery and finishes the work of God's creation.