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August 5 2018 (B) 18th Sunday of the Year (B) - The Bible as Guide in Life and Liturgy (Sunday Readings) - The Bible in Dialogue with Questions of the Day: True and false life orientations. The Bible as Guide in Life and Liturgy (Sunday Readings) First Reading (Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15). I will train down bread for you from the heavens. This reading narrates two marvels the Lord worked for his people Israel on their journey from Egypt to the land of promise. Freedom from the bondage of Egypt was for them a cause of great rejoicing. But they were now in the “wilderness”, not sand-desert but steppe with low rainfall and sparse vegetation. The period in the wilderness was a time for testing Israel, to see whether they would be faithful to the Lord who freed them from Egypt and was about to reveal himself more fully to them. The passage notes that they began to “complain”, that is to grumble in an ill-tempered fashion. They grumble about the lack of proper food, unlike their time in Egypt. God works two miracles for them, one of quails in the evening, the other of manna in the morning. Quails are a well-known migratory bird. The manna is a secretion in small amounts of sweet substance from the tamarisk tree in May and June which may be eaten. The miracle involved for Israel is in the amount and the fact that they had access to it all the year round. The miracles were proof of God’s care for his complaining people in their journey through the tests of the wilderness. Jesus’ discourse on himself as the bread of life has this narrative as its backdrop, with his followers again “complaining” (John 6: 41, 43,52,61) and Jesus presenting himself as the gift of true bread from heaven. Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 77[78]). The Lord gave them bread from heaven. Second Reading (Ephesians 4:17, 20-24). Put on the new self that has been created in God’s way, This reading is the opening portion of a lengthy section (Ephesians 4:17-5:20) of an exhortation encouraging believers in Christ to live a life in keeping with their calling. Paul, or a later writer in his spirit, contrasts the Christian calling with the surrounding pagan view of life (or lack of view) and some pagan practices. He is exhorting his readers not to allow themselves to be absorbed by the pagan environment, but to know that they have a message for it. Pagan values and practices are not the way they “learned Christ” (a more literal rendering than “learn from Christ”) – a curious way of putting things but deep in meaning. Christ is the model of Christian life. To “learn Christ” is to learn who the living Christ really is, to be as Christ. At their baptismal instruction they had been taught the truths concerning Christ and Christian living, but the person of the living Christ is the model and source of their Christian life. Their old pagan self and desires the writer of this letter considers illusory, incompatible with the Christian view of the human person and Christian life. The Christian way, symbolized by baptism in water, is regarded as a new self, a new inner person in Christ’s image, one to be lived in holiness. It is an inner renewal in its power and motivation. What these words meant, and were intended to mean, for the original readers in the non-Christian pagan environment can be reapplied to living the Christian life in our own day, sometimes in an environment hostile to Christ and the Christian view of the here and hereafter. Gospel (John 6:24-35). He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst. This reading carries on the message of Jesus’ multiplication of the loaves and fishes. The opening verse is not quite clear, what place, or side of the lake, or the Sea of Galilee, is intended. In any event Capernaum now becomes centre stage for Jesus’ discourse. Although not adverted to in this text of John’s Gospel, Capernaum was noted as the place where Jesus had worked most of his miracles, and would be judged for its unbelief (see Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:15). In answer to a question as to when he came to Capernaum, Jesus replied that that their interest in him was not due to signs he worked, that is miracles indicating a higher truth, but because they ate their fill of the loaves. Their interest was in the material, not in the spiritual significance of the miracle. Jesus then explains the interpretation of the biblical tradition of the manna in the new situation, that is his own mission from the Father. In this text there is a play on the term “work”: not to work for anything passing but for food for eternal life. Jesus also identifies himself as the Son of Man, sealed as genuine by the God the Father. The play on the word “work” still continues: His audience ask what work is the work that God wants. Jesus’ reply is that the “work of God” (rather than “working for God”) is belief in Jesus sent by God, The work of God in question is not a human working, but the working of God through the divine gift of faith in Jesus as source of true life. The manna was a gift of God, not of Moses. The true bread of God is the bread, or the one (Jesus, the Son of Man) who has come down from heaven, and he gives life to the world. The substance of the discourse, then, is that Jesus has come down from heaven to give orientation to humans, through his teaching, his person, the Eucharist, and to give all that is required to give orientation in life and the strength to live in keeping with God the Father’s plan. - The Bible in Dialogue with Questions of the Day. True and false life orientations. In any question on the Bible in dialogue with questions of the day it is good to have dialogue with what the Bible has to say on such issues, and to consider what principles Christian dialogue is to be governed by. We have excellent examples of this in Christ’s discourse on himself as the true bread of life (John chapter 6) and the Pauline exhortation to believers on how to comport themselves in non-Christian surroundings (Ephesians 4:17, 20-24). Jesus is in dialogue with his Jewish tradition and the Pauline exhortation in Ephesians with Greek culture. Both have in common that the Christian message (whether on the lips of Christ or in the letter to the Ephesians) has to do with an orientation of the entire person, orientation centred on Christ and all that belief in him implies. Christian belief gives, so to speak, a new default system; it gives clarity and conviction with regard to how one’s Christian life is to be spent. Of its nature, then, it passes judgment on certain values of the society and culture in which one lives. It does this without rejecting any particular culture, but only those parts of it that are incompatible with belief in Christ, his mission and his message. Jesus was not anti-Jewish. He inherited and lived the culture and tradition of his people, but came to transform it as the messenger sent by God his Father. Paul was not against Greek culture, nor did he exhort his churches to reject its riches. Towards the end of his letter to the Philippians (Philippians 4:8-9) he wrote as follows: “Finally, beloved,* whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about* these things. 9Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” And yet Paul and the other New Testament biblical writers make it quite clear that conversion and baptism mean a clear break with one’s former life, if this is at variance with belief in Christ. Paul’s letters, and others under his inspiration, spell out some of these unacceptable practices, some of them having to do with sexual mores, texts often omitted in the passages read as liturgical readings. There are many others not of this nature, mainly at variance with Christ’s teaching as found, for instance, in the Sermon on the Mount. These texts, of course, represent the early Church’s reaction to first-century Greek and Roman society. And yet their teaching is equally valid today. At the very centre of Christian belief and Christian life stands Christ. In the words of the Epistle to the Ephesians Christians “learn Christ” as their model, and the consequence of belief in him as made clear in Christian tradition. This gives the Christian orientation in any dialogue with another, or contrasting orientation with regard to how one’s life is to be lived.
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Lúnasa 5 2018 (B) An tOchtú Domhnach Déag Saor Freagra don Chreideamh leis an mBíobla leis an Ath. Máirtín Mac Conmara, MSC Léachtaí an Domhnaigh mar Threoir don Bheatha Chríostaí An Bíobla in Agallamh le Ceisteanna an Lae: Treoir cheart agus mhícheart don bheatha. Léachtaí an Domhnaigh mar Threoir don Bheatha Chríostaí. Céad Léacht (Eeacsadas 16:2-4, 12-15). Fearfaidh mé arán anuas ó neamh daoibh. Cuireann an léacht seo síos ar na hiontais a rinne an Tiarna dá phobal Iosrael le linn a dturais ón Éigipt go Tír Tairngire. Bonn mór lúcháire dóibh an tsaoirse ó dhaorbhroid na hÉigipte. Ach bhíodar anois san “fhásach”. Ní gaineamhlach, gan ann ach gaineamh, a bhí i gceist ach sort steip, gan ann ach fásra gann. An tréimhse seo san fhásach, ócáid a bhí ann le hIosrael a phromhadh lena fháil amach an mbeidis dílis don Tiarna a rinne iad a shaoradh ón Éigipt agus a bhí leis féin a fhoilsiú dóibh i slí níos doimhne fós. Deir an sliocht seo gur chrom siad ag “monabhar”, ag canrán, go cantalach. Bhíodar ag casaoid faoin easpa bia chirt, a mhalairt dá raibh acu san Éigipt. Sholáthair Dia dhá mhíorúilt dóibh, na gearga um tráthnóna agus an ceann eile, an manna, ar maidin. Is éan imirce an ghearg, a bhfuil aithne mhaith uirthi mar éan agus a dhéanann eitilt go mór mór san oíche. Maidir le manna de, is tál é a thagann i gcoda beaga mílse ón gcrann tamaraisc i míonna an Mheithimh agus na Bealtaine, agus is féidir é a ithe. Nuair a chonnaic na hEabhraigh é chuireadar an cheist: “Cad é seo?”, as Eabhrais (nó sa Airimis) man hu, agus as sin tagann an t-ainm manna. An mhíorúilt d’Iosrael ná an méid de a bhí ar fáil agus toisc go raibh teacht air an bhliain go léir. Cruthúnas na miorúiltí ar chúram Dé ar a phobal canránach sa tslí dóibh i dtrialacha an fhásaigh. Tá an cuntas seo mar chúlra d’aitheasc Íosa faoi féin mar arán na beatha, agus a lucht leanúina “ag monabhar” (Eoin 6:41, 43, 52, 61) agus Íosa á chuir féin i láthair mar arán fírinnach na beatha a thagann anuas ó neamh. Salm le Freagra (Salm 77[78]). Thug an Tiarna dóibh arán ó neamh. Dara Léacht (Eifisigh 4:17, 20-24). Gabhaigí chugaibh meon úrnua a cruthaíodh in íomhá Dé. An léacht seo is mír thosaigh í de roinn fhada (Eifisigh 4:17-5:20) de aitheasc ina spreagann an t-údar iad siúd a chreideann i gCríost beatha a chaitheamh de réir na gairme a fuair siad uaidh. Sa léacht seo déanann Pól, nó scríbhneoir níos déanaí faoi spiorad Phóil, codarsnacht idir an ghairm Chriostaí agus an léargas pagánach faoin bheatha (nó easpa léarghais) mór timpeall orthu agus roinnt nósanna agus cleachtaí pagánacha. Molann sé dá léitheoirí gan ligint dóibh féin bheith súite isteach ag an timpeallacht phaganach, ach a mhalairt: bheith deimhin de go bhfuil teachtaireacht acu don timpeallacht phagánach sin. Luachanna agus cleachtaí pagánacha, níorbh iad sin an teagasc a fuair siad ó Chríost – nó de réir na litre: ní hamhlaidh a d’fhoglaim siad Críost. “Críost a fhoghlaim” ait an tslí lena chur, ach í lán de bhrí. Is é Críost eisesamlár na beatha Críostaí. Ionann “Críost a fhoghlaim” agus a thuiscint cé hé Críost dáirire sa bheatha Chríostaí, bheith mar Chríost. Rinneadar “Criost a fhoghlaim” sa teagasc a fuair siad faoi Chríost ag ullmhú don bhaisteadh dóibh, Críost mar eiseamláir agus foinse don bheatha Chríostaí, agus tá an teagasc sin á thabhairt chun cuimhne anois ag Pól dá léitheoirí. Measann údar na litreach seo go raibh an fhéintuiscint agus na mianta pagánacha ar strae, mearbhlach agus contrartha don léargas Críostaí. Feictear ar an mbeatha Chríostaí, a bhfuil an baisteadh in uisce mar shiombal di, mar dhuine nua, mar phearsa nua inmheánach in íomhá Chríost, beatha nua nach mór maireachtáil i naofacht. Is athnuacan inmheánach í ina cumhacht agus sna aidhmeanna atá aici. Bhí brí agus éifeacht faoi leith ag na briathra seo do léitheoirí tosaigh na litreach seo sa timpeallacht neamh-Chríostaí, phagánach, ina raibh siad, ach is féidir feidhm a bhaint astu go fóill le teachtaireacht do lucht leanúna Chríost inár laethanta féin mar a bhfuil go minic timpeallacht atá naimhdeach do Chríost agus don léargas Críostaí faoin saol abhus agus thall. An Soiscéal (Eoin 6:24-35). An té a thagann chugamsa, ní bheidh ocras air choíche, agus an té a chreideann ionamsa, ní bheidh tart air choíche. Leanann an léacht seo ar aghaidh leis an teachtaireacht ó mhíorúilt Íosa in iolrú na mbuilíni agus na n-iasc a léadh san Aifreann an Domhnach seo caite. Níl an véarsa tosaigh ar fad soiléir maidir leis an áit, taobh an locha nó Mhuir na Gailíle atá i gceist. Ar aon chuma is é Cafarnáum an t-ardán láir anois d’aitheasc Íosa. Bíodh nach ndéantar tagairt dó i dtéacs seo Shoiscéal Eoin bhí iomrá ar Cafarnáúm mar an láthair ina a rinne Íosa an chuid is mó dá mhíorúilti, agus bheadh breith dhian le tabhairt uirthi de bharr a heaspa creidimh (feic Matha 11:25; Lúcás 10:15). Mar fhreagra ar an gceist faoi cathain a tháinig sé go Cafarnáúm, ba é freagra Íosa ná go raibh siad á lorg ní de bhrí go bhfaca siad comharthaí (míorúilt na mbuilíní) ach go raibh a sáth acu. Ba spéis leo an rud tadhail, ábhartha, corportha, seachas an bhrí spioradálta a bhí sa mhíorúilt, sa chomhartha. Ansin déanann Íosa an bhrí a bhaineann le traidisiún bíobalta an mhanna a mhíniú dóibh sa ré nua, sna tosca nua a bhí tagaithe, is é sin le rá a mhisean féin ón Athair. Sa téacs seo tá imirt focal ar théarma amháin a aistrítear mar “saothar, saothraigh, obair, déanamh”: gan an bia a théann amú a shaothrú, ach an bia a mhaireann chun na beatha síoraí, a thugann Mac an Duine (Íosa féin). Chuir an tAthair a shéala air tríd a mhíorúilti, agus cheana ina bhaisteadh. Leanann an imirt focal ar an dtéarma “saothar, obair” ar aghaidh. Iarrann a lucht éisteachta air cad tá le déanamh acu ionas go ndéanfadh siad oibreacha Dé. Is é freagra Íosa ná gurbh é seo “obair Dé” creidiúint in Íosa a sheol an tAthair uaidh. Tá codarsnacht anseo anois idir “obair”, “saothar” agus creideamh, glacadh le bronntanas Dé trí Íosa. Ionann “obair Dé”, agus saothrú Dé trína bhronntanas. Ní obair dhaonna, saothar daonna atá i gceist ach saothrú Dé a ghlactar trí chreideamh in Íosa foinse na beatha. Bronntanas ó Dhia, agus ní ó Mhaois, ab ea an manna. Is é arán fírinneach Dé ná an t-aran, nó an Té (Íosa, Mac an Duine), a thagann anuas ó neamh agus a thugann beatha don domhan. Is í éirim an aithisc, mar sin, ná gur tháinig Íosa anuas ó neamh le treo sa bheatha a thabhairt don chine daonna, trína theagasc, a phearsa, an Eocairist, agus leis an neart a thabhairt dóibh maireachtáil de réir phlean an Athar in Íosa. An Bíobla in Agallamh le Ceisteanna an lae. Treoir cheart agus mhícheart don bheatha. In aon cheist faoin mBíobla bheith in agallamh le ceisteanna an lae is fiú dúinn aird a thabhairt ar a bhfuil le rá ag an mBíobla féin faoi agallamh ar a leithéid de cheisteanna agus faoi na prionsabail Chríostaí a ba chóir a bheith in aon agallamh dá leithéid. Tá sampla álainn againn de sin in aitheasc Íosa faoi féin mar arán na beatha (Eoin caibideal 6) agus i mbriathra Phóil ag moladh do chreidmhigh conas iad féin a iompar i dtimpeallacht phagánach, neamh-Chríostaí (Eifisigh 4:17, 20-24). Tá Íosa in agallamh lena chomhmhuintir Ghiúdach féin agus baineann aitheasc Phóil le cultúr na Gréige. Tá siad araon ar aon aigne faoi seo, go mbaineann an teachtaireacht Chriostaí (pé acu i mbéal Íosa nó sa litir chuig na hEifisigh) le treoir, treoshuíomh, le glacadh ag an phearsa dhaonna go hiomlán, agus í dírithe ar Chríost agus Críost mar lárphointe aici, agus a bheith réidh do na himpleachtaí go léir a leanann as sin. Le feidhm a bhaint as téarmaí ríomhaireachta, tugann creideamh i gCríost, mar a déarfá, córas réamhshocruithe nua; tugann sé soiléireacht agus deimhne maidir le faoi mar is choir ár mbeatha Chríostaí a chaitheamh. Agus mar is léir uaidh sin, tugann sé breith ar luachanna áirithe den chultúr agus den tsochaí ina mhaireann na creidmhigh. Déanann sé sin gan drom láimhe a thabhairt do aon chultúr faoi leith, ach amháin do na codanna de nach bhfuil ag teacht leis an gcreideamh i gCríost, lena mhisean agus lena theachtaireacht. Ní raibh Íosa frith-Ghiúdach. Fuair sé mar oidhreacht agus mhair sé cultúr agus tradisiún a phobail, ach tháinig sé leis an oidhreacht agus traidisiún sin a chlaochlú, lena athrú chun feabhais, mar theachtaire a seoladh amach ag Dia a Athair. Ní raibh Pól in éadan chultur na Gréige ná níor iarr sé ar a eaglaisí diúltiú dá shaibhreas. Ag teacht go deireadh a litreach chuig na Filipigh scríobh sé mar seo (Filipigh 4:8-9): “Mar fhocal scoir, a bhráithre, bíodh bhur n-aire ar an rud fíor, ar an rud uasal, ar an rud cóir, ar an rud naofa, ar an rud measúil, ar an rud creidiúnach, ar an rud suáilceach inmholta. Má chuireann sibh i bhfeidhm an teagasc a mhúin mé daoibh agus a ghlac sibh uaim agus na nithe a chuala sibh nó a chonaic sibh mé a dhéanamh, beidh Dia na síochána libh”. Ach san am céanna deir Pól agus scríbhneoirí eile an Tiomna Nua go ndéanann iompú chun Chríost agus an baisteadh briseadh glan leis an sórt saoil a chaitheadh roimhe sin muna bhfuil sin ag teacht leis an gcreideamh i gCríost. I litreacha Phóil, agus i scríbhinní eile faoina ionspioráid tá cur sios grinn ar chuid de na chleachtaí nárbh fhéidir glacadh leo, cuid acu ag baint le cúrsaí gnéis, téacsanna atá fágtha ar lár ar uairibh sna léachtaí liotúirgeacha. Tá nósanna agus teagasc eile i gcultúr an lae inniu nach bhfuil ag teacht le teagasc Chriost, mar a bhfuil sin le fáil, mar shampla, sa tSeanmóir ar an Sliabh. Is é atá sna téacsanna sin, ar ndóigh, ná frithfhreagairt na luatheaglaise do chultúr agus do shochaí na Gréige agus na Róimhe. Ach mar sin féin tá na téacsanna sin ag labhairt linn go fóill inniu. In aois ar bith i gcroílár an chreidimh Chríostaí agus na beatha Críostaí tá Críost féin. Mar a deir an litir chuig na hEifisigh, ní mór do Chríostaithe “Críost a fhoghlaim”, é a thógaint mar eiseamláir, agus glacadh leis na himpleachtai a leanann as sin mar is soiléir dúinn ón dtraidisiún Críostaí. Tugann sin treoir agus treoshuíomh don Chríosrtaí in aon agallamh le cultúr eile in aois ar bith faoi mar ar chóir chúrsaí na beatha ar talamh a riaradh.