Ephesians 5:21-33 / Luke 13:18-21
Paul talks about marital love: Love and respect each other.
Medical attention and Margot’s
loving care enabled Roberto to make an amazing recovery. He is still partially
paralyzed, but able to practice law once again.
****
How loving are we toward a spouse
who is going through a deep personal trial? “My real life is my husband. This
is the true reality. The ballet is a different kind of reality, a transitory
thing. - Margot Fonteyn
****
Women
's lib took offence at this passage and attacked Paul as a male
chauvinist. Wrongly! Paul here enhances the dignity of women. There is nothing
offensive in it. The words subject, submit, subordinate in the philosophy of St
Paul only mean - to take the rightful place, the place it is meant to take by
its very nature. Every part has a function, a purpose created in it by
God. 'Sub' - under - only means: put every part under the purpose for which it
is meant. Accept the due place. Paul has two images of the church, the well-organized
body of Christ and the bride of Christ. The first stresses more on unity, the
second makes Christ and his Church two different entities. The Church has its
holiness from Christ, and it calls constantly for his love. This also takes up
the Old Testament relationship of Yahweh with his people, which in Hosea, (2.19),
Isaiah (54.5) and Ezekiel (16.87) is described as marital love. This image
finds its fullest development in the New Testament, where the Church is the bride
of Christ (2 Corinthians 11,2; Ephesians 5.25); believers are to be wedded to
Christ the slain lamb (Apocalypse 10.7-9)} and the life to come, the new
Jerusalem, is likened to a bride.
****
All
things on this earth, living or otherwise, follow and adhere to the law of
nature. It is this law of nature that gives order and even beauty to creation. But
if this law of nature is not followed, then the result would be chaos and
confusion. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. If it does otherwise
and rises in whichever direction it wants or decides to stop whenever it
wishes, then there will be total disorder. Similarly, if mountains decide to
move and trees decide to uproot and move about, we dare not think how to live
in this world any more.
Hence
when Jesus talked about the kingdom of God and used the imagery of a mustard
seed and yeast, He is also saying all creation submits to God's law of nature
and with that there is order and beauty in creation. That is also a remind for
us, who are endowed with intellect and will, that when we follow the laws of
life that God had given us then there will also be order and beauty in our
lives. Yet, by our freewill and freedom of choice, we determine whether there
will be order or disorder, beauty or tragedy in our lives.
Hence
the first line of the 1st reading tells us what should be our rule of life -
Give way to one another in obedience to Christ. Yes, it is in obedience to
Christ and His law of love that we humble ourselves and let others go before
and ahead of us and even above us. That is the law of life; that is the law of
love; let us follow it and there will be order and beauty in our lives.
****
In
spite of Israel, the kingdom of God will succeed. Two parables show its
irresistible power. The mustard seed grows into a mighty tree. This small
pilgrim group on the way to Jerusalem will become the Church which gathers the
whole world. The 12 with Simon will be the greatest organization on earth. The
U.N.O. has only nations as members. The Church is for all people. In every
country churches offer the same worship to God. The charity of the Church has a
mighty army of men and women under the banner of the Cross to show God’s love
to mankind like the leaven. Christ’s message has changed men. Like leaven it was given from the outside, but worked from
within. Human selfishness became self-sacrificing love, self-interest changed
into dedication. Pride gave way to humility, sensuality to purity. This leaven
has worked throughout the centuries. It produced heroes, saints and martyrs.
Christianity is the greatest revolution still. It sees no end.
****
Let us
pray:
Lord God, source and model of all love, you cause the paths of life of men and
women to cross and to discover one another as partners in life. May their love
be genuine and creative and strong enough to survive the differences and trials
that are part of life. Let it be patient, understanding, forgiving and lasting,
as is the love that you have shown us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
