It May Sound Crazy...
Aug. 13: Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
I wrote my reflection on the readings from the 19th Tuesday, but today is also the Memorial of Saint Pontian, Pope and Martyr, and Saint Hippolytus, Priest and Martyr.
Note that Pontian is identified as a pope, but Hippolytus is not.
Pontian was elected pope in 230. At the time, Hippolytus was in active schism, claiming to be a rival pope, or antipope. In 235, Emperor Maximinus began a persecution of Christians, and wasn’t too picky about which “pope” was in charge.
Both were exiled to Sardinia and died of torture. So why would Hippolytus be a saint? Because while they were in exile Hippolytus, admitted he was not really the pope and reconciled himself to the Church.
So let us not be at enmity with ourselves, but change our way of life without delay. For Christ who is God, exalted above all creation, has taken away man’s sin and has refashioned our fallen nature. God is not beggarly, and for the sake of his own glory he has given us a share in his divinity.
- Saint Hippolytus
Imagine having the ego to call yourself. Imagine further, having the humility to admit you were wrong.
It’s just a coincidence, but today’s Gospel lines up perfectly with this. Jesus wants us to have not just the humility of children, but the openness to accept correction.
Reading 1
Ez 2:8—3:4
The Lord GOD said to me: As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you: be not rebellious like this house of rebellion, but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.
It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me, in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me. It was covered with writing front and back, and written on it was: Lamentation and wailing and woe!
He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. Son of man, he then said to me, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel, and speak my words to them.
I never noticed this before (although I'm sure this is not a new observation): Jesus is the Word, and Ezekiel eats the word of God. So this fits pretty neatly with John's Bread of Life Discourse we've been reading on Sundays this month.
I think it's noteworthy that what was written on the scroll was "Lamentation and wailing and woe," yet it still tasted "as sweet as honey" and filled his belly. We don't always like what we find in scripture, or what we hear directly in prayer. But we need it.
Responsorial Psalm
PS 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131
R. (103a) How sweet to my taste is your promise!
In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
How sweet to my palate are your promises,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
I gasp with open mouth,
in my yearning for your commands.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
This is the kind of open attitude we should have towards teaching. It's not always easy to receive instruction, though. That's one reason for Jesus' message in today's Gospel.
Alleluia
Mt 11:29ab
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus doesn't just demand humility from us; he demonstrates humility by being one of us.
Gospel
Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”
In my pedagogy class, I learned that there's a stage most students go through where they just believe whatever the professor says. It was the responsibility of the professor to not abuse that state of mind in a student by imposing one's own opinion on them.1
But here, Jesus tells us that we ought to cultivate such an open attitude in ourselves. We should be like the child who's ready to listen and to learn.
It sounds extreme, but Jesus promises to be just as extreme in return. It would be crazy for a shepherd to leave his flock just for one lost sleep, but that's exactly what He would do for us.