Working Out in Faith

Sep. 13: Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Today’s first reading was referenced in a Substack I read a couple weeks ago, about Identity—

[St. Paul] talks about being all things to all people, freely adopting that aspect of his own identity most appropriate to each specific context (Corinthians 1.9.22). He hates idolatry but merrily points to an idol as indicating the Unknown God who transcends the gods (Acts 17). He also talks about how, in Christ, there is “neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, neither male nor female” (Galatians 3.28). But this is not some sort of identity-fluidity. There is no crisis of identity here. The point is that the higher identity, being in Christ, takes precedence over all other ways of conceiving of identity.

Reading 1

1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27

Brothers and sisters: If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the Gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the Gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.

Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Paul feels such a drive to preach that he feels he doesn't even get credit for it. So, he makes a conscious decision to give up payment. It's nothing that was required of him; he's going the extra mile, in the same way that a competitive athlete doesn't just lift weights, but trains specific parts of his body.

God gets the credit for inspiring his great faith, but Paul gets credit for trying so hard anyway.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6, 12

R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines 
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young—
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
For a sun and a shield is the LORD God;
grace and glory he bestows;
The LORD withholds no good thing
from those who walk in sincerity. 
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

Just like a bird seeks a nest, our souls seek rest in God. The hope we hold in our hearts is that he will be there for us, as promised.

Alleluia

See Jn 17:17b, 17a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Learning God's Word is a life-long task. It'll never be complete—we'll always be students.

Gospel

Lk 6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother's eye."

It's hard to write about these parables that are so well known, they've become and remain colloquialisms in our time. What else is there to say about minding your own business?

So, while the lesson is quite clear, it can still be ironically misapplied when we tell someone else to mind the beam in their own eye? The very act of pointing out hypocrisy is an act of hypocrisy.

The only way to prevent this from becoming a recursive nightmare is to simply turn this parable on ourselves, and acknowledge we never know if we're the one with the splinter or the beam. God is the only one who has full access to the truth.