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Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 25 August 2013


Fr Robin Gibbons

Fr Robin Gibbons

21st Sunday of Year C

Sometimes the imagery we find in scripture really touches us. Despite our very technological age some like the shepherd image still retains its fascination. On the other hand there as are some very difficult ones which do not sit well with contemporary societies. Patriarchal imagery that leaves out women does not harmonise with our concept of human life, nor does the punishing vengeful angry God help us understand the message of reconciliation and forgiveness let alone love.

I know that some of the negative pictures of God are simply attempts to explore and explain aspects of the human search for truth and meaning in our Christian spiritual tradition, but sometimes they simply belong to another age and have to be put to one side. They are after all often human constructs, products of a particular time, place and context! That is why I understand the phrase the ’Lord corrects you’ in the letter to the Hebrews not as a passive acceptance of suffering or tribulation, but more part of the task of dealing with these issues in proactive dialogue and attentiveness, so that we can be changed, transformed for the better.

Luke's Gospel about the question of salvation put by somebody to Jesus is an example of the difficulties we can have with a text unless we root it within a lived experience. What is happening here? Jesus is asked a question phrased in rather curious terms: ‘sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He then goes on to dialogue with the unknown man or woman by suggesting that many will try to enter the kingdom but will not succeed. How does that make you feel? Can it be that few enter the Kingdom? That doesn’t seem to fit with the more inclusive statements of Jesus nor with the insights of the great teachers of the faith who consistently point out that God is love and merciful compassion.

Perhaps we need to take a deep breath and relax, Jesus contrasts the hypocrisy and blindness of those who claim faith, the ‘first’ ones, but never put it into practice with those who, despite their sinfulness ‘the last’are called to enter . That’s the paradox, in Judaism there are no saints as in Christianity because everyone no matter how ‘holy’ is seen as human and flawed, yet will be able to encounter the mystery and love of God who understands and forgives.

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Britain.

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