Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time - St Teresa of Avila

Today's Scripture

Today’s first reading and gospel provide a common theme. The excerpt from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans and the passage from the gospel of Luke both bring up the law. And both draw attention to the fact that the law was never meant to be an end in itself. Rather, it was meant to lead people to God. This explains why Jesus’ words indicate frustration: prophets and the law were meant to help the Israelites recognize the Christ when he came to the world. Instead it became a distraction that prevented the people from recognizing God in their midst. 

Likewise, Paul recognizes a problematic understanding of the Romans. They think that their adherence to the ritual law, including the practice of circumcision, is an indication of their righteousness. This is not only about wanting credit for following the law; it’s about objecting to the Gentiles who were foreign to these ritual practices. Both this passage and the gospel passage demonstrate admonishment; Paul’s tone and Jesus’ tone are critical, seeking to correct.

Luke’s passage shows us Jesus chastising the scholars of the law, the scribes, and the Pharisees, saying “Woe to you!” This statement is actually a statement of concern and compassion, for Jesus knows that they are missing their opportunity to grow closer to God by failing to recognize him as the Christ. Because we know how the gospel ends – with Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection – we can recognize the reality of this “woe” while also recognizing the ongoing opportunity for the fullness of redemption.

From Paul’s discussion here and elsewhere, we can see that the first Christians struggled with some of the same issues as the Jews of their times. They often had good intentions with regard to ritual law, but they let themselves get carried away with details, failing to appreciate God’s grace. And yet if Jesus’ message in today’s gospel passage seems foreboding, Paul’s message is one of promise. The good news is that we don’t receive the fullness of redemption by anything that we do by ourselves. It’s only what we do in accepting God’s gift freely given.

This is clear to Paul, on the other side of the resurrection. He knows that Jesus has suffered, died, and rose again. This is the greatest of mercy to us sinful human beings, and it draws us out of our own anxieties to the grace of God. One saint that appreciated this was St. Teresa of Jesus, also known as Teresa of Avila. This holy woman is recognized as a doctor of the Church because of her spiritual writings. The Carmelite mystic penned THE INTERIOR CASTLE, with the image of one’s soul as a mansion wherein we encounter God.

This is an amazing thing. God has given us access to himself within our very being. He has called us to himself, first through the law, but next through his Incarnation. We are called to delight in this mercy and be grateful that we are not alone responsible for our own redemption. Today, let us ask St. Teresa to intercede for us in helping us spend our lives growing closer to God.

Maria Morrow