Catholic Contemplative Affiliation

Sunday Readings

The following is meditations on the readings for the Liturgy of Sunday. The citations are below. Please read them from your Bible or Missal. The comments are geared to the practice of contemplative prayer. Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Cycle B, February 5, 2012 Job 7.1-4, 6-7; 1st Corinthians 9.16-19, 22-23; Mark 1.29-39 Summary of the Meditation: • These readings from Sacred Scripture bring before us four dimensions of our contemplative life within the Church. • First, our prayer practice of silent, solitary prayer in the mystery of our radical union with God is shown in the human life of the Son of God. Jesus sought every opportunity to surrender into the Divine Presence in silence and solitude. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed (Gospel Reading). • The second dimension given in these readings is the profound poverty of our human condition. This dimension of testing in our human condition is portrayed in powerful language in the Book of Job, from which comes the First Reading. • We would be without hope except for this next dimension in our Readings, the third dimension of our prayer. God is in the process of healing us in Christ Jesus. Christ’s grace is his healing that leads us into new life in the Holy Spirit. The Gospel Reading is a continuous litany of Jesus’ touch bringing healing. • The fourth and final dimension illustrated in these Sunday Readings is that in this union with Christ we become a member of the Church within the world amid a suffering humanity. If we live deeply within the life of the Catholic Church, we will experience the fullness of our life with Christ. In the Church, the mysticism of union with God in the Sacraments moves us into real union with God; the soundness and totality of Christ’s doctrine remains intact; we have the example of the long line of mystics who embraced the dark night of the soul so as to pass over into light; we are graced with the constant call to mission and service. Full Meditation: These readings from Sacred Scripture bring before us four dimensions of our contemplative life within the Church. First, our prayer practice of silent, solitary prayer in the mystery of our radical union with God is shown in the human life of the Son of God. Jesus sought every opportunity to surrender into the Divine Presence in silence and solitude. This union with God His Father was not a notional backdrop to His daily life. This union demanded a practice of surrender with time, place, and energy given to contemplative prayer. Mark 3.35 is the verse that calls us to Christ-centered contemplative prayer: Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed (Gospel Reading). The second dimension given in these readings is the profound poverty of our human condition. This condition is ours until we die. Only at our death we will know in our spirits the fullness of our redemption as we pass through our possible purgatory, and then be given the full vision of God’s love, in the perfection of beatitude in our glorious resurrection from the dead. What remains now is the cross of our human condition. Contemplative prayer in its experience of God’s indwelling love sustains us in the center of our souls in peace. This center of the foretaste of beatitude burns in the fires of faith, hope and love. But in the meantime, in the outer levels of consciousness and in our daily situations in the world, we experience the poverty of our fallen condition. We do not progress in divine union unless we realistically accept our condition. We learn not to hide or repress it. We discipline the need to find worldly distractions that make us forget our radical poverty. Nor do we run from the pain of the human family through selfish pursuits. We then experience the dying daily that Paul wrote about. This dimension of testing in our human condition is portrayed in powerful language in the Book of Job, from which comes the First Reading. Job spoke: Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” Then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. … Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again (First Reading). We would be without hope except for this next dimension in our Readings, the third dimension of our prayer. God is in the process of healing us in Christ Jesus. Jesus heals us and sanctifies us in our Baptism; feeds us with divine life and union in the Eucharist; reconciles our wounded hearts in Penance-Reconciliation. “As much as sin abounds [and its effects] even more abounds the grace of Christ.” Christ’s grace is his healing that leads us into new life in the Holy Spirit. The Gospel Reading is a continuous litany of Jesus’ touch bringing healing. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. We are constantly at the door of Christ in our prayer. Jesus is our Savior and the source of our life of union within the Blessed Trinity. Being one with us in our condition He can bring us with Himself into divine union, being Himself in the bosom of the Father. The fourth and final dimension illustrated in these Sunday Readings is that in this union with Christ we become a member of the Church within the world amid a suffering humanity. We like Jesus bear the mission for which we were re-anointed after Baptism in Confirmation. Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come (Gospel Reading). The whole Second Reading is given over to this mission that flows from our life in the Church. I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over many as possible. To the weak I become weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all to save at least some. If we live deeply within the life of the Catholic Church, we will experience the fullness of our life with Christ. In the Church, the mysticism of union with God in the Sacraments moves us into real union with God; the soundness and totality of Christ’s doctrine remains intact; we have the example of the long line of mystics who embraced the dark night of the soul so as to pass over into light; we are graced with the constant call to mission and service. At Mass and in the Holy Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ we touch really and sacramentally all these dimensions outlined above, and more. We are plunged deep into the mystery of Christ’s sharing His life with us for the salvation of the world. At the moment of mystical union in the Sacrament, seek out that contemplative dimension of Christ’s prayer in silence. You are within the full assembly of the faithful: be still in your total abandonment to the Holy Spirit Whom the Father pours forth from the side of the Crucified, glorified Savior. --William C. Fredrickson, Obl.OSB, D.Min.
For questions, comments or other communication, please contact: William Frederickson Fredrickson46@msn.com

The following is meditations on the readings for the Liturgy of Sunday. The citations are below. Please read them from your Bible or Missal. The comments are geared to the practice of contemplative prayer.

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Cycle B, February 5, 2012

Job 7.1-4, 6-7; 1st Corinthians 9.16-19, 22-23; Mark 1.29-39

Summary of the Meditation:

• These readings from Sacred Scripture bring before us four dimensions of our contemplative life within the Church.

• First, our prayer practice of silent, solitary prayer in the mystery of our radical union with God is shown in the human life of the Son of God. Jesus sought every opportunity to surrender into the Divine Presence in silence and solitude. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed (Gospel Reading).

• The second dimension given in these readings is the profound poverty of our human condition. This dimension of testing in our human condition is portrayed in powerful language in the Book of Job, from which comes the First Reading.

• We would be without hope except for this next dimension in our Readings, the third dimension of our prayer. God is in the process of healing us in Christ Jesus. Christ’s grace is his healing that leads us into new life in the Holy Spirit. The Gospel Reading is a continuous litany of Jesus’ touch bringing healing.

• The fourth and final dimension illustrated in these Sunday Readings is that in this union with Christ we become a member of the Church within the world amid a suffering humanity. If we live deeply within the life of the Catholic Church, we will experience the fullness of our life with Christ. In the Church, the mysticism of union with God in the Sacraments moves us into real union with God; the soundness and totality of Christ’s doctrine remains intact; we have the example of the long line of mystics who embraced the dark night of the soul so as to pass over into light; we are graced with the constant call to mission and service.

Full Meditation:

These readings from Sacred Scripture bring before us four dimensions of our contemplative life within the Church.

First, our prayer practice of silent, solitary prayer in the mystery of our radical union with God is shown in the human life of the Son of God. Jesus sought every opportunity to surrender into the Divine Presence in silence and solitude. This union with God His Father was not a notional backdrop to His daily life. This union demanded a practice of surrender with time, place, and energy given to contemplative prayer. Mark 3.35 is the verse that calls us to Christ-centered contemplative prayer: Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed (Gospel Reading).

The second dimension given in these readings is the profound poverty of our human condition. This condition is ours until we die. Only at our death we will know in our spirits the fullness of our redemption as we pass through our possible purgatory, and then be given the full vision of God’s love, in the perfection of beatitude in our glorious resurrection from the dead.

What remains now is the cross of our human condition. Contemplative prayer in its experience of God’s indwelling love sustains us in the center of our souls in peace. This center of the foretaste of beatitude burns in the fires of faith, hope and love. But in the meantime, in the outer levels of consciousness and in our daily situations in the world, we experience the poverty of our fallen condition.

We do not progress in divine union unless we realistically accept our condition. We learn not to hide or repress it. We discipline the need to find worldly distractions that make us forget our radical poverty. Nor do we run from the pain of the human family through selfish pursuits. We then experience the dying daily that Paul wrote about.

This dimension of testing in our human condition is portrayed in powerful language in the Book of Job, from which comes the First Reading.

Job spoke: Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? He is a slave who longs for the shade, a hireling who waits for his wages. So I have been assigned months of misery, and troubled nights have been allotted to me. If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?” Then the night drags on; I am filled with restlessness until the dawn. … Remember that my life is like the wind; I shall not see happiness again (First Reading).

We would be without hope except for this next dimension in our Readings, the third dimension of our prayer. God is in the process of healing us in Christ Jesus. Jesus heals us and sanctifies us in our Baptism; feeds us with divine life and union in the Eucharist; reconciles our wounded hearts in Penance-Reconciliation. “As much as sin abounds [and its effects] even more abounds the grace of Christ.”

Christ’s grace is his healing that leads us into new life in the Holy Spirit. The Gospel Reading is a continuous litany of Jesus’ touch bringing healing. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

We are constantly at the door of Christ in our prayer. Jesus is our Savior and the source of our life of union within the Blessed Trinity. Being one with us in our condition He can bring us with Himself into divine union, being Himself in the bosom of the Father.

The fourth and final dimension illustrated in these Sunday Readings is that in this union with Christ we become a member of the Church within the world amid a suffering humanity. We like Jesus bear the mission for which we were re-anointed after Baptism in Confirmation. Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come (Gospel Reading).

The whole Second Reading is given over to this mission that flows from our life in the Church. I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over many as possible. To the weak I become weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all to save at least some.

If we live deeply within the life of the Catholic Church, we will experience the fullness of our life with Christ. In the Church, the mysticism of union with God in the Sacraments moves us into real union with God; the soundness and totality of Christ’s doctrine remains intact; we have the example of the long line of mystics who embraced the dark night of the soul so as to pass over into light; we are graced with the constant call to mission and service.

At Mass and in the Holy Communion in the Body and Blood of Christ we touch really and sacramentally all these dimensions outlined above, and more. We are plunged deep into the mystery of Christ’s sharing His life with us for the salvation of the world. At the moment of mystical union in the Sacrament, seek out that contemplative dimension of Christ’s prayer in silence. You are within the full assembly of the faithful: be still in your total abandonment to the Holy Spirit Whom the Father pours forth from the side of the Crucified, glorified Savior.

--William C. Fredrickson, Obl.OSB, D.Min.