Loving One Another: The Angels Ascending and Decending

I was intrigued by the variations in themes between the two readings for today.  The theme from First John remains in keeping with yesterday's: the love of one's fellow, the love of our brothers and sisters, is how we must come to know the truest meaning of following the righteousness of God.  To illustrate John reminds us of the contrast, or the opposition, between love and unrighteousness seen in Cain.

The second theme draws us to a heavenly place where we see the angels of God ascending and descending on Jesus.  We see his glory and his divinity, and in it we see righteousness.

I believe that the way to bring these two seemingly separate and divergent passages together to form a coherent meaning for us is to learn to see the second theme--in all its mystical glory--lived out in our living among our brothers and sisters.  Here I purposely want to avoid saying "lived out in our service to one another" because I believe that the calling to righteousness--to love--must not be trapped in an ideal of service, as if service or charity should be something that we do extraneous to how we identify ourselves in a day to day way.

Jesus sees us where we are--under the fig tree, so to speak--and he calls us to follow his way of love where we are and with whomever happens to be there.  So it's not just service but life.  Actually this is the best way that I can understand my call to diaconal charity, and I certainly believe that I am called to share and teach that way of charity with others.

There's something I've got to say, and unfortunately it's something that I may have missed in the past.  Righteousness--as a way of life--along with the mystic vision of God that all souls who love and seek God long for, has a sharp edge.  Loving our brothers, and being able to see clear to do so, often requires that we identify the Cains of our time.  We must identify and rout out all those who are opposed to building a world that accepts others where the Lord sees them--under the tree, just as they are in life, along the way.  Sometimes we have to look within our own ranks at those who have erroneously confused their political neo-conservatism with what it means to be Catholic.  Likewise, we have to reject the liberalism, equally wrong-headed, that sets itself above the teachings and Tradition we honor. However, in a foremost manner, we must identify those who are opposed to life and goodness, fairness and justice.  It is our job to share the good news, which often means we have to break the ideas and notions that prevent true righteousness from taking root.

Righteousness is easy to identify.  First, it rejects sin in that it rejects anything that serves oppose life--war, poverty, capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia or any other attempts at playing God, systems of greed, and the spirit of self aggrandizement.  Secondly, and most important, we are able to identify righteousness because it always takes the stance of love.  It always shows mercy, understanding, forgiveness, compassion, and kindness.  It always puts others first and reaches out to those who suffer the marginality of being on the outside when it comes to the human right of being included.

Jesus is calling, now more than ever, to truly be salt and light.  I think we really will see the angels ascending and descending, but to do so may require that we come to know Jesus in a way that we may not yet have considered. 

 

Comments

[Honora]

Much food for thought, here.

Thank you. :-)

[Deacon DW]

Really thank you--for hanging with me these past 6 months since I went online. Whenever I decide to upgrade to TypePad Pro you'll be my first guest blogger!

[H]

You jewel. Keep on truckin' ;-)