TadPole

The gospel we’ve just listened to seems to be a perfect recipe for a suicide bomber or a sectarian (or both in the same person). Such a radical appeal automatically lights a warning light in every head. Or it should do. But many examples of the killing innocent people by terrorists provides sufficient evidence that’s not always obvious. I really hope that nobody here is going to take this gospel seriously in its literal meaning.
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I’ve been thinking for some years about a rather surprising custom of many mass attenders: taking the seats in the last pews. This is particularly noticeable when I say mass for Polish congregations. At the theatre or the opera it is the price that decides where you sit. But we don’t have tickets for mass. So, in this case it is not the price. Maybe this custom is associated with the personal hygiene of the celebrant? But I really use water, soap and toothpaste so you can get closer to me. So, probably that’s not the reason. Another thought concerns the height of some people. I’m quite tall and big, so I could be a serious obstacle for smaller people behind me. But I realise there is no connection at all here. Being honest, I really don’t know why some people prefer to keep themselves away from the altar.
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According to the Old Testament, the dispersed tribes of Israel became a nation when they left Egypt and were given the Ten Commandments by Moses. God chose this particular nation as his own. God did this for a purpose: Israel would show God’s wisdom and love to the other nations; Israel would have brought the light of true faith in one, invisible God to the nations worshipping false, hand-made idols. Israel was given the Law that might have helped them to become a holy nation. Unfortunately Israelites began to isolate themselves, claiming to be better than others. Eventually their religion turned into a bond keeping Israelites together against foreign influences. They were certain that only some of them could be saved. This opinion reflects in the question in today’s gospel: “Sir, will there be only a few saved?”
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For many centuries in the Catholic Church there was a trend suggesting that to live in poverty was the way to perfection. Some religious orders – like Franciscans – were established in opposition to more wealthy communities. Most of the religious nuns and monks make three vows and one of them is poverty. Interestingly when the members of the orders lived with no personal possessions their monasteries became rich and wealthy. But at the same time they introduced agricultural inventions, many of them ran schools and were centres of cultural life; i.e. many ancient Greek and Latin texts survived till now thanks to the silent and exhausting work of unnamed Benedictine scribes.
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Last Sunday we heard about Jesus visiting two sisters, Martha and Mary. The first one was busy making dinner while the second was listening to Jesus. Of course, Martha was irritated by the behaviour of her sister and finally complained to Jesus. But he told her that she worried too much about many things and that Mary had chosen just one better thing to do. Today’s gospel develops this idea.
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