READINGS: ••• Isaiah 66:18-21 ••• Psalm 117
•• Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 ••• + Luke 13:22-30 •••
[__01__] Discipline.
Discipline is a theme in the Letter to the Hebrews and
in the Book of the Gospel of Luke this Sunday.
This is a word calling to mind - drill instructors,
coaches with whistles …or teachers with syllabi and homework for the Fall
semester.
Or, perhaps, simply, a rigorous schedule.
These are not our favorite things …or at at least we
perceive them as unpleasant
[__02__] In the letter to the Hebrews, we are
reminded, however,
to avoid the skepticism and dread and fear that often accompany discipline.
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews suggests that
discipline can bring peace, tranquility.
Is this not our expectation and our hope as we
anticipate any new commitment or project?
That …
· ___ A team, having practiced, is at peace – on
the soccer field or basketball court … is at peace at Fairleigh Dickinson or MetLife
Stadium.
_ _____ A student, having studied is calm and
collected before the SAT or MCAT or midterm.
Discipline helps us to hear and respond to the bell at
the beginning of class …or to the voice of conscience inside each of us.
To the Holy Spirit speaking to us.
[__03_] In the Gospel, our Lord also speaks of
discipline. He speaks of our mental
faculties and our moral character being molded, formed, refined by our passage
through the “narrow gate”. (cf. Luke 13:24)
The narrow gate is a way of discipline, a method for
our lives.
Certainly, we apply this to material things, to
physical endeavors, to the desire to make the team, to save money, to seek a
promotion.
Jesus is inviting us to practice our faith with
discipline as well, saying to his disciples and to us:
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many I
tell you will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” (Luke 13:24)
[__03.01_] Discipline invites us to practice our
faith.
For example, to forgive someone. We have to be honest
about how we may have been hurt or harmed.
We may have a very distinct memory of what happened.
[__04__] Discipline, sometimes, seems only to be a
system of rewards and penalties.
We – myself included - are suddenly more disciplined
when there is a clear reward to be seized or penalty to be avoided.
We might say that the crowd -- about whom we read a
narration by Jesus in his parable --- has a similar attitude toward discipline:
They are shouting to Jesus, to gain entry at the gate,
at the “narrow gate”, saying, “we
followed the syllabus, we did our homework, we went to practice …or in the
words of the Gospel…. We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our
streets.” (Luke 13:28).
In other words, we did what we were told. And, we did
what others could see.
But, Jesus is saying out our discipline – our following
of the commandments – not based on the service which others can see ..or the
actions which produce results.
Rather , the Lord is asking us – does our discipline –
our following of the commandments really bring us peace?
Peace in our relationships to ourselves, to others, to
God.
Does the discipline bring us closer to the person from
whom we receive instruction or direction?
This is the great challenge for a young person and for
all of us at any age.
For example, we are reminded – in the Commandments – to
honor our father and our mother.
From the time we are very young, they are the ones from
whom we learn a method, a sense of order, right and wrong. We receive discipline. However, we learn to love them too.
Yet, we are called to love and honor them too.
And, through the Gospel – our relationship to our Lord
– we are also learning to accept his yoke, his burden, his discipline and to
grow in love for our Savior and Lord.
He may, at times, ask us to do what we had not planned
ourselves.
[__fin__]
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