Psalm Reflection: The Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

“Give the Lord glory and honor.” - Psalm 96

‘Dialogue is often confused with something quite different: the feverish exchange of opinions on social networks, frequently based on media information that is not always reliable. These exchanges are merely parallel monologues. They may attract some attention by their sharp and aggressive tone. But monologues engage no one, and their content is frequently self-serving and contradictory.’ (Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, paragraph 200).

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear the Pharisees ask Jesus something that even He could not resist: “Tell us your opinion…” (Matthew 22:15-21). We like to tell other people what we think. We like to be the one who says the pithy, witty thing on Twitter, who makes the comment in class that makes the instructor say “wow,” or who wins the argument. 

I think Pope Francis hits the nail on the head when he calls out our approach to social media as a self-serving means for monologues, and not a place of real and meaningful dialogue. I have been tempted to this and have seen many Catholics and other Christians fall victim to this trap in the midst of an election season. We must ask ourselves if this is really glorifying God and leading any other souls closer to Him, or if it is more a means to project our frustration and anger in the easiest and least demanding way possible. It takes very little effort to post an opinion. It takes patience and empathy to listen to a person you disagree with, especially if no one else is there to watch. 

How did Jesus give His Father glory? If He wanted to do it on a grand, Mass-media scale, He could have gone straight to Caesar. Instead he encountered one at a well, two on the road to Emmaus, three on the mountain of the Transfiguration, four fisherman at the Sea of Galilee. In fact, Jesus was constantly trying to prevent Himself from being found out too soon, because He did not come to glorify Himself, but His heavenly Father.

This week, glorify God through the lost art of the one-on-one conversation. Encounter Him in the other, and listen a thousand times more than you talk (you get the idea). I am praying for you this week.

See you in the Eucharist!

Matt