A book club I belong to recently discussed the novel “Klara and the Sun.” Klara is an “artificial friend,” and the novel asks the question: what makes a human a human? Although Klara cannot “feel” like humans, or do some other human kinds of things, in the novel it is she, of all the characters in the book, who is most faithful, and who sacrifices herself to serve and save Josie, her human. Today’s Hebrew scripture and Gospel pair the Hebrew people of Ezekiel’s time and the priests and elders of Jesus’ time. Neither is able to go beyond rules and what is “fair.” The second reading holds up, by contrast, Christ Jesus, “who though he was I the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather he emptied himself … becoming obedient to the point of death …” (Phil 2:6ff) We seem all to be born with a huge sense of fairness. It can stop our growth in holiness. We are not called to do only what is required. We are not called to do only as much as other people. We are called to love to our fullest extent, abundantly, no matter what the cost, like “you know Who”!
— Blog entry by Sister Mary Garascia