Friday, September 4, 2026

 

Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 4:1-5; Luke 5:33-39)

So, you like aged wine.  It is so mellow that you let it linger on your tongue.  In today’s gospel Jesus compares the old way of practicing faith in God to your savory wine.  It is quite rich and satisfying.  But it fails to bring transcendence, at least the transcendence that Jesus is bringing into the world.

The new wine, who is Jesus Christ, makes its drinkers high in the sense that they are raised to a level near that of the Son of God himself.  They can love others as God loves them, not because they are good, but despite their shortcomings.  Those who savor the new wine can find peace where there is antipathy, and hope where there is discouragement.  They know that Christ is their brother and that he makes all the difference.

We take the new wine in the Eucharist.  It is contained in the host that we allow to linger on our palates, and it more tangible in the Blood of Christ, where the priest permits it to be given to all.  The new wine contains the Holy Spirit who acts as a stimulant moving us to thank God and to assist others.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

(I Corinthians 3:18-23; Luke 5:1-11)

St. Paul orders Church relations in a radical way in today’s first reading.  For him those holding offices in the Church have less importance.  These are the apostles and evangelists who roam the earth preaching Christ.  They are meant to serve the people of God, who in turn serve the Lord Jesus who serves God the Father.  This differs decidedly from the Medieval arrangement which saw nobility on the first tier, followed by the clergy on the second tier, and then commoners.

Pope St. Gregory the Great, a sixth century pope, Church Father, and Doctor of the Church, took with Paul’s revolutionary arrangement to heart.  He called himself “the servant of the servants of God.”  He understood what Christ meant when he told his apostles that they were to serve and not to be served.  Gregory’s charity was so bountiful, his achievements so manifold, and his impact so considerable that he is recognized as one of three popes called “the Great.”

We should strive to see ourselves as Paul sees the Corinthian faithful.  We are the “People of God,” as Vatican II proclaimed.  We exist to give God thanks and praise.  The clergy helps us on this mission.  But we must make the effort to break with the sinful aspects of the world to live as God’s true sons and daughters.

 Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

 (I Corinthians 3:1-9; Luke 4:38-44)

 As before, in today’s gospel Jesus retreats to a deserted place and is tempted.  This time, however, it is not Satan who does the bidding but “the crowds of people.”  They want Jesus to stay in their town to help them.

 Jesus has successfully met the people’s needs.  His speaking with authority has left them astonished.  His casting out maddening demons and curing illnesses has healed them mentally and physically.  Why wouldn’t they want such a prophet to remain among them?  The gospel mentions that the people try to prevent Jesus from leaving but does not mention how. We might imagine their making offers difficult to refuse.  They may tempt him with a life-tenure as rabbi of their synagogue.  Or perhaps they propose the hand of the beautiful daughter of the town’s richest merchant in marriage!

 But Jesus knows that he is no local guru.  He has come to bring about the universal Kingdom of God.  He will inaugurate it with words, deeds, and ultimately with his life.  He is not to be deterred by temptations of beauty or security.  Jesus here offers us an example and an assurance.  Like him we must know what we are about as Christians and not allow ourselves to be lured away from holiness.  Equally important, Jesus assures us that he will not be distracted from his mission of saving us.

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(1 Corinthians 2:10b-16; Luke 4:31-37)

Cartoons of the 1950s and 60s often depicted characters undergoing temptation .  They showed an angel and a devil bidding their consciences.  Typically, the angel appeared in a balloon at one ear and the devil in a balloon at the other, each with a message of encouragement to follow its way.  The drama, of course, turned on which spirit the character would heed.  The arrangement seemed silly at the time, but it is not irreconcilable to experience. In any case, St. Paul writes of soul struggle in today’s first reading.

Paul tells of contrasting spirits – the “spirit of the world” and the “Spirit of God.”  The “spirit of the world” sees things in terms of advantages to the self.  It looks at other people as physical objects meant to feed their desires for power, prestige, or pleasure.  The “Spirit of God,” on the other hand, views people as does the Creator and Redeemer.  It inspires its possessors to care for others so that they may thrive.  Paul is exhorting the Corinthians to follow the “Spirit of God” imparted as they came to believe in Christ and were baptized.

We are subject to the “spirit of the world” – “Spirit of God” contention.  Part of us wants to see the world as our dominion to be exploited for our gratification.  Part of us, however, knows that we are here to serve the Lord.  We raise the volume of its voice by prayer, the sacraments, and attending to the Word of God.

 

Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 2:1-5; Luke 4:16-30)

Today’s gospel takes us back to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Luke’s version of the story.  Notably Jesus has a decidedly social agenda.  He does not speak of forming prayer groups or upgrading the liturgy.  Rather, he will preach God’s love to the poor and proclaim dignity to the oppressed. 

The people who hear Jesus are “amazed” with his ability to speak.  However, they show no interest in his agenda.  Rather, they ask, where did this “son of Joseph” receive such eloquence?  Jesus himself perceives that they have more interest in seeing him work miracles than of assisting him on his mission of justice.  Such apathy will be an all too common response through the ages to the gospel he preached.

Hopefully, we will do better.  The gospel calls us not only to living according to the law but to advocate for justice and to practice mercy on behalf of the oppressed.  To assist us in this often demanding work we have the sacraments and Scripture.  They store love in our hearts that we might help others know God’s goodness.