Sunday, August 30, 2026

 

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Jeremiah 20:7-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27)

Today’s Gospel reading follows immediately after last Sunday’s. We recall how Simon pronounced Jesus “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and Jesus returned the compliment by calling him “Peter,” the rock upon which he would build his church. Indeed, the two passages form a dialogue that should be read as a single passage. Yes, Jesus is the Messiah, but not a conquistador. And Peter may be a rock, but not polished and ready for use. In fact, he will have to be reshaped to serve as the cornerstone of Jesus’  Church. The reshaping begins as soon as Jesus reveals the tribulations the Messiah will undergo.

Jesus tells his disciples that precisely because he is the Messiah, he must suffer greatly. He says that he will be condemned and martyred. Peter objects to this prophecy, considering it a negative way of thinking.  He begins to argue with the Lord. Although Peter wants to keep his criticism private, Jesus thinks otherwise. He believes it is necessary to correct Peter openly and drastically so that all his disciples realize how serious the matter is. First of all, he calls Peter “Satan” for tempting him with references only to victory. Then he says that instead of acting as a foundation stone, Peter seems more like a stumbling block.

Jesus explains the kind of sacrifice his disciples will have to make if they want to follow him. He says that to be his faithful disciples, they must deny themselves, take up their individual crosses, and follow him. In other words, they have to change their way of thinking and acting. Instead of thinking of themselves as their primary concern, they have to be concerned first and foremost about God. Instead of acting out of self-interest, they have to serve the Lord. It is the ultimate transition that must be experienced to become part of the Kingdom of God.

A fable can help us understand this gospel lesson. A hen and a pig were walking around the farm one morning. They wanted to give the farmer a special birthday breakfast. The hen turned to the pig and said, “Let’s give him bacon and eggs! It’s his favorite food.” The pig stopped, looking worried, and shook his head. He said to the hen, “Wait, please. For you, that breakfast is just a small contribution. For me, it’s total sacrifice!”

What the hen suggests to the pig may sound harsh, and it really is. But it’s also what Jesus is proposing for his disciples. It is, if you will, “the cost of discipleship.” For the parents of a child with cerebral palsy, “taking up their cross and following him” means caring for their daughter all day, every day. For the single woman with no family responsibilities, it might mean helping the Missionaries of Charity with their ministries to abandoned women and children. For retired people, it could be volunteering to tutor children with reading difficulties.

And what if we don't want to fully commit ourselves fully to serving the Lord? What if we only want to pay a tithe and attend Sunday Mass? Then we would be like the hen in the story: unworthy to be true disciples of Jesus. Perhaps we wouldn't be completely lost, but we should begin to pray assiduously that the Lord will turn us into genuine disciples. We will not have a place in the Kingdom if our way of loving does not conform to Jesus' way. To be his disciples means that we love others as he has loved us.

Friday, August 28, 2026

 

Memorial of St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

(I Corinthians 1:17-25; Matthew 25:1-13)

Today’s reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians illustrates one of St. Augustine’s most salient teachings.  Paul tells the Corinthians that they have not been brought to Christ by either eloquence or wisdom.  Rather it is through the cross of Christ that they are being saved.  His sacrifice is more than an act of heroism; it is a humbling of self to nothing before God's will so that others may receive something of eternal efficacy.

St. Augustine knew from experience that being praised by other humans only makes one’s inevitable fall more calamitous.  He advised that if you want to rise you must first descend.  Humility, he taught, is the first, second, and third principle of faith.  Augustine achieved success as a lawyer and teacher. However, earthly glory did not bring him fulfilment.  Only when he surrendered himself to the Lord's will was he able to rest secure.

So, are we to stop trying to succeed?  Are we to give up our work live on prayers and alms?  No, that would be wasting our talents and ignoring the Lord’s call to make the world better.  However, we are to give up our illusion that the world’s salvation rests on our efforts alone and to ask God daily that His kingdom come.

Thursday, August 27, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Monica

(I Corinthians 1:1-9; Matthew 24:42-51

“’Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing (his duty),’” Jesus tells his disciples in today’s gospel. He is describing how they should live until his return in glory.  Faithful disciples keep their baptismal promises.  That is, each one in his or her own way becomes priest, prophet, and king in the world.

In his autobiography, Saint Augustine writes of his mother, Saint Monica, as a worthy disciple.  She fulfilled her duty to God and family by encouraging both her sons to live
Christian lives.  This went far beyond telling them to do the right thing.  It included constant prayer and bringing them resources to facilitate practice of the faith.

St. Monica has become one of the more popular saints because of the great number of Catholics who have left the Church.  Their parents are often praying, like St. Monica, that they return to the sacraments.  It is a considerable objective because our society world has largely lost religious sensibility. People consider success having a high-paying job, being well considered in the community, and enjoying parties and pastimes.  God will not disappoint petitioners, but in regard to sons and daughters who no longer consider faith important, the prayer must be assiduous. 

Wednesday. August 25, 2026

 

Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(II Thessalonians 3:6-10.16-18; Matthew 23:27-32)

Pasted on a wall of the convents of the Missionaries of Charity, a statement by the congregation’s found, St. Teresa of Calcutta strikes the observer.  If prayer is simply talking to God, Mother Teresa’s prayer is profound.  The sign says, “I will give you saints and martyrs.” It almost echoes the last words of Jesus in today’s gospel.

Jesus has just excoriated the lay leaders of Judaism for their duplicity.  He calls the scribes and Pharisees “hypocrites” and says that they are no better than their ancestors who murdered the prophets.  Then he invites them to contrive the same evil against him.  “…fill up,” he says, “what your ancestors measured out.”

The scribes and Pharisees had no monopoly on duplicity.  Vile can stain any human heart.  To counter duplicity, we must be honest with ourselves as well as with others.  Like Jesus we have to call a dove, a “dove,” and a snake, a “snake.” Even more, we should ask God to purify our duplicitous hearts.

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(I Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 23:23-26)

The man said he was an atheist.  He added his reason.  He said that religion has been at the center of so many wars that he could no longer believe in God.  Of course, he was overlooking the overwhelming amount of assistance that faith has provided people over the ages.  He also might have thought for a moment about the destruction wrought by Communists and Nazis in recent times.  Nonetheless, Jesus in today’s gospel makes a similar criticism of religious opportunists.

 Jesus is disturbed by people who use religion to benefit themselves.  Evidently a considerable number of Pharisees and scribes distort Judaism to this effect.  Rather than emphasize the prophets’ call to compassion, they exploit the Law’s precepts for their own benefit.  Their exploitation especially hurts the poor. 

 We have a double duty in regard to those who profit by religion.  We should resist their solicitations by standing firm with Jesus, the prophet.  He shows little patience with those who burden others for their own benefit.   We also have to avoid a harsh criticism of religion.  People have misused it over the centuries for their material benefit.  But even events like the Crusades must be analyzed in their historical context and include the intentions of those involved.  Much more characteristic of religious belief have been institutions dispensing charity and orienting people to the true God.