Thursday, March 25, 2021

 Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

(Isaiah 7:10-14.8:10; Hebrews 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38)

Last week one of the editors of the Wall Street Journal reviewed a book on the Bible.  He criticized the author’s suggestion that people make their own sense about what the Bible says.  The author wrote that in today’s gospel passage, the word for virgin should be translated as young woman because the original Hebrew would have it that way.  The reviewer questioned that interpretation as well as the author’s push for reading Scripture as one likes.  The reviewed found that the original Hebrew word, found in today’s first reading, does usually refer to a virgin.

Like the author of the book under review, many today would like to dismiss the apostolic belief that Jesus had a virgin mother.  The reality is unheard of except for the gospel, but so also is Jesus’ resurrection from death unheard of.  Both of these truths, however, pale in comparison with the core Christian belief that God became human.  If one accepts the incarnation, there should be no difficulty in holding the other two.  One should expect God to be born in a unique way and also not to be constrained by human death.

Today, of course, we celebrate the incarnation, the Son of God’s generation as a human being.  It is duly announced by the angel who interprets the event’s significance.  He will be called Yeshua or God saves.  He will also assume the kingdom of David, but this reign will extend not only for a lifetime and over Israel.  Rather he will rule for all eternity and throughout the universe.  There is good reason today to forget about Lenten penance as we celebrate the coming of the Son of God.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Wednesday of Holy Week

 (Isaiah 50:4-91; Matthew 26:14-25)

 Today is often called “Spy Wednesday” presumably because the gospel of today’s mass tells of Judas “look(ing) for an opportunity to hand (Jesus) over.”  It is an especially egregious act.  The gospel mentions that Judas is paid thirty pieces of silver for his betrayal.  This may sound like a lot of money, but actually it is a paltry sum.  It is like paying a hit man only $50 to murder someone.  Rather than think of Judas as greedy, He may be thought of as malicious.  John’s gospel obliquely conveys this idea. It remarks immediately after Judas leaves the supper chamber, “And it was night.”

 Although Peter’s denial is sometimes compared to Judas’ betrayal, the two are very different crimes.  They differ like a flu differs from a cancer.  Peter is under duress when he says that he does not know Jesus.  In contrast, Judas willingly goes to the chief priests seeking to hand Jesus over. 

 We should see our susceptibility to both kinds of sin.  Like Peter, we might deny Jesus, the truth, by lying when threatened by loss of power, prestige, or money.  It is also possible that we betray our commitments like Judas.  Spouses do this in the act of adultery and priests, in any kind of tryst. We can betray friends by revealing intimate secrets.  In any case, let us continually pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance to avoid all infidelity.