Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Our excitement today should not be limited to having a full meal at six and perhaps a nightcap before midnight. We should be thinking of how we will show our love for the Lord in the weeks ahead. He has given us life and sustained it in myriad ways. We might fast from sweets or perhaps pray regularly in front of an abortion clinic. These are time-tested ways to show God our appreciation.
Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Peter
1:3-9; Mark 10:17-27)
Like many men,
the one in today’s gospel is strong and ambitious. As if it were seeking Hawaiian real estate,
he asks Jesus what must he do to have eternal life. Jesus does not reject the man for his
pretension. Quite the contrary, he
speaks to him as a peer. Jesus queries
the man to see if any of the commandments has humbled him. When he hears that all
of them are kept, Jesus tells the man to impoverish himself and to follow him. The man is devastated. His many possessions
are his life. He would no longer give up
his possessions than he would die.
That is
Jesus’ point. If one is to inherit
eternal life, that person must die to himself or herself. Unless that happens, the person will go about
like child on a merry-go-round never getting anywhere. A poet once described the cost of eternal
life. T.S. Eliot wrote that the heaven
for which humans are made is a condition of “complete simplicity (costing not
less than everything).” There, after the ultimate sacrifice is made “all shall
be well and all manner of thing shall be well…”
We have
been held up since Christmas enjoying the fruits of many people’s labor. It is time to move ahead to the Promise Land. Like the man in the gospel, we may be
reluctant to begin this season of austerity.
But we must die to self if we are to inherit eternal life.
EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Sirach 27:5-8; I Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6: 39-45)
We know very little of the afterlife. A poet once described
it as a golden town with golden houses. Unfortunately, the Scriptures do not
help us much. The prophet Isaiah tells of a feast for the nations on Mount
Zion. He says that rich foods and favorite wines will be served, but he does
not reveal anything about the personal interrelationships. The Apocalypse
speaks of the “holy city”, the “new Jerusalem”. He says only that the city will
shine like crystal jasper. There God dwells together with the elect praising
him.
Probably most people don't care about gold in the afterlife.
Nor does it excite them to praise God for a long time. Most people, including
us, think about the afterlife for another reason. They see it as the last
chance to reunite with their dead loved ones. They want to see their wives or
their parents. Parents who have buried children definitely want to see them
again. We want to tell them of our love and gratitude. We want to hear their
wisdom, their jokes, and their support for our projects.
Theologians say that with such a purpose for eternal life we
are not going to achieve it. According to them, to be admitted to the Kingdom
of Heaven we have to subordinate our desires to God. Instead of wanting to be
reunited with our husband, we have to focus on loving God. Instead of wanting
to caress our children again, we have to think about pleasing the Lord.
In the second reading Saint Paul anticipates the end of time
when our bodies will rise from the dead. He says that our corruptible being
will be clothed with incorruptibility. It is worth reflecting on these words.
We think of incorruptibility as a physical thing: a super resistant surface
like steel. However, incorruptibility has to do with the soul as well. It is
the resistance to all forms of moral corruption. The Incorruptible person does
not cheat, does not take anything in excess, is never rude or insulting. Rather
he always does what is right and good.
One day a man was filling his car with gasoline. He saw a
bag near the gas pump. He picked up the bag and looked inside. There was five
thousand dollars in bills. As an honest person, the man did not take the bag.
Rather he handed over all the money to the clerk inside. This man at least exhibited
something of incorruptibility.
Becoming incorruptible is like dying. We painfully let go of
our self to acknowledge God. He is the author and foundation of all that we are
and have. We cannot produce good fruit without Him. We cannot even live without
his support. For this reason it is only just to give him thanks and praise in
the afterlife. However, it is not that we praise God and forget our loved ones.
On the contrary, the more we value God, the more we can love our parents,
spouses, and children. We see them as special gifts entrusted to us by the King
of heaven. We will never want to mistreat them because they come from the Most
High.
This Wednesday we come to church both embarrassed and
determined. Our sins against the Most High God will cause shame. We have
offended Him who has always been good to us. We will also be determined to die
to self so that we have an afterlife with Him. And not only with Him but also
with our loved ones.
Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
(James 5:9-12; Mark 10:1-12)
The two readings today bring up difficult issues in Church
practice. In the first reading, which
echoes what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, James forbids oath-taking. Then, the gospel relates Jesus’ prohibition
of divorce. Again, Jesus’ teaching in
the Sermon on the Mount is reiterated.
Theologians as great as John Chrysostom have held to a
literal interpretation of Jesus’ and James’ prohibition of oath. Yet the majority over the centuries have
understood the dictum as a ban on frivolous and insincere oaths. After all, the name of God should always be
held in esteem. St. Paul is cited as
using a kind of oath in his letters. It
is best that we use oaths sparingly and never carelessly mention God’s name.
Moses allowed divorce as do many Christian churches and
faith communities. When a marriage
breaks down in the Catholic Church, one of the partners often seeks an
annulment. This legal decree states that
there was not a valid marriage from the beginning. It is often difficult, however, to
distinguish valid and invalid marriages, especially when the basis for judgment
is a state of mind. Couples
contemplating marriage should be encouraged to look honestly at themselves and
one another. If there are serious compatibility issues, they should be
dissuaded from marrying. In some cases
it may be better to refuse them the Sacrament.
Thursday
of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
(James
5:1-6; Mark 9:41-50)
James’
diatribe against the rich may sound like over-kill. The rich are not necessarily bad. Everyone knows rich people who try to help their
neighbors. Neither will all the rich end
in misery. Even corrupt rich people can change
their lives. But there seems to be a
kind of rich person that deserves the vitriol of James’ denunciation. They exploit the young in the sex trade.
Adolescents
who enter the sex trade commonly do so between
fourteen and sixteen. They may be forced
or intimidated into going along with the seducer. The victims of sex trafficking, both
adolescent and adult, face dire consequences.
Venereal disease is, of course, a serious threat. Involvement in drugs
and alcohol is common. Victims also suffer
serious mental problems. Life expectancy
is severely compromised along with possibility of achieving satisfaction in
life.
In the
gospel Jesus warns that those who cause a child to sin would be better off
dying tragically. Even if they live in a
palace, they have lost access to the kingdom.
They deserve the opprobrium of James in today’s reading.
Memorial of Saint Polycarp, bishop and martyr
(James
4:13-17; Mark 9:38-40)
St.
Polycarp’s strange (to us) sounding name means much or rich fruits. He certainly left rich fruits of meaning as a
legacy. Polycarp is an important link in
the Apostolic Tradition. It is said that
he knew St. John, the evangelist. It is
certain that he encountered St. Ignatius of Antioch. The latter wrote one of his famous letters to
him. Ignatius said that he was impressed
not only by Polycarp’s godly mind but, more so, by his “holy face.”
More than
anything else, Polycarp’s martyrdom sealed for him a place of glory. He was an old man when he was brought before
the Roman proconsul for sentencing. The
official asked Polycarp to curse Christ.
When the saint refused, the proconsul turned him over to be eaten by
lions. The wild beasts, however, had
been put away for the night. So Polycarp
was condemned to die by burning. He
responded with courage and joy. The
proconsul was astonished. When the fire was lit, it was blown outward. Polycarp’s
body was left unharmed but emitted the smell of incense. Someone then took a dagger to pierce
Polycarp’s heart. The blood which gushed
out extinguished the fire. Polycarp’s
flock was prevented from taking up his body which was then burned. In the end, the Christians gathered up the
ashes and remaining bones to venerate.
Polycarp’s
and others’ martyrdom did not end Christianity.
Quite the opposite, they have spurred belief in Christ. The Church has
used remains of martyrs as the base on which the Eucharist is celebrated. We pray that our love for Christ and neighbor
may be as strong as the martyrs’.
Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, apostle
The reading underscores the pope’s need of humility. It expressly says that he (really any priest) is not to lord it over the faithful. Such behavior would give counter-testimony to Christ who humbled himself by dying on the cross. Nor are popes and other priests to seek favors for their work. Such actions would undermine their credibility. More positively, they are to eagerly look after and encourage the faithful. Only joyful care will win hearts to Christ. The Vicar of Christ, for whom no retirement age is set, will necessarily wear himself out under such responsibilities. His consolation, of course, is eternal glory upon the Lord’s return.
(Optional) Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, bishop and doctor of the Church
(James
3:13-18; Mark 9:14-29)
Today the
Church remembers St. Peter Damian. He
was a monk, scholar, and reformer. Recently
he has been cited for sounding the alarm on clerical sexual abuse in the eleventh
century! Raised on a farm, Peter was
shocked by rampant homosexuality among priests and even bishops. He wrote a letter to the reform-minded Pope
Leo IX describing the abuse in direct terms.
Ecclesial
corruption reached all-time highs during the tenth and eleventh centuries. Many clerics were living openly with their
wives and children. Ecclesial offices
were being bought and sold. One of the
worse popes in history, Benedict IX, occupied the Chair of Peter for much of half
a century. His name was connected to
rape, murder, bribery, adultery, and sodomy.
Only because of ascetical men like Peter Damian and the reforming popes
Leo IX and Gregory VII was the Church saved from dissolution.
The Letter
of James today provides sure wisdom to avoid corruption. We want to develop humility and avoid
jealousy and selfish ambition. We also
need to be people of peace and generous in showing mercy. At the same time we should endeavor to be constant
in seeking and defending the truth.
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (I Samuel 26:2.7-9.12-13.22-23; I Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38)
Queen Elizabeth of the
United Kingdom has just reached a milestone. On February 6 she was head of her
country for seventy years. She has done more than fulfill her responsibilities.
She has modeled nobility for the world. She has always shown concern for the poor.
She has never been involved in scandal. She has exhibited human dignity in both public and personal affairs. The people of Britannia will remember her
with admiration. Similarly, the Jews have esteemed King David.
David was primarily a war-hero.
Since his victory over the giant Goliath, he gained respect for defeating
Israel's enemies. However, he was far from a perfect human being. He seemed to like
violence too much. He wasted no time in having his lover's husband killed.
Another vice he had was lust. He had at least six wives. We may wonder why the Bible
sees him as the greatest king of Israel. It was not primarily because of his
ability to win battles. More significantly, he had a heart ready to forgive
like God. He displays this ability in the first reading when he turns down the
opportunity to kill his enemy.
In the gospel Jesus
instructs his disciples to likewise imitate God's mercy. They are to forgive their
enemies. In addition, they are to lend without expecting repayment, bless their
adversaries, and give at the request of the other. Of course, these principles
apply to us just as much as they did to first-century Christians.
Perhaps we are puzzled
by the excessive demand. We ask ourselves, where is justice if anyone can strike
me with impunity? Justice is hidden in God's plan. Jesus implies as much in what
he says next. Our heavenly Father will not allow us to be destroyed. Rather He
will reward us abundantly when His Kingdom comes. In Jesus’s words our lot will
be "a good measure, shaken well, pressed down, and running over."
Perhaps our
restlessness continues. We ask, could we keep ourselves in peace if we follow Jesus’
directives? Really, it's not easy. But we have examples like Saint Francis and
Mother Teresa showing that it is possible. True, people as weak as ourselves
are going to fail sometimes. And it will be hard at times to coordinate our
responsibilities to family and friends with the demands of the kingdom. In any
case, we should not despair. As long as we change our lives to accommodate the gospel
principles, we will be fine.
A poor immigrant woman
lent out the money she was saving to buy a house. After several months the
woman who asked for the loan did not pay it back. Neither did she want to talk
about it. Now the lender doesn't know what to do because she needs money to
repair her car. Will she violate Jesus' demand by asking her friend to return
the money? No. If she were rich and the other person were really needy, there
would be reason to forgive the debt. But in this case, the two must work out a
plan to ensure their mutual good.
In the second reading
today, we hear Saint Paul describing the heavenly man. He says in effect that,
moved by the Spirit, the heavenly man has accommodated gospel the principles.
He no longer practices the vices of the “first man”: selfishness, lust, and
drunkenness. Instead, he has donned the virtues of the Kingdom: nonviolence,
kindness, and compassion. He has conformed himself to Christ. His destiny is
life with him forever.
Soon we will be
beginning Lent. It is time to consider how we can conform to Jesus. Being slow
to get angry with people who baffle us? Be more ready to forgive our enemies?
Yes, these are the ways of heavenly men and women.
Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(James
2:14-24.26; Mark 8:34-9:1)
It is said
that Martin Luther wanted to omit the Letter of James from the Bible because of
today’s passage. For Luther all human
works are tainted by egoism which makes them unworthy. He was quite sure that faith alone is sufficient
for salvation.
The point
that James wants to make is rather simple. The virtues don’t exist completely
separate from one another. If one is to
love as God does, that person must believe that his acts of love matter in the
sum of things. Similarly, if one really
believes in a God who loves, she will show that belief with an act of love. Yet it is possible that one’s love be deficient. St. Augustine knew that his budding faith
would not save him if he continued to live with his mistress.
Faith is
necessary for salvation. This faith may
be explicit by our professing the creed.
Or it may be implicit like the agnostic who consistently helps his or
her neighbors. But faith without works
of love is hollow. It is like a corpse
from which life is drained. It cannot
live eternally.
Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(James
2:1-9; Mark 8:27-33)
Today’s
gospel parallels yesterday’s. In
yesterday’s reading Jesus brings a blind man to full sight in two stages. At Jesus’ first touch the man cannot see the
true nature of things. People, he says,
are like walking trees. When Jesus touches
his eyes a second time, the man sees things clearly.
In today’s
gospel Peter correctly calls Jesus “the Christ” but has a false notion of what
this means. He thinks of Jesus as a
political Messiah. That is, he expects
Jesus to liberate Israel from Roman rule with a sword. When Jesus tells him that as Messiah he must
suffer, not conquer, to defeat evil, Peter tries to correct him. Jesus reacts by calling Peter “’Satan.’” Satan in Scripture is the great tempter. Jesus means that Peter’s false notion of
Messiah would tempt Jesus to abandon his Father’s mission. Presumably, Peter’s
eyes now are fully open to see what a true Messiah must do.
We love
heroes. Their victories give us hope to
conquer those whom we find objectionable.
Jesus, however, has shown us a surer way to defeat evil. He was not a hero but a saint. He patiently endured evil in order to
overcome it. On the cross he bore the
world’s sins and won for us forgiveness.
As his disciples we are to continue his work of bearing with others in
love. We do this even for the people we
find objectionable. In this way we also
assure ourselves a place with Jesus in eternal life.
Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(James
1:19-27; Mark 8:22-26)
Both
readings today compare faith to sight. In
the first reading a person looks in a mirror, goes away and forgets what she saw. With faith she would have seen herself as an
image of Christ. Remembering what she looked like, she would have acted like
Christ. That is, she would have treated
every person she met with due love.
In the
gospel the blind man comes to see in two stages. At the first stage, he sees people as walking
trees. That is, he sees them as objects
to be exploited at will. When he
achieves full sight, which is faith, he sees people differently. He recognizes everyone as a child of God and,
again, respects him or her accordingly.
Faith is a full
way of seeing. When we believe in Christ
as Lord, we know that he is there to help us.
We can treat others with compassion as he did. More than that, faith assures that Christ
sees us. He will favor us for our every
good action.
Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(Genesis
5:5-8.7:1-5.10; Mark 8:14-21)
On top of St.
Peter’s Basilica in Rome, stone statues overlook the city. They represent the twelve apostles who struggled
to win the world for Christ. Each member
of the band appears magnificent in wisdom and strength. We are challenged to reconcile these figures with
the fumbling disciples in today’s gospel.
The twelve have
twice witnessed Jesus distribute hundreds of times more bread than was on
hand. Yet they worry about not having food
with them in the boat. They overlook the
one loaf that is with them. That is the
Lord himself! Like many people, the
twelve cannot see beyond their condition of scarcity. They cannot see that in Christ’s company they
will always have more than enough.
Bumpkins as
they are at this point, Jesus still has to warn the disciples about vanity! It is the leaven of the Pharisees. Like leaven in dough, vanity makes the
Pharisees refuse to accept Jesus as a legitimate teacher. They demand a sign from God for them to
believe. Vanity, in this sense, puffs
one’s face so that the person cannot notice the presence of God. Jesus is indicating to his disciples that
they must trust him. They and we are neither
to obsess about what is lacking nor to overlook Jesus’ power. Rather, we must put our faith in Jesus.
Memorial of Saints Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop
(James 1:1-11; Mark 8:11-13)
It said
that more chocolate is sold on Valentine’s Day than any other day of the
year. Valentine’s Day is obviously
serious business. There is another way
in which it is serious business. More
and more it deals with romantic love.
Once
valentine cards were passed around mostly by children in school. Before Facebook’s “likes,” the number of
valentines received indicated one’s popularity.
With the Sexual Revolution the practice of Valentine’s Day has become
more articulated. People have come to see
it as an occasion of sexual encounter. But
this does not mean it is necessarily hedonistic. There is a Christian side of erotic love.
We believe
that the human person has needs and desires which include sexual union. For many good reasons a couple should make a
permanent commitment before consummating their love. Today’s first reading admonishing
perseverance points to this necessity. In marriage sexual union enhances the couple’s
unity as it purifies their intentions.
In time the man and woman will not give themselves to one another to satisfy
desire. Their love will become a giving
of self completely for the good of the other. It will become like God’s love.
SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Jeremiah 17:5-8;
I Corinthians 15:12.16-20; Luke 6:17.20-26)
Everyone knows the
Gospel story of the servant whose ear was cut off. But few are aware of how the
narratives of the story differ in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In the
Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is seen as the great teacher. When his disciple cuts
off the servant’s ear, Jesus gives all a lesson: "Put the sword back in
its sheath, for all who take sword will perish by the sword.'" In the
Gospel according to Luke, the ever-gentle Jesus immediately heals the wound. It is similarly worthwhile to compare the beatitudes
in these two gospels.
The beatitudes of the
Gospel of Matthew are more widely known. They are popular because they include
all kinds of people. The rich along with the destitute can be "poor in
spirit." The well-fed along with beggars may "hunger and thirst for
justice." Not so in the Gospel of Luke. Only those without material
resources and empty stomachs are called “blessed.” The poor and the hungry are
counted as blessed because Jesus has come to save them. He is the
personification of the Kingdom. Wherever Jesus goes, there are the fruits of
the kingdom: justice, peace, and love. This is the same message that Jesus
delivered at Nazareth. There - we remember - he told the people that Isaiah's
prophecy was fulfilled by his presence. Anointed with the Spirit, Jesus
proclaims the good news to the poor and announces release to captives.
Another difference
between the two accounts of the Sermon is the “woes”. Saint Luke, but not Saint
Matthew, warns the rich and the well-fed that they are headed for perdition.
Are all the rich going to be lost? No,
at the end of the gospel Jesus will bless the rich man Zacchaeus who shares half
his wealth with the poor. Jesus has headed for destruction those people
described by the prophet Jeremiah in the first reading. They rely on expert
advice for earthly reward. They look for financiers to increase their wealth,
not the needy who can use their help. They spend hundreds of thousands of
dollars on their houses and pay immigrants only the minimum wage.
America today is known
for the superabundance of goods. In this environment it is easy for comfort to
twist our hearts. We are always tempted to invert the meaning of the
Beatitudes. Instead of saying "blessed you poor," we want to say
"blessed you who have a 54-inch TV to watch the Superbowl." Instead
of saying "Woe to you, those who are filled now ", we want to say
"Woe to you who have to ride the bus to work." Even if we have a big
screen TV and a Camry in the garage, we have to remember that the goods of the
earth originate with God, the Father of all. Therefore, we are obliged to share
our goods with the poor, our brothers and sisters.
How is it that when we
recall the happiest experiences of our lives, moments when we were poor come to
mind? We want to relive the times when we visit our grandparents on Sunday, not
the times we took tours of big cities. Visiting grandparents, we felt the affection
of people who really cared about us. 54-inch TVs weren't necessary to make us feel
blessed. Rather we could just go outside and throw around a football. Yes, blessed
are you poor!
(optional) Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes
(I kings
11:29-32.12:19; Mark 7:31-37)
Today’s
gospel has the descriptive power of Homer’s Iliad. Jesus takes the deaf
man with a speech impediment aside. He puts
his fingers in the man’s ears and spits on his tongue. Then in his native language pronounces, “Ephphatha
(be opened)!” The unfortunate man immediately receives both hearing and
articulation.
We probably
don’t have difficulty hearing or speaking.
Yet most of us need to be opened! We are closed to a strong faith in the
Lord. We think that science will keep
advancing to resolve our problems until we die.
Then the same science will progress to take care of the problems of our
descendants. But the truth is that the
same problems keep recurring. They are like
the pesty mouse that cannot be caught.
These are the defects of love and of wisdom that we experience. Their resolution is found in being opened to
the Lord. Allowing him to enter our
lives fully will heal the heart’s wounds.
It will provide the grace and wisdom to live righteously.
Today we
remember Our Lady of Lourdes and the many, many miracles worked where she
appeared. We may not be sick with cancer
or other life-limiting disease. But we
are likely sick anyway. We suffer from
lack of full faith in the Lord. We too
need Our Lady’s intercession.
Memorial of Saint Scholastica, virgin
(I Kings
11:4-13; Mark 7:24-30)
Solomon
started his rule pleasing the Lord. He
asked for wisdom, not riches, and God gave him both. At the end of his reign, however, his heart
turns to pleasing his wives. He abandons
God for foreign idols. Today’s gospel tells of a woman who moves in the
opposite direction.
The passage
says the Syrophoenician woman is Greek.
It means that she is a pagan. Yet
hearing of the holy one, Jesus, she turns to him in her need. She humbles herself beseeching Jesus to help
her possessed daughter. To show that God’s mercy extends to the whole world, he
grants her request. Without so much as
seeing the woman’s daughter, he relieves her of the demon.
When we
turn our hearts to God, we will not be disappointed. The effort requires humility and
persistence. God will reward us in ways
we do not expect. When we set our hearts
on pleasure, we are bound to become dissatisfied. Pleasures come and go quickly. Pursued relentlessly, they will draw us away from
happiness.
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary
Time
(I Kings 10:1-10; Mark 7:14-23)
As we prepare for Lent, we might ask
ourselves the following questions: How can the Church’s prohibition of eating
meat on Lenten Fridays be justified in light of today’s gospel? If Jesus really meant that “’that everything
that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,’” how can it be a sin for a
Catholic to eat meat on a Lenten Friday?
There is some doubt whether Jesus actually
made a statement to the effect that Jews could eat non-kosher foods. More likely -- many scholars say -- the words
were added to Jesus’ teaching on sins of the heart. After all, the evangelist Mark wrote for a
primarily non-Jewish community. These Christians needed reassurance that the
agreement worked out by Paul and Barnabas at the so-called Council of Jerusalem
was valid.
It is also true that what defiles a person is
not simply the act of eating pork or shellfish but the defiance of God’s
authority. For this reason Jesus does
condemn arrogance in this same passage.
Considering the action in this way legitimizes the Church’s capacity to
bind its members on matters such as fasting and attending mass.
It is also likely that we often think much
differently than Jesus. We are usually
concerned about doing the minimal amount to achieve our goal. So we ask, “Is abstinence necessary?” Or, “How about confession; do I have to go if
I have not committed any mortal sins?”
Jesus, on the other hand, wants us to love God with our whole heart. Living in his way, we will likely abstain
from more than meat on Lenten Fridays and avail ourselves of Penance more than
the Church-mandated once a year. We will
readily make sacrifices of time and energy to know and love the Lord better.
Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Kings
8:22-23.27-30; Mark 7:1-13)
People
today seldom have to be out of earshot or even sight. The technological revolution has
brought family, friends, even teachers together in unimaginable ways. Products like Zoom and Facebook have eased the burden of the Covid
pandemic. But they cannot
substitute for one another’s physical presence.
Likewise, the temple which
Solomon has built performs this unique function.
In the
first reading Solomon addresses the Lord regarding that temple. He acknowledges that God cannot be restricted
to it. God is everywhere. But, Solomon says, God has designated the Temple
as His preferred place of encounter.
People are to go there to offer sacrifice of animals and, whenever
possible, just to pray.
Our bodies
too are temples of the Holy Spirit.
Still, we need special places of encounters with God. These places remind us of the divine by their
structure and their accoutrements. We can
and perhaps should pray everywhere. But
we cherish prayer in places designated as the “house of God.”
Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Kings
8:1-7.9-13; Mark 6:53-56)
The
magnificent cathedral of Chartres was not built by paid professionals but by the
faithful townspeople. They gave their skill
and work to construct a fitting place for the Lord. Many small towns in Costa Rica have churches
that were likewise built by local residents.
They are not on the scale of Chartres, but they testify to humble faith.
Todays’
first reading narrates the introduction of the Ark of the Covenant into
Solomon’s Temple. The Ark was not only
the sanctuary of the tablets of the Law but also the dwelling place of the
Almighty according to His own prescription.
The temple was a magnificent structure, built by faith with resources
which Solomon’s prosperous kingdom provided.
As magnificent
as it and the great churches of Christianity are, they are not the only temples
of the Lord. We should never forget that
each of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit dwells within us by means of Jesus’ death and
resurrection. Our faith in the Spirit’s presence
magnifies the dignity of our bodies. Our
worthy moral lives maintain the dignity of the structures until we dwell with
the Lord in eternity.
THE
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Isaiah
6:1-3.3-8; I Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11)
Before his conversion, Augustine was
divided. He wanted to live chastely, but he didn't want to give up sex. He knew
the need to change his life, but he couldn't garner the strength to do it. One
day he was in a garden feeling miserable because of his indecision. Through his
tears he heard what he later described as the voice of a child. (It was really
the voice of God.) The voice exhorted him to pick up the book and read.
Augustine looked for the New Testament that he had brought with him. It was
open to the Letter to the Romans. He read: “not in orgies
and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and
jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the
desires of the flesh.” Augustine didn't need any more incentive to
decide. With these words he promised to be baptized.
Augustine
had an experience of God. Simon Peter has the same in the gospel today. After
fishing all night without taking anything, Jesus asks him to let down the nets
again. When he does, Simon and his companions catch an amazing number of fish.
Knowing that he is in the presence of a man of God, Simon throws himself at
Jesus' feet. He reacts like the prophet Isaiah in the first reading. "Depart
from me, Lord,” he says, “for I am a sinful man!"
It is
always like this in an encounter with God. The person recognizes that she or he
has come across a being of such great virtue that the person feels overwhelmed.
In fact, he wants to disappear. However, God does not produce the phenomenon to
destroy the person but to recruit him. He wants the recruit to carry his
message to others. Aware of God's love, the person is ready to leave not only vices
but, like Simon, everything!
We are not
likely to have an overwhelming experience of God. One reason is that such
experiences are rare. Another reason is that we are more drawn to science to
explain amazing phenomena like a huge catch of fish or a sunset. (However, for many
the birth of a baby may still take their breath away.) We more likely sense
God's presence in everyday life. We see God in the dedication of the nuns to
educate children. Or perhaps we see God controlling the human conscience that
judges the correctness of acts almost always in the same way. Even scientists
have to ponder whether it is not because of God that the principles of nature
favor the creation of life.
Like Peter
in the gospel and Paul in the second reading we have to respond to God with
commitment. Young people should consider religious or priestly life. In our
world of self-indulgence, sisters, brothers and priests point out to all that
the good does not consist in pleasures but in true love. The marriage
commitment not only reflects the love of God but also facilitates the development
of children. Yes, grandma can guide a girl to have a decent life, but that
outcome is not likely. Unfortunately, we no longer think of being single as a vocation.
However, committed singles can play a huge role in community development. Mr.
Cornell Maier served as the head of one of the largest corporations in the
world. When he retired, he spent his time as an assistant in the neonatal
intensive care unit. Mr. Maier once said that he was so successful because as a
single man he had more control over his time.
Sometimes
monks joke about the voice of God. They say that the bell calling them to the
dining room is the voice of God. It is not. The voice of God always asks us for
commitment. It is like the cry of a newborn to his mother. It assures us of God’s
presence, and it calls us to commitment.
Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(Optional) Memorial of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr
(I Kings 2:1-4.10-12;
Mark 6:7-13)
Today, the Memorial of
St. Blase, people come to church to have their throats blessed. It is an old custom meant to prevent or heal
all kinds of ailments. It is similar to
the work for which the apostles are commissioned in today’s gospel.
Jesus has selected his
twelve apostles from his numerous disciples.
Now he sends them to preach repentance.
They are to prepare the people for the coming of the Kingdom of
God. As a sign that the Kingdom is
beginning to appear in the world, they have the power to heal. The text says that they cure the people by
anointing them with oil.
We believe that our
prayers as well as the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick effect what they
signify. But we should be discreet about
the claims that we make regarding prayer.
We have seen many people healed after prayer. But we cannot say that those prayed over are likely
to be healed with significantly greater frequency than others. Nevertheless, they have been placed under
God’s care. He will strengthen them for the
challenging journey to eternal life.
The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
