Tuesday, June 7, 2022

 Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 17:7-16; Matthew 5:13-16)

A Dominican priest in Pakistan had a large Muslim following.  The people considered him a holy man of God.  They would wait for him after mass outside church.  There he would bless them.  The blessing evidently brought cures and other graces.  The widow of Zarephath looks at Elijah in this way.

The widow is not a daughter of Israel.  She tells Elijah, “’As the Lord, your God, lives...”  She must recognize the power of God, or she would not invoke an oath in His name.  She also acknowledges the authority of God’s prophet when she obeys his commands.

The woman is saved by her faith in God even though it is still undeveloped.  We do well to imitate it along with her generosity.  We want to do all that God has commanded through Moses and, especially, Jesus.  In today’s gospel Jesus tells his disciples to be salt and light,  That is, we are to lift people’s spirits with deeds motivated by love.

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Memorial of Saint Justin, martyr

(Acts 20:28-38; John 17:11b-19)

Christianity is sometimes criticized for being overly concerned with doctrine.  The critique maintains that a Church without a creed would be more united.  It would also betray its heritage.  The New Testament letters continually decry false teachers.  Two of John’s letters call them the “antichrists.”  Justin Martyr, today’s patron, gave his life in defense of right doctrine.  He was a second-century philosopher convert who wrote in defense of Christian teaching.

In today’s gospel Jesus gives a foundation for truth.  He asks his Father “to consecrate (his disciples) in the truth.”  He wants them to know the truth of salvation which ishis incarnation, death, and resurrection.  More than that, they are to tell others about it.

We may be ridiculed for accepting Scripture as truth.  Some hold that its beliefs are mythical as that truth comes only from scientific investigation.  This position is known as “positivism.”  We have to show positivists that religious truth is efficacious by lives of integrity, service, and love.  Saints like Justin comprise the best argument for Christ’s truth. 

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

 Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Luke 1:39-56)

In the Letter of James, the author admonishes his readers to be doers, not just hearers, of God’s word.  He could have used Mary as an example.  Today’s gospel relates how she set out in haste with the angel’s report of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.  Also, Mary had told the angel that she would receive the Son of God as his words proposed. 

Mary is not the only one in the reading to defer to God’s word.  As she enters Elizabeth’s presence, the child within Elizabeth salutes the child within Mary.  Elizabeth’s child, John, recognizes that Jesus is God’s word made flesh and leaps for joy.

God’s word comes to us as well.  We hear it, among other places, at mass and in our consciences.  It comes as much to help us as to inform us.  We should leap for joy too.  It brings us the hope good news of salvation.

Monday, May 30, 2022

 Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

 (Acts 19:1-8; John 16:29-33)

 Memorial Day used to be commonly known as Decoration Day.  On this day Americans traditionally put flowers on the graves of their deceased loved ones.  The custom started after the Civil War which claimed more Americans lives than any other war.  In time people decorated the graves of all loved ones, not just fallen soldiers.

 Flowers symbolize new life.  They are fitting especially for Christian graves because Christians believe that the dead will live again.  The Holy Spirit will reintegrate their bodies with their souls.  Then they will praise God in joy for eternity.  We have a foreshadowing of this day in today’s first reading.

 Paul meets twelve Ephesians who identify with the Jesus.  Perhaps because they do not exhibit much joy, Paul asks if they have received the Holy Spirit.  When they admit ignorance of the Spirit, Paul baptizes them in Jesus’ name.  The effect is wonderful.  The Spirit moves the Ephesians to express themselves exuberantly telling the wonders of God.

Sunday, May 29, 2022

SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD, May 29, 2022

(Acts 1,1-11; Ephesians 1,17-23; Luke 24:46-53)

The Solemnity of the Ascension was always celebrated on the Thursday of the sixth week of Easter. But in the 1960s Rome allowed for a change of day. Instead of Thursday, it could be held the following Sunday. Of course, the pope knew that St. Luke specifies the fortieth day. But he was probably thinking of the workers who couldn't make it to Mass during the week. He wanted them to participate in this great feast.

Along with the Resurrection and Pentecost, the Ascension reveals God's plan for human salvation. It recognizes how the Risen One has ascended to the highest place in heaven as the second reading says. There with his glorified body he has established a physical place as our ultimate destination. There, too, Christ asks the Father to send the Spirit to enable us to reach our goal. Fortified with the Spirit we can bear witness to Jesus in this often hostile world. Both the reading from the Acts of the Apostles and the gospel attest to this mission.

In the first reading the disciples continue to gaze upwards after Jesus’ ascension. The scene represents one of at least four ways to live the Christian life. In this way we continue looking at the sky, that is, doing nothing more than waiting for the return of the Lord. We don't care about mission he left us. We are happy to join in the mass on Sunday and in the gossip on Monday. As if we were wearing raincoats to protect our spirit, we do not allow the gospel to penetrate our daily lives.

Another way to live faith is to do the opposite. Instead of being idle, we are overly ambitious. We want to see quick changes. We may focus on remodeling the church sanctuary. Or maybe we want to start a food bank for the poor. It all sounds good, but if we don't orient ourselves with prayer, our efforts may be in vain. Prayer not only asks for the Lord's help but also discerns his will. For this reason the disciples in the reading do not go out preaching immediately. No, they pray first so that they receive the Holy Spirit.

The third way to live the faith is not anticipated in the readings. However, it is prominent in today's world. For those who follow this way the disciples do not look at Jesus ascending to heaven. To them the Ascension has become just a myth to explain the whereabouts of the body of Jesus. They also do not believe in the resurrection from the dead and in the Holy Spirit. There are many today who call themselves "Catholic" but do not accept the tenets of the faith. They claim religion as a storeroom of customs to mark the stages of life.  They come to church to celebrate one’s birth, childhood, coming of age, marriage and death.

Saint Luke wants the fourth way for Theophilus, and the angels recommend it for the disciples. Hopefully, it is also what drives us forward! In this way to live Christian life we prepare ourselves with prayer for the mission of proclaiming the gospel. We also retreat to determine what the needs are and what we can do. Then we out our plan in action. Recently the Knights of Columbus have given a striking example. With the invasion of the Ukraine, the knights joined with the rest of the world to pray for peace with justice. They then collected resources to establish “Mercy Centers” on the Polish-Ukrainian border. There they have welcomed the refugees from the war. They provide them not only shelter from hostility but also food and clothing to survive.

We have described four ways to live the Christian life. There are others as there are many roads in a city. But all do not take us to the same place. We want to take those who place us next to Jesus. In one way or another these paths pass through prayer and mission. If our ultimate destination is where Jesus is, our path is prayer and mission. 

Friday, May 27, 2022

 Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

 (Acts 18:9-18; John 16:20-23)

Someone you love is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.  She will be dead most probably within a year, perhaps a little more.  There is no long-term prognosis.  You begin the excruciating ordeal of saying, “Good-bye.”  This is the situation of the disciples which the Lord addresses in today’s gospel.

Jesus anticipates the pain his disciples will feel.  He compares it to the labor a woman endures when she gives birth.  Its sharpness will take their breath away.  Its duration will stick in their memory like a knife in wood.  But seeing Jesus in the resurrection will be like hearing the cries of new life.  Immediately pain’s grip will be released, and exultation will overwhelm lingering discomfort.  The disciples’ desires will then be purified so that their every wish may be granted.  Understanding of all that has gone on, capacity to share their ecstasy with others, wisdom to never doubt again will be theirs.

We naturally do not want to suffer.  But we accept pain and even embrace it at times as necessary to reach heightened awareness.  Indeed, suffering may bring us a whole new kind of life. We should see the pain of death as taking us closer to the Lord.  It should make us ever reliant on Him.  In death’s completion, we will see His goodness face to face.  This joy will far surpass any wonder of this world.

Thursday, May 26, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, priest

(Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-20)

In today’s gospel Jesus anticipates the joy of the resurrection.  He tells his disciples that they will rejoice when he is raised from the dead.  Their joy, however, will come only after great sorrow.  They will experience terrible distressed at his death.  Nevertheless, their joy will surpass their suffering.  As will be heard in tomorrow’s gospel, it will be like the mother’s joy after giving birth.

Today the Church celebrates an apostle of joy.  Philip Neri radiated the joy of salvation in Jesus Christ.  He instinctively knew that a joyful spirit is more Christian than a melancholy one.  His joy attracted many people to himself as well as the Church.  Living in Rome, he was consulted by popes, cardinals, rulers, and ordinary people.

We must admit that sometimes it is difficult to feel joy.  We may be afflicted by grave problems personally or collectively.  Who could blame us for feeling sad about the senseless murder of innocent people in Buffalo recently?  Nevertheless, we must recognize that Christ has conquered sin and death.  Whatever sorrow we feel at a given moment should turn into a more durable joy.  Jesus’ resurrection is more than a passing triumph.  It is final victory.

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

 

Memorial of Saint Bede the Venerable, priest and doctor of the Church

(Acts 17:15.22-18:1; John 16:12-15)

Today the Church remembers three saints although it does not require the celebration of any.  St. Bede the Venerable, the most well-known, was an eighth century Englishman.  He is famous for having compiled a history of the Church in England.  The work contains critical scholarship of the early Church and of Roman England.  St. Gregory VII reformed the Church reformer as papal assistant and as pope.  He is famous for having excommunicated Henry IV, the Holy Roman Empire, for meddling in Church affairs. St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi lived in sixteenth century Florence.  She was a Carmelite mystic admired for her penitential spirit.

In today’s gospel Jesus tells his disciples that the Holy Spirit will guide them to all truth.  He comes in various ways like the Scriptures and the sacraments.  He is also evidenced in the lives of people like today’s celebrated saints.  There he reassures us of the Church’s holiness despite waves of corruption.  The Spirit makes clear that lives dedicated to God are not miserable and much less lived in vain. 

We should remember our vocation is to be saints like Bede, Gregory, and Mary Magdalene d’ Pazzi.  We may not be scholars like St. Bede, but we can be thoughtful.  We may not be reformers like Gregory, but we can promote Christian values in daily actions.  We may not be mystics like Mary Magdalene d’ Pazzi, but we can pray fervently every day.

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

 Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

(Acts 16:22-34; John 16:5-11)

The Holy Spirit in John’s gospel is often called “the Advocate.”  This rather technical term refers to a lawyer.  But he is not just an attorney for the defense.  He also acts as a prosecutor.  In today’s gospel Jesus tells his disciples that the Spirit will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and condemnation.  What does he mean by this?

The word sin translates the Greek word hamartia which means to miss the mark.  Jesus is saying that the world will have missed the mark when it accuses him of sin.  He acts in accordance with God’s Law.  The Advocate will also convict the world of arrogance and hostility in prosecuting Jesus. He has shown righteousness in his care for others.  But his enemies will have displayed prejudice and injustice in bringing him to court.  Furthermore, the Advocate will show the world that it will have condemned the wrong man.  Jesus is not guilty, but the world will have him executed.

Perhaps we at times have been misjudged.  We may have been accused of showmanship when we only wanted to offer a toast for a friend.  Or perhaps we tried to defend someone apparently in distress and then were accused of meddling.  We should not stop doing the right thing.  Rather we should scrutinize our motives and our actions.  Then we proceed to do what is right. The Advocate will help us.

Monday, May 23, 2022

 Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

(Acts 16:11-15; John 15:26-16:4a)

In today’s first reading Paul testifies to the risen Lord before the women at the river outside Philippi. He probably relates his story of encountering Jesus while persecuting his followers.  Whatever he says, he moves the businesswomen Lydia to accept faith in Christ. In this way Paul has become the instrument of the Holy Spirit promised in the gospel.

There Jesus indicates that testifying to him will incur hardship.  He makes the ironic point that people will think they are doing good when they are really oppressing the truth.  Although he does not excuse the oppressors, he does indicate that they act out of ignorance.  More precisely, he says, “’…they have not known either the Father or me.’”

People come to know the Father and Jesus through us.  Like Paul we are to be instruments of the Spirit. We are to bring to others the truth of Christ.  For most of us this does not mean preparing lessons from the Catechism.  Rather it entails acts of charity like visiting the sick and consoling the distressed.

Sunday, May 22, 2022

 THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

(Acts 15:1-2.22-29; Revelation 21:10-14.22-23; John 14:23-29)

In one story two drivers arrive at the parking lot at the same time. There is space for only one car. The men begin to argue over who will get the place. Then one man pulls out a gun and shoots the other. A boy who sees the crime asks, “Was a man really killed for a parking space?” It wasn't just for a parking lot. There was more at stake than this.

Most probably we are not going to kill another person for a parking lot. However, anger can move us to do things that we will regret. Words thrown in anger can cause the loss of friends. We can hurt a child mentally if not physically by a blow delivered in anger. How is it that anger can get out of control even with us?

When we perceive an injustice, we react with anger. Therefore, anger is not necessarily bad. Mothers Against Drunk Driving have been energized by anger. Their efforts have resulted in a greater awareness of responsibility when we drive. However, sometimes we miss the correct perception of injustice. Because of pride, we think that if something becomes inconvenient for me, it is an injustice. Out of pride we are inclined to get angry at the driver in front of us driving the legal limit. Pride makes us consider ourselves better than we really are.

Somehow we have to conquer pride so that we don't get angry unjustly. In fact, by overcoming pride we can control all strong emotions or, better to say, passions. We have to overcome pride -- the love of self -- so that we don't seek someone else's woman or man. We have to control our pride so that we don't get too much sun on the beach. In the gospel today Jesus gives us the key to control pride.

He is responding to a disciple's concern: “'Why are you going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?'” Jesus says that he reveals himself to his disciples because they love him and keep his commandments. To control pride, the love of self, we have to love Jesus above all. This is not difficult because he is the perfect person. Most of us recognize our mother or father as more generous or wiser than we are. From our knowledge of Jesus in the gospels we must say that he is even better. He deserves our love and obedience.

But it is not by our own efforts alone that we control pride, anger, and the other passions. Jesus helps us with his peace. It is not the transitory peace that we feel at the end of one day but vanishes like a dream the next. No, the peace that Jesus offers us is the peace that no pain, no difficulty can steal from us. It is the peace of knowing that our destiny is eternal life with him. Once because of the threat of a winter storm, a university announced that it was going to close a few days before the end of the semester. A college girl from a place far from the university stayed in the dorm. Her classmates asked her how she was going to get home. She replied that her father promised to pick her up. "But he can't get here in the middle of a snowfall," her friends objected. She replied, "I just know that if father told me he was going to come for me, he will come." We are even more certain that Jesus will come to give us eternal life. Nothing else counts for much when we have the peace that comes with the guarantee of eternal life.

How to conquer anger? We have heard of home remedies like going outside and yelling as loudly as possible. But Jesus offers us a simpler and more effective solution. We will conquer anger and all other passions when we accept his peace. It is the guarantee of a parking space in eternal life. It is the overcoming of pride by recognizing Jesus as better than us. It is to have him as a friend forever.

Friday, May 20, 2022

Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 15:22-31; John 15:12-17)

Today’s first reading reports the most consequential decision of the Church in history.  It tells how Church leadership universally agreed to dispense non-Jews from practicing the Jewish law.  Effectively, it turned the Church from a sect of Judaism to a separate religion.  It is worthwhile to understand how the decision came about.

Paul, Barnabas, and Silas travel to an assembly of church leadership in Jerusalem.  There they defend their practice of baptizing non-Jews who believe in Jesus.  Peter from personal experience note that non-Jews can receive the Holy Spirit.  James also recognizes the Spirit’s testimony in non-Jewish believers.  He calls the judgment of the assembly in the first place a decision of the Holy Spirit.  When all the elders of the Jerusalem Church agree, the practice is adopted.  Soon baptizing non-Jews becomes dominant in Christian evangelization.

We can be thankful for the decision of the Jerusalem assembly.  Few of us would probably be Christians if our ancestors had to endure circumcision before being baptized.  Perhaps more importantly, however, we need to recognize how Jews are our elder brothers and sisters in faith.  Of course, Jesus lived and died as a Jew.  Also, Jewish Scriptures enable us to understand Jesus Christ.  Christianity is not a sect of Judaism, but it could not be a religion at all if it were not for the Jews. 

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

 (Acts 15:7-21; John 15: 9-11)

 Humans today, as in any age, desire pleasure.  They crave the satisfaction of their senses from sex, food, or drugs.  Pleasure is not necessarily bad, but there is something much better.  Joy brings more beneficial satisfaction.  Pleasure is an agreeable sensation which passes quickly and must be renewed.  Joy, which comes from having done something well, fills the soul for a long time.  Pleasure is opposed to pain; they cannot coexist at the same time.  Joy often has suffering as a byproduct in the quest to do something well.  Parents may take some pleasure in the vacation in Honolulu which their children gave them for their anniversary.  But they will feel joy after raising their children to be loving, faith-filled, and hardworking human beings.  In today’s gospel Jesus teaches his disciples how to find joy.

 He says that joy is the fruit of love.  When the disciples love one another like he has loved them, their spirits will be filled with joy.  When they lend a helping hand in time of need or a shoulder to cry on in distress, they will feel the joy of love.  All of God’s commandments are oriented to bring joy to those who keep them.

 As we grow older, we should come to the realization that joy is what makes life worth living.  Experience teaches that more than eating tasty foods or exploring picturesque beaches, we are truly satisfied when we have given of ourselves in loving others. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

 Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 15:1-6; John 15:1-8)

A Catholic church had a summer program for its school children.  To keep them coming to mass during the break a priest organized a “Friends of Christ” club.  Children would attend the 8:30 morning mass every Thursday morning.  Afterwards, they circled the date on their membership card.  The priest didn’t give rewards for children who came every week.  He didn’t need to.  The children were satisfied with doing something for Jesus.  They also stayed connected to their classmates.

In today’s gospel Jesus emphasizes the need to stay connected to him.  His followers must become vine-ripened, not just vine-engendered.  Accomplishing this, they will become loving people worthy of eternal life.  Those whom their love touches are also likely to perform deeds that result in eternal joy and peace.

Often children have little responsibility.  They take minimal care of themselves and contribute little to family needs, much less the good of others.  If they continue to grow up in these ways, they may be cut off from Christ and the eternal life he promises.  More than telephones and soccer leagues, children need a familiarity with the love that is Christ.

Tuesday, May17, 2022

 Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 14:19-28; John 14:27-31a)

Paul rises from the ground where he was left half-dead.  It was not the first time that he had been abused for preaching the gospel.   But he refuses to be discouraged.  He will proclaim the Lord in other places.  Today’s gospel supplies his motive.

Jesus tells his disciples that he gives them peace.  His presence is assurance.  The disciples can draw from his strength, his equanimity, and his concern. But the peace that he has in mind is reserved for the night of his resurrection.  There his return from a violent death validates all that he has said about eternal life.  The disciples and eventually Paul do not have to cower before anyone when they stand with him.  They too will rise from the dead.

We may wonder if we stand with Jesus.  We may go to church and never lie or steal.  Yet we are not sure if our good conduct is not just show.  Other creepy thoughts like the reality of eternal life may enter our minds.  At these moments we must rise from the dust like Paul.  We should dismiss our doubts and give thanks for all the love and goodness we have known.  Then we too can tell others about the Lord.

Monday, May 16, 2022

 Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 14:5-18; John 14:21-26)

The reading from Acts today is rather comic.  The people take Paul and Barnabas to be gods.  The apostles have to tear their garments as a sign that they are mortal. The miracle story that provokes their identification as gods deserves our attention as well.

Luke, the author of Acts, writes that Paul saw that the crippled man “had the faith to be healed.”  What kind of faith is this?  How does it differ from other kinds of faith?  One is reminded of the men who lowered a paralytic through the roof so that Jesus might heal him.  The Lucan version of the story also notes how Jesus observes the men’s faith.  Faith in these cases is trust in Jesus.  It does not worry about the future or doubt Jesus’ care.  It knows that Jesus will resolve their problems because he loves them. 

For many, faith is adherence to a tradition of beliefs and customs.  It continually questions and is reluctant to accept all that Jesus teaches.  It does not  allow fervent personal prayer.  We should endeavor to transcend this rational faith in order to nurture trusting faith.  We must put aside anti-religious arguments as well as lesser gratification of desires.  We should also ask Jesus directly and sincerely for assistance.  When we do, we will find our situation improving.

Sunday, May 15, 2022

 THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, May 15, 2022

(Acts 14:21-27; Revelation 21:1-5; John 13:31-33.34-35)

There is a striking proverb that Martin Luther King used. To encourage his companions in the struggle against racism, he told them: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." Is it true? Do we see justice permeating society more and more throughout history? Or is it just optimistic thinking that things are getting better?

Today some historians question the inevitability of justice. They see in the invasion of the Ukraine the same evil that moved Hitler to take possession of half of Europe. They note that in China tyranny is suffocating democracy as in autocratic kingdoms. They are aware of the refusal to acknowledge the humanity of the unborn on the part of many people everywhere. In a time like this, when reality seemed dark and the future looked hopeless, the Apocalypse or the Revelation was written.  Today we heard a passage from the end of this book in the second reading.

The word “apocalypse” comes from a Greek word meaning revelation. The writer of the work removes the veil that covers the future to reveal the end of history. The Book of Revelation was written towards the end of the first century. Christians at the time were experiencing the threat of the heavy hand of the Roman government. They had experienced bitter persecution under the emperor Nero some years earlier. During that bloodshed Saints Peter and Paul had been martyred. Now they were preparing for another wave of persecution, perhaps worse. The author named John, but not the evangelist, had a vision from the Lord.  He foresaw that the coming persecution would not result in the end of Christianity but in its glory. This type of vision is called the apocalyptic.

Both the prophetic and the apocalyptic visions reveal something of the future. But there are distinctions between the two. First of all, the prophetic vision calls the unfaithful to conversion so that the community may overcome with God’s help the evil it faces. Also, in the prophetic vision God acts by common ways such as armed forces and storms. In contrast, the apocalyptic view has God entering history without human assistance. He usually acts in exotic ways like an angel with a sharp sickle. The apocalyptic does not call the unfaithful to reform because it thinks of them as lost. Rather, it calls on the faithful to maintain faith. In this way they will receive the rewards of God, their Savior.

The passage today describes the scene after the victory of the Lamb over the beast. The Lamb is Christ and the beast the forces of the devil. All of God's people, both the dead and the living, know peace. There is no worry about anything anymore because the sea, from which all evil originates, no longer exists. It is a time of pure joy as in a wedding where the music is lively, the food is delicious, and the wine is copious.

In the gospel Jesus teaches his disciples how to maintain faith in him.  They have to love each other. This love is proven by deeds, not just words. We see this love in the catechists who teach our children. They work week after week without compensation. They are motivated by love not only for the children but also for Christ.

The Apocalypse is the last book in the Bible. It has one thing in common with Genesis, the first book. Many people confuse the accounts in the two books with historical events. Revelation no more describes exactly how the world will end than Genesis describes exactly how it began. However, both books correctly assure us of one truth. God is in control of history. We want to maintain faith in Him. For he is in control of everything.

Friday, May 13, 2022

 Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 13:26-33; John 14:1-6)

The disciples’ hearts are troubled because Jesus is leaving them.  They have trusted him not only as the Son of God but as their intimate friend.  They wonder how they can get along without him.

For all their love of him, however, the disciples miss the purpose of his coming.  Jesus must give himself as an offering to God for sin.  Only in this way can they and everyone else come to the fullness of life.  He, therefore, is the way because he proclaims the truth of the Father which is life in the full.  He is also the same life because he and the Father are one.  One can think of Jesus as a roadmap whose directions truly lead to God in whose company the fullness of life is experienced.

Jesus has returned to us in the sacraments.  He lives in the Church to which Baptism admits us and in which the Eucharist keeps us.  Remaining close to him in the Church we grow in virtue until we see God face to face.

Thursday, May 12, 2022

 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 13:13-25; John 13:16)

A seminarian admitted that he had difficulty with his community chore.  He was assigned to clean toilets.  “Anything but that,” he pleaded.  However, for good reason seminarians should perform such duties.  In doing so, they imitate Jesus whom they purport to follow.

In today’s gospel Jesus has just washed his disciples’ feet. His action came close to scandalizing them.  Then he told them to wash each other’s feet.  One can imagine the disgust that the disciples feel now.  But, Jesus intimates, just as he came not to be served but to serve so must his disciples.  “’No slave,’” he says, “’is greater than his master.’”

We should not think that we must give every kind of assistance to others.  To optimize our time we will do the necessary work for which we are best qualified.  Even that work, however, must be carried out with humility.  As St. Augustine says, “…if humility does not precede and accompany and follow every good work we do, …pride will wrest from our hand any good deed we do while we are in the very act of taking pleasure in it.”

 

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 12:24-13:5a; John 12:44-50)

If the gospel were a drama, today’s passage would end an act.  Jesus is completing his public ministry.  He has given the people many signs that he is the Son of God who has come to save the world.  Some have accepted him, but many have chosen not to follow him. 

It is not easy to follow Jesus.  For Jews it means departing from the age-old customs of sacrifices and endless prayers.  In place of these traditions, they are told to love one another from the heart. Following Jesus is not necessarily easier today.  There are many Christian churches, and many good people worship within them.  Yet preoccupation with personal desires and maintenance of personal enmities hinder allegiance to Jesus. 

We will successfully follow Jesus when we do three things.  We must avoid what is evil.  Jesus never leads us in that direction.  Likewise, we must take on a service to others.  As Jesus says during the Last Supper, “You ought wash one another’s feet.” Finally, we must seek God’s continual enlightenment with prayer.  God, the source of wisdom and strength, is waiting to help us.

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

 

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 11:19-26; John 10:22-30)

The railroad in a small town long ago announced that it needed to fill a position.  Soon a roomful of applicants entered the office anxiously hoping for an interview.  After a while without anyone being called, a tapping noise was heard in the background.  One person rose from his chair and walked to the receptionist desk.  Then a sign was posted that the position was filled.  The people in the room became angry not to be given an opportunity to display their skills.  But the railroad officer told them that the tapping noise they heard was Morse code inviting anyone who understood the message to claim the job.  Today’s gospel tells a similar story.

Jesus explains to his listeners that only those people given him by the Father will recognize that he is the Messiah.  Others may see his marvelous deeds but will not come to him because they cannot recognize his voice.  Its subtlety is not tonal but conceptual.  His followers realize that Jesus is not a Messiah who will free the nation of Roman domination.  He is the one who will liberate them from tyranny of sin.

If we hear Jesus’ voice, we will understand that he comes not to make Catholic morality public law.  Rather he intends to give us access to eternal life.  Yes, for the common good we press for the prohibition of abortion and the abolition of capital punishment.  However, we should not be discouraged if our efforts are not always rewarded.  We know that being faithful to Jesus, he will give us the fulness of life as promised.

Monday, May 9, 2022

 Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 11:1-18; John 10:1-10)

Both readings today treat access issues.  In the first Peter through a vision recognizes that non-Jews have access to life in the Spirit.  The gospel claims that only Jesus, the gatekeeper, allows access to his flock.  If he does not approve of a person, that one cannot be his disciple.

The Church has taught that access to eternal life is a function of Baptism.  Today there is no difficulty in seeing how a non-Jew could be baptized.  However, the primitive Church struggled with the possibility as seen in the reading.  A more contemporary dilemma is the possibility of non-Christians gaining access to Jesus’ heavenly flock without Baptism.  Vatican II teaches that the Holy Spirit is not bound to Baptism.  According to the Council, the Spirit has touched all who seek the truth and do God’s will as best they can.

Hopefully, we are not saddened by the prospect of some achieving eternal life without abiding all the Church’s moral teachings.  An honest account of reality will see the Church’s moral teachings as enabling and not restricting us.  The teachings should move us to call more people to Baptism out of love.

Sunday, May 8, 2022

 THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

(Acts 13:14.43-52; Revelation 7:9.14-17, John 10:27-30)

No doubt most people have had this experience. When we were children, sometimes we couldn't sleep. It could have been a nightmare or possibly a stomachache that woke us up. Rising from our bed, we went to our parents' bedroom. Our mother hugged us and invited us to spend the night with her and our father. With this experience buried in our memories, we honor our mothers today, Mother's Day. This experience also helps us understand the words of Jesus in the gospel.

Jesus says that his sheep listen to his voice. That is, they not only hear his voice but wait for it. As the sick consult a doctor, the disciples approach Jesus regularly and attentively. Jesus shows them the way to lasting happiness. Today there is so much noise in our environment that it is difficult to discern the voice of Jesus. If we listen to the radio, the songs tell of carnal desire. The Internet is filled with advertisements as if we were first and foremost buyers of things. Even when we come across religious matters, they can be nothing more than frauds. For years “prosperity gospel” preachers have talked about how Jesus wants all believers to become rich like the king of Arabia. Is that true? If it is, then why do we honor Mother Teresa and Francis of Assisi as saints?

When parents come with their child to be baptized, the priest asks them, “What do you ask of the Church for your child?” They answer, "Baptism" because, as good mothers and fathers, they want their children to have eternal life as their destiny. In the gospel Jesus says that he gives his disciples “eternal life”. What is he talking about? Not much should be said about this phenomenon. It is beyond the reach of our experience. In the second reading the seer John describes eternal life in several different terms. He says that those who have eternal life are from all nations and races, serve God, and do not suffer. But it is not entirely they who serve. He adds that Jesus shepherds them, and God wipes away all their tears. It seems that eternal life is the state where love prevails. Those who have it help and support each other so that peace reigns in their hearts.

We certainly want to possess eternal life. However, sometimes we wonder if we can reach it. We see ourselves succumbing to anger or, worse, to the desires of the flesh. Yes, it is a continual struggle to maintain Jesus' victory over sin. But Jesus assures again in the gospel that no one can snatch us out of his hands. Like frightened children in their parents' bed, Jesus will protect us. We just have to stay close to him. We do it when we attend to his voice resounding in the sacraments.

In the first reading Paul and Barnabas get up from being persecuted. They shake the dust off their feet and move on. They don't curse their luck or give up their mission. They know that they have put into practice what Jesus has asked of them. He who has overcome death is going to give them eternal life as well. It is a cause for joy, not worry and much less disgust. Eternal life is also our destiny when we follow him. We don't have to worry about radio noise or internet scams. Let us only listen to his voice and obey it always.

Thursday, May 5, 2022

 

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

 (Acts 8:26-40; John 6:44-51)

A university professor tells of the importance of a good teacher.  She writes that a friend had the most difficult time understanding St. Augustine’s Confessions when he first read it in college.  He knew it was an important book but could not appreciate its quality.  Rather than give up, he sought the help of a professor who guided his study so that it became profitable.  In the reading from Acts today Philip serves as such a guide.

 The Ethiopian magistrate is reading one of the “Suffering Servant” passages in the prophet Isaiah.  Like everyone else, the Ethiopian asks to whom the passage refers.  For Christians such as Philip the question is easy to answer.  Jesus passion and death perfectly parallels the trajectory of Isaiah’s “Suffering Servant.” Philip proceeds to tell the man more about Jesus and eventually baptizes him.

 The Church needs catechists such as Philip to assist lay people today in the study of Scripture.  The project can be tremendously fruitful, but guides are indispensable if it is to get off the ground.  With such help we will see Jesus in the Old Testament as well as the New.  He will reveal himself as the one who came down from heaven to tell us about God.

Friday, May 6, 2022

 Friday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 9:1-20; John 6:52-59)

At the beginning of John’s gospel, we are told, “…the Word became flesh, and made his dwelling among us.”  We have access to the Word by means of Baptism.  Through this sacrament we share in the life of the Father and the Son.  In today’s passage Jesus tells his Jewish deniers that the same flesh nurtures us so that his life may grow within us.  Like an infant cannot develop without her mother’s milk, we cannot develop without the Eucharist.

We can see the effect of this new life and its growth in the reading from Acts today.  Paul, full of religious zeal but without Christ in his heart, wants to persecute Christians.  Then he has a direct encounter with the Lord which leads to his Baptism.  For the rest of his life Paul never seeks the persecution of others. Rather he preaches the love of Christ who gave his life for the salvation of the world.

People will object to our scenario of conversion to Christ and commitment to love of others because the Church has apparently persecuted non-believers through the ages.  Most often these persecutions were conducted by the state which had reason to maintain a unified society.  Nevertheless, zealous people have been found in the Church who have insisted upon if not carried out persecution.  We can only ask forgiveness for these aberrations and pray they never happen again.

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

 Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 8:1b-8; John 6:35-40)

 Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, may have had a small place in history if Russia had not invaded his country.  But it seems now that he will be remembered as a courageous defender of freedom whether or not the Ukrainians defeat the Russians.  Zelenskyy has refused to back down to the mighty Russian forces.  He has successfully appealed to the world for solidarity in the cause of national sovereignty.  There is a parallel here with what takes place in today’s first reading.

The Greek-speaking Jewish Christians have been expelled from Jerusalem.  Stephen’s diatribe against the temple set off a persecution against them but apparently not against the Hebrew-speaking church.  The oppression is not so much a threat to Church maintenance as it is a catalyst to its growth.  Powerful preachers like Philip will win converts, especially among non-Jews like the Samaritans.  The Church as a whole is beginning to fulfill its mission to the world.

Both Zelenskyy and the Greek-speaking Christians should inspire us to not surrender to defeatism when facing opposition.  Rather we should pray to God for courage, strength, and prudence to fulfill our destiny.  Of course, prayer is often accompanied by action.  We should pursue the struggle of justice and love while protecting our loved ones.

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

 Feast of Saints Philip and James, apostles

(I Corinthians 15:1-8; John 14:6-14)

Today’s readings have been chosen because they name the two apostles we celebrate.  Both apostles are encountered several other times in the New Testament.  Still their legacies are uncertain or at least have caused some confusion.

James is sometimes called “the Less” because of his small stature or relatively young age.  He may have been an almost forgotten apostle – the son of a certain Alpheus.  But he may have been “the brother of the Lord” which traditionally means a relative of Jesus.  If he is the latter, he not only received an appearance of the risen Lord but was the leader of the Jerusalem community.

Philip is one of Jesus’ first disciples called in the gospel of John.  The gospel mentions him on several other occasions such as his misguided request at the Last Supper in today’s gospel reading.  This Philip is not to be confused with the Greek-speaking Philip of the Acts of the Apostles who converted the Ethiopian magistrate.

Both Philip and James show us that Jesus was not a mythic figure, but a human being with relations and a following.  They welcome us into Jesus’ company.  We take Jesus’ body and blood which give an intimacy even greater than that of a blood relative.  We heed his teaching which allows us to know the source and goal of our existence.

Monday, May 2, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Athanasius, bishop and Doctor of the Church

(Acts 6:8-15; John 6:22-29)

Jesus tells the crowd that meets him in Capernaum to believe in the one God sent.  He means himself, of course.  He wants all people to accept him not only as God’s messenger, but as God’s only begotten Son.  St. Athanasius suffered multiple indignities proclaiming this truth.

The reigning theological issue in the fourth century when Athanasius lived was Jesus’ divinity.  Arians, the followers of the theologian Arius, believed that Jesus was not quite God.   To them, Jesus was distinguishable from the Father in grandeur and scope.  Athanasius as well as anyone championed the contrary, orthodox position.  He taught that Jesus Christ shares the same nature as the Father such that the two differ only in their respective relations.  God is Father and Jesus is Son.  This teaching is also known as the Nicene position.

Athanasius was exiled five times for defending Christ’s equality with the Father.  We should be as persistent in our defense of Church teachings.  More than that, we should contemplate on what it means for us that Jesus Christ, who also shared our human nature, was really God.  What does it mean that his unconditional love has created and sustained the universe?