Sunday, October 2, 2022

 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Habakkuk 1:2-3.2:22-4; II Timothy 1:6-8.13-14; Luke 17:5-10)

Most all of us at one time or another have complained, “Why me, Lord?”  If a loved ones dies unexpectedly, we might cry, “Why does this happen to me, Lord?”  If nature unleashes its destructive force on us, we lament, “Why me, Lord?”  If we lost our job or were betrayed by a friend, we cry, “Why me, Lord?”  In today’s first reading the prophet Habakkuk cries to the Lord for having permitted Israel to fall into peril.  Many people of Judah have taken to idolatry and the government is into disastrous intrigues.  In such situations one is taken to wonder if God is in control of things.

The problem, however, is not with God but with the human person.  We are so concerned about our own well-being that we forget our purpose in life.  It is something like the deterioration of vision that almost all adults experience.  When they reach fifty years old, their vision so disintegrates that they need glasses to see clearly things that are near.  We have a similar spiritual misperception because we do not correctly understand our relationship with God.  We like to think of ourselves as God’s equals with the right to accuse him of the hardships we experience.  In today’s gospel Jesus points out our error.

With a frankness rarely seen in the gospels Jesus apprises us of the hard truth.  That is, we are not owners of the Kingdom but its servants.  We are here to do what is good even when it costs us dearly.  At the beginning of the war in Ukraine one man arranged for the flight of his family from harm’s way.  He said that he wanted to accompany them but had to defend his country.  This is how we are in the struggle for the Kingdom of God.  We must continue struggle for God who created and saved us.

In today’s second reading Timothy is found in a situation much like ours.  Evidently he has had difficulties administering the church in Ephesus.  St. Paul advises him not to give up.  Rather he has to revive the gifts that were granted him at his ordination.  That is, he has to muster the power, love, and self-control to confront the challenges of his office.  For the most part these are the same gifts that we receive in Confirmation. As parents of a family or supervisors at work we count of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to fulfill our responsibilities.

Today corporal punishment is frowned upon.  Certainly, it is prohibited in schools.  Although everyone must admit that such punishment was abused in the past, a slap in the face can at times prove useful.  It can call a youngster’s attention to a serious fault as it reduces the adolescent’s pride.  It is like the correction that Jesus makes in the gospel.  He calls us “unprofitable servants” to call our attention to the demanding task of establishing the Kingdom of God.  In other parts of the Gospel he refers to his disciples as “friends” and even his “brothers.”  So let’s not worry about this correction.  Jesus does not think little of us.  If he did, he would not have died for our salvation.  He loves us and helps us.  Let’s show our love for him by doing his will.

Friday, September 30, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church

(Job 38:1.12-21.40:3-5; Luke 10:13-16)

We often hear of St. Jerome as proof that one does not have to be nice to be a saint.  It is true that Jerome quite effectively criticized those with whom he disagreed, especially if their ideas compromised Church teaching.  In this way, he resembles Jesus in today’s gospel chastising the peoples of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their refusal to accept him as God’s prophet.  However, Jerome should be remembered above all for his contribution to biblical scholarship.

Jerome is said to be the most learned man of his time.  Born in northern part of the Italian peninsula, Jerome studied rhetoric in Rome where he became the pope’s secretary.  Leaving the center of Church life with patronesses, Jerome eventually settled in a monastery in Bethlehem.  There he produced excellent translations of Scripture from their original languages and wrote perceptive commentaries of the books of the Bible.

Our appreciation of St. Jerome should be translated in a lively study of Scripture.  Like him, we want to understand the meaning of the books of the Bible because they reveal Christ.  In the reading from Job today God challenges his questioner who wants to understand why God allows evil.  God asks whether Job has experienced all the wonders of creation.  Of course, he hasn’t and neither have we.  Nevertheless, we can understand more about God when we learn about Jesus in Scripture.

 

Thursday, September 29, 2022

 Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels.

(Revelation 12:7-12ab; John 1:47-51)

People called them “orderlies.”  They served in hospitals ready to do any menial task that a doctor, nurse, or administrator mandated.  Angels should be seen as orderlies.  However, they answer to God alone.

There is a reluctance to think of angels today.  They seem redundant when one considers God’s word as almighty.  However, they may be considered the means through which God’s word is carried out, what makes the Word almighty.  They are spiritual beings created precisely to accomplish God’s will.

Today we celebrate three particular angels, called “archangels” for their prominence in Scripture.  Michael is found preeminently in the Book of Revelation where he defeats the Satanic dragon.  Gabriel, of course, announces to Zechariah and to Mary God’s plan of sending His Son to save humans from sin.  Raphael accompanies Tobias to meet his bride and directs him to the fish oil to heal his father.  We can think of God as having countless angels to support us in facing life’s challenges.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

 Wednesday of the Twentieth-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Job 9:1-12.14-16; Luke 9:57-62)

When Russia invaded Ukraine, a man prepared his family for asylum abroad.  After he sent them away, he went to fight for his country.  The man said that he wanted to be with his family but felt a moral obligation to defend his homeland.  Jesus’ reasoning is similar in today’s gospel. 

As if he were going to war, Jesus makes known the urgency of his mission.  Those who would join him must be prepared to make sacrifices.  They will not have their own bed to sleep on.  More difficult, they will have to leave their families without knowing when they will see them again.  Such demands can only be made for a supreme good, and there is no greater good than the Kingdom of because it is God Himself.  God is the peace, joy, and love that constitutes the Kingdom Jesus proclaims.

A few young women and men today leave behind their families to join religious orders to work for the kingdom.  Their parents often feel a loss, not only of their children but also of possible grandchildren.  But God provides for them a hundredfold.  Often it is the priest or religious who takes care of their parents in old age.  Parish or the religious congregation, which surround the celibate, often provide the support of a score of grandchildren.

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

 

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, priest

(Job 3:1-3.11-17.20-23; Luke 9:51-56)

Today’s gospel indicates a turning point in the life of Jesus.  St. Luke writes that Jesus decided to go to Jerusalem to complete his mission in the world.  St. Vincent de Paul made a similar decision sometime between 1610 and 1620.

St. Vincent was born into a peasant French family in 1580.  He was able to go to school and pursue a priestly vocation.  He was ordained in 1600.  Showing impressive ability, Vincent sought benefices from the aristocracy.  In 1608 he came under the influence of spiritual masters Pierre de Bérulle and, later, under Francis de Sales.  They showed him how to pursue God, not fame or fortune.  Vincent then dedicated himself to serving the poor.  He co-founded the Daughters and Sisters of Charity and established the Congregation of Missioners, who bear his name to this day.

Catholic converts often make a definitive decision to follow Jesus closely.  Those “born Catholics” must make a similar choice.  Participating in cultural religious activities does not lead to salvation.  Steadfastly following Christ by a life of prayer and charity takes us close to God.

Monday, September 26, 2022

Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Job 1:6-22; Luke 9:46-50)

The French theologian, Yves Congar, O.P., lectured and wrote on ecumenism throughout his long, academic life.  The root of his commitment may be found in an experience he had as an adolescent.  During World War I, German soldiers invaded his hometown.  They were anti-Catholics Prussian bigots who burned down the parish church and tortured the priest.  The Protestant pastor of the town gave the priest refuge and opened his small church to the Catholic congregation.

Today’s gospel reading supports ecumenical efforts.  Jesus reprimands an apostle for stopping an unknown person from casting out demons in his name.  Jesus’ intention is clear.  If someone uses his name for a good purpose, the person should be considered a friend.

Some today want to dismiss ecumenical effort.  They act as if non-Catholic communities were insincere in their beliefs and ignorant of the Scriptures.  Of course, Christ wants all his followers to come together.  Admittedly, the hope of achieving unity among many of the churches and ecclesial communities has diminished with the sexual revolution.  Still, there are always areas where cooperation is possible and, in truth, imperative. 

Sunday, September 25, 2022

 

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Amos 6:1.4-7; I Timothy 6:11-16; Lucas 16:19-31)

In Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice” someone says, “Even the devil can quote Scripture.”  We know instinctively this is true.  Wicked people are not ashamed to exploit the Bible for their own purposes.  More than an exhortation on behalf of the poor, today’s gospel discloses this type of fraud characteristic of some Pharisees in Jesus’ time.

In the passage Jesus addresses the Pharisees.  The evangelist Luke tells us a few verses earlier that the Pharisees “love(d) money.” They are also known as devout laymen who always attend synagogue services.  In fact, ostensibly they fulfill the Mosaic law.  However, they shirk the parts that entail compassion and charity.  It can be said that they favor the Book of Deuteronomy, the biblical book emphasizing blessings for those who worship God.  Many readers of Deuteronomy assume that if a person has prospered in life, then it is because God has blessed them.

Jesus gives the parable of Lazarus and the rich man to undermine this false interpretation of the Book of Deuteronomy.  The story is simple.  A rich man pays no attention to the beggar Lazarus who lies at his door.  The rich man dresses like a king and eats like a prince.  Meanwhile, Lazarus is covered with ulcers and serves as food for the dogs.  But in life after death there is a reversal of fortunes.  Lazarus rests in peace while the rich man suffers. Then the rich man asks that Lazarus go to warn his brothers that they might change their ways.  He receives the answer that they will not change their ways even if the warning came from one who has risen from the dead.

With this parable Jesus wants to transmit the message to the Pharisees that they have to read the Scriptures diligently and practice what they teach completely.  It is not a question of judging oneself blessed because one has accumulated riches.  No, God commands in the law that those with means assist those in need.  The wealth that the rich man of the parable accumulates are, according to the psalms, no more than a puff of wind.

More importantly, Jesus warns the Pharisees that they must read the Scriptures carefully in order to understand what will happen once he is crucified.  His resurrection from the dead will fulfill what Genesis says about the Lord being the God of the loving, not of the dead.  Also, his resurrection will fulfill the promise of God to Abraham that he will be the father of many nations.  It will also fulfill the prophecy of Ezekiel where he speaks of the bones reforming themselves into living human beings.  Finally, it will confirm the new covenant which God promises through Jeremiah.

Like the Pharisees we must take care to follow the Scriptures diligently.  First, it behooves us to read the Bible.  St. Jerome wrote, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”  We should not be concerned that a personal reading of Scripture will lead us astray.  There are many Bible classes and commentaries that can help us obtain the correct interpretation.  Secondly, following Christ whom we know through the Scriptures will assure that we overcome the great stumbling stones the world puts in the way of holiness.  By paying attention to Biblical teachings we will not succumb to laziness or the desire for excessive pleasure.

Sentimentality makes us think that everybody will experience the glory of Christ’s resurrection. However, this type of thinking contradicts Jesus’ teaching.  As we have discovered reading the gospel passages of recent Sundays, the Lord frequently reminds his disciples of the sacrifices that are required of them.  In one passage he says, “’Strive to enter through the narrow gate,…’”  That is, let us keep in mind all his commands.  He does not want us to obsess wondering if we have done everything necessary to enter eternal life.  But he does want us to show our love of God above all by assisting those who suffer need.  He wants us to show our love for God by serving those in need.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

 Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ecclesiastes 1: 2-11; Luke 9:7-9)

How could youth accept the first reading as relevant?  They see inventions all the time.  Twenty years ago Facebook was cool.  Youth used it to communicate without parental awareness.  Now Facebook is mostly used by older generations to keep track of their families.  Youth use Instagram or, perhaps Tic-Toc. 

But the author, named Qoheleth which simply means preacher, is not thinking of physical innovations.  He has attitudes and postures in mind.  People whenever and wherever want to be lovely, rich, and famous.  They like to consider themselves as better than average.  Surely these pretensions are vane. Some say, “There is no God” while others reject Scripture’s presentation of God for their imaginings.  These postures may also be considered vanity.

Ecclesiastes, the musings of the preacher, shake readers up to reality.  It forces them to see their tendencies to err and sin.  But it does not despair about finding meaning in life.  Its conclusions will hardly contain the full range of life’s possibility.  These will be seen only when Jesus Christ appears on the world stage.  But Qoheleth prepares the world for him.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

 Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

In a very real sense today we celebrate two people – a preacher and a writer.  The preacher Matthew is distinguished for having given up a lucrative career as a tax collector.  Somewhat like St. Francis of Assisi, Matthew left his wealth to follow Jesus.  Nothing more of substance is said of him in the gospels except what we read in today’s passage.  As an apostle, It is presumed that he gave testimony to Christ’s resurrection and was martyred in the process.

Matthew, the evangelist, has left a marvelous legacy.  His portrait of Jesus balances the human descendent of David and the divine Son of God.  He describes Jesus not only as a wiseman but, more importantly, as an imperial lawgiver.  His construction of Jesus’ five lengthy discourses provides Christians with profound understanding of the moral life, church order, and what to expect at the end of time.  

We wonder about the accuracy of the gospels themselves when we hear things like Matthew, the apostle, was probably not the same as Matthew, the evangelist. Our concern probably reflects a resistance to embrace what is really true, good, and holy.  Both Matthew, the apostle, and Matthew, the evangelist, knew better.  Neither would harbor a doubt that Jesus’ company is the only way of life that brings perfection and transcendence.  Like the tax collector in today’s reading, we should eagerly follow him.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

 

Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, priest, and Paul Chong Ha-sang, and comansions, martyrs

(Proverbs 21:1-6.10-13; Luke 8:19-21)

Ancient Israel struggled with the meaning of wealth as do people today.  Especially the Book of Deuteronomy sees riches as a blessing from God for obeying the commandment to love God alone.  A problem arose, however, when rich people worshipped God but ignored the poor in their midst. Were they blessed or just living at the eye of a hurricane?

In today’s reading from the Book of Proverbs, the sage says that the one “who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will himself also call and not be heard.” This truth will be made manifest in Sunday’s gospel when Jesus tells the parable of “Lazarus and the rich man.”  The rich person’s observance of the Law must go beyond praising God to assisting the neighbor in distress.  Otherwise, the person is doomed, no matter how much money he or she has in the bank.

We should not dismiss any of the laws of the Old Testament other than those of ritual and dietary observance.  They point to Christ who refines them a bit and observes them exemplarily.  Better than observing the Law, then, is emulating Christ.

Monday, September 19, 2022

 

Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Proverbs 3:27-34; Luke 8:16-18)

If wise people offer proverbs, Jesus shows himself among the wisest in today’s gospel.  He offers four proverbs that go deeper than the proverbs purportedly offered by Solomon in the first reading.

1) Referring to himself, Jesus says that no one lights a lamp and then hides it.  He is the lamp that reveals the will of God.  How can he not preach?  2) As the Letter to the Ephesians says, God has revealed in Christ His plan to bring everyone together.  Therefore, people should be wary of the hopelessness that surrounds the world.  3) They hear tales of woe but should not lose faith.  God will not abandon them or the world.  4) Maintaining faith will produce more faith with accompanying hope and joy.  Those without enough faith to even say a prayer will find themselves overwhelmed by the many worries of the world.

Wise people are not necessarily scholars.  They are thoughtful people who reflect on the nature of things.  Steeped in faith, they will help us live fruitful and meaningful lives.  Even though his life was short, Jesus has shown us how much everyone’s life is worth living.

Sunday, September 18, 2022

 TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Amos 8:4-7; I Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13)

In the Gospels of the last three Sundays, Jesus has presented us with a spirituality of Christian discipleship. He has taught us how to live our faith led by the Holy Spirit. Three weeks ago, he told us not to take the first seats, but to act humbly. Two weeks ago, he demanded that we love him more than our loved ones and even more than ourselves. And last Sunday, with three exquisite parables, he warned us not to be stingy with our love, but to rejoice when a lost soul is found. The teachings on discipleship continue today. Jesus shares the wisdom to avoid a tendency that causes many to fall and to practice discipleship every day.

In 1896, gold was discovered in the Yukon, a part of northern Canada that borders Alaska. Within months a hundred thousand people were arriving there to strike it rich. The vast majority of these people did not find gold, and many died in the effort. Wealth has an unbalancing effect on men and women. In the parable of the unjust steward Jesus advises us not to let money control us. Rather, we should take advantage of money to reach the Kingdom of God by helping the poor with it. A sage once expressed this teaching in this way: "The only thing we take with us when we die is what we have given away."

Jesus also advises today that his disciples be diligent in little things. As Saint Mother Teresa used to say: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” We are probably not going to welcome Pope Francis today, but we can welcome a person who seems lonely and uncomfortable. We're probably not going to visit the White House today, but we can visit a nursing home. We probably won't be taking supplies to the refugees from Ukraine this weekend, but we can lend a hand in the parish food pantry. We probably won't be teaching in college classrooms, but we can review our children’s homework.

Jesus does not say that discipleship is regularly easy or fun. Rather he has warned those interested that to follow him, one has to deny oneself and carry one's cross daily. So perhaps we want to ask why we do it. Each person has her own particular answer. To some it is no more than what their parents did. But we can mention some reasons that move most of Jesus’ faithful followers. First, the teachings of Jesus show us the right path to navigate through the pitfalls of life. So, by following Jesus our consciences will be freed from guilt. Second, following Jesus puts us in the company of good and trustworthy people. It is not that there are no scoundrels in the Church, but the majority of the faithful struggle alongside us to live justly. Finally and most importantly, following Jesus gives us the hope of full and perpetual happiness. Passing through the cross to death, Jesus rose from the dead. Carrying our cross and dying to ourselves, we hope to obtain the same end.

Friday, September 16, 2022

 

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, and martyrs

(I Corinthians 15:15:12-20; Luke 8:1-3)

Sometimes there is posted on a church door the sign, “Alcoholics Anonymous meets here.  There couldn’t be a more appropriate place for this kind of group to meet.  Alcoholics Anonymous harbors people from whom a kind of demon has gone out.  To be sure, one attending an AA meeting would not claim to be cured of alcoholism, but the person no longer acts out in ways that “before caused so much damage.  In today’s gospel we find another one who was possessed of a demon but now finds relief in church company.

Mary Magdalene is often said to have been a prostitute because she is assumed to be the “sinful woman” who appears in the gospel episode preceding today’s passage.  There is no real basis for the claim.  In fact, Luke, the evangelist, probably lays the stories of the two women side by side to indicate that all kinds of women find peace with Jesus.  Well thought of women as well as former sinners come to him.  He rejects no one although, of course, seeks a new righteousness from everyone.

We too are a motley lot wherever we go to church.  Some of us have sullied histories.  Others have been able to avoid serious sin.  We all can rejoice to be with the Lord.  He not only forgives our sins but assures us of his eternal peace.

Thursday, September 15, 2022

 Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

(I Corinthians 15:1-11; John 19:25-27)

More than any other, this scene of Mary witnessing the death of her son qualifies her as “Our Lady of Sorrows.”  Any mother suffers when she comes face-to-face with the death of a son or daughter.  Knowing the infinite depth of Jesus’ goodness, Mary’s ordeal is limitlessly magnified. 

The Church does not call attention to this woman of sorrows so that people might pity her lot or even admire her courage.  Rather it offers Mary as an exemplar of sorrow to invite the faithful to ask her intercession when they feel depressed.  She knows what it is to lose what is most precious and will call on God to lighten the sadness of others suffering similar distress.

We need not hesitate to call on Mary when we are depressed.  Stories of her successful intercession are numberless.  As she was there for Jesus as he died on the cross, she will assist us in our darker moments.

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

 Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross

(Numbers 21:4b-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:3-17)

Paradoxes are realities that defy common sense but are nevertheless true.  It is a paradox that in the Communication Age, when everyone has a personal telephone, it is increasingly harder to reach another by phone.  The cross presents another paradox.

Although we may not think of it in this way, in early Christianity a cross signified death.  In fact, it represented one of the most brutal deaths imaginable.  Christ’s death on the cross, however, changed that.  At least Christians see the cross as salvation.  As Paul says in today’s reading from Philippians, the cross is the ultimate display of humility by Christ and also the cause of his (and our) exultation.

Today we celebrate the cross which saves us from oblivion.  We give thanks to God for sending His Son to make the ultimate sacrifice of forgiveness and for teaching us how to live according to His will.

 

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

 Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, bishop and doctor of the Church

(I Corinthians 12:12-14.27-31a; Luke 11:11-17)

The saga of St. John Chrysostom compares favorably with that of Thomas More or any other great church figure.  As an adolescent, he was noted for exceptional rhetorical skill.  But rather than pursue a law career, he joined a group of hermits.  When his health failed, he went home where he was eventually ordained.  As a priest, he put to good use his speaking skills.  He was known as the finest preacher in his city.  Unwilling to accept the offer to be patriarch of Constantinople, John was sequestered by the emperor.  He gave in to the emperor’s wish, but he was never his lacky.  Because John criticized the emperor’s wife’s extravagant lifestyle, he was exiled.  Brought back to Constantinople be popular demand, he was exiled again.  This the charge was his defying the emperor’s orders not to preach after criticizing the empress for erecting a silver statute of herself.  He died in exile.

In today’s first reading, St. Paul writes that some people have the charism of apostle and some the charism of prophet.  John Chrysostom practiced prophecy like perhaps no other in the history of the Church.  The name “Chrysostom” means golden mouth.  It was given after his death because of his powerful preaching.

We may emulate John Chrysostom.  We will not speak as eloquently or as forcefully as him, but we might always speak the truth, even in front of authority.  This is not so much a question of our criticizing people of power but of being honest before them about our actions and motives. 

Monday, September 12, 2022

 Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 11:17-26.33; Luke 7:1-10)

Both readings today involve the Eucharist.  In the first, St. Paul addresses a scandal in the Corinthian community.  Evidently, the wealthy members were bringing to the weekly Passover supper rich foods which they shared among themselves.  The poor members ate nothing but the Eucharistic bread and drank nothing but the wine turned into the Blood of Christ.  By calling attention to the words of institution at the Last Supper, Paul is saying that the Corinthian Eucharist is fraudulent.  At that supper Jesus shared himself completely.  If his followers do not share with one another at the meal done in remembrance of him, they are betraying Jesus’ memory and mandate.

In the gospel the centurion leaves for Jesus the same words that we say before receiving Holy Communion.  He says, “Lord, …I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.” He is expressing the faith as we should have as we go to Communion.  Jesus is the Lord of whom we are not worthy.  Nevertheless, he comes to heal our souls so that we might enjoy the fullness of life.

With the liturgy in the vernacular celebrated with the priest facing the people, we can participate more fully in the mass.  Participation should make us more aware of the saving action taking place and therefore more able to benefit from it.  We are not worthy as our thoughtless actions sometimes show.  Nevertheless Christ comes to heal us of our imperfections.

Sunday, September 11, 2022

 TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Exodus 32:7-11.13-14; Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32)

The photos from the Webb telescope are stunning. They show a jaw-dropping display of stars and planets. When we see the capaciousness of the universe up close, we have difficulty thinking of God as “popi” who wants to caress each one of us. Yet that is how Jesus reveals him to us in the gospel today.

Jesus confronts the Pharisees and scribes whose sense of God is nothing like a father with tenderness for his children. Rather, they see God as a generalissimo, just but ruthless with those who defy his orders. They have transfixed by biblical passages such as the first reading where the Lord says to Moses: “'I see that this is a hard-headed people. Let my anger burn against them until they are consumed…’” There is no way the Pharisees can accept Jesus as God’s prophet. For he speaks with sinners and treats them not with rigor but with affection.

Jesus tells two parables that describe God as actively seeking sinners. In the first, he compares God to a humble shepherd who leaves his flock to search for a lost sheep. This comparison would astonish the Pharisees with their concept of God as high and mighty. Then Jesus makes a comparison that is even more outrageous for the Pharisees. He describes Him as a housewife. In both cases, the central character does not leave for lost what has been missing but looks for it with concern. And once he finds it, she or he rejoices and celebrates.

We are used to calling the parable that follows the “Prodigal Son”. However, with good reason, some now call it the “Loving Father”. For the father is the only person who has a role in all three parts of the parable. In the first part the youngest son disappoints his father by taking his inheritance. After wasting his fortune, the son suffers great need.  Then he decides to return to his father as a laborer, who at that time was a type of servant. However, the father is there to welcome him as if he had been waiting for him since the time of his departure. He does not allow his son to mention that he wants to serve as his laborer but gives him a “welcome home” party. When the eldest son, also calling himself a servant, finds out what is going on, he refuses to enter the party. The father does not ignore this act of rebellion. Rather, he approaches him as he did his other son to exhort him to reconsider his position.

The eldest son must learn to see his father not as a slave keeper but as a saint who loves all of his children. In the same way, the Pharisees must understand God as the Creator who wants to take care of all men and women, even sinners. And because we sometimes act like Pharisees we have to fine tune our perception of God. God is not the Maker of the universe too remote to think of us as his loved ones. Rather he knows and loves each one of us. He wants us to obey his commands not as slaves fearing punishment but as children destined to share in his happiness.

As always Saint Paul gives good testimony to the love of God. In the second reading Paul admits that he was a great sinner. He even describes himself as a blasphemer. But he recognizes how God had mercy on him by calling him through Jesus Christ to a new life. It is the same life of children destined for eternity that Christ offers to us. It is not the life of fear like the lot of a slave. Rather it is the life of freedom that true children of God enjoy.

Friday, September 9, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, priest

(I Corinthians 9:16-19.22b-27; Luke 6:39-42)

As today’s first reading shows, St. Paul was a serious fellow.  Commissioned to preach the gospel, Paul ran with the charge as the fastest in the race.  But he was not completely humorless.  When Paul writes that his recompense is to preach free of charge, he is trying to make a joke.  He means that what he receives for his efforts is nothing! 

St. Peter Claver worked tirelessly like St. Paul and hardly received more for his efforts.  His pulpit, it might be said, were the pens of the slaves brought from West Africa to Cartagena.  There he baptized an estimated three hundred thousand men and women in more than forty years of evangelizing.

Following Christ means carrying one’s cross.  It is not easy and will require intense seriousness.  Yet it should not be a sad or joyless experience.  After all, we have the company of many, many good people as well as Christ’s own.  If we allow it, they will bring us comfort and joy.

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

 Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 7:25-31; Luke 6:20-26)

In his famous inaugural address John Kennedy spoke of a new generation taking responsibility for the world.  He outlined the challenges facing the leaders, especially controlling the power of nuclear arms and alleviating the burdens on the poor. He also mentioned what virtues were in order – justice and courage.  Both today’s first reading and gospel likewise herald a new epoch.  They declare that the old order of sin is ending and a disposition of peace and justice is in the wings. 

 St. Paul writes that the end is so near that there is no need to marry and raise a family.  Rather he suggests that everyone dedicate themselves to preparing for the Lord’s return.  In the gospel Jesus declares that the poor need not weep and the hungry need not worry for the Kingdom of God has arrived and is theirs to enjoy.

 We should ask ourselves what happened to these promises.  Has the Kingdom come or not?  Is it still wiser not to marry?  The answer may be more complicated than we would like.  Yes, the Kingdom has come, at least in part.  Those, like St. Teresa of Kolkata, who feel urged to work for its full implementation should not marry and have a family.  But the end is not likely going to be tomorrow or next year or even in this century.  Realization of this likelihood should not disappoint us.  Quite the contrary, we should be redoubling our efforts to make the Kingdom happen.  In doing so, we will find ourselves in its midst as if we were working in a cloud of cool air beneath the hot sun. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 6:1-11; Luke 6:12-19)

An American Catholic would have no problem taking to court another Catholic if there is a serious grievance.  St. Paul in today’s first reading finds such action outrageous.  It is not that he is living at a different time.  He has a very different sense of Church.

For Paul the Church is Christ.  As the people consume Christ’s body and blood, they are assumed into him.  For this reason Paul regularly calls the Church the “Body of Christ.” Bringing a member of the church community to court, then, would be akin to settling family problems with justice of the peace.  Family members at odds should find better judgment in a discerning matriarch or a wise uncle who knows intimately all involved.

No church community is perfect.  There will always be some people who think differently and others whose personality we find difficult.  Yet we should make a determined effort to deepen our relations in community.  We want to act as Christ who, as always, comes to the world to establish the Kingdom of God.

Monday, September 5, 2022

 

Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Times

(I Corinthians 5:1-8; Luke 6:6-11)

A few years the press noted a strange alliance between the Church and labor unions in France.  Both opposed the government’s attempt to allow stores to open on Sundays.  The cooperation was strange because in France labor unions have regularly opposed the Church.  The confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish lay leadership in today’s gospel reflects this opposition. 

Jesus wants to heal the man with a withered right hand on the Sabbath.  The scribes and Pharisees note this and watch if he will work the cure.  They believe that all work, even that of healing the infirmed, is forbidden on the Sabbath.  Jesus, however, thinks differently.  He affirms that healing is an activity of God who must work 24/7 to keep the world from falling apart.

The Church has supported the organization of labor at least since Pope Leo XIII’s monumental encyclical Rerum Novarum.  It notes how labor unions defended the rights of workers to fair wages and safe working conditions.  At times, however, the Church and other fair-minded people have opposed the efforts of “big labor.”  For example, the Church cannot support unions when they promote any so-called right to abortion.  Even on some strictly labor issues unions may pursue measures which benefit relatively few and harm the common good.

Thursday, September , 2022

 Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Micah 5:1-4a; Matthew 1:1-16.18-23)

Today’s celebration of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary underscores an important principle of faith.  Each of us is born for a purpose.  We share with Mary the vocation to know, love, and serve God.  But also like Mary, each of us has a singular call in life.  Hers was to be the mother of the Savior.  Ours is something else.

 

We should think of our vocation as dynamic.  We are to discern God’s call through our imagination, experience, and abilities as well as prayer.  What is more, we will usually find that it is a complex calling.  We are likely to be a salesman–father or a teacher-mother.  In Mary’s case, she was both mother and disciple of Christ.   Again, we have to find our purpose by probing and seeing, questioning and listening, asking and thinking.  This is what Mary did.

 

It’s important as well that once we decide on our purpose, we stick to it.  If we discern a vocation to be a nurse, then we are to prepare ourselves by taking the required courses and getting used to treating people in acute need.  Although there may be the possibility of a change of careers, sometimes the determinations we make are permanent.  Those who see themselves as married in the future should realize that this vocation lasts until death.  So as always we need to make the best discernments possible.

 

 

Sunday, September 4, 2022

 TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 4, 2022

(Wisdom 9:13-19; Philemon 9-10.12-17; Luke 14:25-33)

The issue of infant baptism has become controversial at different times in the Church. In the early church some parents did not want their children baptized because they were likely to sin in their youth. Then, during the Protestant Reformation some reformers said that infant baptism is not valid because the person has to make a free decision for Christ. The Church has responded to these approaches with three points.  First, there is evidence of infant baptism in the New Testament. Second, baptism delivers children from the darkness of error into the light of grace. Finally, at baptism parents commit to raising their children in the faith. However, those who were baptized as infants still have to decide for Jesus. Therefore, Jesus challenges us together with the people following him in the gospel today. Jesus tells us: “’ If anyone comes to me without hating his… own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

We have to ask ourselves first how Jesus can make such a sweeping statement. Who is he that we have to love him above all other things? Is he revealing his divine nature in this statement? He may be, but it is also possible that he is identifying himself with the fight against Satan. It is as if a generalissimo asked his troops to fight for him to save the country. Or this weekend we would like to put this example of the world of work. It is as if a union leader were to ask the members to fight for him to win the dignity of the worker.

Then Jesus warns his followers to be aware of what it costs to be his disciple so that they avoid appearing foolish. For the poor of his followers, Jesus gives them the example of a farmer who, before beginning the project, calculates the expenses to build a watchtower in his vineyard. For the rich Jesus compares the preparation for discipleship to a king seeing if he has the troops to defeat another king before he attacks him. In other words, Jesus is challenging his followers to be prepared to make sacrifices to be his disciples.

What St. Paul asks of Philemon in the second reading is no different. Paul wants Philemon to free his slave Onesimus for the sake of Jesus' service. Onesimus sought out Paul after running away from Philemon. He evidently could help Paul so that Paul now wants to get him released. Philemon has to weigh his friendship with Paul and perhaps his membership in the Colossus community against the cost of freeing Onesimus. This cost will be more than the loss of his service. If he frees Onesimus, probably his other slaves will try to gain their freedom by running away to an apostle.

Today's gospel ends with Jesus declaring: "'... anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.” What does he mean by this alarming statement? Do we have to destitute ourselves to be Christians? But it's not like that. The statement means that the disciple has to be ready to relinquish his possessions when necessary. As the peasant has to be ready to spend his savings and the king has to be ready to sacrifice his troops, the disciple has to be ready to sacrifice all his goods if necessary. We have several examples of this type of sacrifice. After the crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea gave his own tomb to bury Jesus. Twenty years ago, the so-called "richest man in the world" gave most of his wealth to charity. Today the war in Ukraine has revealed many willing to open their homes to refugees.

In the movie "Jurassic Park" someone comments that people would pay any amount of money to see an island full of dinosaurs. As interesting as that is, it's worth much more to inherit the God’s Kingdom as a disciple. We should not worry about the costs involved to get it. Let us look at the good that the Kingdom will present us.

Friday, September 2, 2022

 Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 4:1-5; Luke 3:33-39)

Although the great Irish poet W.B. Yeats was not a Catholic, he perceived the goodness of priests.  In one poem, “The Ballad of Father Gilligan,” he tells of an old country priest who worked diligently, mostly visiting and burying the dead.  One evening, after a long day, Fr. Gilligan is informed that another parishioner is near death.  The priest utters a complaint and immediately checks himself.  Praying for forgiveness, he falls asleep.  Awakened in the middle of the night, he remembers the dying man and quickly mounts his horse to visit him.  When he arrives, the man’s widow tells him that her husband died right after the priest had left him.  Fr. Gilligan then thanks God for working a miracle.

What’s the point of this story?  In the reading from Corinthians St. Paul says that apostles are “stewards of the mysteries of God.”  Priests, who assist bishops, the successors of the apostles, with their pastoral work, must be likewise trustworthy.  Although not all have proved themselves so, there are many like Fr. Gilligan. 

Most of us have an opinion on whether married men or women could be ordained.  We might express it but should do so humbly.  Church leadership has a store of wisdom gathered through the centuries to resolve these questions.  Beyond praying for priests, we need to encourage them to be faithful and caring in their ministry.  As in the story of Fr. Gilligan, God will treat them kindly.