Wednesday, March 1, 2023

 

Wednesday of the First Week of Lent

(Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 11:29-32)

Historians label Jesus an “eschatological prophet.” They see him, in worldly terms, as a religious scold warning others of the end of the world.  Certainly, Jesus preached repentance.  Much like Jonah in today’s reading, he urged decisive change in how one lives to be saved from a dreadful end.

But the end of the world has not come after almost two thousand years.  Of course, there have been scenarios of an end.  Scientists and novelists tell of a nuclear war; a swift-spreading, death-dealing pandemic; or a giant meteor crash killing billions instantly and short-circuiting agriculture.  Still humans have never united in common effort to live righteously.  How should these facts be interpreted?

We should be thankful that the world has not approached an end.  When it happens, the panic will be unbearable.  Nevertheless, people die all the time.  In other words, we experience individual ends some after eighty or ninety years, others much sooner like a boy recently shot in the crossfire of a drug war.  We need to prepare ourselves for this inevitable occurrence.  Because we know that God is love, we should begin to love as purely and completely as He.  When the time comes then, He will recognize us as His own.

 Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

 (Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 6:7-15)

 A cartoon a couple of years ago showed two drivers after a fender-bender.  One says to the other, “My lawyer will contact you tomorrow.”  This is the way many people think today.  When offended, they first and foremost seek monetary redress through the legal system.  Today’s readings teach us that getting back at others is not God’s way.

 The passage from Isaiah’s is taken from the end of the second of three sections of the book.  The prophet is consoling the exiled captives in Babylon.  He has told them that they have suffered enough for their infidelity.  He has also assured them that God does not hold grudges.  Indeed, Isaiah makes clear that God takes delight in forgiving.  Jesus similarly teaches of his Father’s willingness to forgive.  However, he insists that God will forgive only those who are willing to forgive others.  He is saying that humans have to adopt God’s ways if they are going to receive God’s mercy.

 It’s tragic how wars are continually refought because peoples do not want to forgive.  Many Arabs live with resentment for Jews, and many Jews live so with Arabs.  The same is true of Indians and Pakistanis.  In the United States African Americans are demanding reparations while white Americans hold on to prejudices and memories of troubles.  These are not God’s ways.  If people want to be truly free, they should let go of these kinds of demands. They need to forgive others’ their offenses to receive God’s forgiveness for their own.

Monday, February 27, 2023

 Monday of the First Week of Lent

(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25,31-46)

Today’s first reading is taken from the famous “Holiness Code” in the Book of Leviticus.  The code lists a series of precepts that are to be followed so that one may become holy as God is holy.  The precepts mirror the Decalogue, but today’s reading has a striking peculiarity.  It tells the reader not to show “partiality to the weak.”  Doesn’t this conflict with the blessing that Jesus bestows on those who serve the needy in the gospel reading?

It doesn’t if one takes into account the context of the prohibition of partiality.  One should not show partiality in a judicial proceeding.  A criminal suspect should be judged guilty or innocent person according to the evidence, not according to the person’s socio-economic status.  Nevertheless, a weak person should be assisted in meeting physical needs.  In the gospel Jesus extends the scope of beneficiaries.  They are not only members of one’s family or community but to strangers as well. 

Despite our reluctance to think of ourselves as holy, achieving holiness is our vocation in life.  It is also the objective of Lent.  We recognize that it is a long road, and it often seems that we proceed at a snail’s pace.  But through the years and with constant effort, progress becomes evident.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

 FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

(Genesis 2:7-9.3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11)

Look at the people at mass with you. Most of them probably have gray hair, at least at their roots. In large numbers both young people and adults have stopped attending Mass. Not a few of these consider those who go to church superstitious. And if churchgoers express doubts about abortion, gay marriage, or reparations for slavery, they may consider them chauvinists and racists as well.

Despite the world's suspicion, we know that being a practicing Catholic Christian does not hurt us. On the contrary, it is our salvation and the salvation of the world from perverse ideologies like communism or hedonism. But are we Christians worthy of the name? That is, are we true sons and daughters of God? We can prove ourselves so together with Jesus in the gospel today. Let us not doubt that the devil tempts us every day as he tempts Jesus here.

The devil never offers sin as something destructive. Rather, he always presents us with something bad under a semblance of good. In the first reading, the serpent offers the woman the forbidden fruit, but he emphasizes that eating it will make her wise. Jesus is very hungry when the devil dares him to change the stones into bread. In the same way he entices us to satisfy our craving for food, drink, and sexual pleasure. Jesus rejects the devil's offer because he gives more importance to attending to the word of God the Father than to eating. Following him, we must remember the need for moderation in matters of appetite.

The devil not only tempts our physical needs but also our deepest yearnings. When in desperation, every human calls on God to save her. In situations that require extreme personal sacrifice, we Christians hope that He will protect us. A woman remembers how she felt empty and lost when she received news that her two brothers had been in a car accident. The crash killed one and seriously injured the other. She did not have inner peace until she received the counsel that God allows these disorders to produce something better. In the second temptation the devil tempts Jesus to kill himself so that he might experience the love of God the Father. But Jesus knows that the love of the Father is so infinitely enduring that He will always take care of him.

Finally, the demon tempts Jesus with power. He says that he will grant him sovereignty over the world in exchange for a simple act of worship. But Jesus knows that power sought for its own sake only corrupts. He does not hesitate to drive the demon out of his presence. We are not that perceptive. Power attracts us a lot. We want to force tribute, respect, even love from other people. This is why domestic violence continues to tear so many families apart. We must resolve that whatever power we have or seek will be used for the betterment of others, never to harm them.

In the Arizona desert around the city of Yuma, the US Army has what is called a “proving ground.” The heat and aridity make the conditions brutal, at least during the summer. Troops undergoing training are proven combat ready. Lent provides us with a kind of proving ground. It prepares us to resist the temptations of the devil. Equally important, it enables us to contribute to the salvation of the world. In these forty days of self-surrender to God, we prove ourselves as his true daughters and sons.

Friday, February 24. 2023

 Friday after Ash Wednesday

(Isaiah 58:1-9a; Matthew 9:14-15)

Remember when our mothers told us to eat our food because there were children in China going hungry?  Comedians make fun of the logic, but there is a connection between the two.  It parallels the reasoning behind the lesson about fasting in the first reading today.

Isaiah chastises the people for fasting while ignoring the needy.  Fasting – experiencing voluntary hunger -- should make us conscious of God’s command to feed those without food.  Our mothers admonished us with a similar end in mind.  They wanted us to show gratitude to God for the food He has provided by eating it.

Food is a good although we sometimes distort its value by eating too much.  In any case food is not the greatest good.  God is.  To recognize God as such we fast during Lent.  Because God commands us to do so, it would a travesty for us to fast from food and not assist the hungry.

Thursday, February 23, 2023

 Thursday after Ash Wednesday

(Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Luke 9:22-25)

Above all the commandments that the Lord has given to the Israelites looms what is known as the shema.  This is in essence the first commandment of the Decalogue.  God’s people are to love Him with heart, soul and might.  It is not just that He is the only God to love. He has also been so gracious in taking them from slavery in Egypt to the land promised their ancestors.

But people are forgetful of the blessings that they have received.  Facing new crises, they lose sight of how they have been helped in the past.  Instead of clinging to God all the more, they look to their devices for salvation. A simple example is how many today depend upon technology to resolve the global warming issue rather than seeking God’s help in living more simply. 

As with the Israelites preparing to conquer the peoples living on their promised lands, the Lord is ready to help us meet today’s challenges.  We must turn to Him both with our needs and our willingness to obey His commands.  These are the cogent first principles of Lent.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

 Ash Wednesday

(Joel 2:12-18; II Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6.16-18)

There is an apparent contradiction between what the Church practices and what the gospel proclaims today.  Ashes symbolizing penance mark the heads of Catholics even though Jesus tells his disciples to fast without announcing it.  Nevertheless, the gospel and the ancient custom can be reconciled.

Much depends on the spirit of receiving ashes.  Most people come for ashes seeking to give testimony of their faith.  They want to tell their associates that they believe in Christ.  Done in this way, ashes are hardly a false sign of piety.  Rather, they are part of an effort to evangelize.  More important, however, is the fact that Catholics wear ashes only on Ash Wednesday.  The other days of Lent they are to do penance without drawing the attention of others.

Most importantly, we must take to heart the purpose of penance.  We fast, pray, and exert ourselves on behalf of the poor to repent of our sins.  All of us, as St. Paul indicates today, have failed to give God due praise, thanks, and obedience.  We may ignore our daily prayer or spend family time focused on our telephone.  Now is the time to amend our ways.  As Paul says, “now is the day of salvation.”

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

 Tuesday of the Seventh Week in ordinary Time

(Sirach 2:1-11; Mark 9:30-37)

Today, Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, many Christians are reveling.  They know that tomorrow begins the traditional forty day fast.  It may be hoped that the revelers will fast with the same fervor as they celebrate now, but it would be a fool’s bet.  If one is serious about preparing for Lent, she should take to heart today’s readings.

In the first reading Sirach pleads with his readers to focus on the Lord.  He wants them to fear losing a sense of His presence.  If they do, they will be prey to a thousand tempting spirits.  In the gospel Jesus warns his disciples about concern of status.  He presents himself as a model of self-denying service.  He will be handed over and die for the salvation of the world.

Indulging a bit today may have some value.  If it focuses us on Lenten penance, we may experience greater desire to continue the practices throughout the season.  In any case, we should not minimize the importance of Lent.  With self-denial at its heart, Lenten observance is a matter of life and death.  That is, it keeps us on the path of the kingdom and off the aberrations of self-aggrandizing desire.

Monday, February 20, 2023

 Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Sirach 1:1-10); Mark 9:14-29)

Before anything else, the wise person recognizes that God exists, that He loves humans, and that He wants them to thrive.  Today’s first reading adds that wisdom also is God’s creation, and humans are among its chief beneficiaries.  Using wisdom, men and women will reap significant harvests. Jesus demonstrates the use of wisdom in the gospel.

A young boy has epileptic fits that are believed to be caused by a demon.  His disciples could not cast out the demon despite their best efforts.  Jesus, trusting in the Father who has just revealed Himself on the mountain of the Transfiguration, addresses the demon.  Being told to leave the boy, the demon goes immediately.  Jesus explains later that it was prayer that expelled the demon so quickly.

But Jesus did not utter a word of prayer! His prayer was incorporated in his posture of humility before God.  He will serve God with every living breath.  We, his disciples, should imitate his disposition before God.  When we dedicate ourselves to God with every breath we take, we will not find ourselves disappointed.

Sunday, , February 19, 2023

 SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Leviticus 19:1-2.17-18; I Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 6:38-48)

We are about to begin a forty-day journey. It is not an individual, family, or even a local community trip. The journey will include all members of the Church throughout the world. It is the annual Lenten retreat that will take us to our Savior in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. As a gesture of wayfarer solidarity we have been told not to eat meat on Fridays during the forty days. Also, we should support one another in our individual acts of self-denial. Some will be abstaining from chocolates for Lent. Others, perhaps more rigorous types, will give up their daily allotment of coffee.

We make the Lenten retreat with the whole Church because God has called us to form his reconstituted people. We will be resembling the Israelites in the first reading. They travel through the desert for forty years so that God can form them as his special people. They have to learn how to be holy like Him; that is, just and truthful, prudent and, above all, merciful.  The motive of this enterprise is more than the edification of individuals.  Rather, God wants to use them, and now us, to instruct the world in His ways.

It is quite a difficult order to fill, particularly when considering the human tendency to sin. We need God's help without which we would be as lost as walkers in a desert storm. Help will come to us precisely as a result of the Lenten journey. As Paul says in the second reading, God forms us as the "temple of the Holy Spirit."

This title implies tasks for us both inside and outside the community. First, outside, it is specifically the laity’s responsibility to transform the world according to the gospel. They do it by living their lives in ways demonstrative of the Holy Spirit. A kindergarten teacher comes to class prepared and excited about her work. A coffee kiosk owner gives the homeless man his breakfast. These small acts sow seeds of the Kingdom. Although not required, many lay people have ministries within the church. Instructing catechism, which they have done for centuries, as well reading the Word of God and distributing Holy Communion at mass can be counted as ministries.

Christ puts us on the Lenten journey today with the part of the Sermon on the Mount that most anticipates our destiny. In the Kingdom of God we will not experience enmities. Rather everyone will treat one another with love. We disciples of Christ have to practice this universal love today. Lent serves us as training. First, we must condition ourselves not to react defensively when other people mistreat us. This is not a matter of allowing a bully to brutalize us, but of not worrying about how we appear to other people. Instead of returning insult for insult and blow for blow, we leave the other person marveling at how the Holy Spirit has rendered us peaceful and kind in the midst of threats and insults.

As for the love of the enemy, let us recall Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian leader of the last century. In the movie telling of his life, a Hindu comes to him saying that he is going to hell. Asked why, he says that after the Muslims killed his son, he killed a Muslim boy. Gandhi told him that he could be saved from hell by adopting a Muslim orphan and raising him as his own child but as a Muslim. Gandhi was never baptized. However, in his autobiography he wrote that he gained a lot of affection for Jesus after reading the Sermon on the Mount.

It seems that many Catholics think that it is enough to go to church on Ash Wednesday to fulfill their Lenten obligation. But the ashes serve only like sneakers for the Lenten journey. On the road we are going to face various types of challenges.  With our eyes fixed on Christ crucified we will not give up. Rather, we will end up more conformed to him. We will be made, as strange as it may sound, holy.  We will be made holy so that we might show the world the wonder of God.

Friday, February 17, 2023

 Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 11:1-9; Mark 8:34-9:1)

Not only athletes but quite regular men and women look to artificial sources for self-enhancement.  After all, if steroids could turn a good hitter into a superstar, might they not make an average body into the desire or envy of everyone?  The reading from Genesis today teaches us that the use of technology to boost oneself is really almost as old as the human species itself.

The inhabitants of Babel live not long after Noah.  God told Noah and his sons to “multiply and fill the earth.”  Yet some of his descendants defy the order by coming together to build a city!  By their own admission their purpose is egotistical.  They want “to make a name for themselves” by means of technology -- molding bricks and hardening them with fire.  They seem to think that they might rival God by constructing a tower so high that it reaches heaven.  The idea is ludicrous.  God has to go down to stop the folly before the people destroy themselves. 

What Genesis is critiquing is not the desire of humans to improve themselves but the hubris or pride that drives them to win the adulation of others.  People want to become idols – to be considered gods among their peers.  God is not jealous.  He knows quite well that whatever humans make of and by themselves, they will never be even cockroaches in comparison to Him.  But God wants His noblest creatures to do better than that.  He confuses their languages and resends them throughout the world to open their eyes as it were.  God wants them and us to acknowledge the richness of different cultures so that we might turn back to him in awe and gratitude.

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 9:1-13; Mark 8:27-33)

Today’s first reading authorizes capital punishment in cases of murder.  What other conclusion can be drawn from God’s statement to Noah that if someone sheds the blood of another, the killer’s blood will be shed?  Yet the Church has come to prohibit capital punishment.  What going on?

Nothing in the gospels annuls God’s declaration to Noah.  The New Testament letters presume capital punishment and acknowledge the state’s authority to administer it.  The prohibition has resulted from the need to shore up human dignity in recent times.  The carnage of twentieth century wars, the arbitrary killing in procured abortions, and the inequitable way the death penalty is adjudicated has necessitated the call for a prudential halt in executions. 

Perhaps someday the Church will reconsider its position.  We might hope and pray not.  Our motive is not the continuance of violence demanding a sign against it.  Rather we want to see a more peaceful society showing how capital punishment may be permissible but is also counterproductive.       

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

 Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 8:6-13.20-22; Mark 8:22-26)

Today’s gospel should be read in tandem with yesterday’s and tomorrow’s.  The three form a continuum in the Gospel of Mark.  Yesterday Jesus chided his disciples for failing to understand him.  They had seen him feed thousands, yet they could not grasp that the power behind his work is his relationship to the Father.  In tomorrow’s gospel Peter will at last perceive that Jesus is the Father’s anointed one with the mission of saving the world from its folly.

Like the disciple’s gradual coming to understand Jesus, the blind man in today’s gospel recovers his sight in stages.  First, after Jesus lays his hands on him, the blind man can see people as if they were trees on the horizon.  Then after a second imposition of hands, the man can see clearly. 

Understanding Jesus is coming to believe in him.  He is not only human but also divine.  We may want to make the claim that Jesus was the greatest human that ever existed.  However, that is not enough reason to follow him unto death.  But once we see Jesus as the one God chose to reveal His love to the world, we cannot but follow him. 

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

 Memorial of Saint Cyril, monk, and Saint Methodius, bishop

(Genesis 6:5-8.7:1-5.10; Mark 8:14-21)

Oddly the Church does not celebrate St. Valentine today.  Instead, she remembers Saints Cyril and Methodius, ninth-century missionaries to the Slavic lands.  This is not to say that the Church has little regard for romantic love, much less love in general.  Saints Cyril and Methodious showed their love for God and for peoples by leaving their native land to give Christ to foreigners.  Christ is the supreme model of spousal love.  He gave his life to save his bride, the Church. 

Today’s gospel gives indication of his sacrifice.  Mark writes that the disciples forgot to bring bread.  Amazingly, they still had one loaf with them in the boat.  That loaf is none other than Jesus himself.  Then he reminds his companions of the double feeding of the multitudes.  These miracles were a prefiguration of the Eucharist in which Jesus gives his disciples his body to eat and his blood to drink!  He did not mean to be ghoulish by this action but to show his love completed the next day on the cross.

The world exaggerates the importance of sexual love.  Today every person is suspected of either playing out her or his sexual fantasies or dangerously suppressing them.  We Christians offer the world a critical corrective.  We proclaim Christ crucified as the measure of real love – romantic, fraternal, or extended to foreigners.

Monday, February 13, 2023

 Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 4:1-15.25; Mark 8:11-13)

An African American theologian wrote of growing up in rural Arkansas.  His parents were poor farmers, but that did not keep them from dressing up for church every Sunday.  Sixty years ago, just about all Americans dressed in their “Sunday best” for church.  Now most people prefer to be casual and some, even careless.  Much like Cain in today’s reading, they demonstrate a lack of respect for God.

Commentators have pointed out that Genesis does not indicate why Cain’s sacrifice is rejected.  However, God’s admonishing him to do better likely indicates that his first offering missed the mark.  As sometimes happens, guilt leads to shame and shame to more reckless acts.  Cain murders his brother.

We want to do our best for God.  One preacher wrote a book whose title sums up this desire, My Utmost for His Highest.  When our offerings are worthy, God will help us.  We should pray with attention, give to the needy with generosity, and make sacrifices with equanimity.

Sunday, February 12, 2023

 SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Sirach 15:16-21; I Corinthians 2,6-10; Matthew 5:17-37)

In today's gospel Matthew presents Jesus as the divine lawgiver. For Jews this point of view is worse than an outrage. It's blasphemy. There is only one God, and his law is eternal. However, Matthew does not back out of his position. He quotes Jesus as saying that if one transgresses one iota of the law from him, he will be little in the Kingdom. It is worth taking this gospel to heart so that we can have a place close to him in the Kingdom.

Although he is a legislator, Jesus does not try to revision the law. It will be a "new law" not because of many additions but because of the Holy Spirit who will accompany those who practice it. His purpose is to bring the law to its fullness by eliminating the possibilities of fulfilling it halfway. No more white lies will be allowed. According to Jesus, we are going to tell the truth or we are going to say nothing at all. He presents six intensifications of the law that will distinguish the true heirs of the Kingdom from those whose only concern is to be seen as "good."

First, according to Jesus it is not enough that we do not kill anyone. To be a son or daughter of God we must avoid all forms of insults and curses against members of the community. Because we are brothers and sisters in the Lord, everyone deserves our respect. So, are we allowed to defame people outside of the faith community? Of course not, because we are still "light of the world" called to attract other people to Christ. Many times we want to make jokes that put people down to gain the admiration of others. Jesus would tell us that it is infinitely more profitable to win God's favor.

Nor is it enough that we do not commit adultery. To be a child of God we must overcome the heart's desire for other women or, for the ladies, other men. This intensification of the law mentions married people since marriage is a covenant made before God. However, it applies in a reduced way to the unmarried. According to a saying, “a woman is old when she looks it; a man is old when he stops looking.” Jesus is indicating that such sayings are not the wisdom that leads us to eternal life. Rather they are nonsense that leads us to eternal death.

Nor is it enough to look for an adequate reason in the eyes of the world for divorce. For the children of God there is no way out of the sacred covenant of marriage until death. Later in the gospel Jesus will give the justification for this change which was as shocking in his day as it is now. He will say that God's intention is clear in Genesis which says that woman and man are no longer two but one person. The supposed exception that he gives, the illegitimate union, is to say that the marriage never existed. We take this situation into account when we talk about annulment.

Finally, Jesus says that it is not enough that we do not swear falsely. We disciples should not take any oaths at all. Jesus wants us to avoid all forms of manipulating God. He would say, “Who are you to call on God to testify to the value of your words? Unfortunately, Christians following St. Paul in the Letter to the Romans (1,9) have always taken oaths. So, what should we do? Perhaps we can refrain from taking oaths without blaming other people who follow the ancient custom.

It is a challenging thing to be a Christian. Many who have taken the path have left it. Jesus challenges us to be perfect like God the Father. The call to perfection should not be a reason to dilute the force of his commands as applying only to the most robust religious or to say that the pursuit of perfection is unhealthy. We must take advantage of the resource that Jesus himself offers in this Sermon on the Mount. We pray first that the Holy Spirit help us in the struggle. We also pray that God will be merciful when He finds us failing.

Friday, February 10, 2023

 Memorial of Saint Scholastica, virgin

(Genesis 3:1-8; Mark 7:31-37)

Weird things are taking place today.  Men dressed up as women are receiving widespread acceptance, even among families.  They not only look like women but exaggerate their femininity.  At the same time, they encourage children to become like them.  Supposedly, everyone will be better off when he or she lives out hidden desires rather than the expectations of society.  But it turns out that many of those who defy their nature as men or women develop severe mental conditions. The contemporary approval of transvestitism demonstrates again the wisdom of Genesis.

The passage today relate what Christians call the “original sin.”  Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit in effort to become arbiters of what is good and bad.  They discover to their horror that their quest is not only impossible but also destructive.  The shame they feel makes them try to hide from God.  “You can’t fool mother nature,” is how some would describe what is taking place.  We can think of “mother nature” as an avatar for God and realize that good and bad are not subjective terms but quite objective.

The trend to accept men “in drag” and transgenderism is a worrisome development in contemporary society.  Sooner or later, there will be widespread suffering and shame for both individuals and communities.  People will have to call again on the Lord to forgive their erring ways.  Fortunately, Christ remains with us to do just that.

Thursday, February 9, 2023

 Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

 (Genesis 2:18-25; Mark 7:24-30)

Today’s first reading is part of the second creation account in Genesis.  In the first account God creates man and woman at the same instant.  No distinction, except that the man is mentioned first, is made between the two.  Both are said to be created in the image of God.  In the second account the man is created first from dust.  After him, God creates all the other animals in an attempt to find a suitable partner for the man.  As a final effort, God creates the woman from a rib taken from the man’s side.

Feminists have called this second creation account sexist.  They point out that because the man is created first, he enjoys a priority of status.  More offensive still is the way the woman is created -- from a single bone taken from the man’s side as if she were just a subsidiary being.  However, there are strong counterarguments to these objections.  First, the woman is at least created from another human being where man’s material component is dirt.  Second, the woman is presumably made a complete form whereas the man, having a rib removed, is left incomplete.  Third, the man gives his partner a certain priority as he names her “woman” (in Hebrew “’ishah”) before he names himself (‘ish).  Indeed, he can name himself only because the woman stands before him as someone both alike and different.

Women have been called “the second sex.”  This term accurately indicates the chronological appearance of women in the second creation account.  But it need not denote moral or existential inferiority.  In Genesis women and men are equal in dignity and are made to assist one another.  Together they will appreciate and develop God’s creation. 

 

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

 Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 2:4b-9.15-17; Mark 7:14-23)

The two readings today have the morality of eating in common.  In the first, God prohibits Adam from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  In the gospel Jesus calls all food clean.  He explains that evil is produced from the heart and not in the stomach.

Adam’s partner and then Adam himself will eat the forbidden fruit.  Their action will attempt to gain for themselves the authority to determine what is good and bad.  In this way they will be trying to overthrow God’s authority.  Their act, stemming from the heart’s desire for autonomy, can be judged evil.  Allowing God to be God is the fundamental moral lesson of the Bible.  Yet it has continually been violated, perhaps more than ever in today’s world.

Humans try to shake themselves from divine prohibitions in many areas.  Especially prominent (and tragic) are the permissions to have sex outside marriage and to take both nascent and waning human life.  Adam and Eve will see the integrity of their life come apart after their sin.  They will show contempt for one another and their bodies will wither and die.  Similarly, today we see, in many places, the breakdown of the family with the consequent desolation of its members_. Somehow, we must relearn that God’s authority is not only supreme but also just.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

 Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 1:20-2:4a; Mark 7:1-13)

Casuistry manipulates the law so that it results in one’s favor.  Casuists might say that if someone person comes to your home asking to speak with a family member, you may lie about whether that relative is home.  The casuistic principle is that the inquirer has no right to know who’s at home. But Christian morals say that a lie, which is the telling of an untruth to deceive another, is always wrong.  Christians should tell the truth. 

In today’s gospel Jesus chastises the Pharisees for what amounts to casuistry.  As he says, they attempt to free themselves of legal obligations to parents by calling their resources “dedicated to God.”  He also indicates that they use casuistry frequently and calls it “hypocrisy.”

Never telling a lie will be difficult at times.  Sensitive people may be hurt by the truth.  In many instances we may opt to keep silent.  At other times we can tell the truth in a way that seeks to avoid giving offense.  In any case, we want to reflect Jesus who is the truth.

Monday, February 6, 2023

 Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and companions, martyrs

(Genesis 1:1-19; Mark 6:53-56)

Although the story of creation in Genesis is not scientifically or historically accurate, it gives an important lesson about God.  Unlike other creation myths, Genesis does not mention God slaying other gods to create.  Rather, He creates peacefully and simply by His word.  This truth has repercussions in the Judeo-Christian inclination to peaceful resolution of conflict.

Today we remember the Japanese martyrs, St. Paul Miki and companions. They worshipped God in the highest way possible.  They gave their lives in testimony to God’s greatest creation, the humanity of His Son, Jesus Christ.  The martyrs taught Christ’s love and compassion in an oppressive society where warlords ruled the people.  In time, no doubt influenced by the martyrs and the Western Christian tradition, Japan gave up its militaristic form of government.

The legacy of Christ understands the world as created in peace and redeemed by love.  Like the Japanese martyrs, we are to claim and to pass on this legacy.  We can be sure that it will lead to happiness in a limited way now and an infinite way upon entering fully into God’s kingdom.

Sunday, February 5, 2023

 FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Isaiah 58:7-10; I Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16)

A group of young people used to go to jail every Sunday. They were not criminals but university students. They visited the incarcerated to offer them support. When he saw them coming, one of the guards always made a sarcastic comment. He said to his companions: "Here come the do-gooders again." The group ignored their detractor. They knew that they were there fulfilling the plan of Jesus laid out in the Sermon on the Mount. Last Sunday we listened to the beatitudes laid out at the beginning of the sermon telling about the ends of life. Today we hear what follows, a description with powerful images of what Christians are to be.

First, Jesus calls his disciples "the salt of the earth." Salt is nothing if it is not useful. Even today we use sodium chloride in various ways. Among others, we put it in food to increase its flavor. Also, in cold climates it is used to melt ice on roads. In times past salt was even more advantageous. The ancients used it to preserve their perishable products, to heal their wounds, even to seal their compacts. By using the term in his Sermon, Jesus is indicating that his disciples should be helpful to other people. In addition to showing love, he knows that by helping others, they will draw many into the community of faith.

Salt may have a hundred uses, but the main use of light is ten times more valuable than any use of salt. Light facilitates sight and, therefore, at least metaphorically, understanding and wisdom. Being the light of the world, the disciples will show how Jesus Christ leads us to a more fulfilling life. It is living in such a way that everyone wants to imitate our ways, including, as Jesus indicates, giving praise to God the Father.

Once a woman phoned the chancery of her diocese. She asked to speak to a priest. Connected to one, she told him that she wanted to become a Catholic. When asked why, she told of a Catholic woman who worked with her. He said that her companion was such a good person that she wanted to be like her. Certainly, the companion served as a light in our world that sometimes seems full of darkness.

Saint Paul in the second reading today indicates what prevents us from being salt and light. He says that he arrived at Corinth feeling weak and trembling with fear. Likewise, we feel fearful when we think about helping other people, at least those we don't know. We fear that we will end up cheated or, at least, deprived of our routine that provides us with a modicum of peace. If Paul describes our dilemma, he also prescribes his remedy. We have to put our trust not in our abilities but in the power of Jesus Christ. Praying to him, we will not fail. Rather, we will bring others to it while securing our destiny.

There is an organization that literally identifies with the appeal of Jesus in this gospel. Called "Light of Love", the organization helps the blind. Members transport those who have lost their sight to fulfill their tasks. They also teach the blind how to live happily with their disability. Not surprisingly, the organization receives the support of a Christian community. Every Christian should aspire to be a "light of love".

Friday, March 3, 2023

 Friday of the fourth Week of Lent

(Ezekiel 18:21-28; Matthew 5:21-26)

An alcoholic who has long been on the wagon, speaks gratefully of his life.  He not only made a radical change for the good but has also helped others.  He serves as an Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor who assists other alcoholics through the painful process of conversion.  This is what the readings today as well as the season of Lent is about.

In the first reading Ezekiel says that God delights in conversion.  No matter what their sins are, Ezekiel says, the future of the converted is bright.  In the gospel Jesus portrays a conversion.  Someone is on the way to make a peace offering to God.  Then he remembers that he has offended a neighbor.  Since there is no peace with God unless one seeks forgiveness for past sins, the offender must do that first.

Many have difficulty saying, “I’m sorry.” A popular movie of the 1960’s said that apologies did not even matter where love reigns.  That does not seem right.  Apology for having offended another is an important step on the way to conversion.  We are to say it with words and, more importantly, act it out in our lives.

Friday, February 3, 2023

 (Optional) Memorial of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr

 (Hebrews 13:1-8; Mark 6:14-29))

A priest from Latin America was about to say his first mass in the U.S. on February 2.  He expected to see a crowd in church as the Presentation of the Lord is a popular feast day in his country.  But he was disappointed when only a few people arrived for mass.  In his homily he criticized Americans for being so lax in their faith.  The next day, February 3, he was assigned the mass at the same hour as the day before.  This time, however, the church had a crowd which made the priest feel that his preaching was effective.  Entering the sacristy after mass, he learned that the numbers had nothing to do with his homily.  The sacristan presented him with a set of candles and told him to bless the throats of the people.  The priest, who had never heard of the tradition of blessing throats on St. Blaise day, received a lesson on American Catholic culture. 

In the order of holy things the Presentation of the Lord -- when we meditate on Jesus as the light of the world -- deserves much greater attention than the blessing of throats.  During the Eucharist of the Presentation we encounter the Lord in his resurrected glory so that we might say with Simeon, “Lord, now you can let your servant go in peace.”  We mean, of course, that having received Jesus body and blood, we are prepared to die.  We know that Jesus, the light to the world, will rescue us from the darkness of death. 

On the other hand, the blessing of throats, which might be done with the same effect on any day of the year, is a sacramental.  It is meant to remind us of Jesus’ action in the world to save us from sin and its effects, including illness.  Let’s not doubt the benefit of having our throats blessed.  But let’s affirm as well that it is far better to receive the body and blood of Christ at mass.

Thrusday, February 2, 2023

 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

(Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-32)

There is something attractive and calming about a single lighted candle.  We never want to put it out; rather our instinct is to multiply it a hundred times.  It seems quite gentle as if it can cause no pain.  But if we come close, it will burn with the ferocity of a laser.  For these reasons Simeon in today’s gospel makes a fitting comparison of Jesus to a light for the world.

Jesus’ light brings comfort.  He assures us that following his ways will lead to lasting rest and peace.  Yet the same practices will burn away our harmful fat.  They will free us from our need of praise, our desire for riches, and our compulsion for sex.  Jesus fills us with a love for others that we will work to have them join us in giving him praise and thanks.

At first sight the reading from the prophet Malachi seems out of place.  If Jesus is the messenger who comes into the temple, how can he be compared to a “refiner’s blazing fire”?  it is true that the fire of Jesus’ love is not a blast that destroys.  Nevertheless, it is strong enough to transform us into caring human beings like Jesus himself.