Monday, December 23, 2024

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

(Malachi 3:1-4.23-24; Luke 1:57-66)

Obedience is heeding the words of another.  When Zachariah was visited by Gabriel, he did not heed the angel’s message.  Rather he debated the possibility of Elizabeth’s conceiving at her old age.  For his disobedience, Zachariah was punished with loss of speech.  Chastened by Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Zachariah rehabilitates himself.  He does not hesitate to name their child “John” as Gabriel dictated. 

As a result of his compliance, Zachariah’s speech returns.  The people are so amazed by all that is happening that they wonder what will become of Zachariah’s son.  Today’s reading from Malachi spells out John’s fate.  He will go before the Lord to chastise the people so that they may repent of their sins.  Then when the Lord comes, he will grant them blessings of salvation.

Many of us have difficulty heeding what God has taught us in the Scriptures.  We not only want to debate its validity, but often ignore the instruction.  Today’s readings show that not only does the Lord intend what is good for us, but also promises us blessings for obedience.

Sunday, December 22, 2024

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

(Micah 5:1-4; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45)

There is little new in today's gospel. We have reflected upon it often as the second joyful mystery of the rosary.  However, a second look will reveal that it shows for the first time in the gospels a human person recognizing Jesus as God. It does not matter that Jesus has not yet been born. Nor does it matter that Elizabeth does not use the word “God.” By calling the creature in Mary's womb “my Lord,” Elizabeth identifies him as God Almighty.

The Jews had such great reverence for the name God gave Moses at the burning bush that they did not want to say it. Instead of calling God by the famous tetragrammaton, He is referred to as “Adonai” in the Bible. Adonai is a Hebrew word meaning “My Lords.” Why the plural?  for the same reason that people addressed a king with “the majestic plural.” Actually, the term “lord” is ambiguous. It can be used for any respected man. But both here and in other Gospel passages, there is no doubt that it refers to God.

Now, close to Christmas, it is worth reviewing other terms for Jesus in the Gospels. The name “Jesus” alone is full of meaning. Although it was not a rare name in biblical times, it clearly indicates Jesus' mission as the Son of God. “Jesus” means “God saves.” As God saved the Hebrew people from Egyptian slavery, Jesus has come to save the world from its sins.

“Christ” also has a meaning related to Jesus' mission. It comes from the Greek word that translates the Hebrew “messiah.” It means “the anointed one.” In the Old Testament, those who were consecrated for a mission designated by God were anointed: kings, priests, and especially prophets. Because he was anointed for all these roles, Jesus has the mission of, no less than, reconciling the world to God.

There is nothing extraordinary about being called “Son of God” in the Old Testament. This expression is used for angels, the chosen people, the children of Israel, and their kings. But this ambiguous sense is not what Peter intends when he recognizes Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Rather, Peter wants to designate Jesus as the only Son of God who has come into the world to free it from sin’s oppression. Jesus identifies himself in this way when he says to Nicodemus: “‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…’”

There are other names for Jesus that reveal in part who he is. Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah when he says that Jesus will be given the name “Emmanuel” which means “God with us.” In the gospels Jesus regularly refers to himself as “Son of Man.” This term is rooted in the apocalyptic scenario of the prophet Daniel where God gives power over all nations to the “Son of Man.” Jesus will say that he manifests the power received from his Father in service, including his death, for the people. Finally, Jesus is called in several places “the Word of God.” As words give expression to the depth of the person, Jesus reveals the love and will of his Father to the world.

We could add another title for Jesus, well suited for this time of year. He is the gift of God more beneficial than the sun. He lights our way among rocks and reefs in the voyage of life. He provides the warmth of love that enables us to attain eternal life. Let us accept and take advantage of this gift.

Friday, December 20, 2024

 Friday of the Third Week of Advent

 (Isaiah 7:10-14; Luke 1:26-38)

Jerome Miller, a Catholic theologian, wrote a reflection on the Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli’s depiction of the Annunciation.  According to Miller, the artist, like any exegete, has much to teach us about this critical moment in the history of salvation.  

 Miller begins his study by noting how the action of the painting takes places on a floor of perfectly arranged rectangles.  He says these figures represent lives that are dominated by order which brings meaning and gives a platform for action.  Then Miller notes how the angel appears as an eruption of grace into Mary’s well-ordered life.  In the painting the angel’s hand makes a gesture of directive: Mary is to give birth to the Son of God who will bring peace to earth.  The hand is open and not pointing directly to Mary but giving her permission to refuse the mandate.  Mary, however, is pictured as all receptivity.  Her body curves in what can be seen as a bow of compliance.  Her hands are open like Jesus’ on the cross.  Their positioning indicates awareness that her decision will cause her suffering.

All of us are so approached in life with a proposition of divine grace.  We are called out of the ordinariness of making a living to sacrifice ourselves for the Lord’s sake.  Of course, our consent means that we are opening ourselves to suffering.  But we should not shrink from the mission.  We like Mary are nothing greater, but nothing less either, than servants of the Lord.

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

(Judges 13:2-7.24-25a; Luke 1:5-25)

At thirty-five years old and married for years without having a child, the couple was planning to take consolation in travel and other perks of professional life.  Then she became pregnant with their first child. The following year she gave birth again, this time to twins.  The third year there were another pregnancy and another set of twins.  The couple, who were ready to have a life of relative leisure, now had to screw up energies to care for five children.  Zachariah in today’s gospel might not have believed that such a development was possible.

It is asked why Zechariah is punished for doubting that he and Elizabeth could have a child while Mary, apparently with a similar question after Gabriel’s announcement, is not.   Part of the answer may lie in that although Zachariah and Elizabeth are old, they may not be beyond child-bearing age.  The other part of the answer is that Mary asks only a prudent question of how she might have a child without sinning given that she is a virgin.

There is much to be learned in this part of the Christmas narrative.  First, we should never question the Lord’s power to make things happen, even if it is apparently impossible.  Then we are wise to question situations where it seems like we need to do something wrong.  Doing evil, even to achieve a supreme good, is never a moral option.  Finally, and most importantly, we should trust in God’s love for us.  He wants to bring our lives to fulfillment.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

(Jeremiah 23:5-8; Matthew 1:18-25)

Catholic exegetes point out that the clause, “He had no relations with her until she bore a son…” does not mean that Joseph had sexual relations with Mary after Jesus was born.  Evidently, the Greek word for until does not have the same nuance as in English.  As the text says, Joseph was a righteous man who meticulously carried out the Law in matters of its purview and discerned God’s will in other matters.  It is presumed that Joseph honored Mary’s virginity after Jesus was born as before.

As preoccupied with sex as our generation is, the question of one’s sexual activity is asked of most people.  Yet many forego sex for various reasons.  Sometimes it is done from necessity as when spouses are incapable of having sexual relations.  It is not unheard of that a man will say that he loved his wife more in abstinence than he did on the day they were married.

Love is much more than sex.  It is the giving of oneself for the good of the other.  We find this self-giving in Joseph’s love for Mary, in spouses who take care of invalid counterparts, and in the many chaste single persons who dedicate themselves their professions, the Church, and many other kinds of service.  They deserve both prayers and esteem because they strive against the current of a hyper-sexualized society.

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

(Genesis 49:2.8-10; Matthew1:1-17)

Most people hearing today’s gospel will wonder what the point of it is.  Obviously, it connects Jesus to the patriarchs of Israel.  But beyond that, they will ask, why bother with all those strange names?  It certainly is tedious to read Jesus’ genealogy, but it gives the gospel a propitious start and forecasts its conclusion. 

The genealogy shows not only Jesus’ connection with Abraham but also with David, Israel’s most highly regarded king.  God promised to give David a descendant who would rule in righteousness forever. This promise is fulfilled in Jesus.  Beyond that, the genealogy ends with the mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and not his father, as all the other descendances.  With this altered arrangement the evangelist Matthew shows that a new way of creation has begun.  No longer is one’s human family what is most significant.  Rather it’s one’s spiritual relationship to Jesus that counts most.  This affiliation, made through Baptism, bequeaths an eternal destiny.

The new family that Jesus will create as he gathers disciples will not belong to one land or one nation.  Rather it will spread across the globe as his apostles carry out Jesus’ order at the gospel’s end to “make disciples of all nations.”

Monday, December 16, 2024

 Monday of the Third Week of Advent

(Numbers 24:2-7.15-17a; Matthew 21:23-27)

All recognize the star as a symbol of Christmas.  Of course, the star refers to the passage in the gospel of Matthew where the Magi launch their search for the “King of the Jews” after seeing his star arise.  That star has a reference as well in today’s first reading from the Old Testament.

The Moab nation is threatened by Israel under Moses’ command.  Its king calls on Balaam, a pagan prophet, to curse Moab’s nemesis.  Balaam, however, upon seeing Israel, cannot curse it.  On the contrary, he must acknowledge its rising among the nations of the land.  He predicts that in the distant future the rise of a star belonging to a person who will bring Israel great blessing.  Christians hold that this star is the one seen by the Magi belonging to Jesus.

Jesus is the star on which we hang our hopes.  He has died to conquer the evil in our lives and has risen from the dead to promise us eternal life.  We accept his grace and follow his teachings so that we might too experience resurrection from the dead.

Sunday, February 15, 2024

 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, December 15, 2024

(Zephaniah 3:14-18; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18)

You might know that this third Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete Sunday" or, in English, "Sunday of Rejoicing." Today, we are called to rejoice for a couple of reasons. First, we’ve passed more than half of the waiting period for Christmas. But more importantly, joy characterizes the entire Advent season. Allow me to explain this further.

Centuries ago, in France, Advent was considered a time of penance. During this season, catechumens prepared for baptism on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. For this reason, the community fasted along with the baptismal candidates. However, this was never the custom in Rome where Advent prepared for Christmas. After the Roman Church unified celebrations throughout its domain, it became clear that Advent is not a penitential season but one of joy. This is evident in today’s first readings with the gospel indicating the motivation of such joy.

In the first reading, the prophet Zephaniah calls Jerusalem to rejoice, saying: “The Lord, your mighty Savior, is in your midst.” Similarly, St. Paul, in the second reading urges that the Philippians rejoice joy for a similar reason: “The Lord is near.” Today, we rejoice because we sense the Lord’s imminent arrival among us.

The gospel exhorts us to good works. We are all called to help the needy, act with fairness, and to tell the truth. When we always act in these ways, we feel a deep satisfaction for having fulfilled the justice to which the Lord calls us. Furthermore, we are joyful because the Lord’s coming brings us the promise of eternal salvation.

During the Christmas season many seek pleasure. They buy liquors, prepare special meals, and take vacations. These gratifications are not inherently bad, but they do not offer the joy that Advent invites us to experience. It’s important to understand the difference between pleasure and joy to grow spiritually.

Pleasure is a sensual emotion, something we feel when we come into contact with an external good. However, its effect is fleeting and usually individualistic. For example, seeing a beautiful sunrise brings us momentary pleasure, but we cannot share that sensation with those who do not see it.

Joy, on the other hand, is an emotion of the spiritual appetite. It can arise in several ways: practicing virtue, coming to understand a profound truth, or loving goodness. Joy will perdure in our memory because it does not depend upon anything outside itself.  Born out of effort, joy can be shared with others who have had the same kind of experience. For example, the satisfaction of having achieved an academic degree can last for years and be shared with others who have worked hard to achieve a goal. 

In these days before Christmas, we can experience joy by performing acts of charity. Parishioners who prepare bags of food for the poor have this spiritual satisfaction. They return home content, knowing they have fulfilled the Lord’s command to feed the hungry. They further sense that Jesus is near to reward them.

However, it is not necessary to accomplish great deeds to experience the joy of Christmas. We only need to believe that Christ is at hand to save us from our folly.

Friday, December 13, 2024

Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr

(Isaiah 48:17-19; Matthew 11:16-19)

Today’s celebrated Saint Lucy was martyred during the Diocletian persecutions of the early fourth century.  Her name means light.  By her very martyrdom she reflected the light of Christ.

In the gospel Jesus expresses exasperation with the crowds for refusing to respond to the message of repentance in face of the coming Kingdom of God.  When John the Baptist preached it, the people said that his lifestyle was too ascetic to make the kingdom desirable. When Jesus preaches it, they say his lively way of reaching out to known sinners discredits the message. He can only regret that the people will be left outside God’s kingdom when he is shown to be right.

We are blessed to realize that God does not want us to be unhappy.  Quite the contrary, He desires that we rejoice in knowing that eternal life is our destiny.  Our lives are to shine like that of St. Lucy when she sided with Christ in face of his persecutors.

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

 (Zechariah 1:14-17; Luke 1:39-47)

 When someone compliments us, it is only polite to say something gracious in return.  But surprisingly this is not what happens in the gospel today.  When Elizabeth greets Mary, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb…,” Mary turns to God and says, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…”  Mary first thinks of God, not herself and not of other people as manners dictate.

Something similar takes place in the account of the appearance of the Virgin Mother to Juan Diego on Mount Tepeyac.  When the woman whose clothing shines like the sun introduces herself, she says, “I am truly the ever perfect Holy Virgin Mary.”  Then her words shift to God almost entirely, “…who has the honor to be the Mother of the one true God for whom we all live, the Creator of people, the Lord of all around us and of what is close to us…”  And when she explains the purpose of the shrine which she is requesting, it is solely to give glory to God.  She says, “In (my sacred little house) I will show Him, I will exalt Him upon making Him manifest, I will give Him to all people in all my personal love.”

We venerate Our Lady of Guadalupe today because she has given us Jesus Christ, the God-man who has saved us from our sins.  She brought him into the world for us, of course.  But even more than that, she has given him to us by exemplifying how we are to live with him as the center of our life. 

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent

(Isaiah 40:25-31; Matthew 11:28-30)

Today’s reading from the second part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah highlights the paramount virtue during Advent – hope.  Hope enables humans to tolerate desperate situations by providing a plausible remedy.  In the reading Jewish exiles in Babylon are experiencing hardship.  They were defeated with heavy losses during the siege of Jerusalem.  Now as strangers with a distinguished heritage they face ridicule and contempt.  God, speaking through the prophet, assures the people that they will not remain marginalized for long.  He, forever young and strong, will see them through the trial to peace and prosperity again.

The well-known passage from the Gospel of Matthew likewise gives a message of hope.  Jesus tells those who feel overburdened by the many laws of Judaism not to give up.  Rather they are to find hope in a relationship with him.  He provides comfort and strength with his love for them.  He is the long-expected Messiah who has come to save them from their sins.

Many find the Church today a legalistic overseer with countless rules.  Because they have lost the sense that she is the Body of Christ, they leave her.  Christ would have us tell them to wait and try developing a spiritual relationship with him.  We, Christ’s body, are to share their joys and sorrows, work and recreation in his name.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

(Isaiah 40:1-11; Matthew 18:12-14)

Today’s first reading is taken from the marvelous introduction to the second part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.  It tells of mysterious voices speaking out at a heavenly council meeting.  Rather than considering these voices to be those of minor gods or of angels, they may be taken as responses of the Word of God to the Father.  The Word, whom we know to be Jesus Christ, will urge the people to reform so that the world may come to know God’s love and justice. 

The gospel shows a shepherd striving to bring back a stray sheep.  The shepherd, of course, is Jesus gathering his whole flock together, even those who have left it aside.  They will become a holy nation performing works of justice that bring others to know the goodness of the Lord.

We are Jesus’ flock.  This is a spiritual truth which we sometimes forget as we become absorbed in material considerations.  Now is the time to let God’s righteousness be known through our care of one another and of all creation.

Monday, December 9, 2024

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Genesis 3:9-15.20; Ephesians 1:3-6.11-12; Luke 1:26-38)

Today’s celebration extends beyond veneration of our Blessed Mother for her sinlessness.  It recapitulates the drama of redemption by telling of primordial human sin and the coming of humanity’s Savior.

As God predicted in naming “the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” Adam becomes aware of his sin when he eats its forbidden fruit.  Nudity aptly symbolizes sin because it universally provokes desires that often lead to lustful acts.  

Sin might have completely dominated human existence if God had not intervened.  He sent His Son to strike at the head of sin’s promotor, the serpent in the reading.  Mary not only gives birth to Jesus; she is also his first beneficiary.  At her conception, she received the grace of Christ’s salvation even before the salvific events take place. 

Mary’s sinlessness is demonstrated by her responses to the angel telling he of God’s plan.  She wisely questions how conception could take place without sinning since she is a virgin.  Assured that it will be the work of the Holy Spirit, she unhesitatingly submits to the divine initiative. 

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception conveniently falls during Advent.  It gives added material for contemplation.  God’s Son has come as one like us.  Although innocent of any sin, he willingly endured the worst of human suffering in our place.  His sacrifice enables us to resist evil and to merit salvation.

Sunday, December 8, 2024

Second Sunday of Advent

(Baruch 5:1-9; Philippians 1:4-6.8-11; Luke 3:1-6)

We have arrived at a new liturgical year. This means that we hear a different gospel at Sunday Mass. In 2024 we have read from the Gospel according to St. Mark on most Sundays. In 2025 we will read from the Gospel according to St. Luke. Today's gospel reading can serve as an introduction to Luke. It contains some of his outstanding characteristics.

The first verse of the reading synchronizes the story of John the Baptist with that of the world. This technique of Luke shows that John was not a mythical person like King Arthur of Great Britain but really lived. The narrative of Jesus' birth begins with similar words: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus…” Luke assures us that following Jesus Christ is based on historical facts, not imaginary ideas.

Another characteristic of Luke indicated by the synchronization with world history is the reverence for Judaism. He mentions two high priests, Annas and Caiaphas. Luke will tell how Jesus enters the Temple three times and will call it “my Father’s house.” In the Acts of the Apostles, also written by Luke, the community of the apostles will participate in Temple prayers. For St. Luke, Israel does not completely reject Jesus but respects him, at least in part.

The reading continues, “…the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.” Luke greatly emphasizes the word of God as the seed of faith. Prophets like John and Jesus receive the word of God and pass it on to others so that people may know God’s will. Another characteristic of Luke is the great narrative of Jesus’ birth suggested here by mentioning that John is “son of Zechariah.”

Luke says that John goes throughout the region of the river Jordan “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Luke does not explain the content of his preaching in today's passage. We will hear it in next Sunday's gospel. It is his way of developing a story gradually so that it attracts the reader's attention. We see this trait in the parable of the Good Samaritan and the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

By referring to penitence and forgiveness Luke indicates repentance. More than the other evangelists Luke emphasizes this theme. For this reason, he will include the parables of the "Prodigal Son" and the "Tax Collector and the Pharisee" in his gospel. He will show the power of repentance with the story of the woman who washes Jesus' feet with her tears.

Perhaps we have noticed that Jesus does not appear in this gospel passage. However, he is here as the motivation for of the narrative. Jesus is the Lord whom John proclaims as coming with salvation. As such, he is the prophet that Israel has awaited since the time of Moses. In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses, who to date was Israel's greatest prophet, says that God will raise up another prophet like him. This prophet will speak with God face to face. Who could Moses be talking about if not Jesus Christ? For Luke, Jesus Christ is the Son of God who comes like Moses to free the people from slavery. But he is greater than Moses as he is greater than Caesar Tiberius of the synchronization. Jesus does not free Israel from slavery to Pharaoh but the world from slavery to sin. He not only speaks face to face with God but, as the Son of God, shows the world the face of his Father. God will raise him from the dead so that we may follow him.

Friday, December 6, 2024

Friday of the First Week in Advent

(Isaiah 29:17-24; Matthew 9:27-31)

The daily readings for Advent are not picked arbitrarily.  The first reading, always from the Old Testament, speaks of the future.  It tells of what to expect on the “day of the Lord” when God acts definitively on behalf of His people.  Then the gospel shows Jesus fulfilling the prophecy, often in subtle but nevertheless palpable ways.

Today’s readings are no exception to this principle.  The prophet Isaiah tells of the deaf who will hear and the blind who will see.  He is not referring to the physically impaired as to the spiritually deaf who refuse to hear God’s word as mediated through the prophets.  He also refers to the spiritually blind who cannot see that the future is won by faith, not by political maneuvering.  Jesus cures the two blind men as a sign that their faith in him, and not pleasure or power, brings fulfillment in life and death. 

Faith in the synoptic gospels includes hope.  It is trust that the Lord will provide what we lack to achieve the goal we deep down desire.  Hope refuses to give up the struggle just because the odds of triumph are miniscule.  It knows that the Almighty God can and will make all things turn out well for those who trust in Him.

Thursday, December 5, 2024

 

Thursday of the First Week of Advent

 (Isaiah 26:1-6; Matthew 7:21.24-27)

The poor often come to parish offices looking for handouts.  Not untypically, they beg for cash to pay rent or purchase gasoline.  The requests are sometimes denied partly because of limited resources but also because staff members frequently are not sure whether the petitioners are telling the truth.  If the needy were members of the congregation, the staff would likely make every effort to secure assistance.  Today’s Scripture readings indicate why this is so.

The passage from Isaiah and the gospel today are related by the mention of the “Rock” which is the one God on whom the people can rely.  The reading from Isaiah is also connected to the basic gospel message proclaimed by Mary in her canticle praising God’s goodness.  As it says, God comes to upend the arrogant and to lift up of the lowly.  It also says that God provides a strong city with high walls to protect the humble.  The city here can refer to the Church, the community of faithful, who look out for one another.

We remember the poor, especially at this time of year.  Whether or not they are members of our parish, we help them meet their needs so that they too find joy in God’s coming.  But if they are people who kneel with us in prayer, we will naturally exert greater energy.  They would have a prior, although not an exclusive, claim on both our hearts and our bounty.

 

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

(Isaiah 25:25:6-10a; Matthew 15:29-37)

Isaiah’s vision of a celestial banquet provides a rich backdrop for the gospel.  It is hard not to find in the description of a rich feast in which people of all nations take part a blueprint for eternal life in.  There, the prophet says, people will see through racial and national differences to the common human core that all have.

Jesus’ feeding of the multitude on a mountain fulfills the prophetic vision.  It is Eucharistic from the gathering of the crowd to hear the word of God to the distributing of the bread over which Jesus gave thanks.  There may not be anyone there except Galileans, but surely the people have differences of ideas and temperaments.  The bread draws them together into one family without enmity.

During Advent we renew our hope for unity and world peace.  There will always be differences among persons and peoples.  However, nourished by the Bread of Life, we will see the good in all and give thanks to God for it.

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest

(Isaiah 11:1-10; Luke 10:21-24)

Isaiah’s incomparable vision of universal reconciliation is matched today with the gospel showing Jesus, Son of God Almighty, inviting the humble of the world to rest in him.  As lambs are said to lie with wolves, so the weakest can, since Jesus, rest with the Lord of hosts.

With desire to impart Isaiah’s vision and its fulfilment in Jesus, Francis Xavier left home and friends for the Orient.  He tirelessly preached the gospel of salvation to reconcile East and West for the glory of God.

We may not feel called to join missionaries in far-away places.  Nevertheless, as Jesus’ followers, we are summoned to reconcile different kinds of people.  Be they members of different races or people of different temperaments, Christians in Jesus’ name should promote understanding to secure peace among all.

Monday, December 2, 2024

Monday of the First Week of Advent

(Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 8:5-11)

Today’s first reading announces very good news for the whole world – the end of war, the beginning of everlasting peace.  In the eighth century before Christ, the prophet Isaiah visualized nations, formerly dedicating many resources to warfare now using them for social welfare and, hence, the glory of God.

The gospel indicates how at least the beginning of Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled with Jesus.  A centurion, a model of a military man, bows before the Jesus, the Prince of Peace.  Jesus’ ways, not those of the Cesars of the world, must be studied and lived.

Advent is the great season of hope.  Although we inhabit a world where war still reges, we have the courage to hope for days when nations will put aside their weapons to join one another in the quest for peace. 

 

Sunday, December 1, 2024

 

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

(Jeremiah 33:14-16; I Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28.34-36)

Friends, we have finally reached Advent! Some think it is the most wonderful time of the year. With Christmas less than four weeks away, people tend to be more gracious and generous. However, there is more to look forward to during this season than Christmas spirit; much more.

The word “advent” means that someone is coming. Who will it be? It is not Santa Claus, nor the boss with our Christmas bonus, nor simply baby Jesus. No, the advent that is expected on this first Sunday of time is Jesus Christ coming to judge the world. It is the realization of what we feel in our hearts. The good will receive the rewards they deserve, and the bad will be punished for their crimes. All three readings bear witness to this turn of events.

In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah predicts the coming of a king to judge Israel with justice. The nation is on the threshold of exile, a grave situation, because its kings have neglected both God and the people. Because they have cultivated corruption and infidelity, the people will suffer. They are already subjected to the cruel and arrogant Babylonian king. Nevertheless, Jeremiah sees the restoration of a Davidic king who will rule with perfect righteousness. We Christians cannot see anyone filling this role except Jesus Christ.

The second reading is an exhortation from St. Paul to the Christian community in Thessalonia. He asks them to live in accordance with the morals of Christ. He implies that Christ is coming to judge everyone precisely according to these values.

It is not through humility that Jesus identifies himself as “Son of Man” in today’s gospel. This title is how the prophet Daniel describes the one who receives from the throne of the Most High authority to rule over all peoples. The gospel pictures the Son of Man coming after signs are seen in heaven and on earth. Jesus exhorts his disciples to watch for this event because it will be the moment of their liberation. Jesus himself will judge his faithful free of guilt. Better yet, he will declare them worthy of eternal life.

Now some question the veracity of this gospel vision. They say that two thousand years have passed without the return of Jesus. Generation after generation has died without the resurrection of the faithful from the dead. They have given up the watch.  What are we to do?

The true answer is to maintain hope. Properly Christian hope trusts in God, not in other humans, much less in one’s own efforts. Hope does not care that a person coming on a cloud seems ridiculous.  We know that this is simply a way of expressing that Jesus will arrive from heaven. Nor does it care that the corpses of the dead have disintegrated into dust. God, who formed us from a cell in our mothers' wombs, can take the earth again to recreate us.

Christian hope involves more than a desire of the heart. It is an approach to life that corresponds to the demands of Jesus in the gospel today. It is being alert, that is, careful not to fall into dissolute living like that head servant in Jesus' parable who beats his workers in fits of drunkenness. Hope also does not allow us to obsess over life’s vicissitudes. Rather, it moves us to prayer when we feel worried.

St. Augustine lived until the middle of the fifth century when barbarians were taking over the Roman Empire. Instead of hiding from the invaders, he wrote a book that showed how Christians are ultimately citizens of another land, not primarily of the world. This is Advent hope at work. It does not look for worldly solutions to its greatest problems, but the presence of God. During Advent we want to show such hope. We want to look for Christ as we carry out his will with prayers in our hearts. 

Friday, November 29, 2024

Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Revelation 20:1-4.11-21:2; Luke 21:29-33)

Today’s readings converge to describe the end of history.  They say it will be a time of newness like a fresh leaf on a tree (gospel) or the replacement of the old world of sin with a new world of grace (Revelation).  Yet the texts have material that a reader will want to question.  What, for example, is referred to in Revelation by the “thousand years” in which Satan is tied up?  And why does Jesus say that his predictions will come to pass before the end of “this generation.”

There is much difference among the experts regarding the “thousand years” of Revelation.  It is probably best to consider the time of entrapment of Satan as pertaining to the martyrs in heaven.  They will not be bothered by evil spirits, and at the end of a symbolic “thousand years,” neither will those who are judged worthy.  Regarding “this generation will not pass away,” in Luke’s gospel Jesus usually uses “generation” as a reference to the depraved, not to a thirty-year period. Therefore, he is saying in the passage that there will be evil until the Kingdom of God comes in its fullness.

We should not try to decipher hints about the future from eschatological prophecy more than that God will make all things right.  Of that we can be sure and for its taking place soon we pray daily in the Our Father.

Thursday, November 28, 2024

Thanksgiving Day

(Sirach 50:22-24; I Corinthians 1:3-9; Luke 17:11-19)

Thanksgiving is America’s favorite holiday, hands down.  Forget about the Fourth of July.  Forget about even Christmas.  For Thanksgiving more Americans travel great distances to be with their family than  any other holiday.  Most everyone eats turkey.  Many watch football on television. Increasingly popular is a communal morning run.

One thing Americans are having trouble doing in recent years on Thanksgiving is giving thanks to God.  Skepticism has taken root in many places.  People are having have difficulty recognizing a Supreme Benefactor.  They become a little like Bart Simpson in his mealtime prayer, “Thank you for nothing.  We paid for all this food ourselves.”  Most foreigners do not have this problem.  At a Thanksgiving meal they will not only thank God but also name the gifts they are thankful for.  They are much like the Samaritan leper in today’s gospel.

This leper is a foreigner also.  Only the desperation of his disease allows him to share company with the Jewish lepers.  This condition, however, is not necessary to stand before Jesus.  Jesus welcomes everyone. It’s the Samaritan’s return to Jesus that truly distinguishes him from the others.  He wants to express gratitude to God before the instrument of God’s healing.  For this reason Jesus declares him saved.  The others may obey the law but are not yet given access to eternal life.  Americans may enjoy a lot of blessings.  But they likewise are not saved unless they give gratitude to God.

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Revelation 15:1-4; Luke 21:12-19)

The gospel today anticipates the persecution of Christians by Jews described in the Acts of the Apostles.  It started before the Roman destruction of the Temple.  Herod had James, the brother of John, killed.  He arrested Peter, who was subsequently rescued by an angel.  And Paul will exemplify Christians giving testimony under Jewish persecution.

The statement that “not a hair on your head will be destroyed” originates in Jesus assuring his disciples that the Father has counted the hairs on their heads.  When he says here that some of them will be put to death, he seems to be contradicting himself.  But he means that with the resurrection of the dead, their bodies will be wholly reconstructed.

We must remember that Christian persecution has not ended.  Even today some Christians are being killed.  The persecution may also be subtle.  Some despise Christians for our opposition for abortion or for simply belief in the spiritual realm.  We may be called to testify about why we continue to believe.  As Jesus says there is no need for preparation.  We could simply state what know from instruction that resides at the bottom of our hearts.

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Revelation 14:14-19; Luke 21:5-11)

Today’s reading from Revelation pictures a double judgment.  Good men and women are seen as wheat which the son of man – with whom Jesus identifies – harvests with his sickle.  Evidently, they will be stored in a barn for safe-keeping.  The evil are portrayed as grapevines which an angel cuts down and throws into a wine press.  There they will be trod down and discarded.

The passage indicates the biblical point of view regarding God’s justice.  He rewards good deeds and abhors evil ones so much that their practitioners are condemned.  Scripture may not have the last word in explaining the ways of God, but it does point out their direction.

Contemporary theology sometimes argues that all people in the end will be saved.  The Church has indicated that we may pray for this end but should not proclaim it.  There is just too much biblical evidence against such a perspective.

Monday, November 25, 2024

Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Revelation 14:1-3.4b-5; Luke 21:1-4)

Some people take today’s first reading literally.  They equate the one hundred, forty-four thousand mentioned with the exclusive number of the saved in all history.  But surely this number is symbolic.  Not only is it both large and small at the same time – large because it is too many to count and small because it is a very tiny fraction of all the souls Jesus came to save.  But also it is a combination of a number denoting fullness (twelve) times itself and multiplied by a thousand. It signifies the salvation of a huge number of souls.

In that number the widow of today’s gospel must be included.  After all, she like Christ has given all she has for the glory of God.

We are not to worry about being included among the elect when we give ourselves for God’s glory.  As Jesus notices the widow depositing her two bits into the treasury, he will notice our faith in him.

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

(Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33-37)

The Gospel today comes from one of the most dramatic scenes in all four Gospels. Jesus, the liberator of Nazareth, faces Pontius Pilate, the shrewd Roman governor. There are several confrontations in this Gospel according to Saint John. As in the cases of Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, and the man born blind, it is not just a battle of wits between two characters. The encounter also involves us.

Today’s passage begins with Pilate questioning Jesus. He has just spoken with the Jews in the darkness of the early morning outside the praetorium. They want Pilate to have Jesus executed. Now he goes back inside, where the Light of the World awaits him for judgment. But who is judging whom? In a real sense, Pilate—not Jesus—is being tried. Like Pilate, we should consult Jesus in our trials.

As he told his disciples at the Last Supper, Jesus is our friend with the wisdom to help us act rightly. In the Gospel, Pilate asks Jesus if he is “the king of the Jews.” He wants to know if Jesus has the power to disrupt the peace of Palestine, as the Jews claim. Or is it that the Jews have a grievance with Jesus and want him removed?

Jesus engages Pilate in conversation. He returns the question: “Do you ask this on your own, or have others told you about me?” He wants Pilate to truly know who he is speaking to. Jesus has left us the Gospels so that we may come to know Him and His offer to us.

The Gospels have told us that Jesus is the Son of God, who has come to give us eternal life. The question is whether we believe this and accept his offer.  Pilate seems to be interested in Jesus. He asks what He has done to raise the ire of the Jews.

Jesus clarifies the issue of His claim to be king. He indicates that it is true He is a king, but of a different kind than the ones of the world. He has no armies or luxuries, but something far more valuable: the truth about life. Thus, Jesus presents to us the fundamental choice of life. Do we want to seek the power, prestige, wealth, and pleasure that the kings of this world have? Or do we want the love and peace that characterize God, the King?

I hope that we, gathered here for Mass, would want to follow King God! But we know that the road is full of obstacles, especially as we feel the euphoria of having a little power or pleasure. In the Gospel, Jesus has made Pilate admit that He is King. Now Pilate must decide. Will he honor God, the King, by making a true verdict and releasing Jesus, His Son? Or will he continue to seek power and prestige, the raiment of earthly kings, as his life’s goals?

Jesus confirms that He has come to bear witness to the truth of eternal life: love and peace. He says that, if a person is of the truth, they will recognize His voice and follow Him. At the end of the year, we must confirm our choice for Jesus. Once again, we have heard His story, this year mainly through the Gospels of Saint Mark and Saint John. Can we say without reservation that Jesus is the supreme King, whom we seek with all our being? Or do we continue to live with fortune and pleasure as our goals? May we not be late or reluctant in deciding for Jesus!

Friday, November 22, 2024

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, virgin and martyr

(Revelation 10:8-11; Luke 19: 45-48)

In today’s first reading the seer John is told to eat the scroll that tells of the future.  When he does, it sweetens his tongue but sours his stomach.  What could the scroll say other than prophesy about a war that is about to take place?

Wars begin with the call to glory.  Young men are puffed up with ambition.  They enjoy for a while the fanfare which people bountifully bestow.  Soon enough, however, the reality of soldiering will erase the glamor of war from their minds.  The arduous waiting, the fear of dying, the reality of being hurt and seeing companions die, all create a very bitter experience.

We should not look for war.  At times it may be necessary to defend goodness.  Still going into battle is not to be celebrated.  Rather it should occasion penance and prayer.  Penance prepares the soldier for death, and prayer commends him or her to God’s mercy.

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Revelation 5:1-11; Luke 19:41-44)

The word revelation comes from the Latin word revelatio which translates the Greek word apocalypse.  Revelation is a lifting of the screen (in Latin, vela) of the future so that what will happen becomes known now. In the drama of today’s passage from the Book of Revelation the scroll in God’s hand contains the story of the future.  Only Jesus, the lamb that was slain for the forgiveness, is worthy of receiving the key to the future.

The revelation of the scroll will be given in the following sections of the book.  It will tell how evil is to be vanquished and how in the end the earth will be renewed with heaven compenetrating it. The passage itself ends with the heavenly assembly now worshipping the Lamb just as it had just worshipped God sitting on the throne.

Ther Book of Revelation is obviously obscure.  It should not be read, however, as a treasure hunt to find details about the end of time.  Rather we should think of it as a testimony of hope giving reason to keep faith in the Lord Jesus.

 

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Wednesday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(Revelation 4:1-11; Luke 19:11-28)

Today’s first reading from the Book of Revelation describes the heavenly liturgy.  Above all sits God Almighty whose indescribable presence is represented by flashes of colored light.  The meaning of the twenty-four thrones and twenty-fours elders remains obscure.  They may be considered saints from churches the world over praising God. The four creatures, who in later Christian tradition represent the four evangelists, are better said to signify the best of creation: the lion is the noblest beast; the calf, the strongest; the man, the most intelligent; and the eagle, the swiftest.

Christian liturgy participates in its celestial correlative.  Hence, the words of the “Sanctus” at mass are heard: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of almighty … “ In imitation of the Gloria at Mass, the elders worship: “Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power”.

We likely ask ourselves whether this is all there is to eternal life and whether we want to be part of it.  Before answering “no,” we should consider that heaven lies outside of time.  It is eternal.  Beyond worship, which is wonderful, there is the rejoicing with good friends and the wonder of meeting the Lord Jesus, face-to-face.

Tuesday, Noverber 19, 2024

 

Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(Revelation 3:1-6.14-22; Luke 19:1-10)

Today’s first reading is part of the seven prophetic messages Christ has for his followers in the Book of Revelation.  The harsh language is not meant to condemn but to correct and convert Christians whose faith has begun to lag.  The seven churches addressed in the messages lie in the region surrounding Ephesus.  They represent the universal Church - seven being the symbol of fullness.

The church at Sardis is given a mixed grade.  Although a few people there have continued to live as Christians doing good works and worshipping the Lord, others have faltered.  The church at Laodicea is said to be “lukewarm” which means not good at all. The reference is a metaphor comparing the quality of water in Laodicea to those of neighboring cities.  It is neither hot like the medicinal hot springs of Hierapolis nor cold like the pure water of Colossae.

Today we don’t accept threatening messages well.  Some like to think that God, being all-loving, would not condemn anyone.  Others, comparing themselves downwards with thieves and murderers, don’t see themselves as doing badly.  We forget that Christ came to make us saints which requires our relentless cooperation. 

Monday, November 18, 2024

Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(Revelation 1:1-4.2:1-5; Luke 18:35-43)

Crowds are notoriously fickle and like-minded.  One moment they can strongly support a person or team.  The next, because of a mistake or misfortune, they may turn against the same.  Theorists have proposed that in crowds individuals lose their sense of responsibility.  They allow the prevailing mood of the group to control their thinking.  This is especially apparent in Luke’s gospel.

In today’s passage the crowd rebukes the blind beggar for asking help of Jesus.  They are insensitive if not mean to the poor man.  When Jesus is being tried by Pilate, the crowds act with similar hostility.  Three times they call for his crucifixion, more than in any other gospel.  But in both cases the crowds change their dispositions.  In today’s passage they “gave praise to God” after Jesus deals with the blind beggar.  After the crucifixion, the crowds return from Calvary “beating their breasts.”  In both cases the changes are occasioned by experiencing Jesus as the compassion of God.  He gives sight to the blind man.  On the cross he not only prays for his persecutors but promises a repentant thief a place in Paradise.

We too have experienced Jesus as the compassion of God.  He forgives our callowness, lustfulness, and viciousness in the sacrament of reconciliation.  He gives himself as food in the Eucharist so that we might conduct lives worthy of an eternal destiny.  He has told each of us of his love for us in prayer.  We can only give praise to God for our encounter with Jesus.

 

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 18:11-14,18; Mark 13:24-32)

At the end of the liturgical year, the readings of the Masses focus on prophecies about the end times. This type of writing is called “apocalyptic,” a term derived from the Greek word for “revelation.” Apocalyptic prophecies reveal secrets about the future.

These texts often arise during times of persecution when people feel afraid and wonder if God truly cares about their fate. They give hope to the fearful, encouraging them to resist evil and remain faithful.

Today's first reading was written in the 2nd century B.C. from the perspective of Daniel, a prophet of the Babylonian exile. At that time, the Greek tyrant Antiochus IV Epiphanes was terrorizing the Jewish people, trying to force them into paganism by acts as heinous as placing pagan idols in the Temple. The reading mentions the Archangel Michael, whom people today often pray to for defense against evil. It also contains the Bible's first reference to eternal life, speaking of the resurrection of the just, fostering hope in life after death.

All four Gospels were written during a period of persecution. Between 65 and 100 A.D., early Christians were threatened by both Romans and Jews. The Romans persecuted them for refusing to worship pagan gods, and the Jews expelled them from synagogues for proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Today, thankfully, we do not face such persecution, though in some places we may feel uneasy mentioning religion. And if we declare that God will punish certain actions, such as sex outside marriage, we may be dismissed quickly.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus has an idea of the coming persecutions from the hostility he himself has experienced. He tells his disciples to prepare to be persecuted as he is harassed by the Pharisees and will be executed by the Romans. Jesus indicates that these persecutions will not be only bad news; they will also signify that the deliverance of his followers is near. He will come in the midst of persecution to rescue them and give them the fullness of life. This is the end of time that we still await for.

What’s happening, then? Almost two thousand years have passed, and Jesus has not returned. This is a troubling question. There are two answers. First, as St. Paul writes that Christ is present in his life when he is weak (II Corinthians 12:9-10) we find him with as we pray in need. Second, we believe that at the hour of death, Christ will present himself to us, delivering us from annihilation if we have been faithful.

The disciples naturally want to know exactly ill these final events would take place. Jesus is speaking to them of “the great tribulation” and signs in the heavens but does not provide dates. They press him to reveal when, so they could prepare well for the great day.

However, Jesus admits that neither he nor anyone else, except the Father, knows the day. According to Jesus, if the disciples want to be prepared, they must remain free from sin and active in good works. Jesus does not want his followers to be fixated on the timing of his return, but rather to focus on serving the needy. Like ball boys in major tennis tournaments focus on each errant ball, he wants us to look for opportunities to help others.

The disciples stop questioning Jesus. It’s enough for them that he has said, “My words will not pass away.” We, too, want to accept his word as the foundation of our lives. It is not easy to be a faithful Catholic today. It’s not just “going with the flow” as it was a generation or two ago. But we continue to believe, first because of the disciples' own testimony and then because Jesus’ words have touched our hearts They have filled us with hope and love.

 

Friday, November 15, 2024

(optional) Memorial of Saint Albert the Great, bishop and Doctor of the Church

(II John 4-9; Luke 17:26-37)

The author of today’s first reading from II John astutely notes the centrality of the Incarnation in Catholic belief.  He condemns the teaching that Jesus Christ was not born human.  The fact that the Son of God shared a human nature makes everything we do on earth critical to our salvation in Christ.

St. Albert the Great could hardly but confirm the humanity of the Son of God.  He was one of the greatest theologians of his time and every bit orthodox.  His philosophical model is Aristotle, a pagan thinker who nevertheless has been reconciled with Christian faith without much difficulty.  Albert’s intellectual offspring, St. Thomas Aquinas, remains one of history’s preeminent Christian theologians.

We must cherish belief in the Incarnation.  It upholds the importance of our bodies, principally our works of charity, to our salvation.  By taking on human form, Christ both exemplifies and magnifies what our humanity means.

 Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

 (Philemon 7-20; Luke 17:20-25)

It is often pointed out that the term “Kingdom of God” is better rendered “Reign of God.”  The reason given is that “Reign” indicates a dynamism more than a territory.  Something similar may be said about “heaven,” another term given for the Kingdom of God .  Although people may point to the sky when they say, “heaven”; the word better represents a condition of loving peace than a physical locale.  In today’s gospel, Jesus stretches the idea of Kingdom of God even more.

Jesus tells the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God is neither a place nor a thing.  He adds that it is “among” them.  He is referring to a relationship with himself.  The Kingdom of God is friendship with Jesus.  He provides all the security and support, the joy and the affection that makes life worth living.  Since he will rise from the dead, the Kingdom of God will likewise never know a sunset.

Jesus extends his hand to form a relationship with us daily.  He is present to us physically in the Eucharist where we actually take him into ourselves.  The experience does not diminish him, but it does expand us.  Having his love and support, we can become as gracious as he allowing us to bring the Kingdom to others.

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, virgin

(Titus 3:1-7; Luke 17:11-19)

Earlier this year a very fine motion picture featuring St. Frances Xavier Cabrini premiered. It showed Mother Cabrini’s determination and industriousness as an immigrant missionary in New York.  With a few other sisters of the congregation she founded, Mother Cabrini confronted both the mayor of New York and its archbishop to bring material and spiritual relief to the Italian population.

Today’s reading from the Letter to Titus tells of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the baptized.  The Spirit enables Christians not only to overcome personal sin but also to address the social sins hampering human development.  Obviously, Mother Cabrini received a double portion of the Spirit as she founded hospitals and orphanages throughout North and South America. 

The grace of the Holy Spirit works with our minds and wills to achieve positive results.  It makes our hard work joyful as we feel the buoyance of God’s love.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

(Titus 2:1-8.11-14; Luke 17:7-10)

Today’s readings sound severe.  They contain very little Gospel promise and much evangelical demand.  Neither the author of the Letter to Titus nor Jesus in the gospel reading will allow disciples to shirk their responsibilities.  The Letter to Titus insists that Christians be temperate, chaste, and faithful.  Jesus no less commands his apostles to concentrate on service, not on rewards.

Today’s patron saint, Josaphat, provides an excellent example of unwavering service to the Lord.  He was a monk in the Ruthenian Catholic Church when he was made archbishop of Polotsk in today’s Belarus.  There he was caught in the middle of two power struggles: one between Catholics and Orthodox and another between different Catholic groups.  Yet he administered his archdiocese, cared for the poor, and won many converts to Catholicism. 

Of course, we cannot forget that the gospel is first and foremost the good news of our salvation via faith in Jesus Christ.  There’s only a glimmer of this message in today’s Mass readings, but the Mass prayers resound with it.  Jesus urges us to shine like the stars in doing what is right.  He also provides the grace that we might do so.

Monday, November 11, 2024

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, bishop

(Titus 1:1-9; Luke 17:1-6)

If the sudden use of “bishop” in today’s first reading after the author writes of “presbyters” strikes you as odd, your intuition is right.  The two terms, whose meanings are manifestly distinguishable to us, are interchangeable in this letter.  The author, presumably St. Paul although contemporary scholars differ on this, names the qualities of a Church leader.  These are innocence, humility, equanimity, sobriety, calmness, etcetera. St. Martin, bishop of Tours, seems to fit the bill like a DNA matchup.

Martin was born in what is now Hungary.  He entered the army but withdrew as he saw it conflicting with the Christian faith he was assuming.  He was eventually baptized and became a monk, living alone at first but eventually joined by others.  When he was named the bishop of Tours by acclamation, he continued living as a monk and founding monasteries.   Martin was beloved by his people, who dreaded the thought of his dying.  Touched by their solicitation, Martin prayed, “Lord, if your people still need me, I do not refuse the work; let your will be done.”

As much as ever, the Church needs leaders like St. Martin of Tours.  Faith is being challenged by the learned.  Moral temptations from hedonists abound.  Individualism impels people away from reconciliatory communities.  Strong leadership would encourage us to live more for God and one another than for ourselves.

SUNDAY, November 10, 2024

 

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(I Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44)

Today’s readings strike a chord in our hearts. We always feel for widows. The first and third readings today present us with widows who call us not only to sympathy, but also to admiration and imitation.

Although the widow of Zarephath is not an Israelite, she recognizes Elijah as God’s prophet. For this reason she also accepts his request for bread as a divine command that cannot be ignored. She prepares it for him and in return is blessed. Elijah’s prophecy that her jar will never run out of flour and her vessel will never run out of oil will be fulfilled.

In the gospel we meet Jesus in the Temple area. He has just definitively separated himself from the Jewish leadership although not from Jews. The Pharisees and Sadducees have shown themselves to be arrogant and opportunistic willing to exploit even widows. At least in the eyes of the evangelist Mark, they are not worthy of leading the people to God.

A widow catches Jesus' attention. Her donation to the Temple, even if it is the smallest one among the people present, shows true faith. The contributions of the rich may be praiseworthy if their motives are just.  In any case, the two coins deposited by the widow in the treasury deserve more praise. She could have saved one for her own living needs, but she prefers to give everything she has for the glory of God.

One may ask: is her donation prudent? We can answer “yes” because prudence dictates what is most correct and beneficial in a given situation. It is presumed that the widow has a motive for making such a costly gift. It may be to ask God's forgiveness for her dead husband. It is also presumed that she has other means to survive. Perhaps she will ask help from neighbors or continue working despite being infirm.

Jesus takes advantage of the widow's offering to once again teach his disciples. As is his custom he takes them aside.  Then he tells them of the great sacrifice she is making. This sacrifice serves as a prototype for his own since he will soon give up his life as a redemptive sacrifice for the people. The widow’s donation also serves as a lesson in discipleship. Because his disciples must bear their own crosses in following Jesus, self-giving is also prototypical of discipleship.

We should ask ourselves if it is necessary for us to give everything for the glory of God. The correct answer is, again, “yes,” but always with discernment. When we provide for our families as well as for the poor, we are glorifying God. Even when we use some resources for personal edification, it can glorify God. However, when we use them for sinful or selfish motives, we cannot claim that they serve either God or others.

It is almost always the poor who point us to the way of Jesus Christ. Not all, but some appreciate more than most of us that it is Christ who humbled himself to share our mortal state and raise us to salvation. They recognize that in the end it is he, not us and much less the powerful, that we must always strive to please. Sometimes it is the poor who teach us how to live truly well.

Friday, November 8, 2024

 Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

 (Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 16:1-8)

On a tour of the restored Pompeii the guide stopped in front of a house to point out an adornment.  It was a statue of a man whose phallus sticks out when the gate to the yard of the yard opened.  Most of the tourists were fascinated by this banality showing that St. Paul’s warning in today’s first reading as valid as ever.

Paul urges his readers not to copy the ways of the pagan majority.  He sees obsession with fine dining and ubiquitous references to sex in Greek society as anti-Christian.  Jesus’ followers, he would say, do not belong to such a realm.  According to Paul, their homeland is the kingdom of God which is still to come fully into the world.  For now, he would recommend, they need only to comply with the laws of the land like mindful migrants and ignore its mores.  They should take directives for living from the gospel.

Many today believe that the world is slipping back to the paganism that pervaded early roman times.  Homosexual relations and sex out of marriage are promoted as healthy.  Abortion is claimed to be a human right.  Buffets can turn meals into orgies.  We should take care not to be seduced by these kinds of behavior.  Rather, we should live Christian morals and show others how those morals lead to true happiness.

Thursday, November 7, 2024

 Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Philippians 3:3-8; Luke 15:1-10)

In today’s first reading St. Paul oddly writes, “We are the circumcision”.  He means that those who put their faith in Christ have achieved the blessing promised to Abraham’s descendants whom God ordered circumcised. 

Circumcision was a distinguishing mark on Jews that reminded them of their need to be sexually moderate.  It also served as a promise of blessing with God’s protection.  Paul now tells the Philippians that they have received a far greater promise in God’s Son.  Christ will give them victory over death as the final and all-encompassing blessing.

The passage assures us of the same blessing that we have received in Jesus Christ.  We might draw pleasure and even some happiness from worldly goods and relationships.  But our true and final happiness comes through knowing, like Paul, “Jesus Christ (our) Lord.”

 

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Philippians 2:12-18; Luke 14:25-33)

The hard words of today’s gospel must be understood in the context of first century Palestine.  Speaking in Aramaic, which is said not to have “more” or “less” comparisons, Jesus says that his fellow travelers must hate their relatives if they are going to follow him.  He is encouraging them to think deeply before committing themselves to him because their option may well be spurned by their families.

A famous Protestant theologian, Dietrich Bonhöffer, named the making of sacrifices to remain with Jesus “the cost of discipleship.”  Following the Lord may cost one’s physical life, but no believer should doubt its worth.  Keeping company with Jesus means having eternal life.

Jesus does not want us to hate anyone, least of all our family.  In fact, the more we follow Jesus, the better we will love our immediate family as well as the human family.  

 

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

 Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 14:15-24)

Many scholars are confounded by today’s first reading.  They think that belief in Jesus Christ as God did not take place until the second or third century.  Before this time, they say, Jesus was considered God’s representative, his prophet or anointed one, but not God himself.  Yet the reading clearly says that Jesus existed in the form of God before he became human.  Then he took a step downward, so to speak, to redeem humans from our sins. 

St. Paul probably wrote the Letter to the Philippians in the mid-fifties of the first century.  The passage today may come from a Christian hymn of perhaps a decade or two before the composition of the letter.  Belief in Christ’s eternal divinity, it can be said with confidence, goes back almost to the days of Jesus himself.

We need not worry that Christianity has no solid basis.  But the fact that it has does not result in automatic belief.  Many detractors hurl criticism of our faith.  And we might have our own reservations about giving ourselves completely to the Lord.  It is helpful to make an act of faith everyday and to explicitly put trust in the Lord.  We will find that He blesses us when we do so.

 

Monday, November 4, 2024

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop

(Philippians 2:1-4; Luke 14:12-14)

St. Charles Borromeo put some teeth in the conciliar decrees of Trent. He exemplified the reform proposals by adopting a simple lifestyle and carrying out visitations and councils in his archdiocese, that of Milan.  He also promoted clerical education by founding seminaries.

As St. Paul exhorts the Philippians in today’s first reading, Charles showed humility. He not only legislated relief to victims of natural disaster but also rolled up his sleeves to help.  These actions were particularly noticed during the famine of 1570 and the plague of 1576.

Coming from a wealthy family, Charles Borromeo had considerable resources at his disposition.  He used many of them to provide physical care for others.  Whether we have many or few resources, we can follow his examples of hands-on charity.

 

Sunday, November 3, 2024

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, November 3, 2024

(Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34)

Today’s scriptures are brief, but deeply significant. We will focus on the first and the gospel and leave the second reading for another occasion.

The passage from the book of Deuteronomy literally calls for our attention. “Hear, O Israel,” Moses cries out to the Israelite people. He announces the famous “Shema,” the saying that every pious Jew repeats twice a day. Moses shouts it because it contains perhaps the most important message in history. He addresses us, Catholic Christians in the year 2024, as much as he did the Hebrews freed from the tyranny of Pharaoh more than three thousand years ago. He wants us to tune out for a moment our inner voice to heed the word of God.

The message has two parts.  First, Moses continues, the Lord is the only god there is. All idols and fetishes – whether myths like “Mother Earth” or the cravings of our hearts like luxuries – are imaginary. They have no substance, much less the power to save. They are like clouds during a drought, bringing hope whenever they appear, but soon dissipating.

Second, Moses urges us to love the Lord, our God, not a little like we love our pets, but more than our own lives. “…with all your heart … soul, (and) … strength” says the prophet. We are to live for the purpose of pleasing God. Because today, November 3, is the Feast of St. Martin de Porres, let’s use him as an example. Martin spent his nights doing penance and praying to the Lord. He spent his days doing works of charity for God’s children.

Now let’s look at the gospel. Jesus is now in Jerusalem.  He has just bested the Pharisees about paying tribute to Caesar and the Sadducees about the resurrection from the dead. Evidently his ideas have impressed one scribe so much that the scribe wants his judgment on a pressing question of his day: “Which is the first of all the commandments?” The answer is not as obvious as it appears. The famous Rabbi Hillel said shortly before Jesus’ time that the first commandment is: “What you hate for yourself, do not do to your neighbor.” Today some, considering its placement in the Bible, would say that the first commandment is: “Be fruitful and multiply.”

Jesus’ answer to the question shows greater wisdom. He gives two commandments known to every Jew in his time. They are similar in structure, but different in their objectives and their importance with the second being derived from the first. First, we are to love God above all else. Second, we are to love our neighbor, who is God’s child, as ourselves. If we keep both commandments in their proper order, we will never stray from the path to eternal life.

The scribe is pleased with Jesus’ response. He acknowledges that acting in this way “is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” However, he does not say that sacrifices lose all value. In fact, they have great value for the one who performs them and for the beneficiary named by the doer. We need to remember this when we are told that ethics are all that matters, that prayers and sacrifices, even the Mass, can be set aside. But if we set them aside, how will we be forgiven when we fail to show love to others? And what will we do when we find ourselves completely overwhelmed with difficulties?

The passage ends with Jesus congratulating the scribe on his insight. He tells him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” He is not far because he is staring in the face of the Kingdom. If he follows Jesus like Bartimaeus in last Sunday’s gospel, he will reach the eternal Kingdom. It is the same with us. If we follow Jesus by putting God before everything and treating others as we want to be treated, the Kingdom is ours forever.