Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

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

In the original Greek of today’s gospel passage, as well as the translation used for Mass, Jesus’ name is never mentioned.  Yet he causes King Herod to wonder.  Jewish leaders in Jerusalem have likewise taken notice of Jesus.  “What is he really like?” all seem to ask.

People ask similar questions today as well.  Who is the one whose birth divides history?  What is it about him that has sent millions of followers to teach and heal in his name?   And how could he be at the root of human rights and his name universally associated with blissful peace?

We may feel uplifted by these questions.  But we might be disturbed by them as well. Called “Christian” after his title “Christ,” we must live up to all that the word implies to have integrity.  That is, we must practice his self-sacrificing love with everyone we meet. 

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, priest

 (Proverbs 30:5-9; Luke 9:1-6)

Today’s readings provide an explanation of the first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” Proverbs asserts that rich people, trusting in their wealth, are likely to deny God as the source of their well-being.  The gospel illustrates Jesus’ awareness of God’s graciousness as he sends his apostles on mission.  He tells them to take with them no more than the clothes on their backs. His directive implies that God will provide for all their needs.

 To be poor is one thing and to live in misery is another.  The poor have bread to eat but little more.  The miserable live in dire need. They lack what is essential to live, be it food, peace of mind, or whatever.  They may steal, as the proverb indicates, or commit another kind of atrocity which only multiplies their troubles.

 Most of us have a good deal more than enough.  Yet many forget to thank God for what they have as they grasp for more.  If we do that, we become pitiable like the scrounging miserable. We will roam with unsettled hearts worrying without cause.

 

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

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

During World War II a man spotted a GI lying on the sidewalk outside a bar after midnight.  Approaching the soldier, he asked if he needed help.  But the drunken soldier could not reply.   The man took the wallet from the soldier’s pocket, noted his address on the identification, removed ten dollars, and called for a taxi.  Then he placed a note in the wallet saying that the money was used for transportation, put the wallet back in the soldier’s pocket, and sent him home. 

The man went out of his way to help another in dire need.  As a matter of fact, the man did not believe in God and would have objected if it were said that he “acted like a Christian.”  He only did what he thought was “right and just” as today’s reading from the Book of Proverbs says.   

Christians have no monopoly on righteous deeds.  Yet we see such acts as that of the man who rescued the soldier as “Christian.” They exemplify what Jesus says in today’s gospel: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Monday, September 21, 2026

 

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

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

Caravaggio’s “The Calling of Saint Matthew” is one of the most celebrated paintings in Rome.  It hangs in the Church of Saint Louis of France.  The painting shows Jesus pointing to Matthew at his post in the custom’s house in Capernaum.  While Jesus is dressed in the clothes of the first century, Matthew sports attire of a sixteenth century gentleman.  Very significantly, Jesus’ hand is postured like God’s hand in Michelangelo’s masterpiece of the creation of man on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  There is no doubt that Caravaggio intended this.

Caravaggio is preaching to his viewers that like Jesus calls Matthew to follow him in the first century, they are being called at the turn of the seventeenth century.  Like Jesus’ disciples and the Pharisees, they must learn the critical lesson of the prophet Hosea and today’s gospel: “’I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’”

And so, Jesus is calling and teaching us today.  It would be contrary to Jesus’ mission to say that God does not want us to offer sacrifice, but perfectly in line with the mission to emphasize mercy as the end or purpose of sacrifice.  If our sacrifices do not make us more like Jesus in his care of the poor and unevangelized, they may be shams, and we deficient in our following of Christ.

Sunday, September 20, 2026

 

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 20, 2026

(Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1:20-24, 27; Matthew 20:1-16)

Have you ever noticed how attentive children are to fairness? If you give one child a larger piece of cake than another, they will shout, “That’s not fair!” However, children often lack the experience and wisdom to discern true justice.  They see only the outcome of an event without considering other factors involved in justice. The child who receives the larger piece could have been last in line when the hamburgers ran out. Today’s Gospel reading tells of workers who also lack a full sense of justice.

The parable of the vineyard owner and the workers follows the story of the rich young man who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. When Jesus tells him to sell his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow him, the rich man leaves him saddened. Then Jesus proclaims that it is impossible for humans to save themselves, that only God can give eternal life. At this point, Peter reminds Jesus that the disciples have left everything to follow him, and Jesus assures them that their reward of eternal life is secure. He adds, “Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” Then he tells them the parable of the workers in the vineyard to explain the meaning of the saying.

The “first” in the parable are those who have worked all day under the blazing sun. They receive the denarius that was promised them in the early morning.  However, they expected more because those who came to work much later received the same denarius. When they complain to the landowner, they are told that they received the agreed-upon amount. They were neither cheated nor deceived.

The issue here is the fairness of the landowner and, because the landowner obviously represents God, the fairness of God. Is God just or not to Jews who have lived under the full weight of Torah their entire lives while Greek Christians, who came to know God’s will seemingly yesterday, have the same glory as their destiny? We have the same unease when we see the rich arriving at Mass in their Lexuses and the poor on the bus. Although God may seem capricious for not rewarding those who have sweated harder more reward, we must recognize that we don't know all the factors involved. We are like children crying, "It's not fair!" However, it may also be that our theology is flawed. Eternal life is not a reward for work but a gift from God to his children. Neither saints nor reformed murderers merit heaven by themselves any more than a baby merits to be born in the United States and not in Haiti. Only by having lived as God’s children, demonstrating the love of the Holy Spirit to all, can we speak of meriting the Kingdom of heaven.

We must not think of God's grace as arbitrary. The Second Vatican Council taught that God has provided everyone, even the unbaptized, with the grace to attain eternal life. As the prophet says in the first reading, the ways of the Lord are not human ways. Some may not have to struggle as much as others; however, no one lacks the means to reach God’s Kingdom.

One more thing. After hearing the complaint of the first workers, the vineyard owner responds to one of them: “'Friend, I am not being unfair to you.'” The Greek word used here for “friend” is not meant to signify a loved one. The Greek does not say “philos” but “hetaire,” which does not carry the affection of “friend.” “Hetaire” is more of a comrade than a friend. This is significant because true friends of God would not complain to see others receive His blessings. On the contrary, friends of God, endowed with the Holy Spirit, would rejoice when they see His other friends favored.

Friday, September 18, 2026

 

Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

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

A famous painting of Mary Magdalene hangs in the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.  It shows a loosely clad woman meditating in front of a looking glass.  She is fingering a skull, which sits in front of a burning candle.  “What’s it all about?” she seems to ask herself as she contemplates life and death, herself, and Christ, the light of the world.

The painting is called “The Repentant Magdalene,” but this is a misnomer.  That title reflects a popular but unfounded belief that Mary Magdalene was a reformed prostitute.  Preachers through the ages have concluded that she is the same as “the sinful woman” who bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears in yesterday’s gospel passage.  But today’s gospel identifies her only as the woman “from whom seven demons had gone out.”  Demon possession in the New Testament is associated with sickness and hysteria, not moral depravity.  Mary Magdalene’s presence at this point in the gospel likely indicates Luke intention of showing how Jesus attracted different kinds of women, as well as of men, to himself.

The mirror in the painting invites us to ask the same question Magdalene seems to ask: “What’s the point of it all?”  Is our destiny just dry bones that will wither in time?  Or is Jesus the fire who enlightens our minds today and will raise our desiccated bones from death tomorrow?  We know the answers to these questions.  Our tasks are to live with the implications of the answers in mind and to share them with the world.

Thursday, September 17, 2026

 

Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 7:36-50)

At the beginning of his letter, Paul wrote that he was responding to questions he had received from the Corinthians.  He reserves addressing the question of the resurrection from the dead for last because it is the most important of all.  Indeed, as John 3:16, proclaimed at Mass just the other day, testifies, human salvation hangs upon belief in it.  Why is the question of resurrection so critical? Two reasons come to mind.

The first reason presents the issue from the human perspective.  Death is the greatest of evils, the most formidable of human enemies.  This is evident in the death of a youth when most of the joys and hopes of life are yet unrealized.  But even for an elderly person, death takes away all that is of greatest meaning – loving relationships, growth in knowledge and wisdom, and hope of union with the Creator.  God’s gift of resurrection from the dead assures the realization of these blessings.

The second reason suggests God’s perspective.  Belief in the resurrection– the permanent and completely unexpected victory of life – implies acceptance of Jesus’ message.  Jesus came to preach God’s gratuitous and inviolate love for humans.  Acceptance of this love requires a similarly radical belief in the outrageous claim of resurrection from the dead.  Paul provides a long list of witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus.  Nevertheless, belief for rational people is still daunting.  It takes an abiding trust as well as a firm conviction of will to reorient our lives in line with God’s love.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

 

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

(I Corinthians 12:31-13:13; Luke 7:31-35)

N.T. Wright is a well-known Anglican Biblical scholar and bishop.  He introduces one of his books on Jesus with a controversial claim.  He says that people don’t want to accept Jesus for how he is described in the gospels.  Rather they accept him for how he confirms their pre-established religious and social convictions.  It’s the same problem that Jesus faces in today’s gospel.  The people don’t want to listen to him because he differs from their expectations of God’s prophet.

What was Jesus like and what did he teach that was so difficult to accept?  The answer to these questions is perhaps best expressed by St. Paul in today’s first reading.  Jesus incarnated God’s perfect love and taught it to anyone who would listen.  Because of the radicalness of that love, he bore the enmity of religious leaders, believed in people who had given up hope for salvation, and endured the greatest human suffering.

Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, the martyrs we celebrate today, were different from most people in this respect.  They understood that Jesus called them and everyone else to a self-sacrificing love and did not waver in practicing it.  They died a premature and violent death to honor Jesus for his sacrifice and his teaching.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

 

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

(I Corinthians 12:12-14.27-31a; John 19:25-27)

In today’s gospel Jesus is doing more than providing for his mother in his absence.  He is making his Church a family of followers.  The Beloved Disciple, faithful to Jesus to the end, represents all Christian believers.  With Mary as their common mother, they are to love one another as brothers and sisters.  That is, they now share more than common ideas and values but an intimacy of blood -- Christ’s blood in their veins.  Helping one another will be as natural for them as an elder sister taking care of younger siblings when parents are off giving birth to another child.

Mary provides the community a sure and substantial influence with Christ, her Son.  She is especially close to the Lord not only because of her natural relationship as mother but, strangely even more so, because of her attention to him as a follower. Like Catherine of Siena’s mother followed her mystic daughter on her benevolent missions, Mary accompanied her ever-gracious son on his salvific journey.

We do not have to pray to Mary.  After all, as the Letter to the Hebrews teaches, Jesus himself is our most efficacious mediator with God, the Father.  But there are times and conditions when we can pray to Mary with more fervor.  Certainly, a mother mourning her dead child will have common cause with the Mother of God.  And so might most of us when we think of how close our mothers once were to us.  As hurting or needing children, we called upon our mothers and unfailingly had their assistance.

Monday, September 14, 2026

 

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

(Numbers 21:4b-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17)

A very successful businessman was defending his care for the oppressed. He said that as a boy, his father taught him to respect all people.  One day he used a racial slur in front of his dad.  The elder became so irate that he had the future man of success wash his mouth with soap.  The man never forgot the lesson and regretted his prejudicial remark for many years to come.

Today’s first reading tells how the Hebrews in the desert began to resent their liberation from slavery.  After their all but impossible deliverance from Pharaoh’s army, they grumbled that the Lord had delivered them.  Like the businessman’s father had his son wash his mouth with soap for the youngster’s insolence, God had the snakes bite the people for their ingratitude.  However, seeing the image of the snake that bit them mounted on a pole, the Hebrews repented of their sin and were healed of the deadly snake venom.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross reminds us to see in Jesus mounted on the cross the result of our sinfulness.  He suffered one of the most excruciating deaths imaginable that we might be forgiven of our failure to live as God commands.  By allowing himself to be crucified, Jesus took upon himself our sins.  We have life – eternal life even – because he suffered such a horrible death.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

 

24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Sirach 27:33-28:9; Romans 14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-35)

Today’s gospel passage addresses one of Jesus’ hallmark themes: forgiveness. It shows that Christ came to reconcile us with God and with one another. Alienation—that is, being at odds with others—is a primitive human condition. We find it in the garden immediately after the man and woman ate the forbidden fruit. Instead of acknowledging his disobedience, the man tries to blame his partner for everything. He tells God, “The woman… gave me the fruit…”

It is always a passion that causes us to offend one another. It may be envy, anger, or another of the “deadly sins” that leads to vicious acts or hurtful words. However, in Adam's case in the garden, it was simply the fear of punishment that moved him to alienate himself from Eve.

Our offenses never simply affect another person or people but always involve God. By sinning, we separate ourselves from God. For we disobey his will that we live in peace with everyone. Like any human head of household, God wants all his people to get along with one another.

To restore peace between brothers and sisters separated by sin, Jesus insists on forgiveness. The word forgiveness has Old English roots: for meaning completely and giefan meaning to give. To forgive, then, is "to give completely" or, better, "to give a complete benefit." In the case of a debt, forgiveness is to completely cancel the debt.

Let us apply this to Jesus' parable in today’s gospel. Jesus is giving instructions on the reconciliation of sinners with God and with the community. Peter asks him if it is necessary for the community to forgive a sinner up to seven times. Jesus replies with an unexpected answer -- not just seven times but seventy times seven. In other words, Jesus wants us to always forgive a sinner, at least if he or she sincerely asks us to.

Then he tells the disciples the parable of the servant who owed the king 10,000 talents. This was an almost unimaginable amount of money at the time. (The talent was the most valuable currency then, and 10,000 was the largest number used.) However, by asking for time to pay the debt, the servant touched the king's heart and received a complete cancellation of the debt.

Understood in the transaction was the condition that the servant show mercy to others, as the king had shown him. However, as soon as he was given the opportunity, the servant refused to forgive a debtor a relatively small amount. In fact, he wanted to imprison the debtor until he was paid back in full. When the king heard of this abomination, he became angry. He ordered that the wicked servant be delivered to the torturer until he "paid back what he owed." That is, for the rest of his life, given how enormous his debt was.

The parable applies to our “brothers and sisters” in the Church when they ask for our forgiveness. We must forgive them “from the heart,” not only monetary debts but all kinds of offenses when they sincerely ask for it.

But what would Jesus say if our offenders do not ask for our forgiveness? And what would he do with offenders with whom we do not share the same faith? Last Sunday’s gospel reading ended with the command that, if the sinner does not repent of his crime, he should be treated like “a pagan or a tax collector.” At first glance, it seems that Jesus is advocating disdain for the sinner or, at least, his isolation. But how did Jesus treat tax collectors and pagans? Didn’t he strive to reconcile them with God? That is how we should act toward our hardened offenders. We should pray that they repent and be ready to forgive them if they do. We should always remember that God has forgiven our sins. Therefore, we want to do everything possible to help those who offend us to be forgiven.

Friday, September 11, 2026

 

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in ordinary Time

(I Timothy 1:1-2.12-14; Luke 6:39-42)

Twenty-five years have passed since the day of infamy.  On September 11, 2001, a score of Muslim terrorists shocked the most powerful nation on earth.  They caused the death of approximately 3000 inhabitants of the United States by crashing four hijacked passenger jets into three fully occupied office buildings.  Of course, the nation responded to the outrage with the result of 300 times as many deaths in several Muslim countries over the years.

In today’s gospel Jesus speaks as a teacher and prophet.  He tells his disciples to remove from their eyes whatever causes them to hate others.  Whether it is fear or prejudice, they must remove it so that they might see everyone as a brother or sister.

How would he judge the clash of civilizations between radical Islam and postmodern western culture?  He would likely condemn the use of violence as wicked. Then he would invite all parties involved to introspection and dialogue.   He would tell Muslims that all human beings must be respected with the full range of rights declared by the United Nations almost eighty years ago.  He would instruct the West to open their eyes to see how lust, selfishness, and greed are eroding families and communities.  Greater, more irredeemable tragedy will come unless all reform their ways to promote love in truth and justice in action.

Thursday, September 10, 2026

 

Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 8:1b-7.11-13; Luke 6:27-38)

St. Paul’s intention in saying that “knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up” is somewhat obscure.  He seems to mean about the same as the famous line of the English poet, Alexander Pope:

“A little learning is a dangerous thing;

Drink deep, or test not the Pierian spring:

There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain” …

 

Having learned only a little, some think that they know a lot.  They should heed Socrates, one of the wisest people who ever lived.  He told listeners that the more he knew, the more he realized that he did not know.

Paul is not giving his readers a theory of knowledge.  Rather, he wants them to value love more than knowledge or anything else.  He will draw out this lesson later in the letter.  Here Paul is warning that those who pride themselves with knowing what others don’t know should take care.  They may do or say something that will cause the downfall of a brother or sister in Christ.  If this happens, they will have to answer to God.

For love of Christ and neighbor, we should avoid words and actions that may cause others to sin.  Sometimes we do so without it being our intention.  We may only want to please ourselves.  But this is unacceptable for members of Christ’s Church.  As parts of his Body, we cannot do or say anything without affecting other parts.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, priest

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

If ever there was a people hungry, thirsty, and maltreated, it was the African slaves transported in cargo ships to serve on plantations across the Americas.  Historians tell of the ships being vastly overcrowded with many dying on route.  To those who take care of victims such as these Jesus directs his sermon in today’s gospel.

Among the few who responded to the Lord’s urgency was St. Peter Claver.  This Spanish Jesuit went aboard slave ships anchored in Cartagena, Colombia, to bring some relief to the many Africans being enslaved.  He not only administered bread and water but also taught the people catechism so that they could join the Church and receive salvation.

Disgracefully people are still being enslaved today.  The sex trade has led to many women and children being taken from their families and forced to commit dehumanizing, sinful acts.  Law enforcement around the world must pursue the perpetrators of these crimes.  We must not participate in the trade it obliquely by viewing pornography.  Of course, prayer for the victims and advocacy against the slave trade are also in order.

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

 

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Micah 5:1-4a; Matthew 1:18-23)

There is a lovely Orthodox Christmas hymn that brings out the meaning of today’s feast.  The hymn begins by asking what would be a suitable gift from humans to the newborn Savior.  It reviews the gifts of other creatures: the angels give a hymn, the heavens, a star; the shepherds, their wonder; and the earth a cave.  Then it pronounces the greatest gift of all.  It is the human gift of a virgin mother.

The hymn exemplifies the synergy between the divine and human.  God has provided His Son while humans have cooperated by providing a mother without whom the saving act of Christ could not have taken place.

Mary is not God.  She does not merit worship. But she may be called the greatest of all humans besides the Savior himself.  She merits our veneration and reflection.  For this reason we celebrate her birth today.

Monday, September 7, 2026

 

Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

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

The sin of incest angers St. Paul in today’s reading (from the First Letter to the Corinthians).  He notes that the sin has already caused foolish boasting probably over its tolerance of an outrageous act.  Realizing that as a virus can kill the body, permissiveness of scandalous sexual depravity may ruin a religious community, Paul calls for immediate action. 

He orders the community to deliver the culprit “to Satan.”  He means that they expel the man from the community and report him to civil authorities.  Although sexual immorality was rampant in Greek society, incest was not.  As the local government would prosecute the man, the community would pray for his soul.

Society in our time has accepted fornication and other types of sexual sin.  It has always been a difficult issue to address. Even regular members of the Church sometimes turn a blind eye toward it.  We should see it for what it is: a submission to passion that can have harmful effects on the community as well as the individuals involved. It deserves stigmatization. It is also important to remember that Christ has redeemed us from this sin and all others.  His grace will strengthen us in temptation and forgive us in repentance.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

 

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, September 6, 2023

(Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20)

Today’s Gospel reading comes from the fourth of the five major discourses forming the body of the Gospel of Matthew. In some ways, this discourse is the most difficult to appreciate, as it contains a vision of the Church that differs from contemporary reality. We see the Church today as a well-structured institution with more than a billion members. In Matthew’s gospel, the Church is considered as a small community of equals.

The reading shows Jesus concerned about the dignity of all members of the Church. It recounts the case of a member who has sinned and describes how the witness to the crime should go to the sinner “alone.” When he finds him, he should admonish him for having done wrong. The witness goes “alone” to the suspect to preserve his dignity. It is possible that the witness may have misjudged the other person’s actions. Also, going “alone” will prevent the suspect’s loved ones from forming negative thoughts about him without knowing all the facts of the case.

Once, a detective went to a suspect’s house to make an arrest. Instead of entering, he asked the suspect to come outside. He later explained his reason for not entering the suspect’s house: he wanted to respect the man’s dignity. He didn’t want the man’s children to think their father was bad or that he had committed a crime before being tried and convicted.

Human dignity has been the foundation of the Church’s Social Doctrine. It is defined as “the intrinsic value of every person, which stems from being created in the image of God.” According to Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical, misunderstandings about human dignity often arise. Some think that a person has dignity only when he can think clearly, live independently, and not suffer greatly. Others believe that dignity is something a person earns through her own efforts. These notions of dignity have a certain validity, but they don't encompass the essential nature of the concept. The elderly woman in the assisted living facility has not lost her dignity, nor has the unborn child in his mother's womb, nor has the criminal in prison.

This weekend we need to reflect on the dignity of workers because in the United States and Canada Labor Day is celebrated tomorrow. Labor Day should never become merely the last holiday of summer. Rather, it should be an opportunity to think a little about what work is and how to enhance the dignity of the worker.

The Church teaches that work, in its origin, is not a punishment but a gift. Through work a person participates with God in creation. Work also gives workers the opportunity to develop their talents so they can become better people. Likewise, it provides sustenance for their families and opportunities to serve in the community. Finally, work allows workers to make the world a more just place. This applies to all just work. Both house cleaners and heart surgeons improve their lives and contribute to the common good when they perform their jobs well.

Pope Leo's encyclical points out the challenges that Artificial Intelligence poses to the dignity of workers. Among other things, it will eliminate many jobs. It will increasingly endanger the miners who extract the minerals to power AI machinery. And it may render human thought obsolete in favor of machine calculations.

How does the Pope guide us in facing these challenges? He reminds us that we all have a responsibility to overcome them by building a civilization of love. He adds that no one can do everything necessary to achieve this civilization, but everyone has something to contribute. He mentions the need to foster dialogue among nations so that the benefits are reciprocal and the harm does not disproportionately affect poor nations. Finally, he urges us to turn to Jesus Christ through prayer and imitation. For Jesus became both a worker and a man who identified with the marginalized and helped everyone. Undoubtedly, his wisdom will guide us beyond calamity with IA and towards a world where love reigns.

Friday, September 4, 2026

 

Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

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

So, you like aged wine.  It is so mellow that you let it linger on your tongue.  In today’s gospel Jesus compares the old way of practicing faith in God to your savory wine.  It is quite rich and satisfying.  But it fails to bring transcendence, at least the transcendence that Jesus is bringing into the world.

The new wine, who is Jesus Christ, makes its drinkers high in the sense that they are raised to a level near that of the Son of God himself.  They can love others as God loves them, not because they are good, but despite their shortcomings.  Those who savor the new wine can find peace where there is antipathy, and hope where there is discouragement.  They know that Christ is their brother and that he makes all the difference.

We take the new wine in the Eucharist.  It is contained in the host that we allow to linger on our palates, and it more tangible in the Blood of Christ, where the priest permits it to be given to all.  The new wine contains the Holy Spirit who acts as a stimulant moving us to thank God and to assist others.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

 

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

(I Corinthians 3:18-23; Luke 5:1-11)

St. Paul orders Church relations in a radical way in today’s first reading.  For him those holding offices in the Church have less importance.  These are the apostles and evangelists who roam the earth preaching Christ.  They are meant to serve the people of God, who in turn serve the Lord Jesus who serves God the Father.  This differs decidedly from the Medieval arrangement which saw nobility on the first tier, followed by the clergy on the second tier, and then commoners.

Pope St. Gregory the Great, a sixth century pope, Church Father, and Doctor of the Church, took with Paul’s revolutionary arrangement to heart.  He called himself “the servant of the servants of God.”  He understood what Christ meant when he told his apostles that they were to serve and not to be served.  Gregory’s charity was so bountiful, his achievements so manifold, and his impact so considerable that he is recognized as one of three popes called “the Great.”

We should strive to see ourselves as Paul sees the Corinthian faithful.  We are the “People of God,” as Vatican II proclaimed.  We exist to give God thanks and praise.  The clergy helps us on this mission.  But we must make the effort to break with the sinful aspects of the world to live as God’s true sons and daughters.

 Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

 (I Corinthians 3:1-9; Luke 4:38-44)

 As before, in today’s gospel Jesus retreats to a deserted place and is tempted.  This time, however, it is not Satan who does the bidding but “the crowds of people.”  They want Jesus to stay in their town to help them.

 Jesus has successfully met the people’s needs.  His speaking with authority has left them astonished.  His casting out maddening demons and curing illnesses has healed them mentally and physically.  Why wouldn’t they want such a prophet to remain among them?  The gospel mentions that the people try to prevent Jesus from leaving but does not mention how. We might imagine their making offers difficult to refuse.  They may tempt him with a life-tenure as rabbi of their synagogue.  Or perhaps they propose the hand of the beautiful daughter of the town’s richest merchant in marriage!

 But Jesus knows that he is no local guru.  He has come to bring about the universal Kingdom of God.  He will inaugurate it with words, deeds, and ultimately with his life.  He is not to be deterred by temptations of beauty or security.  Jesus here offers us an example and an assurance.  Like him we must know what we are about as Christians and not allow ourselves to be lured away from holiness.  Equally important, Jesus assures us that he will not be distracted from his mission of saving us.