Tuesday, May 12, 2026

 

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Robert Duvall, the recently deceased actor, made a movie called “The Apostle.”  He played the title role, a flawed but charismatic preacher.  The movie ends with the preacher on a chain gang leading fellow prisoners in a song praising the Lord.  Much like Paul and Barnabas in today’s reading from Acts, he never stopped evangelizing.

Song lifts up hearts.  It is especially helpful when working with children, the aged and the sick.  These people have limited self-preoccupation so that they aren’t embarrassed raising their voices, even if they sing off key.  Asking them to sing praise to God not only evangelizes; it also heightens their hope.

Nevertheless, singing is usually better when done well.  Even those who are inhibited when quality is lacking may be stirred to join in good singing.  In any case, singing praise to God should be encouraged because it gives God added glory.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Memorial of St. Polycarp, bishop and martyr

(Sirach 4:11-19; Mark 9:38-40)

In Robert Duvall’s movie “The Apostle” an evangelical preacher from Texas observes a Catholic priest in Louisiana blessing a fishing fleet. He does not betray any anger or envy. He merely reaffirms his own mission saying something like: “They do things their way; and I do things my way.” Jesus shows this same kind of tolerance in the gospel passage today.

The Acts of the Apostles records another incident of men trying to exorcize demons in Jesus’ name without authorization from the apostolic community. It may have happened just as frequently then as free-lance preachers tell of Jesus today. Like John in the passage today we want to shut them up or, at least, turn them off. Such actions, however, would not only short-circuit a speaker’s right to free expression, but they may also violate Jesus’ principle of toleration.

It is perfectly legitimate and may even be a duty for priests to warn the faithful of imposters who give the impression of speaking for the Church. But generally when we hear non-Catholic preachers talk of Jesus, we could listen a bit to what they are saying. They probably are not speaking against the Church and quite possibly have insights that may help us better appreciate the Lord.

Homilette for Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 8:18-25; Luke 13:18-21)

In Robert Duvall’s film “The Apostle” a slick evangelist preacher with an eye for other women kills the man who is having an affair with his wife and then flees the law. He experiences true conversion and begins to preach again but in a much humbler mode. The redemption reaches a climax when the preacher courts another woman whom he is tempted to seduce. But now the man no longer fools himself and resists the sin.

Duvall’s apostle perfectly illustrates the spiritual renewal of which St. Paul writes to the Romans. The redeemed person can no longer live by the flesh and yet his/her body groans with desire. Fortunately God’s Spirit, now within the redeemed, triumphs. Paul indicates the dynamics of the Spirit’s victory. It fills the convert with hope for the recreation of all nature, what we see as the reward of heaven.

We experience our nature at odds with the Spirit in different ways. When we desire to make a cruel remark to someone who offends us, we experience a duel between sin and righteousness. When we are inclined to lie to escape a tax or a fine, we undergo the same war within. At such moments it is helpful to recall that our everlasting life is at stake.

Homilette for Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Mark 9:38-40)

In Robert Duvall’s movie “The Apostle” an evangelical preacher from Texas observes a Catholic priest in Louisiana blessing a fishing fleet. He does not betray any anger or envy. He merely reaffirms his own mission by saying something like: “They do things their way; and I do things my way.” Jesus shows this same kind of tolerance in the gospel passage today.

The Acts of the Apostles records several incidents of men preaching and trying to exorcize demons in Jesus’ name without authorization from the apostolic community. It probably happened just as frequently then as today when many free-lance preachers tell of Jesus. Like John in the passage we might like to prohibit them from doing so. Such action, however, would not only be censorship taking away the speaker’s right to free expression but also a violation of Jesus’ principle of toleration.

It is perfectly legitimate and even a duty for priests to warn the faithful of imposters who give the impression of speaking for the Church when they preach. But generally when we hear non-Catholic preachers talk of Jesus on television or the radio, we might listen a bit to what they are saying. They probably are not speaking against the Church and quite possibly have insights that may help us better appreciate the Lord.