Friday, June 22, 2018

Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 11:1-4.9-18.20; Matthew 6:19-23)

Today’s first reading will seem odd to many.  Not only are the characters involved in the story unfamiliar.  It also tells a sordid tale, hardly edifying as part of the word of God.  Many will want to ignore it and move on to the gospel.  However, the Church has chosen this reading for a purpose which begs illumination.

After Ahab’s wife Jezebel had Naboth, the poor farmer, killed and his land expropriated, Ahab repented.  It was said that God was pleased with Ahab’s change of heart and did not punish him.  Rather Ahab’s descendants would suffer the consequences of his offenses.  This saga is played out with Athaliah, Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter.  She married Jehoram, the corrupt king of Judah.  Jehoram died leaving his son Ahaziah king; and Athaliah, the queen mother.  Jehu of Israel killed Ahaziah along with another Jehoram, the king of Israel, and most of Ahab’s other descendants.  In this way Ahab’s dynasty in Israel ended.  Meanwhile Athaliah seized power over Judah.  She had all claimants to its throne killed, including her own descendants.  However, one of Ahaziah’s sons, Joash, was rescued.  The high priest eventually anointed Joash king and had Athaliah slain.

The gruesome story illustrates what Jesus teaches in the gospel.  We have to make treasures of the right things.  If we want power to rule over people without regard to caring for them in God’s name, we will come to ruin.  But if we use the authority given to us for true human welfare, we will prosper in God’s eyes.

  

Homilette for Monday, June 16, 2008

Monday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time

I Kings 21:1-16

“`Frailty, thy name is woman,’” Hamlet says of his mother Queen Gertrude in Shakespeare’s famous play. Not really. There is certainly nothing frail about Queen Jezebel in the first reading. As her husband King Ahab pouts over not being able to obtain a parcel of land, she devises a scheme to steal it away. Her treachery breaches human law with theft and murder. Then it doubly defies God by having false witnesses swear that they heard poor Naboth curse God. Not frailty but sheer audacity characterizes this dame.

Some may see Jezebel as an archetypal Eve committing the original sin and inducing her husband to likewise offend God. She may also remind us of another Shakespearean female, Lady Macbeth. But we must be careful not to attribute evil to women as if they are not frail but singularly malicious. That does not seem to be the Bible’s perspective as both Adam and Eve together share the forbidden fruit. Likewise, Macbeth is capable of outrage acting alone. Nor does it bear out in contemporary experience where, if anything, masculine crime is more heinous and pervasive. What sin always demonstrates, however, is the human need of redemption. Somehow both men and women must be freed from the burden of guilt attached to their crimes.

“...all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus...,” declares St. Paul in the Letter to the Romans. Christ has freed Jews and Greeks, men and women from the guilt which holds them in sin like a car stuck in mud. We celebrate this redemption now in this Eucharist. Right here he frees us from our wanton desires to possess and to dominate like Ahab and Jezebel.