Friday, March 1, 2019

Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Sirach 6:5-17; Mark 10:1-12)

Much like Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, the Book of Sirach today notes different types of friendships.  The philosopher writes of friendships of utility and of pleasure.  In the first category are acquaintances for business purposes and in the second, pals to drink beer with.  Sirach might call both these kinds of friendship “fair-weathered.”  They will not likely last a lifetime, especially if the people move apart.  A third kind of friend both authors see as “another self.”  These are good people who can be trusted with the secrets of one’s heart.  They will respond honestly and wisely.  Sirach calls such a friend a treasure beyond any price.

In today’s gospel Jesus may be seen as enabling husband and wife to have this third kind of friendship.  He recognizes that divorce is the easy way out of a relationship that was meant to last until death.  Although he cites the first creation story to support the prohibition of divorce, he might have used the second as well.  By that account the woman was created from the man’s rib so that she might be his lifelong companion.  In everyday life such a relationship must overcome considerable differences of background and emotional response.  The task requires both time and effort which do not admit divorce.

We should count on God as our most esteemed friend.  He will listen to our heart-felt needs and respond in His myriad ways.  He will help married couples overcome the obstacles to loving relationships.  And He will assist all transcend any resistant fair-weathered-ness to become wise and enduring friends of others.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot

(I Samuel 17:32-33.37.40-51; Mark 3:1-6)

Aristotle taught that a soldier best exemplifies the virtue of courage.  He saw the warrior’s overcoming the fear of death to fight for the homeland as the essence of bravery.  In today’s readings his ideal would be realized in David who takes up the challenge of Goliath to defend the honor of Israel.  Thomas Aquinas gave the model of courage a different flavor.  Since he understood union with God as the ultimate goal in life, martyrdom became the highest way to practice courage.  In today’s gospel Jesus demonstrates such courage as he heals the invalid on the Sabbath despite the vicious contempt the cure will draw from the Pharisees.

Anthony of the Desert, today’s patron saint, exemplifies another kind of courage.  He gave up everything he had to live most of his life in solitude.  This meant overcoming the fear not of death but of living an unfulfilled life.  He forsook the commonly satisfying experiences of family, comforts, and human accompaniment to deepen his spiritual relationship with the Lord.  In doing so, Anthony provided Christianity a model of holiness.

To be true Christians we also need to pursue a close relationship with the Lord.  He is very near to us -- in our hearts where we can share with him our most intimate thoughts and desires.  He will assist us to bravely face the trials which inevitably come to those who are true to him.  Best of all, he will lead us to fulfillment of our deepest desire – the happiness of eternal bliss.

Homilette for Thursday, June 5, 2008

Memorial of St. Boniface, bishop and martyr

(Mark 12:28-34)

In a classic philosophical debate Socrates holds that knowledge of what is right results in a desire to do it. Aristotle disagrees claiming that weakness of the will can interfere with doing what one knows to be good. Anyone who has ever been given the choice between chocolate fudge and an apple for dessert should agree with Aristotle. What would Jesus say?

In the gospel today Jesus makes a telling comment to the scribe who congratulates him on his choice of the greatest commandment. He says, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” One may interpret this statement as meaning that the scribe is not in the Kingdom because he does not profess faith in Jesus. Perhaps, but it is more likely that Jesus too recognizes the difference between knowing something as right and actually doing it. The scribe is not yet in the Kingdom because he only acknowledges the need to love God and neighbor. He still must humble himself to love.

Knowledge moves us along considerably on the road to the “good life.” It pinpoints what we should do, provides viable options, and assesses the risks of each alternative. But actually doing what is right – true morality – also requires will-power – the virtues of temperance, fortitude, and prudence. For example, young adults know they should practice abstinence from sexual intercourse to live rightly. But sitting with their partners on Saturday night, they need will-power to prevent being swamped by desire.

Homilette for january 2, 2008

Wednesday, Memorial of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory
Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church

(John 1: 19-28)

Today the Church recognizes two holy theologians, Basil (called “the Great”) and Gregory Nazianzen. It honors them together not just because they were contemporaries but also because they were close friends. It seems as if the Church wants us to begin the New Year with a reflection on friendship.

Gregory Nazianzen once preached about his friendship with Basil. He said that both came to Athens as students where they competed with one another to learn as much as possible. But, he went on, their rivalry never resulted in envy over each other’s achievements; rather, out of love, each gladly yielded highest honors to the other.

Aristotle sees various levels of friendship. We like some people because they are useful for business purposes. We enjoy others for their good humor or interesting viewpoints. But we reserve our deepest love for virtuous people in whom we see reflections of ourselves. They possess the goodness that we wish to attain. More than that, they help us achieve virtue by their honest and caring conversation.

At the end of the Gospel According to John, Jesus tells his disciples that they are his friends. He loves them deeply and wants them to share in the unity which he enjoys with God. One worthwhile resolution for the New Year is to strive to better friends to our acquaintances and to seek a closer friendship with Jesus.

Homilette for Thursday, June 7, 2007

Thursday, IX Week

(Mark 12)

In a classic philosophical debate Socrates holds that knowledge of what is right results in a desire to do it. Aristotle disagrees claiming that weakness of the will can interfere with doing what one knows to be good. Anyone who has ever been given the choice between chocolate fudge and an apple for dessert should agree with Aristotle. What would Jesus say?

In the gospel today Jesus makes a telling comment to the scribe who congratulates him on his choice of the greatest commandment. He says, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” One may interpret this statement as meaning that the scribe is not in the Kingdom because he does not profess faith in Jesus. Perhaps, but it is more likely that Jesus too recognizes the difference between knowing something as right and actually doing it. The scribe is not yet in the Kingdom because he only acknowledges the need to love God and neighbor. He still must humble himself to love.

Knowledge gets us started on the “good life.” It pinpoints what we should do, provides viable options, and assesses the risks of each alternative. But actually doing what is right – true morality – also requires will-power – the virtues of temperance, fortitude, and prudence. For example, young adults know the need for pre-marital abstinence from sexual intercourse to live chastely. But sitting alone with their partners on Saturday night, they require the virtues of the will to overcome being swamped by lustful desire.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST HOMILETTE UNTIL THE WEEK OF JUNE 24. I WILL BE AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER FOR THE INTERIM.