The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Micah 5:1-4a; Matthew 1-16.18-23)
Although it is different in the southern hemisphere, in the north we celebrate the birth of Mary when summer’s heat dissipates into comfortable warmth. The weather outside mirrors Mary’s presence to the Church as gentle and consoling. For this reason, we confidently turn to her for assistance in praying to God.
Of course, stories of successful Marian intercession are many and varied. She was beseeched for years to pray for the conversion of the Soviet Union. One of the great blessings of our times, although still not fully realized, has been the peaceful dismantling of atheistic Communism.
It is not necessary to ask Mary’s help. After all, the New Testament proclaims Jesus himself as our primary intercessor. But Mary, as the gospel today indicates, keeps our faith moored to the surety that Jesus is human as well as divine. Going to Mary with human needs is not doing an end-run around Jesus. Quite the contrary, it is acknowledging Jesus as completely concerned with our requirements and aspirations.
Showing posts with label Communism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Communism. Show all posts
Homilette for Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
(Acts 4:32-37; John 3:7a-15)
Testy preachers sometimes refer to the first reading today as Communism in the early Church. Of course, the practice of the first Jerusalem Christians has no resemblance to Marxist socialism. It is more like the ideal of Catholic religious congregations where members are supposed to submit all their possessions to the superior who sees that are redistributed equitably. The rule, however, is often breached. Many religious today have difficulty turning in everything they receive and are also reluctant to trust their fate completely to the discretion of another. Interestingly, aberrations also creep into the Jerusalem community. The very next passage in Acts tells of a couple who keep some of the receipts from the sale of its property rather than giving all to the apostles as is the custom.
Like the early Church, Christ’s resurrection from the dead calls us to a radical change in our lives. We not only help others but try to dedicate ourselves to the Lord in every way. The experience of others not being as needy as they appear and the attraction of goods other than living for Christ may disillusion many. We should count on Easter grace to enable us to both understand the human condition and become tolerant of some human failings. Nevertheless, we do not want the tempering of our idealism to erode the desire to unite ourselves wholly with the risen Lord.
(Acts 4:32-37; John 3:7a-15)
Testy preachers sometimes refer to the first reading today as Communism in the early Church. Of course, the practice of the first Jerusalem Christians has no resemblance to Marxist socialism. It is more like the ideal of Catholic religious congregations where members are supposed to submit all their possessions to the superior who sees that are redistributed equitably. The rule, however, is often breached. Many religious today have difficulty turning in everything they receive and are also reluctant to trust their fate completely to the discretion of another. Interestingly, aberrations also creep into the Jerusalem community. The very next passage in Acts tells of a couple who keep some of the receipts from the sale of its property rather than giving all to the apostles as is the custom.
Like the early Church, Christ’s resurrection from the dead calls us to a radical change in our lives. We not only help others but try to dedicate ourselves to the Lord in every way. The experience of others not being as needy as they appear and the attraction of goods other than living for Christ may disillusion many. We should count on Easter grace to enable us to both understand the human condition and become tolerant of some human failings. Nevertheless, we do not want the tempering of our idealism to erode the desire to unite ourselves wholly with the risen Lord.
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