Monday, October 21, 2024

 Monday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time (also optional Memorial of Saint John Paul II)

(Ephesians 2:1-10; Luke 12:13-21)

The farmer in today’s gospel is not condemned because he is rich but because he only thinks of himself.  Jesus is careful to say that his “land produced a bountiful harvest,” not the farmer himself.  Yet he claims the harvest as his alone as if he were creator, producer, and harvester of his crops. 

In the first reading from the Letter to the Ephesians the author, now believed to be a disciple of Paul, also inveighs against the idea that human effort alone is responsible for anything truly good.  In fact, he says that salvation is a free gift from God.  In gratitude to God, then, humans do “good works.” 

The readings make a similar point, which might be called the “gospel message.”  We must avoid crediting ourselves for salvation and thank God for it by loving service.

Monday, October 16, 2022

 

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

(Ephesians 2:1-10; Luke 12-13-21)

Many commentators look to the fourth century as the beginning of the downfall of the Church.  In that period Christianity was not only decriminalized but also became the state religion.  Since then, becoming a Christian was politically correct and scoundrels of different stripes have entered the Church.

The Letter to the Ephesians, probably written in the latter part of the first century, features a pristine Christianity.  In today’s reading the author, who was probably a disciple of St. Paul, tells of how Christians before their conversions had lived much like everyone else.  That is, they were focused on pleasure and accumulation and given to wrath.  Then they responded to the call of Christ.  They could take advantage of his grace to live exemplary lives featuring good works.  There was no material advantage in being a Christian at that time.  However, there was the hope of eternal life for practitioners.

The Christian situation is coming full circle.  People are leaving the Church in significant numbers.  No more is it very advantageous to be a Christian.  There is much to regret in the loss as many Christian values like the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death no longer penetrate public life.  However, the time is upon us to experience intimate friendship in the Lord as we give exemplary testimony to him with our lives.