Friday, October 17, 2025

 Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

(Romans 4:1-8; Luke 12:1-7)

Today’s patron, St. Ignatius of Antioch, lived in a time of Roman persecution of Christians.  It is said that Christians then would walk up to a stranger and make a line on the ground with his foot.  If the stranger would draw a line through the first to make a cross, the two would know that they could talk freely.  If the other did not respond, then the conversation would not mention faith in Christ.  The gospel today seems to reference such a custom.

Jesus says that what has been whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on housetops.  He apparently means his Lordship, which his disciples knew of but did not understand well.  After his resurrection with the coming of the Holy Spirit, they will see clearly and profess openly that in Jesus sins are forgiven and people are destined to experience eternal life.

Today religion has been privatized.  Social pressures intimidate people from talking openly about how God has affected their lives.  Ironically, it is a message that others not only need but often want to hear.  When we give testimony to our faith, we strengthen others’ resolve to live righteous lives.  That benefits society and leads to personal salvation.

 

Friday, October 14, 2022

 Friday of the Twenty-eighth week in ordinary time

(Ephesians 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7)

In his recorded homily last Sunday Bishop Robert Barron preached on the virtue of humility.  He said that humility is the source of sanctity because pride is the greatest of vices.  In demonstrating this spiritual truth, Bishop Barron featured Naaman, the Syrian general.  Despite his prominence, Naaman took the advice of an Israeli slave girl and the second-hand instruction from the prophet Elisha.  The result was not just his physical healing but his coming to know and praise the true God.

In today’s gospel Jesus recommends the same humility.  He tells his disciples to beware of the leaven or hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  He means that the Pharisees try to make themselves look important before others.  Their pretension, however, will end in the loss of their souls if it is not corrected.  The Pharisees and everyone else must acknowledge their weaknesses before God and neighbor as they pray for strength to overcome them.

We like to reflect on our strengths – good looks, discipline, sharp intellect, what have you.  In acknowledging these, we should give thanks to God for both natural endowment and the grace to develop it.  But it is more important to acknowledge our weaknesses – laziness, craving for food, clumsiness, etc.  Doing so, we can appeal to God for the saving grace to bear our crosses as His children.

Friday, October 15, 2021

 

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

(Romans 4:1-8; Luke 12:1-7)

St. Teresa of Jesus is not to be confused with St. Therese of the Child Jesus.  The former lived in sixteenth century Spain; the latter in nineteenth century France.   Both were Carmelite nuns, and both have been named “Doctors of the Church.”  Teresa of Jesus, however, lived a long life in which she accomplished the reform of her order and the writing of many books.  Therese of the Child Jesus spent all of a short adult life at the Carmel in her hometown where she wrote her insightful and inspiring autobiography.

St. Teresa of Jesus (or of Avila as she is often called) developed a doctrine of prayer worthy of attention.  She used the metaphor of drawing water for irrigation in her discourse.  The first water comes with much labor as if one were drawing bucket from a well and carrying it into the field. It is the attempt to speak to God and meditate on one’s own.  This prayer often leads in aridity and fatigue.  The second water is a gift from God who allows the pray-er, after concentrating her faculties, an experience of communication.  It is as if God were granting the one praying a mechanical device to carry the water.  The third water is a significant deepening of the “prayer of quiet.”  But the fourth water is qualitatively richer.  As rain seems like a gift from heaven, in the fourth water the soul is completely passive.  Nevertheless, it experiences the joy of full union with the Lord.

In today’s gospel Jesus indicates the need to connect with God.  God is to be feared, Jesus indicates, if we deliberately flout His will.  Nevertheless, God loves us and will take care of us if we allow Him.  It behooves us, then, to develop a close relationship with God through prayer.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary time

(Romans 4:1-8; Luke 12:1-7)

ISIS has made known the fact that Christians are being persecuted.  Its bloody videos reveal that martyrdom did not end with the Edict of Milan.  Rather persecution of Christians persists in a way stronger than ever.  John Allen documents it in a book published just two years ago.  It happens around the world to all kinds of Christians.  In today’s gospel Jesus warns his disciples to expect as much.

Jesus tells his disciples not to be surprised by the persecution.  They may think that what they preach will be kept secret.  But the message is so hopeful that it will inevitably be repeated everywhere.  He does not want them to fear the persecution so much as to fear God, “’the one has the power to cast into Gehenna.’”  But then he states that they do not have to be afraid at all if they have really become his messengers.

Jesus wants us to tell others about God’s love.  We may say how a certain gospel passage has affected our life.  Some will roll their eyes, but they are not likely to attack us .  In any case we can count on God’s coming to our rescue.  After all, we are worth much more to Him than the sparrows that He protects.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ephesians 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7)

It is said that a Christian during the early centuries of persecution would walk up to a stranger and make a line on the ground with his foot.  If the person would draw a line through the first to make a cross, the two would know that they could talk freely.  If the other did not respond, then the conversation would not mention faith in Christ.  The gospel today seems to reference such a custom.

Jesus says that what has been whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on housetops.  He apparently means his Lordship, which his disciples knew of but did not understand well.  After his resurrection with the coming of the Holy Spirit, they will see clearly and profess openly that in Jesus sins are forgiven and people experience eternal life.

Today religion has once again been privatized.  Social pressures intimidate people from talking openly how God has affected their lives.  Ironically, it is a message that others not only need but often want to hear.  When we give testimony to our faith, we strengthen others’ resolve to live righteous lives.  That benefits society and leads to personal salvation.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ephesians 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7)

It is said that a Christian during the early centuries of persecution would walk up to a stranger and make a line on the ground with his foot. If the person would draw a line through the first to make a cross, the two would know that they could talk freely. If the other did not respond, then the conversation would not mention faith in Christ. The gospel today seems to reference such a custom.

Jesus says that what has been whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on housetops. He apparently means his Lordship, which his disciples knew of but did not understand well. After his resurrection with the coming of the Holy Spirit, they will see clearly and profess openly that in Jesus sins are forgiven and people experience eternal life.

Today religion has once again been privatized. Social pressures intimidate people from talking openly how God has affected their lives. Ironically, it is a message that others not only need but want to hear. When we give testimony to our faith, we strengthen others’ resolve to live righteous lives that benefit society and lead to their salvation.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church

(Ephesians 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7)

On his visit to the United States, Pope Benedict warned American bishops about privacy in religion. He said, “To the extent that religion becomes a purely private affair it loses its very soul.” The pope only echoed what Jesus tells us in the gospel today. We are to be especially wary of hypocrisy, which is to say one thing and do another.

Pope Benedict’s remarks on privacy probably had much to do with some Catholic public officials’ refusal to work for outlawing abortion. The officials claim that such an endeavor would be imposing their private beliefs on the general public. But that is hypocritical since taking the life of an inborn baby is not a matter of belief but an outrage against humanity. It is a veritable denial of the most basic right of a living human being.

Catholic officials should not check in their religion when they come to the halls of public service but allow its moral principles to guide their decisions. Of course, this does not mean that they need to wear a cross around their necks, but awareness of Jesus’ cross should remind them that they may have to sacrifice popularity to do what is right. They may console themselves with the words of St. Teresa: “Let nothing trouble you; let nothing make you afraid…God alone is enough.”

Homilette for Friday, October 17, 2008

(I have begun publishing these reflections on mass readings by 12 noon on the day prior to that on which the passages are read at mass. If, however, many prefer that I publish them earlier, I can return to doing it two days before. If the day of publication is a concern to you, please contact me at cmeleop@yahoo.com.)

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

(Luke 12:1-7)

On his visit to the United States earlier this year, Pope Benedict warned American bishops about privacy in religion. He said, “To the extent that religion becomes a purely private affair it loses its very soul.” The pope only echoed what Jesus tells us in the gospel today. We are to be especially wary of hypocrisy; that is, our public and private lives need to correspond with each other.

Pope Benedict’s remarks on privacy probably had much to do with some Catholic public officials’ refusal to work for outlawing abortion. The officials claim that such an endeavor would be imposing their private beliefs on the general public. One commentator traces the source of this thinking to John Kennedy’s campaign for President in 1960. The candidate told the ministerial association of Houston that a President’s religion should be a private affair.

There are senses in which a public servant’s religion may remain private. Most American Catholics would grimace if they saw a Catholic President wearing a rosary around her or his neck. Likewise, very few would want any public servant showing exclusive favor to the Catholic Church. On the other hand, we do not want our Catholic officials to shy away from being seen attending Sunday mass. We are even more concerned that they follow their faith-formed consciences regarding public morality.

Homilette for Friday, October 19, 2007

Friday, XXVIII Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Saint John de Brébeuf and Saint Isaac Jogues, priests and martyrs, and their companions, martyrs

(Luke 12:1-7)

At a Catholic boys’ high school a religion teacher used to sit outside the chapel with his grade book. When his students entered for Mass, the teacher apparently checked their names. It wasn’t long before Mass attendance spiked. A few of the cockier students did not stay very long but exited the chapel as soon as they were assured that their teacher had gone. We might say that these students were hypocritical like the Pharisees in the gospel today – that is, people who feign religion. We should note, however, that hypocrisy can run the other way as well. Hypocrites are also people who feign non-religion. This second type of hypocrisy is what Jesus warns his listeners against in the rest of the reading.

In all four gospels there is a sterling example of feigning non-religion. When Jesus is taken into custody, Peter denies that he is his disciple. Most of us will never be in such a situation where we feel our lives threatened if we profess faith in Christ. But we may be tempted to feign non-religion when declaring what we believe will make us appear different from the other folks present. Far from being scarce, such situations occur with frequency in this age of coarseness in entertainment. We should show our faith in God by walking out of erotic movies and turning off profane television. We are not “acting like babies” when we express how such grossness offends our faith-formed sensibilities. On the contrary, we are behaving like mature women and men who act on their convictions.