Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr

(Wisdom 2:23-3:9; Luke 17:7-10)

Of all the evangelists St. Luke takes the prize for compassion.  His description of Jesus features this great virtue.  Only Luke quotes Jesus assuring Peter of his prayers when he predicts his denial.  Likewise, only Luke makes an excuse for his disciples sleeping while he is in agony in the garden.  He says that the disciples were “sleeping from grief.”  Only Luke will show Jesus healing the shorn ear of the servant.  So why does Jesus in today’s gospel imply that his disciples are not doing anything commendable when work overtime?

To understand Jesus’ intention one must note the context of the statement.  Jesus has just forbidden his disciples from giving scandal and mandating them to forgive.  When the disciples request more faith to carry out these commands, Jesus assures they already have enough faith.  Indeed, he says, even a little faith can move trees.  He implies that instead of needing added help, they must strengthen their resolve.

Today’s patron saint, Josaphat, exemplifies the kind of determination that Jesus has in mind here. He was a monk and later bishop of the Ruthenian (Eastern European) Catholic rite.  Through intensive apostolic effort, Josaphat was able to bring Orthodox Ruthenians into the Catholic fold.  He was martyred, however, by a mob of pro-Orthodox people resentful of his work.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr

(Wisdom 2:23-3:9; Luke 17:7-10)

Although some people have poor self-images, most think of themselves as better than they actually are.  Some have exalted self-images.  Not long ago The Atlantic magazine published a story on Donald Trump showing that although certainly a multimillionaire, he is not as rich and successful as he claims to be.  Jesus tells his apostles in the gospel today that they must take care not to exaggerate their importance.

Jesus sounds almost ruthless as he warns against pride.  He says that his followers should not think that they are owed even a “thank you” for performing a good deed.  Rather they are to think of themselves only as workers doing their jobs, no more.  In fact, he says that they are to be so humble that they should consider themselves “unprofitable servants,” more tolerated by their master out of good will than really valuable to him.

Such self-effacement provides a needed corrective to most of our egos.  But we should not think of Jesus as a hard master.  In an earlier passage of this same gospel Jesus described himself as one day returning from a banquet and finding his servants at their posts.  He said that he will do what no other master would even think of: “’Amen, I say to you, he (really, I) will gird himself (myself), have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them'” (12:37).

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, religious

(Titus 2:1-8.11-14; Luke 17:7-10)

“Who do you think you are on the streets all night, Mother Cabrini?” fathers in Denver would chide their daughters who came home late. St. Frances Xavier was a phenomenon. Born in Italy, she headed a religious congregation of women at thirty years old and then came to the United States where she crisscrossed the country founding hospitals and schools in her work especially with Italian immigrants. She ably reflects the kind of dedication that Jesus expects of his disciples in today’s gospel.

Jesus sounds harsh as he tells the apostles that they should work without rest or complaint. It is significant that his audience is the Twelve who are destined to lead churches. They are not to give in to the temptation of accepting adulation from the people as if they were the Lord himself. Rather they must remember that they have been chosen precisely because they are capable of working field-and-house, day-and-night.

So how about the rest of us? Are we to work as tirelessly as Jesus’ chosen twelve? First, let us remember that the work of the Lord is not entirely drudgery because the Lord himself accompanies us. We can talk with him at any time. Then, we must be mindful of all that must be done to prepare the harvest. Unfortunately, there are not always many hands to share the task. Finally, we know that Jesus in his love wants us to be built up not crushed by our ministry in his name.

Homilette for Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Tuesday, XXXII Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini

(Luke 17:7-10)

If the current generation of young adults expects instant gratification, it is not difficult to understand why few are willing to commit themselves to the Catholic Church. A recent survey of Catholics shows only 17 percent of those born between 1961 and 1978 and 0 percent of those born between 1979 and 1987 having a high church commitment. The reason for some of this lack this lack of commitment is that Christ asks much of his disciples, sometimes apparently no promising any reward at all. The gospel today makes it quite clear that Jesus does not pander to his followers. Expect to be told that you will have to wait at table, he tells them, after they come in tending the field.

Why then does anyone bother to follow him? Of course, we hold in our hearts the promise of eternal life. The wise person realizes that this hope trumps instant gratification any day. Perhaps though our reason involves coming to know the person we serve. Expert university professors, although demanding much work, often have their classrooms overfilled. When students know that they will learn deeply, they do not mind working especially hard. So we follow Jesus who teaches us deeply, who promises eternal life, and who helps us all along the way.