Thursday, November 18, 2021

Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

 (I Maccabees 2:15-29; Luke 19:41-44)

 Political cartoonist Bill Maudlin was able to capture the people’s imagination throughout the middle of the last century. His characterization of foot-soldiers Willie and Joe during World War II etched a trail of admiration in the American mind for the G.I.  However, a single cartoon drawn almost twenty years after the war ended had even greater impact.  After President Kennedy was assassinated, Mauldin drew a cartoon of the Lincoln Memorial.  But, instead of a straight back Lincoln stolidly looking forward, Mauldin drew the sixteenth president bent over crying in his hands.  It was the way the whole nation felt.  Lincoln’s tears are reminiscent of Jesus’ in today’s gospel.

 Jesus cries over Jerusalem for not heeding his call to repentance.  Jerusalem, David’s capital, is symbolic of the whole world.  Most people follow their egotistic designs rather than Jesus’ example of humility and commandment of love.  Wars never seem to end because egotism turns violent when a nation does not get what it wants.

We must learn to curb our egos – both individual and national.  It is certain that with nuclear weapons the world cannot sustain another total war.  If World War II was not the last total war, then World War III definitely will be. 

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(I Maccabees 2:15-29; Luke 19:41-44)

Every city has its landmark.  In New York it is the Statue of Liberty.  In Rome St. Peter’s Basilica stands out.  In Jerusalem of antiquity the Temple loomed in importance.  The Temple monumentalized the Jewish faith.  There the people worshiped and offered sacrifice.  Because money was exchanged in making sacrifices, the Temple had economic significance.  Today’s gospel and feast have the Temple as a common reference.

In the gospel Jesus weeps over the city of Jerusalem. His saying that “they will not leave one stone upon another” applies particularly to the Temple.  In 70 A.D. the Romans dismantled its magnificent structure.  Jesus’ weeps for good reason.  Many of his countrymen will be killed.  Terrible as well, this symbol and facilitator of Israel’s faith will be lost.

Ancient and often exaggerated stories of Jesus are told in the so-called apocryphal gospels.  Although they cannot be considered the inspired word of God, they often support Christian faith.  At least two of these “gospels” give background information by telling of the infancy of Mary.  They testify that Mary’s parents brought her to the Temple when she was three.  They left her there as their offering to the Lord.  Mary, according to the story, was neither unaware nor afraid of what was going on.  Rather she ran up the Temple stairs without looking back.  Here Mary serves as a model for all of us.  May we be as eager to serve the Lord as this child!

Thursday, November 16, 2016

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, religious

(Revelation 5:1-10; Luke 19:41-44)

Political cartoonist Bill Maudlin captured the people’s imagination. His characterization of foot-soldiers Willie and Joe during World War II etched a trail of admiration in the American mind for the G.I.  However, a single cartoon drawn twenty years after the war ended had even greater impact.  After President Kennedy was assassinated, Mauldin drew a cartoon of the Lincoln Memorial.  Instead of a straight back Lincoln stolidly looking forward, Mauldin drew the sixteenth president bent over crying in his hands.  It was the way the whole nation felt.  Lincoln’s tears are reminiscent of Jesus’ in today’s gospel.

Jesus cries over Jerusalem for not heeding his call to repentance.  Jerusalem, David’s capital city, is symbolic of the whole world.  Most people follow their egotistic designs rather than Jesus’ example of humility and commandment of love.  Wars never seem to end because egotism turns violent when a national ego does not get its way.

We must learn to curb our egos – both individual and corporate.  It is certain that with nuclear weapons the world cannot sustain another total war.  If World War II was not the last total war, then World War III definitely will be.