Wednesday, September 3, 2025

 

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, pope and Doctor of the Church

(Colossians 1:1-8; Luke 4:38-44)

When Jesus cures Peter’s mother-in-law in today’s gospel, he “rebukes the fever.”  The evangelist Luke uses the same word here as he did a few verses earlier when he wrote that Jesus rebuked the demon possessing a man.  In biblical times demons were thought of as the source of physical ailment.

How should we understand what happened?  If possession is the cause of disease, why do we see a doctor and not an exorcist when we are sick?  Perhaps the ailments which Jesus healed were psychosomatic illnesses which the commanding presence of Jesus resolved.  But how were there so many cases of psychosomatic then compared to a relatively small number today?

It is better to think of Jesus’ cures as demonstrations that he has come to establish the Kingdom of God.  The Father has bestowed on him, as sometimes does on others, the ability to effect cures over disease.  Jesus has similar power over other forms of evil like ignorance and corrupt habits.  We rightly consider these evils as demons that prevent us from becoming holy and loving women and men.  But this reign of terror has been upended with Jesus.  Like those in today’s gospel, we need to beseech him to rebuke the spirits affecting us.

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

 

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 3:1-9; Luke 4:38-44)

“If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.”  This saying sounds sacrilegious and violent.  Actually, it is wise and meant to preserve people from having false hopes or, one can say, “false messiahs.”  “Meeting the Buddha” refers to a spiritual experience of enlightenment.  If one can see the Buddha, he or she is having a physical experience, which is ipso facto false.  In today’s gospel Jesus likewise removes false ideas about who he is.

Jesus has begun his ministry of taking back the world from Satan.  He has cast out demons and cured Peter’s mother-in-law.  When the demons leave the possessed, they shout out that he is “the Holy One of God” or “the Son of God.”  What do they mean by these titles?  Because everyone will have her or his own idea, Jesus chastises the demons not to say anymore.  In due time the people will see that being the Son of God means full and faithful love.

We should not be inhibited to call on the name of Jesus.  He is present not to heal us of every woe but to save us from the claws of sin and death.  For the time being, our encounters with him are largely spiritual, but that does not mean inconsequential.  Indeed, calling on Jesus will bring us to a full meeting with him.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(Colossians 1:1-8; Luke 4:38-44)

The Gospel according to Luke presents Jesus in many different ways.  He is the preeminent man of prayer.  It is said that in the third gospel Jesus prays before taking every significant action. Jesus appears here as one of the world’s greatest story-tellers.  Who could argue that his most moving parables are not found in Luke’s gospel?  Luke also presents Jesus as the great reconciler.  Even Herod and Pilate become friends after dealing with Jesus.  It also may be said that in Luke’s gospel Jesus is peripatetic; that is, he is always on the go.

Today’s gospel shows Jesus ready to hit the road again.  It also gives the reason for his constant travelling.  He says, “’…I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.’”  Jesus is intent on moving from place to place because his message is vital.  The “Kingdom of God” is nothing less than God Himself.  Jesus is saying that now God is at hand in a way never seen before.  Through Jesus God gives the people practical help.  Jesus with God’s grace drives out demons, cures illnesses, and reconciles enemies.

Surely today the same message needs to be preached.  In many ways the world is losing its moorings.  The increasing number of refugees manifests the lack of social justice.  We need God to save us from our excesses and to lead us to genuine care for one another.  And so we are needed to follow Jesus in proclaiming God to the world.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(Colossians 1: 1-8; Luke 4:38-44)

People speak of the “power of prayer” as if it can tumble mountains.  But prayer has never seemed to be explosive energy as much as an integrative force.   It brings order and peace to the person by acknowledging God as Father whose love overcomes all evil.  Jesus seems aware of this benefit of prayer in today’s gospel.

In Mark’s gospel Jesus is pictured as praying by himself only twice – once on the side of a mountain and then in Gethsemane.  In Luke’s gospel, which we will read almost daily from now until December, Jesus is continually going off to pray.  In the passage read today he gets up early to pray alone in a quiet place.  It is as if he daily renews his relationship with the Father by prayer.

Praying in the early morning behooves all of us.  At five or six in the morning we will not likely be distracted or interrupted.  We can use this time to order our day by asking the Spirit to guide us in fulfilling our various responsibilities.  And no matter whatever happens to us that day we know that we already done what is crucial – showing our love for God.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(Colossians 1:1-8; Luke 4:38-44)

Reading today’s gospel, we get the impression that Jesus was a much busier man than he wanted to be.  He arises at daybreak to steal off and pray, but the crowds follow him.  He wants to intentionally preach God’s Kingdom in different places, but the people harass him to work exclusively among them.  Perhaps we too know well Jesus’ predicament.

Some of us, likewise inclined to retreat and pray, find this propensity compromised by urgent needs.  We have to respond to the demands and requests others make on us for the common good.  Our response, however, will be more efficacious when we do not abandon prayer.  Rather we should base our efforts on it.  In prayer we discern what is necessary for us to do and find God’s assistance in doing it.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(Colossians 1:1-8; Luke 4:38-44)

The Gospel according to Luke presents Jesus in many different ways.  He is preeminently a man of prayer.  Who could argue that his most moving parables are not found in the third gospel?  In no other gospel is Jesus pictured as reconciling people in so many situations.  It also may be said that in Luke’s gospel Jesus is peripatetic; that is, he is always on the go.

Today’s gospel not only shows Jesus ready to hit the road, it also gives the reason for his travelling.  He says, “’…I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.’”  Jesus is so intent on moving from place to place because his message is so vital.  The “Kingdom of God” is nothing less than God Himself.  Jesus is saying that now God is at hand in a way never seen before.  Through Jesus God drives out demons, cures illnesses, and reconciles enemies.

Surely today the same message needs to be preached.  In many ways the world is losing its moorings.  Codifying “homosexual marriage” in different jurisdictions is one of the latest and most serious manifestations of this loss of control.  We need God to save us from our excesses and to lead us to genuine care for one another.  And we are needed to follow Jesus in proclaiming God to the world. 

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 3:1-9; Luke 4:38-44)

When Jesus retreats to a deserted place, we generally conclude that he is going to pray. However, he may have other experiences than communing with his Father. As the devil tempts Jesus in a desert place in an earlier passage, in today’s gospel the people come to tempt him again.

Jesus has successfully met the people’s needs. His speaking with authority left them astonished. His casting out maddening demons and curing debilitating illnesses healed them mentally and physically. Why wouldn’t they want such a prophet to stay among them? The gospel does not mention how the people try to prevent Jesus from leaving them, but we might imagine their making offers difficult to refuse. They may tempt him with a life-tenure as rabbi of their synagogue. Or perhaps propose the hand of the beautiful daughter of the town’s richest merchant in marriage!

But Jesus knows that he is no local guru. He has come to tell the world about the Kingdom of God, indeed to inaugurate it with words, deeds, and ultimately with his life. He is not to be deterred by temptations of beauty or security. In this gospel passage Jesus offers us an example and an assurance. Like him we must know what we are about as Christians and not allow ourselves to be lured away from holiness. Equally important, Jesus assures us that he will not be distracted from his mission of saving us.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 3:1-9; Luke 4:38-44)

When Jesus retreats to a deserted place, we generally conclude that he is going to pray. However, he may have other experiences than communing with his Father. As the devil tempts Jesus in a desert place in an earlier passage, in today’s gospel the people come to tempt him again.

Jesus has successfully met the people’s needs. His speaking with authority left them astonished. His casting out maddening demons and curing debilitating illnesses healed them mentally and physically. Why wouldn’t they want such a prophet to stay among them? The gospel does not mention how the people try to prevent Jesus from leaving them, but we might imagine their making offers difficult to refuse. They may tempt him with a life-tenure as rabbi of their synagogue. Or perhaps propose the hand of the beautiful daughter of the town’s richest merchant in marriage!

But Jesus knows that he is no local teacher. He has come to tell the world about the Kingdom of God, indeed to inaugurate it with words, deeds, and ultimately with his life. He is not to be deterred by temptations of beauty or security. In this gospel passage Jesus offers us an example and an assurance. Like him we must know what we are about as Christians and not allow ourselves to be led astray by temptations. Equally helpful, Jesus assures us that he has come to save us and will not be distracted from completing this mission.

Homilette for Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, pope and doctor of the Church

(Luke 4:38-44)

When Jesus retreats to a deserted place, we may conclude that he is going there to pray. However, the evangelist Luke has a different scenario in mind. The devil tempted Jesus in a desert place earlier in the gospel. Here the people come to tempt him again.

Jesus has successfully met the people’s needs. He spoke with an authority that left them astonished. He also cast out their maddening demons and cured their various types of diseases. Who wouldn’t want such a prophet to stay among them? The gospel does not mention how the people try to prevent Jesus from leaving them, but we can imagine them making offers difficult to refuse. They may tempt him with a life-tenure as rabbi of their synagogue. Or perhaps they propose the hand in marriage of the beautiful daughter of the town’s richest merchant! These kinds of deals would at least interest many of us.

But Jesus knows that he is no local teacher. No, he has come to tell the world about the Kingdom of God, indeed to inaugurate it with words, deeds, and ultimately with his life. He is not to be deterred by temptations of power, pleasure, or prestige. Jesus presents us here with an example and an assurance. We must know what we are about as Christians in the world and not let ourselves be led astray by temptations. There should be very little, if any at all, of following one’s fancy among us. Equally helpful, Jesus assures us that he has come to save us and will not allow anything to stop that from happening.