Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

 Friday of the Twenty-third Week in ordinary Time

(I Timothy 1:1-2.12-14; Luke 6:39-42)

Twenty years have passed since the day of ignominy.  On September 11, 2001, a score of Muslim terrorists shocked and infuriated the most powerful nation on earth.  Approximately 3000 inhabitants of the United States were killed in the targeted crashes of four hijacked passenger jets.  Of course, the nation responded to the outrage with the result of, probably, a hundred times as many deaths in several Muslim countries over the years.

In today’s gospel Jesus speaks as a teacher and prophet.  He tells his disciples to take seriously his message so that they may not be blinded by unbridled passions.  How would he respond if asked to judge the clash of civilizations between radical Islam and postmodern western culture?

He would condemn the attacks as wicked.  He would tell the terrorists that their crimes are indefensible and call for retribution.  And he would have words of both consolation and instruction for the West.  They, for sure, have to protect their people from men blinded by pride and hatred.  But they also must open their eyes to see how lust, selfishness, and greed are deteriorating families. Communities, and cultures.  Greater tragedy will come unless all reform their ways to promote love in truth and justice in action.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, bishop and doctor of the Church

(I Timothy 1:1-2.12-14; Luke 6:39-42)

Pope Francis has raised eyebrows by moving out of the papal apartments.  This is the spirit of St. John Chrysostom whom the Church remembers today.  As Patriarch of Constantinople, then the capital of the Roman Empire, John criticized the wealthy for not caring for the poor.  Pointedly, he accused the empress of lavishness.

John Chrysostom criticized the aristocracy of Constantinople as he was a faithful disciple of Jesus.  As Jesus says in today’s gospel, when a disciple is fully trained, he will become like the master.  As Jesus chastised the powerful for neglect of charity, so John Chrysostom challenged spendthrift Christians.

Pope Francis is calling the Church to a deeper sensitivity toward the poor and war-weary.  No doubt, he realizes that the complexities of poverty and of warfare are daunting.  Nevertheless, he wants Catholics to show more urgency in dealing with them.  In other words, he wants us to become true disciples of Jesus.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 9:16-19; Luke 6:39-42)

In Frederico Fellini’s film memoir Amarcord all the townspeople including a blind man go to the bay to welcome a luxury liner.  When the vessel comes into sight the blind man feels the excitement of the crowd and exclaims, “I can see it! I can see it!”  The people have conveyed to him not just the appearance of the liner but its magnificence in the bay on a balmy summer night.  In the gospel today Jesus exhorts his disciples to prepare themselves to give similar testimony.

Faith, we may say, is a new way of seeing. It transcends our limitations. Like the blind man "seeing" the luxury cruiser, faith allows us to perceive what is invisible to the eye.  It tells us that we are loved with greater intensity than we can imagine.  It assures us that our struggle to follow Christ has eternal value.  Somehow we must convey these realities to those who think that only what their hand can touch has existence.

We give testimony to faith by both saying and doing.  Publicly thanking God for the benefits we receive reminds others of His existence.  Forgiving others’ faults testifies to His love.

Friday, september 13, 2013

Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, bishop and doctor of the Church

(I Timothy 1:1-2.12-14; Luke 6:39-42)

Pope Francis has raised eyebrows by moving out of the papal apartments and telling well-wishers that it would be better for them to give money to the poor than to spend it on a trip to Rome.  This is the spirit of St. John Chrysostom whom the Church remembers today.  As Patriarch of Constantinople, then the capital of the Roman Empire, John brought on the wrath of the wealth by refusing to host lavish parties and by accusing the empress of lavishness.

John Chrysostom could justly criticize the aristocracy of Constantinople because he was a faithful disciple of Jesus.  As Jesus says in today’s gospel, when a disciple is fully trained, he will become like the master.  Just as Jesus often chastised the powerful for their neglect of charity so John Chrysostom had little patience for spendthrift Christians.

Pope Francis is calling the Church to a deeper sensitivity toward the poor and war-weary.  No doubt, he realizes that the complexities of poverty and of warfare are daunting; nevertheless, he wants Christians to exhibit more urgency in dealing with them.  In other words, he wants us to become true disciples of Jesus.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(I Corinthians 9:16-19; Luke 6:39-42)

In Frederico Fellini’s film memoir Amarcord all the townspeople including a blind man go to the bay to welcome a luxury liner. When the vessel comes into sight the blind man feels the excitement of the crowd and exclaims, “I can see it! I can see it!” The people have conveyed to him not just the appearance of the liner but its magnificence in the bay on the balmy summer night. In the gospel today Jesus exhorts his disciples to prepare themselves to give similar testimony so that others may see.

Faith is a new way of seeing. It transcends our limitations, like the blind man "seeing" the luxury cruiser, to perceive what is invisible to the eye. It tells us that we are loved with greater intensity and richer promise than we can possibly feel. It assures us that our struggle to follow our consciences has eternal value. Christ’s followers – that is, we who eat his body and drink his blood – must convey these realities to those who think that only what the hand can touch has existence and will endure.

We give testimony to faith by both saying and doing. Publicly thanking God for the benefits we receive reminds others of His existence. Foregoing small satisfactions to assist others testifies that God calls everyone to care for one another as He cares for us, His children.

Homilette for Friday, September 11, 2009

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

(I Timothy 1:1-2.12-14; Luke 6:39-42)

Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the haunting tale of a scientist that marries an extraordinarily beautiful woman. The scientist notices one slight defect in his wife’s face – a birthmark on her cheek -- and desires to remove it through drug therapy. At first the woman dismisses the birthmark as charming not detracting, but for her husband’s sake she drinks the elixir he prescribes. The result is calamitous. Although the birthmark fades away, the lovely woman dies as well.

Hawthorne’s story illustrates Jesus’ admonition in the gospel today. The scientist makes a disastrous guide because a wooden beam -- belief in the power of science to remedy all ills –lodges in his eye blinding him to the fact that the birthmark is but a superficial blemish, a splinter.

We should take care not to suffer the same illusion as the scientist that material and scientific progress has made or indeed can make life nearly perfect. Yes, people today live longer than before and are less likely to suffer from back-breaking labor. Yet they still treat one another cruelly and sometimes end feeling desperate in an uncaring world. It is a far from perfect situation and indeed difficult to tell if the quality of human life is actually improving.