Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 3:1-10.19-20; Mark 1:29-39)

Today’s first reading presents a classic Old Testament text.  It will again be heard in Sunday’s Eucharist.  The story provides a template for how the Lord calls people to work in His service.

Two features stand out in this reading.  First, the child Samuel is made aware that he is being called.  He hears a voice. Whether the voice comes in a dream or is external to Samuel the reading does not say.  Anyway, Samuel is made conscious that someone wants something from him.  Second, Samuel consults his master, the priest Eli, about what he hears.  Indeed, at first he thinks that Eli might have called him.  Eli knows the ways of God so that he could help Samuel discern what the voice is asking from Samuel.

We should understand the story as the way God may be calling us.  In our time, as it was in Eli’s and Samuel’s, a revelation of the Lord seems uncommon.  Nevertheless, God may use a dream or an intuitive sense that He wants us to do something for Him.  We might, like Samuel, confer with a person known for holiness to help us discern what we are being called to do.  When we figure out what God wants, again with the assistance of a wise person, we should readily embrace the mission.  We need not worry.  God is like a father who always wants what is best for his children.

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

 Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 2:14-18; Mark 1:29-39)

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke Jesus is revealed to the world with the stories of his birth.  The Gospel of Mark has no infancy narrative.  It introduces Jesus with a flurry of activity on the first day of his ministry. Today’s gospel recounts the events at the end of that first day and the beginning of the second.

Jesus heals diseased people and drives out demons from the possessed.  But he is not on a medical mission.  Rather than stay in one place to treat all who come to him, he goes off to preach to others.  His mission is to announce the reign of God and the need for listeners to change their ways so that they may benefit by it.

But established ways of thinking and acting are notoriously difficult to alter.  Try driving on the left side of the road after driving on the right for ten years.  Similarly, we are accustomed to seeking pleasure and recognition in abundance.  To dominate these passions, we need to take time like Jesus to pray for God’s help.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 3:1-10.19-20; Mark 1:29-39)

The first reading today takes place in the period of the judges of Israel.  It is a time of frustration because the Israeli nation cannot get control of the land.  Local peoples always threaten to take it back.  The reading tells of Samuel, the judge and prophet, who will eventually anoint David king of all Israel.  David will consolidate the land in the name of Israel and its God.

David’s reign over Israel will serve as a model for Jesus’ proclaiming the kingdom of God throughout the world.   Jesus shows both the power and the will of God by curing diseases and casting out demons.  In today’s gospel, still early in the story, Jesus expresses his intention to preach throughout Galilee.  In time he will bring the message of the kingdom to Judea.  After his death, his apostles will proclaim it throughout the earth.  It is a kingdom of justice and peace or, better, eternal happiness.

The kingdom of God is not political.  It does not vie with men and women to govern the commercial affairs of the people.  Its rule runs deeper than that.  The kingdom of God engages human freedom reorienting it from selfish concerns to love of God and neighbor.  We freely submit to it because it will lead us from frustration to eternal happiness.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 3:1-10.19-20; Mark 1:29-39)

The reference in today’s gospel that Peter had a mother-in-law is the only indication that he was married.  Ironically, the Roman Catholic tradition, which looks to Peter as the key figure in its theology of Church, has insisted on celibacy for a clerical norm.  In contrast, Protestant traditions find in Paul, the attested bachelor, its ecclesiastical model.  Of course, Jesus too was a committed celibate and defended that state of life as summoned by God on behalf of His kingdom.  At least one prominent biblical theologian thinks it necessary that celibacy be maintained as a discipline to preserve this insight of Jesus.

Still the argument for relaxing the discipline within the Catholic Church is cogent.  In both countries with a long Christian heritage and those where the Church is still getting started there is a need for more priests.  Most people think that ordaining married men would result in a spike of vocations to the priesthood.  But counterarguments to ordaining married men to the priesthood also have considerable force.  There are the traditional problems of patrimony to the offspring of the priest.  More critical is celibacy’s concrete testimony of the priority of God in a world obsessed with sexual curiosity.

We should be wary of simplistic ideas on either side of the argument for a married clergy.  Certainly many married men can perform the duties of a priest.  On the other hand, most married men will not want to live in extremely deprived areas where the gospel needs to be preached.  What is paramount is that we continue to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the field.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 2:14-18; Mark 1:29-39)

The world needs healers.  People are wounded from the battlefield of life.  Pope Francis famously said that he envisions the Church as a field hospital taking care of life’s victims.  Yet Jesus in today’s gospel resists the call to become solely a physician.

Having the power to heal the sick, Jesus may find a permanent practice in any town.  But that is not his deepest calling.  First and foremost, he is commissioned to preach good news to the poor.  So he moves on to share the good news of the Father’s love with the whole world.

We have similar vocations.  Taking up Jesus’ call to spread the Gospel, parents will raise their children in both faith and love.  Indeed, all workers will discern in their labor ways that to extend God’s love in the world.  Doing so, we become—again like Jesus -- healers of the soul if not of the body.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 3:1-10.19-20; Mark 1:29-39)

The reference in today’s gospel that Peter had a mother-in-law is the only indication that he was married.  Ironically, the Roman Catholic tradition, which looks to Peter as a key figure in its theology, has insisted on celibacy for a clerical norm whereas Protestant communities of faith find in Paul, the attested bachelor, its theological hero.  Of course, Jesus too was a committed celibate and defended that state of life as summoned by God on behalf of His kingdom.  One theologian thinks it necessary that celibacy be maintained as a discipline to preserve this insight of Jesus.

Still the argument for relaxing the discipline within the Catholic Church is cogent.  In both countries with a long Christian heritage and those where the Church is still getting started there is a shortage of priests.  Few doubt that ordaining married men would not result in a spike of vocations to the priesthood.  Counterarguments have weight also.  There are the traditional problems of patrimony to the offspring of the priest.  More forceful is celibacy’s concrete testimony of the priority of God in a world that is obsessed with issues of sexuality.

As Catholics we need be wary of simplistic ideas on either side of the argument for a married clergy.  Certainly many married men can perform the duties of a priest.  On the other hand, most married men will not want to live in extremely deprived areas where the gospel needs to be preached.  What is paramount is that we continue to “ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field.”

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 2:14-18; Mark 1:29-39)

Not long ago, a guest columnist in the New York Times wrote a story about Derek Jeter, the great shortstop of the New York Yankees. The columnist, who knew Jeter personally, told how he asked his friend for an autograph picture for his son. The star replied with the requested gift. Today’s gospel shows Jesus acting similarly.

Jesus has just called Simon and Andrew to follow him. After he heals a man with an unclean spirit in the local synagogue, he enters Simon’s house and is told of the fisherman’s sick mother-in-law. Jesus does not waste any time to cure her. Intensely human, Jesus does not hesitate to assist his new disciple’s loved one.

We want to cultivate a relationship so that he will help us. We will not only ask him to cure our sick friends and relatives but also seek his assistance in driving away the unclean spirits that disturb our peace. Making such requests is not taking advantage of our relationship. Indeed, Jesus came to earth precisely to render us such help.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 3:1-10.19-20; Mark 1:29-39)

On Sunday Mark’s gospel read that “the heavens were opened” when Jesus was baptized. The evangelist seems to imply that such an occurrence does not often happen. In the first reading today we hear again that such revelation is extraordinary. It says that in an even more ancient time, when we might have expected that God regularly spoke to humans in extraordinary ways, “a revelation from the Lord was uncommon and (a) vision infrequent.”

The narrative regarding the birth and call of Samuel begins the story of God’s bringing to fruition His promise of making Israel a great nation. Samuel will eventually anoint both Saul and David kings of the tiny land. The former shows some hope but will prove himself lacking in trust. David is a fierce warrior and capable administrator, yet he also fails to exhibit the virtue requisite of a great people. He keeps a harem, commits adultery, and even murders a noble officer. The kingdom he establishes will not last two generations before it splits in two.

We might compare the origins of the kingdom of Israel as related in the Book of Samuel to those of the kingdom of God told by the evangelists. Of course, Jesus figures prominently in the latter. Even more descriptively than the Old Testament writers tell of Samuel’s birth, Matthew and Luke weave the story of Jesus’ beginnings. They show him as one so completely dominated by virtue that he is rightly called “son of God.” In today’s gospel Mark indicates the consistency of Jesus’ dedication to the kingdom of his Father. He tirelessly cures disease, casts out demons, and preaches good news to all people. In showing himself to be the fulfillment of God’s promise, Jesus provides for us a place in the new Israel through our relationship with him.

Homilette for January 16, 2007

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 3:1-10; 19-20, Mark 1:29-39)

The other day on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Matthew’s gospel read that “the heavens were opened” for Jesus. The connotation is that such an occurrence did not often happen. In the first reading today we hear again that revelation is extraordinary. The First Book of Samuel relates that “a revelation from the Lord was uncommon and (a) vision infrequent.” If we wonder why God does not speak to us directly in contemporary times, we can console ourselves that people in biblical times probably asked the same question.

The narrative regarding Samuel and Eli begins the story of God’s plan to bring greatness to the people of Israel. Samuel will eventually anoint both Saul and David king. The latter will extend Israel’s fortunes to great heights. But David in all his glory will fail the Lord. He will keep a harem of women, commit adultery, and conspire to kill a noble soldier. The greatness of the kingdom of Israel will eventually dissolve through repeated abandonment of God’s ways.

We might compare the care taken to relate the origins of the kingdom of Israel to those of the evangelists telling of the coming of the kingdom of God. Of course, Jesus figures prominently in the latter story. Matthew and Luke weave the story of Jesus’ birth. They present him as the one who will establish the kingdom of God with such unsurpassable greatness that it will never end. In today’s gospel Mark indicates the makeup of Jesus’ accomplishment. Jesus cures disease and casts out demons – the effects of sin -- and also preaches the good news to all people. Jesus is showing himself is the fulfillment of God’s plan for Israel as well as of our deepest desires.