Friday, July 19, 2024

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Isaiah 38:1-6.21-22.22,7-8; Matthew 12:1-8)

In today’s gospel Jesus makes an outrageous claim.  He says, “… the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”  In other words, Jesus, who frequently calls himself “the Son of Man,” created the sabbath as well as all in heaven and on earth.  It is like saying that some bricklayer built Yankee Stadium by himself. 

Some wonder whether Jesus ever said that he was Lord of the sabbath.  They note that in the Gospel of Mark, likely written before Matthew’s, Jesus gives another defense for the disciples’ Sabbath picking.  He tells the Pharisees, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”  According to those commentators, Matthew changed the reason to indicate that Jesus really was God’s Son with authority over God’s written law.

We should not be scandalized when we hear that the evangelists changed the wording of Jesus’ statements or even the basic idea of what Jesus said.  They believed on the testimony of the apostles that Jesus rose from the dead to give lasting life to his followers.  And they composed their gospels to assure others of the same belief.

Friday, July 15, 2022

 

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, bishop and Doctor of the Church

(Isaiah 38:1-6.21-22.7-8; Matthew 12:1-8)

Jacob Neusner, an American rabbi, wrote a book about a dialogue between himself and Jesus.  The rabbi admired Jesus’ profundity in the Sermon on the Mount.  But he could not commit himself to Jesus because Jesus assumed a position greater than the Law.  The rabbi recognized that Jesus was making himself commensurate with God.  Jesus does so again as the ultimate argument in his defense of his disciples in today’s gospel.

The gospel’s may be seen as a running debate between Jesus and the Pharisees over Sabbath rules.  The issue is significant because the Sabbath represents the goal of the Jewish life – rest in the Lord.  Jesus does not deny the goal, nor does he ignore the Sabbath.  However, he does not claim strict observance as an exceptionless rule.  He sees himself as the arbiter of when not to comply because, as he says in today’s passage, he is “the Lord of the Sabbath.”

Do we take him as our Lord?  Rabbi Neusner could not although he respected Jesus as a great teacher.  We sometimes waver often because our environment is filled with contrary ideas.  It will tell us that the Sunday obligation is out of date so that we might “seize the day!”.  Or it may say that pornography and masturbation are harmless.  If we have accepted Jesus as Lord, we will resist these temptations.  He has spoken openly and lovingly in the gospels and now through the Church.  Let’s follow him!

Friday, July 17, 2020

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Isaiah 38:1-6.21-22.7-8; Matthew 12:1-8)

Sixty years ago, all Catholics were to abstain from meat on Fridays and adults were not to eat between meals during Lent.  The practices distinguished Catholics from others and instilled a sense of sacrifice for the Lord.  However, they also fostered criticism of those who did not abide by these penances.  As much as anything else, this third result probably led the bishops to withdraw the obligations.  In today’s gospel Jesus gives his position on imposed dietary regulations.

He does not oppose such restrictions, but he is open to exceptions.  He defends his disciples’ eating grain on the Sabbath as akin to David’s men eating the Temple bread.  He further points out that just as priests do not violate the law by working on the Sabbath, neither do his disciples who are on a kind of mission.  Jesus clinches the argument by citing the prophet Hosea who said that God wants “mercy, not sacrifice.”  That is, God is more pleased when we judge mercifully than when we abstain or fast.  The latter is not to be forsaken, but the former is to be pursued.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Exodus 11:10-12:14; Matthew 12:1-8)

Over the last few years the word weaponize has crept into English vocabulary.  It means to use an issue to hurt politically one’s opponent.  The fuss at the U.S.–Mexican border today has been weaponized by both political parties.  Democrats and Republicans are using the plight of Central America immigrants to their political advantage.  In today’s gospel Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for weaponizing the issue of sacrifice.

The Pharisees envy Jesus.  He speaks with authority while they cite sources ad nauseum.  Here the Pharisees chastise Jesus because his disciples have not kept the regular Sabbath observance.  Ostensibly because they have had nothing to eat all day, they eat grain picked in the field.  Jesus defends their action by showing that the law admits exceptions.  More important than Sabbath ritual, he says, is the quality of mercy.  God can judge whether his disciples are transgressing the law.  People should think mercifully when they see others in apparent need.

We may ask ourselves about beggars on street corners.  Should we give them money?  Virtuous people often do, but social workers sometimes recommend otherwise.  Stories of abuse exist as well.  There remains the obligation to help the needy.  Perhaps by a regular contribution to the local Gospel Mission is in order.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Isaiah 38:1-6.21-22.7-8; Matthew 12:1-8)

In 1998 Pope John Paul II published an apostolic letter entitled, “The Lord’s Day.” In it he tried to awaken Catholics to the glory of reserving one day a week for prayer, family, and renewal. With this message he challenged the secularizing tendency of stretching Sunday into a weekend given to fulfilling individualistic ambitions. The letter is vintage JP II: fully human, deeply reflective, and imminently devout.

In the Gospel reading today Jesus provides his own reflection on the Sabbath. Of course, for him it is the last day of the week, not its first. As in Orthodox Jewish communities today, the Sabbath in Jesus’ time is rigorously prescribed: no cooking, no walking beyond what amounts to a kilometer, no jumping or handclapping. Jesus does not doubt the validity of these disciplines, but he does allow for exceptions. What is truly remarkable here, however, is his reserving for himself the authority to dispense with Sabbath restrictions by declaring that he is “’Lord of the Sabbath.’” As the Sabbath rest and its promise of eternal life are among God’s greatest gifts to humankind, by declaring himself its Lord Jesus once again implies that he is God!

Do we feel a twinge of remorse when we head to the mall or go to the office on Sunday? It would not be unhealthy if we did. It is not that such actions are sinful in themselves. Jesus argues for the necessity of similar deeds in critical situations. But still we should not let exceptions prevent us from giving him definite consideration every Sunday. After all, he is “Lord of the Sabbath.”

Friday, July 15, 2011

Saint Bonaventure, bishop and doctor of the Church

(Exodus 11:1-12:14; Matthew 12:1-8)

Thirteen years ago Blessed John Paul II wrote an apostolic letter entitled, “The Lord’s Day.” In it he tried to awaken Catholics to the glory of reserving one day a week for prayer, family, and leisure. He also challenged the secularizing idea of weekend which stretches a day for giving thanks in beloved company into two days or more of pursuing personal ambitions. The letter is vintage John Paul: intensely human, deeply reflective, and devoutly holy.

In the Gospel reading today Jesus provides us with his own reflection on the Sabbath. Of course, for him it is the very end of the week, not its beginning. As in Orthodox Jewish communities today, the Sabbath in Jesus’ time is rigorously regulated: no cooking, no walking beyond what amounts to a kilometer, no jumping or handclapping. But observance of the Sabbath was not always so strict. Before the Babylonian Exile the people were more relaxed about keeping the Sabbath. From today’s passage it can be said that Jesus prefers the more flexible interpretation.

Do we feel a twinge of guilt when we stop at Wal-Mart on the way home from church or go to the office for a few hours on Sunday evening? It would not necessarily be unhealthy if we did. We cannot say that such actions are inherently sinful. Indeed, Jesus defends similar deviations from the norm in today’s passage. But still we should not let Sunday go by without giving primary consideration to Jesus. He is, after all, “Lord of the Sabbath.”

Friday, July 16, 2010

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Isaiah 38:1-6.21-22.7-8; Matthew 12:1-8)

In 1998 Pope John Paul II published an apostolic letter entitled, “The Lord’s Day.” In it he tried to awaken Catholics to the glory of reserving one day a week for prayer, family, and renewal. He also challenged the secularizing idea of “weekend” which stretches a day for giving thanks in beloved company into two days or more of fulfilling individualistic ambitions. The letter is vintage JP II: fully human, deeply reflective, and imminently devout.

In the Gospel reading today Jesus provides his own reflection on the Sabbath. Of course, for him it is the very end of the week, not its beginning. As in Orthodox Jewish communities today, the Sabbath in Jesus’ time is rigorously prescribed: no cooking, no walking beyond what amounts to a kilometer, no jumping or handclapping. Jesus does not doubt the validity of these disciplines, but he does allow for exceptions. What is truly remarkable here, however, is his reserving to himself authority to dispense with Sabbath restrictions by declaring that he is “’Lord of the Sabbath.’” As the Sabbath rest and its promise of eternal life are among God’s greatest gifts to humankind, Jesus here implies that he is God!

Do we feel a twinge of remorse when we head to the mall or go to the office on Sunday? It would not be unhealthy if we did. It is not that such actions are sinful in themselves. Jesus argues for the necessity of similar deeds in critical situations. But still we should not let exceptions prevent us from giving him definite consideration every Sunday. After all, he is “Lord of the Sabbath.”

Homilette for Friday, July 18, 2008

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Matthew 12:1-8)

Ten years ago Pope John Paul II wrote an apostolic letter entitled, “The Lord’s Day.” In it he tried to awaken Catholics to the glory of reserving one day a week for prayer, family, and renewal. He also challenged the secularizing idea of “weekend” which stretches a day for giving thanks in beloved company into two days or more of fulfilling individual ambitions. The letter is vintage John Paul: human, reflective, and devout.

In the Gospel reading today Jesus provides us with his own reflection on the Sabbath. Of course, for him it is the very end of the week, not its beginning. As in Orthodox Jewish communities today, the Sabbath in Jesus’ time is rigorously regulated: no cooking, no walking beyond what amounts to a kilometer, no jumping or handclapping. Historians tell us that in pre-exilic Israel (i.e., before 586 B.C.) the Sabbath observance was more relaxed and enjoyable. This is Jesus’ own conception as he responds to the Pharisees who claim that his disciples are not Sabbath observant.

Do we feel a twinge of guilt when we head to the mall or go to the office on Sunday? It would not necessarily be unhealthy if we did. It is not that such actions are sinful in themselves. Jesus argues for the necessity of similar deeds by his disciples. But still we should not let Sunday go by without giving primary consideration to Jesus. He is, after all, the “Lord of the Sabbath.”