Monday, March 2, 2020

Monday of the First Week of Lent

(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25:31-46)

We call him “Lawrence of Arabia.”  We don’t mean to ridicule him.  His name is Larry so associating him with the legendary desert wanderer serves as mnemonic device.  Larry is a street person.  He also seems to have lost his mind.  At least, it is difficult to hold a conversation with him.  Larry will pop into chapel when we are having mass or Morning Prayer.  Sometimes his entry is announced by the smell of dried urine.  He usually does not stay long as he suddenly stands up and walks out.  We, or at least I, never give him any money, but we are ready to feed him if he should ask.  On Sundays he is escorted to the hall where coffee and donuts are waiting. 

What surprises us about Larry is that Jesus identifies himself with him in today’s gospel.  The people being judged in that passage have the same reaction.  Whatever we do to or for Larry, whatever they did for the hungry, the sick, etc., is done to or for the Lord.  At the very least, we should treat people like Larry with respect.  It will not do to yell at him.  Rather we should call him by name and talk to him as with more conventional visitors.  If he does something intolerable, we should point it out and ask that he doesn’t do it again. 

Larry, as far as I know, has always responded sensibly.  Perhaps someday he will become belligerent.  Then we may have to call the police, but even then we should explain to him our reason.  The Lord will understand that we are not having himself taken away.  He knows that we care about him when we treat Larry as a neighbor.

Monday, February 19, 2018

Monday of the First Week in Lent

(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25:31-46)

In the urge to give as much assistance to as many people as possible, helpers sometimes miss what is most important about a work of mercy.  If they do not treat people in need with respect, they may even being doing them harm.  Respect literally means to look twice.  It is to see in the other not just another man or woman in need but a human person with feelings, ideas, and relationships.  In light of today’s gospel, respect means to see the person in need as a substitute for Christ.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society makes respect a priority.  It heartily recommends that provisions not be handed to the needy in centers of distribution but be brought to the places where they live.  In this way not only do real needs become apparent but also a sense of concern is conveyed.  Truly helpful relationships are fostered because the people involved develop more than a superficial knowledge of one another.

It is usually not hard for us to provide services to the needy.  Sometimes, indeed, we receive remuneration for doing so.  But what the Lord wants of us in assisting the poor is to treat them as we would treat him.  That is, we are to respect them by attending to their emotional and spiritual as well as their physical needs.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Monday of the First Week of Lent

(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25:31-46)

Mother Teresa often called the poor “Jesus in disguise.”  Her reason for doing so can be found in today’s gospel.  Jesus himself identifies with the hungry, the sick, and the imprisoned.  The poor certainly suffer a disproportionate incidence of these conditions.

But often in economically advanced societies the poor are well overweight.  They eat too much of the wrong foods, and they do not get enough exercise.  What can be done for them?  Certainly people can model healthy eating and exercise habits and also encourage the poor to follow them.  Advertising paid with public funds might also remind people of a healthy lifestyle.  Public policy that provide opportunities for the poor to improve their living habits may be crafted as well.

Above all, we must identify with the poor.  We not only have to see them as like Jesus but as our brothers and sisters.  Then with both our physical and creative resources engaged, we will work out ways that will remove them from jeopardy.  In these ways we will find ourselves called into the Father’s kingdom.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Monday of the First Week of Lent

(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25:31-46)

Fr. Henri Nouwen was perhaps the most noted spiritual writer in English during the last quarter of the twentieth century.  In his final years he often wrote of L’Arche, the movement uniting in community persons with severe disabilities with caregivers.  In one essay Fr. Nouwen described his service in an L’Arche community to an almost helpless youth named Adam.  Although a priest for decades with an unparalleled appreciation of the spiritual life, Nouwen learned from the young man the meaning of today’s gospel.

 Adam may not have had many alternatives; nevertheless, he allowed Nouwen to take care of him.  He evidently maintained his composure even when he was in pain from his caretaker’s awkward assistance.  In any event Adam proved himself like Jesus in that in being helped, he brought his helper a “peace that the world cannot give.”  The lessons were simple and yet profound.  First, Adam revealed to the author that what is truly important is a human person’s being not his success.  Second, Adam showed that what makes a human person an image of God is not the mind that comprehends reality but the heart that lets go of preoccupation with self to embrace another in love.  Finally, Adam demonstrated the importance of community since, like everyone else, he needed others to survive but, unlike most people, he was unable to hide that truth.

During Lent God invites us to find His Son in others.  The more we assist suffering people, the more we will recognize that it is Jesus whom we are caring for.  In so doing, he lifts us from our own misery to the joy of his company.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Monday of the First Week in Lent

(Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18; Matthew 25:31-46)

Henri Nouwen was perhaps the most noted spiritual writer in English during the last quarter of the twentieth century. In his final years he often wrote of the community of incapacitated persons and their caregivers in which he lived. In one essay he described his service to an almost helpless youth named Adam who conveyed to him the truth of today’s gospel.

Although there were few alternatives, Adam allowed Nouwen to take care of him. He evidently maintained his composure even when he was in distress. In any event Adam proved himself like Jesus in that in being helped, he brought his helper a “peace that the world cannot give.” The lessons were simple and yet profound. First, Adam revealed to the author, a man of great accomplishment, that what is truly important is a human person’s being not his success. Second, Adam revealed that what makes humans images of God is not the mind that comprehends reality but the heart that can forego preoccupation with self to embrace another in love. Finally, Adam demonstrated the importance of community since, like everyone else, he needed others to survive but in such an intense way that he was unable to hide that truth.

During Lent God invites us to find His Son in others. The more we know suffering people and assist them in their need, the more we will recognize that it is Jesus whom we are care for. In so doing, he lifts us from our own misery to the joy of his company.

Homilette for Monday, March 2, 2009

Monday of the First Week in Lent

(Matthew 25:31-46)

The word alms is derived from the Greek word elenmosyne, which means mercy. The Lenten exhortation to give alms, then, should be regarded as no more than redoubling our efforts to fulfill Christ’s call for mercy made in the gospel today.

The works of mercy have been extended and enumerated in the seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy. Naming these, of course, does not substitute for practicing them. Knowledge is not virtue. However, identifying these practices may remind us to perform them when opportunities arise. The seven corporal works of mercy are to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to shelter the homeless, to visit the sick, to ransom the captive, and to bury the dead. The spiritual works of mercy are to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the doubtful, to admonish sinners, to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive offences willingly, to comfort the afflicted, and to pray for the living and the dead.

Mercy is hardly limited to these acts. To name just a couple other works of mercy we might say to listen to the reminiscences of the elderly and to support international development agencies. Again, there is little if any virtue in naming such acts. Goodness comes from performing them.

Homilette for February 11, 2008

Monday of the First Week in Lent

(Matthew 25:31-46)

Not very long ago an old African man spent the first night of his life under a mosquito net. Unfortunately, the net arrived too late to protect him from mosquitoes carrying elephantitis, the disease which had already blinded him. But at least the man might sleep more comfortably. A campaign against malaria and elephantitis spearheaded by former President Jimmy Carter provided the net for the old man. The campaign does not have a lot of money; nevertheless, it works to relieve the suffering of the world’s poorest people.

The Scripture readings today call us to help our neighbor by providing relief such as mosquito netting to poor Africans. In the gospel Jesus extends the concept of neighbor beyond those who live next store and even beyond one’s countrymen and countrywomen. He intends that all who show mercy to those who come in his name will receive a heavenly reward. Some understand him to mean here only his apostles and other missionaries. But there is good reason to think that he intends every suffering human being as representing himself.

During Lent we want to give special attention to assisting the poor. Some parishes promote the use of “rice bowls” in homes to collect money for aid to impoverished nations. Toward the end of Lent there will be a special collection for the Bishops’ Overseas Appeal. Contributing generously will surely assist us in gaining a favorable judgment on the last day.