Friday, August 21, 2015

Memorial of St. Pius X, pope

(Ruth 1:1.3-6.14b-66.22; Matthew 22:34-40)

At the beginning of the twentieth century revolutionary intellectual discoveries were beckoning radical changes in Catholic theology.  Darwin had proposed the evolution of species, Freud was reinterpreting psychology, and Einstein was developing his theories of relativity.  Some Catholic theologians began to question the eternal human destiny.  Pope St. Pius X had to respond.  He was stricter than necessary, but his decrees against “Modernism” spared the Church aberrant theological thinking.  More than that, however, Pius X showed himself a genuine pastor by promoting reception of the sacraments by people who unnecessarily thought themselves unworthy.  His faithfulness to Catholic tradition can be seen as a parallel to Ruth’s faithfulness in the first reading today.

When Ruth married her Israelite husband, she accepted the Lord as her God.  Coming to trust in Him, how could she return to the gods of her own ancestors when her husband dies?   Despite her mother-in-law’s releasing her from filial responsibility, Ruth decides that she will be faithful to her mother-in-law as well as the Lord.

Faithfulness or loyalty impels us to fulfill the commitments that we have made.  It enables us to focus on the good of what we have rather allow our hearts to incessantly search for something other.  In an individualistic age faithfulness sets us on a course beyond independence and selfishness.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Memorial of St. Pius X, pope

(Ezekiel 36:23-28; Matthew 22:1-14)

Although a scourge to intellectuals of his time, St. Pius X was greatly loved by most Catholics.  He was the son of a cobbler born in 1835 and elected pope in 1904. As pope, he kept the welfare of the people utmost in mind.  He encouraged Catholics to receive Holy Communion regularly and gave permission for children to receive the sacrament.  But this does not mean he was a lax pastor.  No he insisted on adequate catechesis for everyone.  This emphasis may be seen reflected in the gospel today.

Jesus’ parable is quite disturbing for many people.  “Why is the poor man thrown out of the banquet just because he wasn’t wearing the right clothes?” they ask.  The explanation is that the wedding garment was not unusual or expensive clothing.  In fact, it could be provided by the host if necessary.  The man refused to wear it and thus insulted the host by eating his food without really participating in the nuptial festivity.  The wedding garment is usually taken as a baptismal garment and the story compared to one receiving Holy Communion without bothering to be baptized.

Many of the customs of the Church have ancient roots, and we should respect them.  Sometimes adherence to tradition is required as in the case of Baptism before Communion. By preserving the traditions we show ourselves in solidarity with Christians from times past -- all the way back to Jesus.  This does not mean that there is no room for innovation in the Church but that traditions have valued significance.

Homilette for Wednesday, February 7, 2007

(Mark 7)

There’s a story about Pope Pius X as a young priest ferreting out an unfaithful Catholic. He walked by the man’s home on Friday morning and smelled bacon frying. Since the young priest eventually became a saint, we will presume that he didn’t condemn the man outright. But it may be best that we no longer abstain from meat on Fridays, except in Lent, to minimize our judging other people.

This gospel today shows Jesus abrogating the dietary laws of the Jews, at least among his followers. The action is bold because the dietary laws distinguished Jews from their pork-eating neighbors. No doubt, the Jews prided themselves as being God’s people because they did not eat ham. Jesus followers, at least, would have to show themselves to be God’s newly chosen people in other ways. He presents the blueprint for their righteousness here. They will refrain from all evil thoughts and malicious actions.

But do Catholics really live better lives than other groups of people? Catholics seem to divorce as often as non-Catholics. Abortion is not unknown or even strictly uncommon among American Catholics. We probably attend church on Sunday more frequently than other churches. And it can be shown that children going to Catholic schools whose parents attend Mass on Sunday are less likely to use drugs and alcohol and to have sex in high school. But, unfortunately, Catholic education is not as available as it once was. In any case, we must continue to strive for the righteousness that Jesus preaches throughout the gospels. We do so not to see ourselves as better than others but to have God see us as His grateful children.