Thursday, July 9,2020

Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Hosea 11:1-4.8e-9; Matthew 10:7-15)

I have six pence, jolly, jolly six pence/ I have six pence to last me all my life.

I have two pence to spend and two pence to lend,

And two pence to send home to my wife, poor wife.

Many of us sang such rhymes in our youth perhaps making the best of the days when our earning power was minimal.  Perhaps the apostles sang something like it as they were sent by Jesus to proclaim the Good News.

Jesus tells them that they are not to “take gold or silver or copper” with them.  The last, a copper coin, is what we call today a penny.  Jesus wants the apostles are to preach the goodness of God by their poverty as well as by their words.  Completely dependent on Divine Providence, without even a penny to their name, they will show how the Lord cares for those who trust in Him.  He not only gives them upkeep but a more valuable inner joy.

Often enough today we forget this instruction from Jesus.  Preachers will set substantial fees for their services.  Lay people also may always look for compensation for any service rendered.  It is not that asking a definite amount for one’s efforts is wrong.  The problem is that we do not see ourselves as God’s children with responsibility for one another.  

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ezekiel 34:1-11; Matthew 20:1-16)

Although it sounds trendy, it may help us to think of the Kingdom of God as a complex of niche markets. Where most enterprises appeal to a basic clientele, who must take or leave the product depending on their benefit or loss, the Kingdom has an assortment of attractions to accommodate almost everyone. We get a glimpse of how the system works in the gospel today. The landowner offers jobs to different workers at different hours of the day. Rather than pay each according to the work done, he gives all the same wage, which was just enough to support his family for one day. In this way no one is left in need, and no one should gripe since all received what was agreed upon in the landowner’s respective offer.

The system seems unfair since it does not compensate according to the rule, equal pay for equal work. But if we think of airline pricing, a good example of niche marketing, it may make more sense. Latecomers are charged more for the same ride because their need is more urgent. Similarly those who like lots of leg room have to pay a premium for their comfort.

It is important to remember, however, that our role is not to justify God’s ways of doing things. Rather we are to marvel at God’s mercy. Jesus offers the parable to show how God’s Providence meets everyone’s needs.

Friday,l January 15, 2010

Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 8:4-7.10-22a; Mark 2:1-12)

The need for a king, as the elders of Israel express in the first reading today, may sound quaint to modern ears. After all, society has gone far beyond government by a single ruler. However, the longing for a monarch signifies a desire implanted deep in every human heart. A king represents security so that the people can both work and rest in peace. Kings theoretically will judge the people fairly because they are endowed with abundant wealth. Even more importantly, kings have armies to protect the people from marauders. All this, of course, says nothing of the inherent wisdom with which kings are supposedly blessed. We may not clamor for kings, but we do seek the social benefits that kings represent.

God tells Samuel in the reading that the people’s request for a king constitutes a rejection of Himself as their ruler. In pursuing social security, are we similarly denying God’s role as our provider? This is not a frivolous question as we see development of state welfare at the same time as the waning of belief in God. We can rephrase the issue for the sake of clarity. In government-mandated health insurance, government-subsidized education, and government-provided food stamps are we relying foremost on the state rather than on God’s Providence?

Just as God allows the Israelites to have a king, He can approve of our system of social welfare. Any rejection that He suffers will be the result of our pride not of our prudence. We become proud when we start thinking that we are independent of God, that we can thrive without Him, and that we do not have to heed His ways. Prudent people will always recognize that they are powerless over all contingencies and that God is ultimately in control of their destinies. Along with striving to provide social guarantees, people of faith will also pray to God for deliverance from evil.

Homilette for Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Memorial of St. Pio of Pietrecina, priest

(Ezra 9:5-9; Luke 9:1-6)

Once, a group of Peace Corps trainees were left individually in villages outside the training center in their host country. The volunteers were provided only with carfare back to the center. When they regrouped that evening, most of them had tales to tell of gracious hospitality. In almost every case villagers invited them into their homes for dinner, and a few even drove their newly acquainted friends back to the center.

In today’s gospel, Jesus’ apostles are sent out in a roughly similar way. They, however, are not to bring anything with them “just in case.” Rather, they are to trust completely in Providence working through the villagers they encounter. Of course, the Twelve will rescue the people from demons, cure their diseases, and proclaim to them the good news of God’s kingdom, but these blessings are not meant as ways to finagle hospitality or even to reward it. Rather, they are to demonstrate God’s favor upon those who have humbly awaited His coming.

The dependency of the apostles upon Providence awakens our consciences like bugle reveille. Today our society, including most church workers, strives to avert risks. The credit card has long served as a way never to be caught without money. With cellular telephones in emergencies help is always a few pushed buttons away. Insurance protects against almost every kind of loss. Although these privileges are defended as prudential, they leave us with the question: What does it mean today to trust in Providence if we always and everywhere avoid risk?

Homilette for Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Luke 9:1-6)

As a training exercise, a group of Peace Corps Volunteers were once left individually in villages not far from their training center around noon on Sunday. The volunteers were provided with little more than carfare back to the center. When the volunteers regrouped that evening, most of them told stories of gracious hospitality. In almost every case villagers invited them into their homes for dinner and a few even drove the volunteers back to the training center.

In today’s gospel Jesus’ apostles are sent out in a not too dissimilar way. They, however, are not to bring anything with them “just in case.” Rather, they are to depend completely on Providence working through the townspeople they encounter. Of course, they will offer to the people release from demons, cures of diseases, and the good news of God’s kingdom, but these blessings are not meant as ways to finagle hospitality or to reward it. Rather, they represent God’s favor upon those who accept His grace. Indeed, Jesus indicates that some villagers will likely shut their doors in his apostles’ faces.

The dependency of the apostles upon Providence thrills our consciences like a bugle call. Today in our society most people, including church workers, strive to avert risks. The credit card has long served as a way never to be caught without money. With cellular telephones in emergencies help is only a few pushed buttons away. Other resources like generous insurance policies protect against catastrophic situations. Although these privileges are often defended as prudential, they may leave us with the question: What does it mean today to trust in God’s Providence if we avoid all risks?

Homilette for January 18, 2008

Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 8:4-7;10-22a)

The need of a king as the elders of Israel express in the first reading today may sound quaint to us. After all, modern society has gone far beyond government by a single ruler. However, the longing for a monarch signifies a desire implanted deep in every human heart. A king represents security so that the people can both work and rest in peace. Kings theoretically will judge the people fairly because they are endowed with abundant wealth to scorn the lure of bribes. Even more importantly, kings have armies to protect the people from marauders. We may not clamor for kings anymore, but we do seek all the security and more that kings once provided.

God tells Samuel in the reading that the people’s request for a king constitutes a rejection of Himself as their ruler. In pursuing social guarantees are we similarly denying God’s role as our provider? This is not a frivolous question as we see human society developing but devotion to God waning. We can phrase the issue differently for the sake of clarity. In buying health insurance, sending our children to the best schools possible, even getting cellular telephones in case of emergencies, are we putting our trust in human achievement rather than in God's Providence? Certainly, the resources we spend on these measures might be used to provide basic services to the poor as God dictates.

Just as God allows the Israelites to have a king, He can approve of our desire for social securities. Any rejection that He may suffer is the result of our pride not of our prudence. We become proud when we start thinking that we are independent of God, that we can thrive without Him, and that we do not have to heed His ways. Prudent people will always recognize that they are powerless over all contingencies, that God is ultimately in control of their destinies, and that they need to consider others’ welfare as well as their own. Along with striving to secure life’s necessities, people of faith will also kneel to pray for deliverance from evil.

Homilette for Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Wednesday, XXV Week of Ordinary Time

(Luke 9)

A group of Peace Corps Volunteer trainees were once left individually in villages surrounding a city in Malaysia. The trainers provided the volunteers with little more than carfare back to the training center. It was a Sunday afternoon around midday so most of the villagers were at home preparing to eat. That evening when the volunteers regrouped, most of them told stories of gracious hospitality. The people of the villages invited them to their homes for dinner and often drove the volunteers back to the center.

In today’s gospel Jesus sends his apostles out in a similar way. They, however, are to bring nothing with them “just in case.” Rather, they are to depend completely on Providence working through the townspeople they encounter. Of course, they have something for the people – release from demons, cures of diseases, and the good news of God’s kingdom. Like the Peace Corps volunteers they will share stories of success.

The dependency of the apostles upon Providence thrills our consciences like a bugle call. Today in our society most people – and certainly church workers – strive to avert risks. The credit card has long served as a way never to be caught without money. Now, of course, with the cellular telephone help is always only a few pushed buttons away. Of course, we have compiled many more resources – generous insurance policies, for example – that meet most every contingency. We may defend this coverage as prudential, but at the same time we wonder if they eliminate an essential element of Jesus’ apostleship.