Monday, September 25, 2017

Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ezra 1:1-6; Luke 8:16-18)

In the 1950s and 1960s civil rights activists sang, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.”  They saw themselves as small beams of light in the ongoing struggle with the darkness of racial bigotry and prejudice.  The song, written in the early part of the last century, recalls Jesus’ words of the gospel today.

Jesus wants his disciples to understand that they have been chosen to reflect the light of God’s grace.  Christianity is not a private religion in the sense that Jesus’ followers might pray on Sunday and be indifferent to their neighbors on Monday.  Quite the contrary, Christian prayer should lead to action on behalf of the needy.

There is a story about a Quaker prayer meeting once attended by a non-member.  As their habit, the Quakers were sitting in quiet meditation which discomforted the guest.  The guest turned to the Quaker sitting at his side and whispered, “When does the service begin?”  The Quaker responded, “The service begins as soon as the prayer ends!”  

Monday, June 13, 2011

Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, priest

(II Corinthians 6:1-10; Matthew 5:38-42)

Few Christian communities have taken Jesus’ message in the gospel today more literally than the Quakers, the Society of Friends. For generations Quakers were given deferments from conscription into the U.S. Army because of their official position against the use of force. In today’s gospel Jesus lays the groundwork for the Quakers’ policy.

Jesus’ command to offer no resistance to evil is a super-tall order. Many insist with good reason that he is using hyperbolic language. This means that Jesus exaggerates the obligation in order to move his followers from the natural disposition of taking revenge. In other words, disciples do not have to submit completely to aggressors but, nevertheless, should be forbearing in their response.

Forbearance is not a popular virtue today. People either try to get even when they are offended, or they sulk in bitterness. Forbearance inclines us to tolerate others’ faults and to forgive their offenses. In these ways we mirror the Father’s patience with the sins of the world, which include our own.

Homilette for Monday, September 22, 2008

Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Luke 8:16-18)

In the 1950s and 1960s civil rights activists sang, “This little light of mine of mine, I’m going to let it shine.” They saw themselves as small beams of light in the ongoing struggle with the darkness of racial bigotry and prejudice. The song, written in the early part of the last century, recalls Jesus’ words of the gospel today.

Jesus wants his disciples to understand that they were chosen to reflect the light of God’s grace. Christianity is not a private religion in the sense that Jesus’ followers might pray on Sunday and be indifferent to their neighbors on Monday. Quite the contrary, Christian prayer must lead to exemplary behavior.

There is a story about a Quaker prayer meeting once attended by a non-member. As their habit, the Quakers were sitting in quiet meditation which discomforted the guest. The guest turned to the Quaker sitting at his side and whispered, “When does the service begin?” The Quaker responded, “The service begins as soon as the prayer ends!”