Friday, March 20, 2026

 

Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent

(Wisdom 2:1a.12-22; John 7:1-2.25-30)

In both readings today, arrogant men claim to know the motives and destinies of just ones.  The reading from the Book of Wisdom shows the self-righteous judging a good person.  They resent the good person who points their faults and acts in ways contrary to their own. (Think of Richard Rich treatment of Thomas More in A Man for all Seasons.)

In the gospel the men of Jerusalem claim to know Jesus because they have heard where he is from.  They presume -- like Nathanael in the gospel’s opening scene: “’ Can anything good come from Nazareth?’”  But they are wrong.  Before Jesus grew up in Nazareth, he was with the Father from all eternity. 

We profess faith in Jesus, the Just One.  His life reveals to us who we are.  Like the men of Jerusalem condemning Jesus, we are sinners given to think of ourselves as better than others.  But when we repent of our sins as he preached, we experience the reconciliation he achieved on the cross.  Also, through his resurrection from the dead he instills in us a never-ending life of virtue.

Friday, August 5, 2016

Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Nahum 2:1.3.3:1-3.6-7; Matthew 16:24-28)

There is a powerful scene in A Man for All Seasons where St. Thomas More cites today’s gospel. More has been accused of treason and is given his day in court.  A former assistant, Richard Rich, is called as a witness of the state to testify against him.  Rich is introduced as the solicitor of Wales, a position he gained by conspiring with the authorities.  Rich perjures himself saying that More did indeed express denial of the king’s supremacy over the Church of England.  As Rich leaves the scene, More says to him: “The Lord asks what profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his life? But you have done so for Wales, Richard?”

Even though Thomas More evidently did not consider Wales much of a prize, many people seem willing to forfeit eternal life for less.  It is not for us to judge who will be saved and who will be damned, but certainly people perform actions they know are seriously wrong.  Murder, adultery, and abortion are three which quickly come to mind, but there are others which would be in most cases difficult to excuse.  These crimes are perpetrated sometimes for relatively shallow reasons like momentary pleasure or avoidance of shame.

No life is easy.  All have their share of disappointment and misery.  Yet all carry the prospect of happiness.  We bear our particular cross, as Jesus admonishes today, without great complaint so that we might follow him to glory.  It is also likely that we will find our forbearance bringing a measure of happiness among the people with whom we associate.