Wednesday, February 3, 2021

 Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 12:4-7.11-15; Mark 6:1-6)

An old Jewish scholar calls himself “a believing nonbeliever.”  He writes that he was raised in a devout Jewish household.  He learned to love the Shema, the supreme prayer of the Jews, at Hebrew school.  The Shema reads: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” But the Holocaust shattered his faith in God.  His relatives along with six million other Jews were slaughtered in Europe during World War II.  The man seems like the first century Jewish Christians to whom today’s first reading is addressed.  The author of the Letter to the Hebrews pleads with Jewish Christians not to abandon faith in Christ because of their suffering.

The author asks his readers to understand their trials as discipline.  He urges them to see how suffering is making them stronger.  And he assures them that it will be remembered one day with gratitude.  Suffering in faith is the way of holiness because Christ walked it.

The Holocaust displays the depth of evil humans can reach.  We may meekly suggest that the crime was not as great as the deicide of the crucifixion.  But perhaps it is better to make no comparisons in face of such horrors.  The Holocaust, as clearly as any act in history, shows the need for human redemption.  We believe that Christ’s death has provided that.

Homilette for February 12, 2008

Tuesday of the First Week in Lent

(Matthew 6:7-15)

It is said that while Charles Lindberg was making the first solo flight across the Atlantic, he began to doubt the accuracy of his instruments. Worrying that his compass was off, he was tempted to alter his course. But he kept faith in the compass, thank God, and successfully landed in Paris.

Like a navigator trusts in his compass so we put our faith in the word of God. Isaiah in the first reading tells us God’s word always accomplishes its purpose. Because Jesus utters it, the “Our Father” of the gospel is certainly the word of God. We can utterly rely on its efficacy. The bread we rely on will be provided. The forgiveness we require will be granted as long as we are willing to forgive. Saying it opens us to the mysteries of salvation.

The “Our Father” has been called the Christian Shema. Shema is a Hebrew word meaning hear. The Old Testament’s Book of Deuteronomy proclaims, “Shema, Israel,” “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God ... you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words.... Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.” So we should pray the “Our Father” as our first words in the morning, our last words at night, and throughout the day. Doing so we will not only find our daily needs met but also be led to salvation.

Homilette for Tuesday, February 27, 2007

(Matthew 6)

I’ve heard it said that while Charles Lindberg first flew across the Atlantic, he began to doubt his instruments. Worrying that his compass was off, he wanted to change course. But he doggedly stuck to his instruments, thank God, and successfully landed in Paris.

Like a navigator trusts in his instruments so we put our trust in the word of God. Isaiah in the first reading tells us God’s word always accomplishes its purpose. Because Jesus utters it, the prayer “Our Father” of the gospel is the word of God. We can utterly rely on it. We might take note of the prayer’s splendid balance. It praises God and thereby implicitly thanks Him. It also pleads for our spiritual and material needs. Finally, it commits ourselves to act like God.

The “Our Father” has been called the Christian “Shema.’” Shema’ is a Hebrew word meaning hear. The Old Testament’s Book of Deuteronomy proclaims, “Shema, Israel,” “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God ... you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words.... Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.” So we should pray the “Our Father” as our first words in the morning, our last words at night, and throughout the day. Doing so we will find not only our needs met but also ourselves becoming more like Christ, who taught it to us.