Wednesday, March 19, 2025

 

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(2 Samuel 7:4-5a.12-14a.16; Romans 4:13.16-18.22; Matthew 1:16.18-21.24a)

One innovation of Pope Francis has been to include St. Joseph in the very often used Second and Third Eucharistic Prayers.  For awhile waning in the popular eye, Joseph’s role in the economy of salvation has been reemphasized.  After all, he not only gave Jesus royal lineage; he most likely taught his divine son godly justice.

In today’s gospel Joseph manifests how justice is a virtue that requires more than a literal enactment of law but also love and prudence.  The Law allows Joseph to publicly expose Mary as having sexual relations outside marriage.  Of course, that is not true, but her pregnancy indicates it.  However, Joseph, being truly just, cares about Mary and adeptly decides to divorce her in secret.  In the end he does not have to do it, but his plan reveals a man of good character.  Raising Jesus as his own son, he likely passes on to him godly virtues.

Although contemporary artists often picture Joseph touching Mary, in classical art there is almost always a separation between the two.  Joseph was a chaste man who would not let proximity lapse into sexual intimacy.  It is one more virtue that we can learn from this wise and holy man.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 15:1-6; John 15:1-8)

Thomas Aquinas thought of virtue in a way that might surprise many.  He saw it as a good quality of the mind that disposes humans to live righteously.  So far, no surprises.  But Thomas went on that no one can make bad use of a virtue.  This idea is provocative.  “Cannot a terrorist show courage in a holy war” someone might ask, “so how can it be said that no one can make bad use of it?”  Thomas accepted the Christian tradition that true virtue is infused by God when the person surrenders to God in love.  It is a gift which no one can use badly because it comes from God and remains related to Him as a gift of his love.  The beginnings of virtue may be sown when God enters the soul at Baptism.  In any case no one can make bad use of a gift that keeps her in a relationship with God.  The same idea can be found in today’s gospel.

Jesus exhorts his disciples to remain in him as he remains in them.  Both he and the Father will come to them with the Holy Spirit.  The presence of all three will guide the disciple’s actions to always act in ways that conform to divine love.  In this way their actions cannot be anything but good.  Jesus uses the illustrative image of a vine and its branches to describe how virtue is transformed into benefits for others.  He says that the Father will act like a gardener pruning the vines’ branch.  Just as the pruned branches yield a greater harvest so life attentive to the Father’s commands will result in many blessings.

Our responsibility is to remain in Jesus by following his (and the Father’s) law of love.  We are to go beyond the Golden Rule.  Jesus tells us to love others as he has loved us.  We are to make sacrifices for the good of others as Jesus died to free us from sin.

Homilette for Friday, July 27, 2007

Friday, July 27, 2007

(Exodus 20)

Psychologists today speak often of boundaries. These are limits that allow relationships to develop without undo friction. People need to set boundaries which means to let others know how closely they intend to relate to another. In turn, the other person must respect those boundaries. For example, we may tell a friend from work that he should not call us after 10 p.m. Often boundaries are implied by the nature of a relationship. Teachers should not date their students even when they are both adults.

In the first reading today God sets his boundaries for humans. Not keeping the Sabbath or stealing injures our relationship with the Lord. We should note, however, that observing the Ten Commandments hardly fulfills our responsibilities as Christians. It is not enough that we refrain from worshipping idols; we must also love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is not enough that we do not covet our neighbor’s wife; we must love our neighbor as ourselves. This is why when asked, Jesus did not name any of the Ten Commandments as the greatest.

In writing his moral theology St. Thomas Aquinas did not concentrate on the commandments. He realized that if we are to be happy or, better, if we are to know God, we have to do much more than follow ten rules. No, he said, we have to practice virtue. This is a huge task that might exhaust some of us from the get-go except for the Holy Spirit. God breathes his life into our bones, as it were, so that we might not just avoid evil, but also that might do lots of good

Homilette for Thursday, June 7, 2007

Thursday, IX Week

(Mark 12)

In a classic philosophical debate Socrates holds that knowledge of what is right results in a desire to do it. Aristotle disagrees claiming that weakness of the will can interfere with doing what one knows to be good. Anyone who has ever been given the choice between chocolate fudge and an apple for dessert should agree with Aristotle. What would Jesus say?

In the gospel today Jesus makes a telling comment to the scribe who congratulates him on his choice of the greatest commandment. He says, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” One may interpret this statement as meaning that the scribe is not in the Kingdom because he does not profess faith in Jesus. Perhaps, but it is more likely that Jesus too recognizes the difference between knowing something as right and actually doing it. The scribe is not yet in the Kingdom because he only acknowledges the need to love God and neighbor. He still must humble himself to love.

Knowledge gets us started on the “good life.” It pinpoints what we should do, provides viable options, and assesses the risks of each alternative. But actually doing what is right – true morality – also requires will-power – the virtues of temperance, fortitude, and prudence. For example, young adults know the need for pre-marital abstinence from sexual intercourse to live chastely. But sitting alone with their partners on Saturday night, they require the virtues of the will to overcome being swamped by lustful desire.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST HOMILETTE UNTIL THE WEEK OF JUNE 24. I WILL BE AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER FOR THE INTERIM.