Wednesday, I Lent
(Jonah 3 and Luke 11)
The other day the news reported that someone has petitioned Congress to award posthumous citizenship to Anne Frank. She was the Jewish girl whose diary moved the world to condemn the Holocaust. Before her family’s hiding place in Holland was discovered, her father had requested relatives in the United States to seek his family’s admittance. Since the request was denied, supporters of the Congressional petition say that granting her citizenship would be a sign of repentance of complicity in the Holocaust. Critics of the measure argue that it would be a cheap gesture since it requires no sacrifice on the part of the American people.
Other good reasons are being put forward on both sides of this debate. It will be interesting to see how it is played out. But for now we can note how it illustrates the call for repentance of the Scripture readings today. Jonah announces God’s wrath with Nineveh’s evil ways, and the people repent. The author emphasizes how it is a sincere, communal effort. Not only the people but the king and even the animals of the city fast and change heart. In the gospel Jesus calls his generation “evil,” but it refuses to repent of its sins as Nineveh does.
We too must repent of our sins, not just symbolically but wholeheartedly. This means that we don’t just say we are sorry or we don’t just go to confession. No, these would be empty gestures if they are not accompanied by a sincere attempt to change our sinful ways. A young woman once confessed of having sex with her boyfriend. “Are you going to promise not to have sex with him again?” the priest asked her. “No,” she answered, she couldn’t promise that. Then, she couldn’t receive absolution. Just so, unless we promise with all our heart to stop taking God’s name in vain or talking about others, we have not really repented of our sins.
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.
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.
Homilette for Monday, February 26, 2007
(Matthew 25)
Not very long ago an old, blind man in Africa spent the first night of his life under a mosquito net. The net can no longer protect him from mosquitoes carrying elephantitis, the disease which blinded him, but at least he might sleep more comfortably. He received the mosquito net from a campaign against malaria and elephantitis being spearheaded by former President Jimmy Carter. The campaign does not have a lot of money; nevertheless, it works to relieve the suffering of the world’s poorest people.
The Scripture readings today call us to help our neighbor. Jesus extends the concept of neighbor beyond those who live next store and beyond one’s country. He intends that his followers assist the poorest of people on his account. He says that on the last day, he will judge us according to the standard: “Whatever you did for one of least of these least brothers of mine, you did to me.”
During Lent we want to give special attention to assisting the poor. Some parishes promote the use of “rice bowls” in homes to collect money for aid to impoverished nations. Toward the end of Lent there will be a special collection for the Bishops’ Overseas Appeal. Contributing generously will surely assist us in gaining a favorable judgment on the last day.
Not very long ago an old, blind man in Africa spent the first night of his life under a mosquito net. The net can no longer protect him from mosquitoes carrying elephantitis, the disease which blinded him, but at least he might sleep more comfortably. He received the mosquito net from a campaign against malaria and elephantitis being spearheaded by former President Jimmy Carter. The campaign does not have a lot of money; nevertheless, it works to relieve the suffering of the world’s poorest people.
The Scripture readings today call us to help our neighbor. Jesus extends the concept of neighbor beyond those who live next store and beyond one’s country. He intends that his followers assist the poorest of people on his account. He says that on the last day, he will judge us according to the standard: “Whatever you did for one of least of these least brothers of mine, you did to me.”
During Lent we want to give special attention to assisting the poor. Some parishes promote the use of “rice bowls” in homes to collect money for aid to impoverished nations. Toward the end of Lent there will be a special collection for the Bishops’ Overseas Appeal. Contributing generously will surely assist us in gaining a favorable judgment on the last day.
Homily for Sunday, February 25, 2007
First Sunday of Lent
(Luke 4)
They said he had a glass jaw. Yet he must have packed a punch. Floyd Patterson was a boxer in the 1950's and 60's. He became the first heavyweight champion to regain his title. After he retired, the champ wrote a book he called Victory over Myself. That phrase might serve as the theme of today’s gospel reading, indeed of all Lent. It may be the devil who tempts us, as he does Jesus in the gospel, but temptations work through our inner desires. Each of us must struggle to attain a victory over himself or herself.
First, the devil lures Jesus with bread. We know this kind of temptation. We experience it every time we feel reckless desire in our sensual appetites. When we want a third beer or a peek at Internet porn, we are being tempted with the devil’s bread. But there is more here than temptation to satisfy one’s individual desires. Jesus is about to begin his public ministry. If Jesus starts turning rocks into bread, he could easily gain the allegiance of the masses. Would not the people stand by him if he daily filled their satchels with bread? This is the temptation to which parents succumb when they buy a PlayStation for their teen to win her affection. They should realize that they can only attain a child’s love through attentive care.
Of course, our temptations are not limited to sex and booze. Just as when the devil promises Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for his worship, we are tempted to do bad to achieve good. We may want to lie on an application form to get a decent paying job. The social dimension of this temptation is easy to imagine. Jesus is promised that the whole world will attend Mass on Sunday if he just kneels before Satan. Politicians grab this offer when they vote against restrictions on abortion to assure their re-election. We must realize that doing evil cannot produce what is truly good. Very often, like running red lights to get to work on time, it ends in disaster.
There is yet another, more pernicious kind of temptation. Not only do we want to control other people’s lives, we also want God to serve us on demand! How many times have we made God our instance of last resort, turning to Him for help only when all else fails? How many times have we attributed our success to our own keen judgment rather than acknowledge God’s Providence? How many times have we worried incessantly about what will befall us rather than trust in God’s love? In the gospel Jesus is tempted to subject his Father to his own desire. But he refuses to do this. For Jesus it is always “Thy will be done.” During Lent we learn to follow Jesus in this way. Through our prayer, fasting, and charity we put ourselves in God’s hands trusting that He can only do us well.
We should notice how Jesus uses Scripture to successfully turn away the devil’s lures. “One does not live by bread alone”; “you shall worship the Lord, your God”; “You shall not put the Lord, your God to the test,” Jesus tells Satan. Now, it is true that the devil can also quote the Bible so we have to interpret texts carefully. In the Catholic Church we look to hierarchy to assist us with this task.
The “Return of the Prodigal Son” is a painting by the Dutch master Rembrandt. It pictures a young man in tattered clothing kneeling before a bearded man with a splendid red cloak. The young man yielded to the devil’s lures, probably sex and booze along with more pernicious kinds of temptation. Then he remembered the attentive care his father gave all his workers. So he came back. Now, he lays his head in his father’s bosom and puts himself safe in his father’s hands. He is where we want to be after the Lenten journey. Safe in our Father’s hands.
(Luke 4)
They said he had a glass jaw. Yet he must have packed a punch. Floyd Patterson was a boxer in the 1950's and 60's. He became the first heavyweight champion to regain his title. After he retired, the champ wrote a book he called Victory over Myself. That phrase might serve as the theme of today’s gospel reading, indeed of all Lent. It may be the devil who tempts us, as he does Jesus in the gospel, but temptations work through our inner desires. Each of us must struggle to attain a victory over himself or herself.
First, the devil lures Jesus with bread. We know this kind of temptation. We experience it every time we feel reckless desire in our sensual appetites. When we want a third beer or a peek at Internet porn, we are being tempted with the devil’s bread. But there is more here than temptation to satisfy one’s individual desires. Jesus is about to begin his public ministry. If Jesus starts turning rocks into bread, he could easily gain the allegiance of the masses. Would not the people stand by him if he daily filled their satchels with bread? This is the temptation to which parents succumb when they buy a PlayStation for their teen to win her affection. They should realize that they can only attain a child’s love through attentive care.
Of course, our temptations are not limited to sex and booze. Just as when the devil promises Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for his worship, we are tempted to do bad to achieve good. We may want to lie on an application form to get a decent paying job. The social dimension of this temptation is easy to imagine. Jesus is promised that the whole world will attend Mass on Sunday if he just kneels before Satan. Politicians grab this offer when they vote against restrictions on abortion to assure their re-election. We must realize that doing evil cannot produce what is truly good. Very often, like running red lights to get to work on time, it ends in disaster.
There is yet another, more pernicious kind of temptation. Not only do we want to control other people’s lives, we also want God to serve us on demand! How many times have we made God our instance of last resort, turning to Him for help only when all else fails? How many times have we attributed our success to our own keen judgment rather than acknowledge God’s Providence? How many times have we worried incessantly about what will befall us rather than trust in God’s love? In the gospel Jesus is tempted to subject his Father to his own desire. But he refuses to do this. For Jesus it is always “Thy will be done.” During Lent we learn to follow Jesus in this way. Through our prayer, fasting, and charity we put ourselves in God’s hands trusting that He can only do us well.
We should notice how Jesus uses Scripture to successfully turn away the devil’s lures. “One does not live by bread alone”; “you shall worship the Lord, your God”; “You shall not put the Lord, your God to the test,” Jesus tells Satan. Now, it is true that the devil can also quote the Bible so we have to interpret texts carefully. In the Catholic Church we look to hierarchy to assist us with this task.
The “Return of the Prodigal Son” is a painting by the Dutch master Rembrandt. It pictures a young man in tattered clothing kneeling before a bearded man with a splendid red cloak. The young man yielded to the devil’s lures, probably sex and booze along with more pernicious kinds of temptation. Then he remembered the attentive care his father gave all his workers. So he came back. Now, he lays his head in his father’s bosom and puts himself safe in his father’s hands. He is where we want to be after the Lenten journey. Safe in our Father’s hands.
Homilette for Ash Wednesday, February 21, 2007
(Matthew 6)
Hester Prynne is the heroine of the famous American novel, The Scarlet Letter. She lives in colonial New England. After marrying an older man who leaves her for long periods, she allows herself to be seduced. When she gives birth to a baby, the town condemns her. Her penalty is that she must wear a big red “A” for adultery on her clothing. She does so while going about the town with her daughter and helping everyone. As the years pass, the townspeople forget Hester’s crime. They see her care for others and think the “A” on her clothing stands for “angel.”
In a few moments we will have ashes put on our foreheads. Like Hester Prynne’s scarlet letter the ashes are a sign that we have sinned. We have loved ourselves too much. We have not served God and neighbor enough. Along with wearing ashes today, we should make extra efforts to fast, pray, and help others during the forty days of Lent. When we do so, God will forget our offenses like the people forget that Hester’s letter “A” stands for adultery. Again like Hester, we will be remembered for our virtue not for our faults.
So let us take on all the disciplines of Lent willingly. A generation ago some preachers recommended that we “do something positive for Lent” and not give up anything. That was not wise advice. We must curb our desire for constant gratification as well as develop the practice of serving others. In these ways we shall draw close to God. In these ways we shall rise with Christ on Easter.
Hester Prynne is the heroine of the famous American novel, The Scarlet Letter. She lives in colonial New England. After marrying an older man who leaves her for long periods, she allows herself to be seduced. When she gives birth to a baby, the town condemns her. Her penalty is that she must wear a big red “A” for adultery on her clothing. She does so while going about the town with her daughter and helping everyone. As the years pass, the townspeople forget Hester’s crime. They see her care for others and think the “A” on her clothing stands for “angel.”
In a few moments we will have ashes put on our foreheads. Like Hester Prynne’s scarlet letter the ashes are a sign that we have sinned. We have loved ourselves too much. We have not served God and neighbor enough. Along with wearing ashes today, we should make extra efforts to fast, pray, and help others during the forty days of Lent. When we do so, God will forget our offenses like the people forget that Hester’s letter “A” stands for adultery. Again like Hester, we will be remembered for our virtue not for our faults.
So let us take on all the disciplines of Lent willingly. A generation ago some preachers recommended that we “do something positive for Lent” and not give up anything. That was not wise advice. We must curb our desire for constant gratification as well as develop the practice of serving others. In these ways we shall draw close to God. In these ways we shall rise with Christ on Easter.
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