Tuesday, VIII Week of Ordinary Time
(Sirach 35)
A Dominican theologian was explaining St. Thomas Aquinas’ moral theology to a group of young European families. He went to a blackboard and drew a small box in its corner. He said, “In that square are the commandments.” Then he asked if that is what morality is about. Everyone responded, “Of course.” But the Dominican disagreed. “No,” he said, “God is not much interested in commandments. Then he drew a box covering the rest of the blackboard. “That is freedom,” he said, “that is what interests God. Your task is to teach your children to be free.”
St. Thomas does emphasize the need for law. He teaches that all law -- natural, human, and revealed – has divine origin and is necessary to keep us on track. But law hardly comes to terms with all of morality. So the wise man says in the first reading, “In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD, be not sparing of freewill gifts.” Truly virtuous people go far beyond what the law prescribes in assisting neighbor, in building community, and in praising God.
Homilette for Monday, May 28, 2007
Monday, VIII Week
Memorial Day Mass
In Shakespeare’s play Henry V, the king under disguise speaks with his troops before battle. One soldier claims that the king would be guilty of all the sins of those who die in battle if his cause is not just. Henry disagrees. “The King is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers...,” he says, “for they purpose not their death when they purpose their services.”
Certainly, Henry makes the better argument and for this reason we come here to pray for dead soldiers and sailors, not for dead Presidents. We can easily imagine the temptations of those going into battle. They may become over-zealous in their killing or they may victimize not only enemy combatants but their non-combatant family members as well. But whether they have committed grave sins or venial ones, they deserve our prayers. After all, they gave their lives that we might enjoy freedom and human dignity.
Catholics show themselves as worthy Americans today as we pray for our country’s war dead. Few practices are more uniquely Catholic than praying for the dead. And certainly there can be no better way to celebrate Memorial Day than asking God’s mercy on those who have died in service of our country.
Memorial Day Mass
In Shakespeare’s play Henry V, the king under disguise speaks with his troops before battle. One soldier claims that the king would be guilty of all the sins of those who die in battle if his cause is not just. Henry disagrees. “The King is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers...,” he says, “for they purpose not their death when they purpose their services.”
Certainly, Henry makes the better argument and for this reason we come here to pray for dead soldiers and sailors, not for dead Presidents. We can easily imagine the temptations of those going into battle. They may become over-zealous in their killing or they may victimize not only enemy combatants but their non-combatant family members as well. But whether they have committed grave sins or venial ones, they deserve our prayers. After all, they gave their lives that we might enjoy freedom and human dignity.
Catholics show themselves as worthy Americans today as we pray for our country’s war dead. Few practices are more uniquely Catholic than praying for the dead. And certainly there can be no better way to celebrate Memorial Day than asking God’s mercy on those who have died in service of our country.
Homily for Sunday, May 27, 2007
PENTECOST SUNDAY
(Acts 2)
You may remember the story. It comes from the Acts of the Apostles. Paul meets a group of “disciples” as he travels through Asia Minor. He asks them if they had received the Holy Spirit. They answer, “We have never even heard of the Holy Spirit.” None of us can say that exactly. We invoke the name of the Spirit every time we cross ourselves. But would it be unfair to say that few of us have a real appreciation of the Holy Spirit? Today, Pentecost Sunday, a kind of “feast of the Holy Spirit,” we should reflect on who the Holy Spirit is and what it does for us.
The Holy Spirit, first of all, is God. If God reveals Himself to us in Jesus Christ, He enables us to know and love Himself through the Holy Spirit. We might think of the Spirit as a tongue of fire as in the reading from Acts today. This flame enlightens our minds to recognize God as our creator and savior. It also warms our hearts to desire God as the ultimate goal of life. But this is putting the mystery mildly. The Holy Spirit is perhaps more like a brush fire that transforms each of us into the conflagration of God who gives life to the world.
Someone might think then that the Spirit renders us all the same like grains of volcanic ash. But that is not the case. Rather the Holy Spirit allows each of us to act according to our capacities for the good of all. In that reading from Acts the Spirit enables each of the disciples “to speak in different tongues.” This is the birth of the Church. We as members of the Church continue, in a way, to “speak in different tongues.” Some of us will serve Church members exclusively as ministers of the Eucharist or catechists. Others will minister in the world by bringing special fervor to our jobs. A physician may give testimony to God by treating His people with care. But even a dishwasher may exemplify God’s care by conscientiously performing his job to the heath and edification of the public.
Some people today are calling into question the Spirit’s presence within the Church. They not only suspect Church leaders as being self-serving. They also find Church teachings outmoded and even harmful. For example, one person criticizes the Church for teaching abstinence (and not “protective sex”) as a preventative of AIDS. Promoting abstinence will only lead to more AIDS, the woman writes, because it ignores human desire. But perhaps it is modern times that really can’t comprehend human desire. Left on its own, desire will lead to all kinds of trouble as the lives of so many people who have died before their time testify. The Spirit continues to act in the Church by facilitating a path of disciplined love for travelers.
What is the “Holy Spirit”? This is not a stupid question. We have heard of it, but the Holy Spirit remains the most mysterious person of the God of mystery. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes no fewer than eight symbols for the Holy Spirit in Scripture. Like water it gives us life. Like fire it transforms us. Like anointing it prepares us to minister in the world. Like a seal it secures us forever. Like cloud and light it leads us onward. Like a hand it heals us when we fall. Like a finger touches our hearts with truth. Like a dove it brings us peace. The Holy Spirit permeates our faith. Today Pentecost Sunday we celebrate its presence to us. Yes, today we celebrate the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2)
You may remember the story. It comes from the Acts of the Apostles. Paul meets a group of “disciples” as he travels through Asia Minor. He asks them if they had received the Holy Spirit. They answer, “We have never even heard of the Holy Spirit.” None of us can say that exactly. We invoke the name of the Spirit every time we cross ourselves. But would it be unfair to say that few of us have a real appreciation of the Holy Spirit? Today, Pentecost Sunday, a kind of “feast of the Holy Spirit,” we should reflect on who the Holy Spirit is and what it does for us.
The Holy Spirit, first of all, is God. If God reveals Himself to us in Jesus Christ, He enables us to know and love Himself through the Holy Spirit. We might think of the Spirit as a tongue of fire as in the reading from Acts today. This flame enlightens our minds to recognize God as our creator and savior. It also warms our hearts to desire God as the ultimate goal of life. But this is putting the mystery mildly. The Holy Spirit is perhaps more like a brush fire that transforms each of us into the conflagration of God who gives life to the world.
Someone might think then that the Spirit renders us all the same like grains of volcanic ash. But that is not the case. Rather the Holy Spirit allows each of us to act according to our capacities for the good of all. In that reading from Acts the Spirit enables each of the disciples “to speak in different tongues.” This is the birth of the Church. We as members of the Church continue, in a way, to “speak in different tongues.” Some of us will serve Church members exclusively as ministers of the Eucharist or catechists. Others will minister in the world by bringing special fervor to our jobs. A physician may give testimony to God by treating His people with care. But even a dishwasher may exemplify God’s care by conscientiously performing his job to the heath and edification of the public.
Some people today are calling into question the Spirit’s presence within the Church. They not only suspect Church leaders as being self-serving. They also find Church teachings outmoded and even harmful. For example, one person criticizes the Church for teaching abstinence (and not “protective sex”) as a preventative of AIDS. Promoting abstinence will only lead to more AIDS, the woman writes, because it ignores human desire. But perhaps it is modern times that really can’t comprehend human desire. Left on its own, desire will lead to all kinds of trouble as the lives of so many people who have died before their time testify. The Spirit continues to act in the Church by facilitating a path of disciplined love for travelers.
What is the “Holy Spirit”? This is not a stupid question. We have heard of it, but the Holy Spirit remains the most mysterious person of the God of mystery. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes no fewer than eight symbols for the Holy Spirit in Scripture. Like water it gives us life. Like fire it transforms us. Like anointing it prepares us to minister in the world. Like a seal it secures us forever. Like cloud and light it leads us onward. Like a hand it heals us when we fall. Like a finger touches our hearts with truth. Like a dove it brings us peace. The Holy Spirit permeates our faith. Today Pentecost Sunday we celebrate its presence to us. Yes, today we celebrate the Holy Spirit.
Homilette for Saturday, May 26, 2007
Saturday, VII Easter
(Acts 28 and John 21)
I wonder how many of us feel more aware that this is Memorial Day weekend than that this is Pentecost weekend. It is easily understandable how a summer holiday weekend will so affect our lives in satisfying ways that we will give it first attention. Perhaps a few of us as well are looking forward to remembering our war dead in this time of hostility or of our beloved who have gone before us into the night.
But just for a few moments let us try to feel the excitement of the celebration of Pentecost. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the group of disciples and upon us. The Spirit will unite us together. He sends us forth to renew the face of the earth – that is, to transform our neighborhoods from indifferent, maybe hostile, places to friendly and caring communities. He also breathes life into our dead so that they just don’t linger in our memories until we join them.
The Scripture readings today present two characters to help us celebrate Pentecost. If anyone has ever been moved by the Spirit, surely Paul of Tarsus has. In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles he is in captivity. Yet he continues to preach the Good News. We would do well not just to admire but to imitate his desire to tell others about Jesus Christ. The gospel focuses on the Beloved Disciple. We really do not really know his name. But he stands out among all the disciples for just one quality – his love for Jesus. Peter may be the caretaker of Jesus’ flock and Thomas his proclaimer as “Lord and God.” But no one loves him quite as much as the Beloved Disciple. This is something else that we should imitate as well as admire.
(Acts 28 and John 21)
I wonder how many of us feel more aware that this is Memorial Day weekend than that this is Pentecost weekend. It is easily understandable how a summer holiday weekend will so affect our lives in satisfying ways that we will give it first attention. Perhaps a few of us as well are looking forward to remembering our war dead in this time of hostility or of our beloved who have gone before us into the night.
But just for a few moments let us try to feel the excitement of the celebration of Pentecost. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the group of disciples and upon us. The Spirit will unite us together. He sends us forth to renew the face of the earth – that is, to transform our neighborhoods from indifferent, maybe hostile, places to friendly and caring communities. He also breathes life into our dead so that they just don’t linger in our memories until we join them.
The Scripture readings today present two characters to help us celebrate Pentecost. If anyone has ever been moved by the Spirit, surely Paul of Tarsus has. In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles he is in captivity. Yet he continues to preach the Good News. We would do well not just to admire but to imitate his desire to tell others about Jesus Christ. The gospel focuses on the Beloved Disciple. We really do not really know his name. But he stands out among all the disciples for just one quality – his love for Jesus. Peter may be the caretaker of Jesus’ flock and Thomas his proclaimer as “Lord and God.” But no one loves him quite as much as the Beloved Disciple. This is something else that we should imitate as well as admire.
Homilette for Friday, May 25, 2007
Friday, VII Easter
(John 21)
Atul Gawande, a physician, wrote an article on nursing homes in the New York Times yesterday. He said that society can do much better than provide institutions that avoid residents’ bed sores and maintain their body weights. He praised recent efforts to give the aged some independence and assistance with mutual cooperation when they can no longer live in their own homes.
In the gospel Jesus tells Peter that when you become old, someone else dresses you and leads you where you would not go. He is indicating that Peter will die a martyr’s death. But we can interpret Jesus’ words to mean that other people determine how the elderly live. Too often standard procedures deny seniors in nursing homes the semblance of privacy and most personal preference beyond their choice of television channel. An alternative vision, as the doctor in the Times suggested, would be institutions with at least individual rooms and opportunities for meaningful interaction with other residents.
We should do what we can to change the atmosphere of nursing homes from a place where the elderly are dying to one where they are really living out their last years. We might begin this effort by regularly visiting someone we know in a nursing home.
(John 21)
Atul Gawande, a physician, wrote an article on nursing homes in the New York Times yesterday. He said that society can do much better than provide institutions that avoid residents’ bed sores and maintain their body weights. He praised recent efforts to give the aged some independence and assistance with mutual cooperation when they can no longer live in their own homes.
In the gospel Jesus tells Peter that when you become old, someone else dresses you and leads you where you would not go. He is indicating that Peter will die a martyr’s death. But we can interpret Jesus’ words to mean that other people determine how the elderly live. Too often standard procedures deny seniors in nursing homes the semblance of privacy and most personal preference beyond their choice of television channel. An alternative vision, as the doctor in the Times suggested, would be institutions with at least individual rooms and opportunities for meaningful interaction with other residents.
We should do what we can to change the atmosphere of nursing homes from a place where the elderly are dying to one where they are really living out their last years. We might begin this effort by regularly visiting someone we know in a nursing home.
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