Monday of the Third Week of Advent
(Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17a; Matthew 21:23-27)
In today’s gospel the chief priests and elders ask Jesus by whose authority he performs his marvelous deeds. Although Jesus adroitly sidesteps the issue because of the malicious intent of the questions, it is one that should preoccupy us during Advent. How does Jesus accomplish such mighty works? In Jesus’ reply to the Jewish leaders, he refers to John’s preaching. We can find here a hint for our reflection on Jesus’ authority. But first it would be helpful to examine the reference to Balaam in the first reading.
Balaam was a holy man who lived in Palestine just before the Israelites occupied the territory. When Balak, the king of the Moabites, saw the oncoming Israeli hordes, he summoned Balaam to curse the intruders. His hope was that a holy man’s curse would provide him the margin of victory. Balaam, however, will not comply with the king wishes because he sees that God favors the Israelites. The rising star which he sees in the heavens represents the ascendency of Israel’s prominence in the land.
Just as Balaam recognizes the coming of Israel to dominate Palestine, John the Baptist sees one coming after him who will baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit. He is not sure exactly who the coming one is. In fact, he may be disappointed to hear of the lack of righteous indignation with sin in Jesus’ message. The fire and Spirit, which John foretold, turn out to be Jesus’ life-giving actions of forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoral to wholeness. Unlike John, a prophet who speaks under God’s authority, Jesus proclaims the Kingdom with his own divine authority.
Homilette for Friday, December 12, 2008
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
(Zechariah 2:14-17; Luke 1:39-48)
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Elizabeth recognizes that the action in her womb as a response to the Lord whom Mary carries womb. She can do little but exclaim, “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” God has indeed blessed Mary by choosing her to bear His son, but this fact alone hardly makes her all that we believe her to be.
Later on in this same Gospel of Luke, a woman will call out to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” Jesus’ replies to this compliment with a correction. “Rather,” he says, “blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:27-28). Jesus is not slighting his mother a bit here because he knows better than anyone how Mary always responds graciously to God’s word. Her responsiveness is demonstrated when she hurries to Elizabeth’s side after the angel informs her that the latter is with child. The inspired Elizabeth recognizes this greater quality of Mary when she tells her, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
We can see find Mary acting on the word of God when she meets the indigenous Juan Diego. She orders the Indian to tell the Spanish bishop of Mexico City that he must build a church on the site where she stands. Native Mexicans at this time are a poor, defeated nation whose converted Christian members have to travel into the city for mass. By mandating a church where the people reside Mary demonstrates God’s care for the poor found on most pages of Scripture.
(Zechariah 2:14-17; Luke 1:39-48)
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Elizabeth recognizes that the action in her womb as a response to the Lord whom Mary carries womb. She can do little but exclaim, “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” God has indeed blessed Mary by choosing her to bear His son, but this fact alone hardly makes her all that we believe her to be.
Later on in this same Gospel of Luke, a woman will call out to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” Jesus’ replies to this compliment with a correction. “Rather,” he says, “blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:27-28). Jesus is not slighting his mother a bit here because he knows better than anyone how Mary always responds graciously to God’s word. Her responsiveness is demonstrated when she hurries to Elizabeth’s side after the angel informs her that the latter is with child. The inspired Elizabeth recognizes this greater quality of Mary when she tells her, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
We can see find Mary acting on the word of God when she meets the indigenous Juan Diego. She orders the Indian to tell the Spanish bishop of Mexico City that he must build a church on the site where she stands. Native Mexicans at this time are a poor, defeated nation whose converted Christian members have to travel into the city for mass. By mandating a church where the people reside Mary demonstrates God’s care for the poor found on most pages of Scripture.
Homilette for Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
(Isaiah 41:13-20; Matthew 11:11-15)
The venerable teacher had the peculiarity of calling his students “pinheads.” The adolescents under his tutelage, however, did not take offense. Indeed, they perked up at the appellation to pay greater attention to the lesson. So the people of Israel respond to Isaiah as he calls them “worm” and “maggot” in the first reading. The prophet’s message certainly merits attention. God will rescue them from their captivity. Their way home will not be torturous but pleasant. Rather than straining beneath the desert sun, they will walk blithely under the shade of trees and drink from wayside pools.
Early in the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist hurls similar insults as the prophet Isaiah. “Brood of vipers” he calls the Pharisees and Sadducees who seek him out in another desert. The people attend to his word because they recognize John as a true prophet. But for all its truth his message still falls short of the full revelation of the Kingdom of heaven because it lacks a dimension of God’s Fatherly love. This is why Jesus says that the least in the Kingdom – the tiniest one who comes to know the grace of the Kingdom -- is greater than the mighty Baptist.
Also a prophet, Jesus not only talks about God’s love but demonstrates it with powerful acts of mercy. Today we see similar preaching backed by deeds in the activities of many churches. One community of faith not only gives the poor an elegant weekly dinner but sponsors an annual concert featuring Handel’s “Messiah” so that the larger civic community might come together and be lifted up in the Lord’s name.
(Isaiah 41:13-20; Matthew 11:11-15)
The venerable teacher had the peculiarity of calling his students “pinheads.” The adolescents under his tutelage, however, did not take offense. Indeed, they perked up at the appellation to pay greater attention to the lesson. So the people of Israel respond to Isaiah as he calls them “worm” and “maggot” in the first reading. The prophet’s message certainly merits attention. God will rescue them from their captivity. Their way home will not be torturous but pleasant. Rather than straining beneath the desert sun, they will walk blithely under the shade of trees and drink from wayside pools.
Early in the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist hurls similar insults as the prophet Isaiah. “Brood of vipers” he calls the Pharisees and Sadducees who seek him out in another desert. The people attend to his word because they recognize John as a true prophet. But for all its truth his message still falls short of the full revelation of the Kingdom of heaven because it lacks a dimension of God’s Fatherly love. This is why Jesus says that the least in the Kingdom – the tiniest one who comes to know the grace of the Kingdom -- is greater than the mighty Baptist.
Also a prophet, Jesus not only talks about God’s love but demonstrates it with powerful acts of mercy. Today we see similar preaching backed by deeds in the activities of many churches. One community of faith not only gives the poor an elegant weekly dinner but sponsors an annual concert featuring Handel’s “Messiah” so that the larger civic community might come together and be lifted up in the Lord’s name.
Homilette for Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent
(Isaiah 40:25-31; Matthew 11:28-30)
Muslims are fond of repeating the Arabic phrase, “Allahu akhbar,” throughout the day. It means “God is great” and expresses the content of the first reading from Isaiah. God is great, much greater than we are – either as individuals or as a collective. Indeed, He made us and knows all our thoughts and our every action. But he does not compete for prominence with us like an upstart athlete wanting to prove his mettle. Rather God assists us in transcending our limitations so that we might even share in His greatness.
Unfortunately, we still want to compete with God. The first woman was tempted in the garden to be “like the gods,” and many today have the same ambition. They want to determine for themselves the boundaries of righteousness. The results of such a pursuit are usually disastrous. People become stressed out and confused with restless hearts. In the gospel Jesus offers everyone a better way. He invites especially those who feel oppressed and overburdened to come to him. He will not free us from responsibility but trades his burden for ours. Where we struggle to legitimize our desire for fame, fortune, and fun; he offers his peace, hope, and love. Our own burden would prove intolerable in the long run and leads us nowhere; his leads us to what is truly good and is absolutely manageable.
(Isaiah 40:25-31; Matthew 11:28-30)
Muslims are fond of repeating the Arabic phrase, “Allahu akhbar,” throughout the day. It means “God is great” and expresses the content of the first reading from Isaiah. God is great, much greater than we are – either as individuals or as a collective. Indeed, He made us and knows all our thoughts and our every action. But he does not compete for prominence with us like an upstart athlete wanting to prove his mettle. Rather God assists us in transcending our limitations so that we might even share in His greatness.
Unfortunately, we still want to compete with God. The first woman was tempted in the garden to be “like the gods,” and many today have the same ambition. They want to determine for themselves the boundaries of righteousness. The results of such a pursuit are usually disastrous. People become stressed out and confused with restless hearts. In the gospel Jesus offers everyone a better way. He invites especially those who feel oppressed and overburdened to come to him. He will not free us from responsibility but trades his burden for ours. Where we struggle to legitimize our desire for fame, fortune, and fun; he offers his peace, hope, and love. Our own burden would prove intolerable in the long run and leads us nowhere; his leads us to what is truly good and is absolutely manageable.
Homilette for Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tuesday, II Week of Advent
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Matthew 18:12-14)
The other day public radio advertised an upcoming interview with an evangelical pastor who has parted from the Church’s tradition. The pastor believes that God could not send anyone to hell because, he says, if God condemned one person for infidelity or lawlessness, then He would have to condemn billions and that would make him a mass murderer worse than Hitler. Believing God to be all-merciful, we have compelling reason to agree with the renegade pastor. However, we should first examine the Church’s teachings.
The readings today reveal God not as an executioner but, quite the contrary, as a savior. He tells the prophet to comfort His people Judah by informing them that their punishment has ended. By now they have learned that “all flesh is grass”; that is, that the opulent nations that Judah once emulated, have withered like the grass in winter. Judah can see the futility of following those nations and the need to return to God’s ways. Likewise in the gospel, Jesus pictures God as a worried shepherd seeking one lost sheep even though he has ninety-nine others to support his needs.
It would be blasphemy to characterize God as a mass murderer. We rightly see Him as one who seeks out the lost and comforts the bewildered. Because some seem to scorn His message, we cannot say for certain that they ever return to his fold. Still we can pray that every person turns to God in his or her heart and heeds His words of reform and comfort.
(Isaiah 40:1-11; Matthew 18:12-14)
The other day public radio advertised an upcoming interview with an evangelical pastor who has parted from the Church’s tradition. The pastor believes that God could not send anyone to hell because, he says, if God condemned one person for infidelity or lawlessness, then He would have to condemn billions and that would make him a mass murderer worse than Hitler. Believing God to be all-merciful, we have compelling reason to agree with the renegade pastor. However, we should first examine the Church’s teachings.
The readings today reveal God not as an executioner but, quite the contrary, as a savior. He tells the prophet to comfort His people Judah by informing them that their punishment has ended. By now they have learned that “all flesh is grass”; that is, that the opulent nations that Judah once emulated, have withered like the grass in winter. Judah can see the futility of following those nations and the need to return to God’s ways. Likewise in the gospel, Jesus pictures God as a worried shepherd seeking one lost sheep even though he has ninety-nine others to support his needs.
It would be blasphemy to characterize God as a mass murderer. We rightly see Him as one who seeks out the lost and comforts the bewildered. Because some seem to scorn His message, we cannot say for certain that they ever return to his fold. Still we can pray that every person turns to God in his or her heart and heeds His words of reform and comfort.
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