Memorial of St. Bernard, abbot and doctor of the Church
(Judges 11:29-39a; Matthew 22:1-14)
The first reading is so shocking that we cannot help but consider it. There are at least two noteworthy issues here: human sacrifice and virginity. We should comment that God does not suggest human sacrifice in this case; indeed, the Law expressly forbids it. Jephthah seems too proud to admit that he made a foolish vow. We can say as well that Christ has liberated women from the shame that Jephthah’s daughter feels for remaining a virgin, that is, for never giving birth. Since Jesus, a woman’s role in life goes far beyond child-bearing but includes discipleship for the sake of the kingdom.
Other than Jesus himself, no one exemplifies virginity for the sake of the kingdom better than Mary, his mother. When Jesus tells the woman who would bless his mother for having given him birth, he turns the blessing around and praises his mother for having heard the word of God and putting it into practice.
Today we celebrate a great proponent of Marian devotion, Bernard of Clairvaux. He once wrote, “In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary....And to more surely obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps.”
Homilette for Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
(Judges 9:6-15; Matthew 19:1-16)
Fables are short stories humanizing animals or other non-human entities to make a moral message. The reading from the Book of Judges today comprises a fable about the appointment of a king over Israel. Useful trees like the olive and the fig refuse the honor of kingship among trees so a buckthorn, which is no more than a bush, assumes the office. The buckthorn represents Abimelech, the cutthroat son of Gideon, who slaughtered seventy half-brothers to secure his throne. He proves consistent in maliciousness by burning alive the people of Migdal-shechem as the reading anticipates.
The moral offered by the story is that Israel should not seek a king but accept the kingship of God. Accepting anything less will only bring heartache to the people as the full story shows. Jesus in the Gospel passage is preaching the Kingship of God as well. He begins by the familiar statement, “The Kingdom of heaven is like ...,” and proceeds to tell the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Some of the workers, he says, grumble at the end of the story because the landowner -- the God-figure -- chooses to pay all his workers the same salary. Jesus is only relating the supreme justice of God which enables every worker to provide for his family. The grumblers, on the other hand, insist on a more exacting, although in the end less just, form of payment.
)
Fables are short stories humanizing animals or other non-human entities to make a moral message. The reading from the Book of Judges today comprises a fable about the appointment of a king over Israel. Useful trees like the olive and the fig refuse the honor of kingship among trees so a buckthorn, which is no more than a bush, assumes the office. The buckthorn represents Abimelech, the cutthroat son of Gideon, who slaughtered seventy half-brothers to secure his throne. He proves consistent in maliciousness by burning alive the people of Migdal-shechem as the reading anticipates.
The moral offered by the story is that Israel should not seek a king but accept the kingship of God. Accepting anything less will only bring heartache to the people as the full story shows. Jesus in the Gospel passage is preaching the kingship of God as well. He begins by the familiar statement, “The Kingdom of heaven is like ...,” and proceeds to tell the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Some of the workers, he says, grumble at the end of the story because the landowner -- the God-figure -- chooses to pay all his workers the same salary. Although it may seem unfair to us, Jesus only relates the supreme justice of God which enables every worker to provide for his family. The grumblers, on the other hand, insist on a more exacting although, in the end, less just form of payment.
(Judges 9:6-15; Matthew 19:1-16)
Fables are short stories humanizing animals or other non-human entities to make a moral message. The reading from the Book of Judges today comprises a fable about the appointment of a king over Israel. Useful trees like the olive and the fig refuse the honor of kingship among trees so a buckthorn, which is no more than a bush, assumes the office. The buckthorn represents Abimelech, the cutthroat son of Gideon, who slaughtered seventy half-brothers to secure his throne. He proves consistent in maliciousness by burning alive the people of Migdal-shechem as the reading anticipates.
The moral offered by the story is that Israel should not seek a king but accept the kingship of God. Accepting anything less will only bring heartache to the people as the full story shows. Jesus in the Gospel passage is preaching the Kingship of God as well. He begins by the familiar statement, “The Kingdom of heaven is like ...,” and proceeds to tell the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Some of the workers, he says, grumble at the end of the story because the landowner -- the God-figure -- chooses to pay all his workers the same salary. Jesus is only relating the supreme justice of God which enables every worker to provide for his family. The grumblers, on the other hand, insist on a more exacting, although in the end less just, form of payment.
)
Fables are short stories humanizing animals or other non-human entities to make a moral message. The reading from the Book of Judges today comprises a fable about the appointment of a king over Israel. Useful trees like the olive and the fig refuse the honor of kingship among trees so a buckthorn, which is no more than a bush, assumes the office. The buckthorn represents Abimelech, the cutthroat son of Gideon, who slaughtered seventy half-brothers to secure his throne. He proves consistent in maliciousness by burning alive the people of Migdal-shechem as the reading anticipates.
The moral offered by the story is that Israel should not seek a king but accept the kingship of God. Accepting anything less will only bring heartache to the people as the full story shows. Jesus in the Gospel passage is preaching the kingship of God as well. He begins by the familiar statement, “The Kingdom of heaven is like ...,” and proceeds to tell the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Some of the workers, he says, grumble at the end of the story because the landowner -- the God-figure -- chooses to pay all his workers the same salary. Although it may seem unfair to us, Jesus only relates the supreme justice of God which enables every worker to provide for his family. The grumblers, on the other hand, insist on a more exacting although, in the end, less just form of payment.
Homilette for Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
(Judges 6:11-24a; Matthew 19:23-30)
The casual dialogue between Gideon and the Lord sounds something like the script of “Fiddler on the Roof.” When God assures Gideon that He stands with His people, Gideon retorts cynically. “If you are with us,” he implies, “then why have we suffered so much humiliation?” The passage from the Book of Judges read yesterday actually provides the reason for the lack of Israelite success. The Israelites have been unfaithful to their Covenant with God. Compromising their integrity as a people, they become easy prey to enemies.
Gideon may be talking flippantly because he is not sure if the stranger before him is really the Lord. He asks for a sign which is soon given when fire consumes Gideon’s sacrificial offering. Then Gideon begins to wonder if he will suffer for his impertinence, but God reassures him that he will be fine.
We should not hesitate to open our hearts to God in prayer like Gideon does here. But humility is called for in the presence of such an awesome collocutor. God is, after all, not our buddy but our Creator. He befriends us out of love but does not share our tendencies to complain and gossip. Let us speak to Him with minds attentive to both His correction and His encouragement.
(Judges 6:11-24a; Matthew 19:23-30)
The casual dialogue between Gideon and the Lord sounds something like the script of “Fiddler on the Roof.” When God assures Gideon that He stands with His people, Gideon retorts cynically. “If you are with us,” he implies, “then why have we suffered so much humiliation?” The passage from the Book of Judges read yesterday actually provides the reason for the lack of Israelite success. The Israelites have been unfaithful to their Covenant with God. Compromising their integrity as a people, they become easy prey to enemies.
Gideon may be talking flippantly because he is not sure if the stranger before him is really the Lord. He asks for a sign which is soon given when fire consumes Gideon’s sacrificial offering. Then Gideon begins to wonder if he will suffer for his impertinence, but God reassures him that he will be fine.
We should not hesitate to open our hearts to God in prayer like Gideon does here. But humility is called for in the presence of such an awesome collocutor. God is, after all, not our buddy but our Creator. He befriends us out of love but does not share our tendencies to complain and gossip. Let us speak to Him with minds attentive to both His correction and His encouragement.
Homilette for Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
(Judges 2:11-19; Matthew 19:16-22)
We think of judges as people who interpret laws and rules in individual cases. The judges of a dance competition, for example, determine which dancers best reflect in their movements the principles of agility, creativity, and clarity of expression. But interpretation is not the principal function of the judges of the Old Testament. Rather than sit back and decide, these men and women lead the people forward by reestablishing righteousness when the ways of God are forsaken.
Today’s reading from the Book of Judges indicates the difficulty that the judges face. The people are not given to tow the line but readily chuck the Covenant made with the Lord in favor of heathen practices. The waywardness leads to internal weakness and hence subjugation to foreign power. God raises up judges to stir ardor within the tribes of Israel to follow His ways and to reject their oppressors. Regretfully, however, the new righteousness is always short-lived.
The failure of judges to produce lasting goodness eventually will give way to the period of kings who consolidate the tribes and, at least initially, have some success in transforming the people’s errant ways. Although this arrangement will ultimately fail, it does bring the hope of a messiah who would be capable of effecting lasting righteousness. Jesus in time fulfills this expectation by establishing not a political state but a holy people living in every land. We make up part of this people today and try with all our soul to live up to Jesus’ righteousness.
(Judges 2:11-19; Matthew 19:16-22)
We think of judges as people who interpret laws and rules in individual cases. The judges of a dance competition, for example, determine which dancers best reflect in their movements the principles of agility, creativity, and clarity of expression. But interpretation is not the principal function of the judges of the Old Testament. Rather than sit back and decide, these men and women lead the people forward by reestablishing righteousness when the ways of God are forsaken.
Today’s reading from the Book of Judges indicates the difficulty that the judges face. The people are not given to tow the line but readily chuck the Covenant made with the Lord in favor of heathen practices. The waywardness leads to internal weakness and hence subjugation to foreign power. God raises up judges to stir ardor within the tribes of Israel to follow His ways and to reject their oppressors. Regretfully, however, the new righteousness is always short-lived.
The failure of judges to produce lasting goodness eventually will give way to the period of kings who consolidate the tribes and, at least initially, have some success in transforming the people’s errant ways. Although this arrangement will ultimately fail, it does bring the hope of a messiah who would be capable of effecting lasting righteousness. Jesus in time fulfills this expectation by establishing not a political state but a holy people living in every land. We make up part of this people today and try with all our soul to live up to Jesus’ righteousness.
Homilette for Friday, August 14, 2009
Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Joshua 24:1-13; Matthew 19:3-12)
In one sense there is no vocation crisis. Many men feel called to the permanent diaconate and many women, to church ministry. Far fewer people, however, wish to forego the possibility of marriage in order to serve the Church.
A simple way to resolve the current shortage of priests would be to ordain married men. This was done throughout the first millennium of Christianity, and exceptions to the rule of celibacy are made today as Episcopalian clergymen converting to Catholicism are usually ordained priests even though they have wives.
Of course, there are practical problems that the Church would have to face with married priests. More significant, however, is the question raised in the gospel today. Jesus says that whoever can renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom ought to do so. He obviously did, and those who desire to be completely conformed to him should be willing to make the same sacrifice.
(Joshua 24:1-13; Matthew 19:3-12)
In one sense there is no vocation crisis. Many men feel called to the permanent diaconate and many women, to church ministry. Far fewer people, however, wish to forego the possibility of marriage in order to serve the Church.
A simple way to resolve the current shortage of priests would be to ordain married men. This was done throughout the first millennium of Christianity, and exceptions to the rule of celibacy are made today as Episcopalian clergymen converting to Catholicism are usually ordained priests even though they have wives.
Of course, there are practical problems that the Church would have to face with married priests. More significant, however, is the question raised in the gospel today. Jesus says that whoever can renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom ought to do so. He obviously did, and those who desire to be completely conformed to him should be willing to make the same sacrifice.
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