Wednesday of the Second Week in Lent
(Jeremiah 18:18-20; Matthew 20:17-28)
The desolation that Jeremiah feels after overhearing his countrymen plot his demise points to Jesus’ discouragement in the gospel. The latter knows that he must go to Jerusalem where he will be apprehended, abused, and executed. The fact that his disciples don’t understand the direness of his situation but concern themselves with questions of status must disappoint him deeply.
Jesus, however, does not wallow in self-pity. Rather he uses the disciples’ obtuseness to deliver a lesson on status. He tells them that they will be true followers to the extent that they consider status as an opportunity to serve others. He is laying the foundation for what many understand as noblesse oblige. This concept asserts that nobility have an obligation to use their wealth and authority for the benefit of the poor and needy.
Today Americans celebrate one who eminently lived out Jesus’ lesson on status. St. Katherine Drexel came from a banking family which endowed her with a considerable fortune. She used her money to establish a religious congregation dedicated to the care of native and African-Americans. She also gave herself completely to the effort by visiting missions in remote places across the United States over more than three decades. Today she is considered a patron of social justice for her uncompromising dedication to minorities.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent
(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)
In his short story “Counterparts” author James Joyce shows how authoritarianism is passed on from one person to another and from one generation to the next. The story begins with a worker being berated by his boss for not having finished his work. The worker then insults his boss and must either seek his forgiveness or lose his job. When he goes home that evening the worker takes out his troubles on his son. The child has let the fire extinguish on which he was to cook his father’s supper go out. The man begins to beat him while the boy pleads for mercy.
In the gospel today we find Jesus putting an end to authoritarianism among his followers. They are to treat one another as equals without any class distinctions. There are to be no “fathers” and “mothers,” or “masters” and “mistresses” among them. His intention is not very different from that of the founders of the United States who put aside all titles of royalty. Everyone was to be just “Mister” or “Mistress” (Mrs.). Evidently, strict egalitarianism -- authoritarianism’s complete opposite -- has proven impossible to maintain. In both church and state we find honorary distinctions among people although in America it cannot be said that they proliferate.
Still we must not dismiss what Jesus proposes for his church. If we call priests, “father,” and religious women, “sister,” we should not see these distinctions as means of privilege but as reminders of service. As a father, the priest should cheerfully give his time and energy to the spiritual growth of the church. Sisters also must provide wisdom, example, and encouragement in support of the people of God.
(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)
In his short story “Counterparts” author James Joyce shows how authoritarianism is passed on from one person to another and from one generation to the next. The story begins with a worker being berated by his boss for not having finished his work. The worker then insults his boss and must either seek his forgiveness or lose his job. When he goes home that evening the worker takes out his troubles on his son. The child has let the fire extinguish on which he was to cook his father’s supper go out. The man begins to beat him while the boy pleads for mercy.
In the gospel today we find Jesus putting an end to authoritarianism among his followers. They are to treat one another as equals without any class distinctions. There are to be no “fathers” and “mothers,” or “masters” and “mistresses” among them. His intention is not very different from that of the founders of the United States who put aside all titles of royalty. Everyone was to be just “Mister” or “Mistress” (Mrs.). Evidently, strict egalitarianism -- authoritarianism’s complete opposite -- has proven impossible to maintain. In both church and state we find honorary distinctions among people although in America it cannot be said that they proliferate.
Still we must not dismiss what Jesus proposes for his church. If we call priests, “father,” and religious women, “sister,” we should not see these distinctions as means of privilege but as reminders of service. As a father, the priest should cheerfully give his time and energy to the spiritual growth of the church. Sisters also must provide wisdom, example, and encouragement in support of the people of God.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Monday of the Second Week in Lent
(Daniel 9:4b-10; Luke 6:36-38)
Singer George M. Cohan once starred in a Broadway play, “I’d rather be right (than be President).” Like Cohan’s character, many people are so determined to be right that they have great difficulty admitting their mistakes when they indeed err. It has been said that the capacity to admit error marked a decided difference in personality between Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud. Einstein evidently remarked that if his theory of relativity were proved wrong, he would investigate why and try to formulate another theory. Freud, on the other hand, apparently dismissed the possibility that his theory of psychoanalysis might be in error.
As humans striving to transcend our limitations, it is critical that we admit our mistakes. God calls us to holiness which means that we root out sin by relentless self-examination and correction. In any pursuit of excellence the going is hard at first but gets easier with practice. If we regularly exam our consciences and come to confession, we should find the seriousness and frequency of our sins diminishing. On the other hand, if we stubbornly refuse to search for sin in our lives, we are likely to miss even the faults that are apparent to those who know us.
The first reading today demonstrates true repentance. The prophet Daniel is pleading to God on behalf of all the people in Babylonian exile. He acknowledges the people’s collective sin and petitions their forgiveness. There should be no doubt of obtaining God’s mercy when such a forthright confession is made.
(Daniel 9:4b-10; Luke 6:36-38)
Singer George M. Cohan once starred in a Broadway play, “I’d rather be right (than be President).” Like Cohan’s character, many people are so determined to be right that they have great difficulty admitting their mistakes when they indeed err. It has been said that the capacity to admit error marked a decided difference in personality between Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud. Einstein evidently remarked that if his theory of relativity were proved wrong, he would investigate why and try to formulate another theory. Freud, on the other hand, apparently dismissed the possibility that his theory of psychoanalysis might be in error.
As humans striving to transcend our limitations, it is critical that we admit our mistakes. God calls us to holiness which means that we root out sin by relentless self-examination and correction. In any pursuit of excellence the going is hard at first but gets easier with practice. If we regularly exam our consciences and come to confession, we should find the seriousness and frequency of our sins diminishing. On the other hand, if we stubbornly refuse to search for sin in our lives, we are likely to miss even the faults that are apparent to those who know us.
The first reading today demonstrates true repentance. The prophet Daniel is pleading to God on behalf of all the people in Babylonian exile. He acknowledges the people’s collective sin and petitions their forgiveness. There should be no doubt of obtaining God’s mercy when such a forthright confession is made.
Friday, February 27, 2010
Friday of the First Week of Lent
(Ezekiel 18:21-28; Matthew 5:20-28)
Perhaps because most Catholic adults were once Catholic teenagers, they have become minimalists. Teenagers wonder what is the least that they have to do to get to heaven. They will ask a youth minister, for example, how long one might kiss his girlfriend or her boyfriend before committing a sin against chastity. Or they may ask in Confession how many beers one can drink before committing the sin of drunkenness. This type of inquiry is more characteristic of the scribes and the Pharisees, whom Jesus discredits in today’s gospel, than of his true disciples. His followers are to be perfect; that is, they are to forego not only murder but also angry ridicule; they are to avoid not only adultery but also its fountainhead -- lustful thoughts.
Although it sounds neurotic in our therapeutic age, the quest for perfection is not intended to be a compulsive exercise. We have the Holy Spirit to gently point the way and to take up slack. Also, as the gospel today shows, falling short in the process is tolerable. But when we fail, we need to ask forgiveness and then resume the effort. Doing so, in fact, means that we are making progress toward the goal. Interestingly, Jesus indicates that seeking God’s forgiveness after we have offended another is not enough, whether or not we do so in sacramental confession. No, first we must reconcile with the people we have hurt; then we bring our sin offering to God.
(Ezekiel 18:21-28; Matthew 5:20-28)
Perhaps because most Catholic adults were once Catholic teenagers, they have become minimalists. Teenagers wonder what is the least that they have to do to get to heaven. They will ask a youth minister, for example, how long one might kiss his girlfriend or her boyfriend before committing a sin against chastity. Or they may ask in Confession how many beers one can drink before committing the sin of drunkenness. This type of inquiry is more characteristic of the scribes and the Pharisees, whom Jesus discredits in today’s gospel, than of his true disciples. His followers are to be perfect; that is, they are to forego not only murder but also angry ridicule; they are to avoid not only adultery but also its fountainhead -- lustful thoughts.
Although it sounds neurotic in our therapeutic age, the quest for perfection is not intended to be a compulsive exercise. We have the Holy Spirit to gently point the way and to take up slack. Also, as the gospel today shows, falling short in the process is tolerable. But when we fail, we need to ask forgiveness and then resume the effort. Doing so, in fact, means that we are making progress toward the goal. Interestingly, Jesus indicates that seeking God’s forgiveness after we have offended another is not enough, whether or not we do so in sacramental confession. No, first we must reconcile with the people we have hurt; then we bring our sin offering to God.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday of the First Week in Lent
(Esther C12:14-16; 23-25; Matthew 7:7-12)
You are late for a meeting and cannot find a parking space. So you say a prayer for help. Should you expect that a space will be forthcoming? Or should you just prepare an excuse for being tardy? The first stance bespeaks presumption and the second, desperation. The proper disposition lies in between. We should not expect God to treat our every request as if He were our attendant. In the gospel today, Jesus defines His relation to us. He is like a father who loves all his children dearly. Nor must we think that God might hold back something necessary for our well-being. He knows our needs better than we do. Our attitude vis-à-vis God should always be trust.
Perhaps we would accept Jesus’ exhortation to prayer more readily if we think of God as our family physician as well as our father. As our doctor knows how our sick bodies will respond to different stimuli, God knows what is best for us in every situation. Like our doctor’s prescription of strict dieting or, in severe cases, chemotherapy, God’s ministration may not be pleasant or even intuitive. Nevertheless, it would be unwise to ignore what God’s sends our way as inconsiderate and foolish not to seek His help in the first place. No, God’s care for us and His knowledge of us warrant our utmost confidence.
(Esther C12:14-16; 23-25; Matthew 7:7-12)
You are late for a meeting and cannot find a parking space. So you say a prayer for help. Should you expect that a space will be forthcoming? Or should you just prepare an excuse for being tardy? The first stance bespeaks presumption and the second, desperation. The proper disposition lies in between. We should not expect God to treat our every request as if He were our attendant. In the gospel today, Jesus defines His relation to us. He is like a father who loves all his children dearly. Nor must we think that God might hold back something necessary for our well-being. He knows our needs better than we do. Our attitude vis-à-vis God should always be trust.
Perhaps we would accept Jesus’ exhortation to prayer more readily if we think of God as our family physician as well as our father. As our doctor knows how our sick bodies will respond to different stimuli, God knows what is best for us in every situation. Like our doctor’s prescription of strict dieting or, in severe cases, chemotherapy, God’s ministration may not be pleasant or even intuitive. Nevertheless, it would be unwise to ignore what God’s sends our way as inconsiderate and foolish not to seek His help in the first place. No, God’s care for us and His knowledge of us warrant our utmost confidence.
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