Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 20:28-38; John 17:11-19)
The world for the Gospel of John, as for most of us, is both bad and good. Jesus can say, “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son...” and also, in today’s reading, “I do not belong to the world.” The ambivalence goes back to the Book of Genesis where God creates the world as good but then the woman and her husband sow havoc into the world by considering themselves as equal to God.
Now Jesus is reversing the trend. The world and its mire will not pollute his disciples because they have the word (the truth) of God which is love. They will overcome the world’s tendencies to self-promotion by loving one another even at the expense of self. Jesus has shown them the way. Soon they will follow. Their love for the world will take them to far away places to preach God’s love. Still they will not be ensnared by the world’s seamier side because Jesus has prayed for them.
His prayer protects us as well. There is no point in trying to flee the world. As long as we have bodies, the world will be part of us. In fact, we have a mission in the world as surely as the apostles in Acts. We too have to give witness to God’s love for the world by acts of care.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 20:17-27; John 17:1-11a)
In a lay minister formation class recently a student asked, “What does ‘euthanasia’ mean?” The term is usually associated with taking a dying person’s life so that s/he does not suffer pain; however, its literal meaning is not outrageous. Euthanasia combines two Greek words: eu meaning good (think of euphemism or eugenics) and thanasia meaning death. Many limit their concept of a good death to not having to suffer, but certainly Christians hope for more than that when they are dying.
Because we desire to die in God’s grace, we consider having the sacraments of Penance, Anointing, and the Eucharist as part of a happy death. We also make wills to avoid disputes among relatives over our belongings. More importantly, we plan to assure those close to us of our love. Since an ideal Christian death includes reconciliation with one’s enemies, we will address as well those who have caused us difficulty. We still may lack one item on our agenda.
In the reading from Acts Paul has death on his mind as he speaks to the leadership of the Ephesian church. He intimates his affection for them by saying that he never held back in what is most important – telling them about the Lord Jesus. In this way he models the faith that we also hope to convey as we depart.
(Acts 20:17-27; John 17:1-11a)
In a lay minister formation class recently a student asked, “What does ‘euthanasia’ mean?” The term is usually associated with taking a dying person’s life so that s/he does not suffer pain; however, its literal meaning is not outrageous. Euthanasia combines two Greek words: eu meaning good (think of euphemism or eugenics) and thanasia meaning death. Many limit their concept of a good death to not having to suffer, but certainly Christians hope for more than that when they are dying.
Because we desire to die in God’s grace, we consider having the sacraments of Penance, Anointing, and the Eucharist as part of a happy death. We also make wills to avoid disputes among relatives over our belongings. More importantly, we plan to assure those close to us of our love. Since an ideal Christian death includes reconciliation with one’s enemies, we will address as well those who have caused us difficulty. We still may lack one item on our agenda.
In the reading from Acts Paul has death on his mind as he speaks to the leadership of the Ephesian church. He intimates his affection for them by saying that he never held back in what is most important – telling them about the Lord Jesus. In this way he models the faith that we also hope to convey as we depart.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 19:1-8; John 16:29-33)
What can it mean, “’We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit?’” Some may think of the Charismatic movement with its “Baptism in the Spirit” and opine that the majority of Christians do not really know the Holy Spirit because they do not speak in tongues or sway their arms in prayer. But more radically, never hearing of the Holy Spirit may refer to an insufficient appreciation of sanctifying grace, the work of the Spirit. It is a shortcoming just as prevalent today as it was in the beginning and perhaps throughout Church history.
In the days of St. Augustine a priest from Britain named Pelagius evidently taught that grace is not really necessary for eternal life. We say “evidently” because little of his writings remain. We can only surmise what Pelagius taught from what his critics, like Augustine and St. Jerome, wrote about him. However, these two scholars were so upset with Pelagius that his teachings must have been defective. According to our understanding today, Pelagius held that free will guided by Christ’s example is sufficient to overcome the pitfalls the world poses.
Such a concept conflicts with St. Paul’s teaching of Christ’s saving grace. Without such grace the strongest will falter and the weakest are lost from the start. With such grace everyone has hope. The grace, which we acclaim as “amazing,” should never be taken for granted.
(Acts 19:1-8; John 16:29-33)
What can it mean, “’We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit?’” Some may think of the Charismatic movement with its “Baptism in the Spirit” and opine that the majority of Christians do not really know the Holy Spirit because they do not speak in tongues or sway their arms in prayer. But more radically, never hearing of the Holy Spirit may refer to an insufficient appreciation of sanctifying grace, the work of the Spirit. It is a shortcoming just as prevalent today as it was in the beginning and perhaps throughout Church history.
In the days of St. Augustine a priest from Britain named Pelagius evidently taught that grace is not really necessary for eternal life. We say “evidently” because little of his writings remain. We can only surmise what Pelagius taught from what his critics, like Augustine and St. Jerome, wrote about him. However, these two scholars were so upset with Pelagius that his teachings must have been defective. According to our understanding today, Pelagius held that free will guided by Christ’s example is sufficient to overcome the pitfalls the world poses.
Such a concept conflicts with St. Paul’s teaching of Christ’s saving grace. Without such grace the strongest will falter and the weakest are lost from the start. With such grace everyone has hope. The grace, which we acclaim as “amazing,” should never be taken for granted.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Feast of St. Matthias, apostle
(Acts 1:15-17.20-26; John 15: 9-17)
In a Catholic elementary school many years ago, Fr. Joe came to each class at the end of the year to ask the pupils to sign up for the “Friends of Christ” club. He distributed a polished white, three-by-five inches card with the dates of every Thursday during the summer vacation. Those who wanted to join the club would attend 8:30 a.m. mass on those days and circle the date when they returned home. Nothing special was to be done with the card when summer ended. There were no prizes for perfect attendance. There was not even a party after the last Thursday mass of vacation. But many of the children accepted Fr. Joe’s offer. They certainly did want to be friends of the Lord.
And why not? After all, it is always good to have a friend in high places. What is rather astonishing, however, is that Christ would want to make friends with us! As we see in the gospel today, Jesus offers friendship to his disciples as he shares with them the secrets of his divine family. It is as if he were giving us his cellular telephone number so that we might contact him at any hour, with any need.
We may think of Matthias being selected for the inner core of Jesus’ friends. But the particularity of this group is not actually intimacy with Jesus, at least in John’s gospel where the “beloved disciple” is not among the Twelve. Rather Matthias is being included in the echelon with oversight over the spread of the faith. Lest we think it pure privilege, it needs to be pointed out that membership in this club requires martyrdom along with the promise of a high place in Christ’s kingdom.
(Acts 1:15-17.20-26; John 15: 9-17)
In a Catholic elementary school many years ago, Fr. Joe came to each class at the end of the year to ask the pupils to sign up for the “Friends of Christ” club. He distributed a polished white, three-by-five inches card with the dates of every Thursday during the summer vacation. Those who wanted to join the club would attend 8:30 a.m. mass on those days and circle the date when they returned home. Nothing special was to be done with the card when summer ended. There were no prizes for perfect attendance. There was not even a party after the last Thursday mass of vacation. But many of the children accepted Fr. Joe’s offer. They certainly did want to be friends of the Lord.
And why not? After all, it is always good to have a friend in high places. What is rather astonishing, however, is that Christ would want to make friends with us! As we see in the gospel today, Jesus offers friendship to his disciples as he shares with them the secrets of his divine family. It is as if he were giving us his cellular telephone number so that we might contact him at any hour, with any need.
We may think of Matthias being selected for the inner core of Jesus’ friends. But the particularity of this group is not actually intimacy with Jesus, at least in John’s gospel where the “beloved disciple” is not among the Twelve. Rather Matthias is being included in the echelon with oversight over the spread of the faith. Lest we think it pure privilege, it needs to be pointed out that membership in this club requires martyrdom along with the promise of a high place in Christ’s kingdom.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
(Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-22)
The readings from the Acts of the Apostles at mass these days have covered a lot of territory, principally by skipping over accounts of Paul’s missions. On Monday and Tuesday we heard of Paul’s establishing a beachhead in Europe at the town of Philippi. Not being a critical center of commerce, Paul pushes on to Thessalonica, a provincial capital. He establishes a church community there, but the Jews almost literally kick him and his companions out. The Jews of Beroea, the next missionary stop recorded in Acts, give Paul a much fairer hearing until their kinsmen from Thessalonica arrive. Next, Acts records Paul’s flop in Athens, about which we heard in yesterday’s mass. Today’s reading shows Paul having arrived in Corinth, his ultimate destination on this missionary expedition.
One student of St. Paul thinks Corinth a much more strategic place than Athens. He compares Athens to a library given to safeguarding old ideas and Corinth to a marketplace open to new ones. It is definitely a crossroads of commerce from which ideas might spread throughout the Mediterranean world. Paul establishes himself by working as a tentmaker in the shop of Aquila and Priscilla, who become critical mission collaborators. Providing his own bread frees Paul of suspicion the people perennially have of evangelists seeking personal gain. Still Paul needs a patron to provide a place for Sunday worship. Fortunately, he will make the right connection.
It may seem like Paul goes from town to town haphazardly preaching to whoever lends an ear. More likely, he makes deliberate choices on where to go and how to proceed. Since he believes that Christ’s return is imminent, out of love he wants to prepare as many people as possible to receive him. We must see this as God’s plan with the Holy Spirit prompting Paul to act. As Paul eventually realizes, the coming of the Lord is not as near as once thought but still the urgency remains to prepare the world for Christ. As our own times amply testify, all people need to embrace Christ’s message of love, mercy, and forbearance.
(Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-22)
The readings from the Acts of the Apostles at mass these days have covered a lot of territory, principally by skipping over accounts of Paul’s missions. On Monday and Tuesday we heard of Paul’s establishing a beachhead in Europe at the town of Philippi. Not being a critical center of commerce, Paul pushes on to Thessalonica, a provincial capital. He establishes a church community there, but the Jews almost literally kick him and his companions out. The Jews of Beroea, the next missionary stop recorded in Acts, give Paul a much fairer hearing until their kinsmen from Thessalonica arrive. Next, Acts records Paul’s flop in Athens, about which we heard in yesterday’s mass. Today’s reading shows Paul having arrived in Corinth, his ultimate destination on this missionary expedition.
One student of St. Paul thinks Corinth a much more strategic place than Athens. He compares Athens to a library given to safeguarding old ideas and Corinth to a marketplace open to new ones. It is definitely a crossroads of commerce from which ideas might spread throughout the Mediterranean world. Paul establishes himself by working as a tentmaker in the shop of Aquila and Priscilla, who become critical mission collaborators. Providing his own bread frees Paul of suspicion the people perennially have of evangelists seeking personal gain. Still Paul needs a patron to provide a place for Sunday worship. Fortunately, he will make the right connection.
It may seem like Paul goes from town to town haphazardly preaching to whoever lends an ear. More likely, he makes deliberate choices on where to go and how to proceed. Since he believes that Christ’s return is imminent, out of love he wants to prepare as many people as possible to receive him. We must see this as God’s plan with the Holy Spirit prompting Paul to act. As Paul eventually realizes, the coming of the Lord is not as near as once thought but still the urgency remains to prepare the world for Christ. As our own times amply testify, all people need to embrace Christ’s message of love, mercy, and forbearance.
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