Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Peter 1:10-16; Mark 10:28-31)
Novelist Ann Lamott tells the story of a young tennis player who is prone to cheat. She calls balls that hit the line “out” in order not to lose a point. A man sees her doing this and tells her so. But more than correcting her, he befriends her and admits, “I did what you did....I cheated.” At the end of the story the young player overcompensates by calling balls that go beyond the line “in” so as not to appear dishonest. But then she summons the courage to call a long shot as out. With that the man stands up to leave the match which causes the girl’s mother to ask, “’Aren’t you going to stay and watch Rosie win?” The man answers, “’I already have.’”
Peter’s letter to the Christian community calls us to the same kind of integrity. We are to give up “the desires of our former ignorance” in order to live in accord with the holiness of God. Honesty needs to be as implicit with us as we expect a nurse to treat his patients with care. More than that even, we are to set a model example in whatever we do – whether people expect it of us as, for example, when we refrain from cursing and when it is most difficult as occurs at times when women are called to carry a baby to term despite danger to their own lives.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Peter 1:3-9; Mark 10:17-27)
Jesus simply astounds us when he says that it is hard for the rich to enter heaven. The disciples in the reading are nonplussed with Jesus because they are inclined to think that the rich are favored by God. On the other hand, we think it unfair that the rich may be summarily excluded from the kingdom just because they have money. But more interesting in this passage is the claim that Jesus implies about himself.
Pope Benedict XVI reflects on Jesus’ saying, “...come follow me,” as the way to eternal life. According to Benedict Jesus is staking out equality with God by indicating that associating with him brings one into heaven. It is the same identification that Jesus makes in the Gospel according to John when he says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
We must add, however, that it is not just following Jesus in the sense of accompanying him that accomplishes eternal life. Judas does this but fails to enter into glory. No, to gain eternal life entails becoming like Jesus which in turn means to embody the love of God. It means looking at others not as our competitors but as our equals worthy of attention and respect as many poor do almost instinctively. It also means being grateful for whatever we have and willing to share it with those in need, again as the poor do out of love for God.
(I Peter 1:3-9; Mark 10:17-27)
Jesus simply astounds us when he says that it is hard for the rich to enter heaven. The disciples in the reading are nonplussed with Jesus because they are inclined to think that the rich are favored by God. On the other hand, we think it unfair that the rich may be summarily excluded from the kingdom just because they have money. But more interesting in this passage is the claim that Jesus implies about himself.
Pope Benedict XVI reflects on Jesus’ saying, “...come follow me,” as the way to eternal life. According to Benedict Jesus is staking out equality with God by indicating that associating with him brings one into heaven. It is the same identification that Jesus makes in the Gospel according to John when he says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
We must add, however, that it is not just following Jesus in the sense of accompanying him that accomplishes eternal life. Judas does this but fails to enter into glory. No, to gain eternal life entails becoming like Jesus which in turn means to embody the love of God. It means looking at others not as our competitors but as our equals worthy of attention and respect as many poor do almost instinctively. It also means being grateful for whatever we have and willing to share it with those in need, again as the poor do out of love for God.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 25:13b-21; John 21:15-19)
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory of communism -- a society supposedly without leaders. Every animal is claimed to be equal to every other. No farmers remain to force any animal to do what he/she does not wish. The situation, of course, soon becomes inoperable. Some of the animals begin to claim that they are “more equal” than the others. The same division of labor ensues as when the farmers were in charge, but the situation is worse with new found tyranny not tempered by experience.
There is some evidence that the early Church saw no need for a leader to replace Jesus. His disciples expected Jesus to return soon after his going to the Father. Everyone associated with the various communities of disciples understood the primacy of love. With such high motivation, is a leader really necessary? Today’s gospel indicates that there is indeed such need if the institution’s existence stretches to any appreciable length. For this reason Jesus is seen appointing Peter as chief shepherd of his flock. But love is to play a major role in his leadership.
To assure that Peter understands what he is saying when he gives him authority over his following, Jesus has Peter profess his love to him three times. Later this love will be tested in an even more revealing way. When Jesus tells Peter that someone will lead him where he would not otherwise go, he is predicting Peter’s martyrdom. Leadership is fraught with pitfalls. Based on self-sacrificing love and guided by the Spirit’s gifts of justice and prudence, however, leaders perform an indispensable and necessary service.
(Acts 25:13b-21; John 21:15-19)
George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory of communism -- a society supposedly without leaders. Every animal is claimed to be equal to every other. No farmers remain to force any animal to do what he/she does not wish. The situation, of course, soon becomes inoperable. Some of the animals begin to claim that they are “more equal” than the others. The same division of labor ensues as when the farmers were in charge, but the situation is worse with new found tyranny not tempered by experience.
There is some evidence that the early Church saw no need for a leader to replace Jesus. His disciples expected Jesus to return soon after his going to the Father. Everyone associated with the various communities of disciples understood the primacy of love. With such high motivation, is a leader really necessary? Today’s gospel indicates that there is indeed such need if the institution’s existence stretches to any appreciable length. For this reason Jesus is seen appointing Peter as chief shepherd of his flock. But love is to play a major role in his leadership.
To assure that Peter understands what he is saying when he gives him authority over his following, Jesus has Peter profess his love to him three times. Later this love will be tested in an even more revealing way. When Jesus tells Peter that someone will lead him where he would not otherwise go, he is predicting Peter’s martyrdom. Leadership is fraught with pitfalls. Based on self-sacrificing love and guided by the Spirit’s gifts of justice and prudence, however, leaders perform an indispensable and necessary service.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 22:30.23:6-11; John 17:20-26)
Often when we feel criticized, we plan on how we are going to defend ourselves. We search for impressive words that will show off our wit and put down our critics. But this is a foolish strategy. We would do much better to listen carefully to what others are saying, pray to the Holy Spirit that we might respond prudently, and speak forthrightly what comes to mind. Jesus tells us as much when he says, “'When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.’”
In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles Paul seems to be following Jesus’ advice. He evaluates the situation and speaks to it. His reference to being a proponent of the resurrection of the dead divides his persecutors. What starts as a probable conspiracy to condemn Paul turns into a debate with half the assembly supporting him. The Holy Spirit is the driving force behind this move and the rest of the apostolic activities in Acts. He brings Christianity from its humble beginning in Jerusalem to center stage in Rome where it will fan out throughout the whole world.
The Holy Spirit is God’s incomprehensible gift of Himself to us. We are never abandoned when he settles upon us. The Spirit bestows peace in trial and strength to endure persecution. Sunday, the feast of Pentecost, we proclaim the Spirit’s coming. God is never reluctant to share His Spirit, but we should directly and persistently petition his presence.
(Acts 22:30.23:6-11; John 17:20-26)
Often when we feel criticized, we plan on how we are going to defend ourselves. We search for impressive words that will show off our wit and put down our critics. But this is a foolish strategy. We would do much better to listen carefully to what others are saying, pray to the Holy Spirit that we might respond prudently, and speak forthrightly what comes to mind. Jesus tells us as much when he says, “'When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.’”
In today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles Paul seems to be following Jesus’ advice. He evaluates the situation and speaks to it. His reference to being a proponent of the resurrection of the dead divides his persecutors. What starts as a probable conspiracy to condemn Paul turns into a debate with half the assembly supporting him. The Holy Spirit is the driving force behind this move and the rest of the apostolic activities in Acts. He brings Christianity from its humble beginning in Jerusalem to center stage in Rome where it will fan out throughout the whole world.
The Holy Spirit is God’s incomprehensible gift of Himself to us. We are never abandoned when he settles upon us. The Spirit bestows peace in trial and strength to endure persecution. Sunday, the feast of Pentecost, we proclaim the Spirit’s coming. God is never reluctant to share His Spirit, but we should directly and persistently petition his presence.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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.
(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.
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