Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Peter 2:2-15.9-12; Mark 10:46-52)
Is there any virtue more American than autonomy? More than anything else Americans want control over their own lives. We want our own car, even our own home. When we are sick, we ask to be kept abreast of our condition. We want to die when we are ready, and then we want to write our own funeral script.
Autonomy is good for it allows us to give ourselves in faith to the Lord. In the gospel passages for Monday and today we meet two contrasting figures – one autonomous from the start and the other made so by Jesus. The man who approached Jesus asking what he must do to attain eternal life was perfectly autonomous. He came looking for Jesus under his own power and ably put to him his question. Disappointed with Jesus’ answer, he left because he had many possessions – another sign of autonomy. On the other hand, the blind man must sit and wait for Jesus to pass by. He is completely at Jesus’ mercy in that if Jesus chooses to ignore him, there would be no way for him to make his request. Jesus’ bestowal of sight grants the blind man autonomy. The man makes good use of it: he follows Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. In his case, but not in the first man’s, autonomy leads to salvation.
A woman of indeterminate age was standing in church at mass. You could not tell her age because she was little more than two feet tall! She looked mature but it also appeared that she was part of a family with children who were nine or ten. Her situation was freakish and yet she appeared to be content. She eagerly participated in the peace rite and then took communion. Looking at her, one feels sorry but perhaps that such sorrow is misplaced. Like the blind man of today’s gospel, she apparently uses whatever autonomy she has to follow Jesus. Like the blind man, her autonomy apparently ends in salvation.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
(I Peter 1:18-25; Mark 10:32-45)
The gospel describes the disciples as “amazed” and some of them as “afraid” as Jesus sets his sights on Jerusalem. They are, no doubt, traumatized because they know that nothing but ill awaits Jesus in the center of Jewish ritual. On the other hand, we are amazed at the obtuseness of the Twelve disciples who make up Jesus’ closest confidantes. As Jesus is facing the supreme test, two of them have the brazenness to jockey for the highest positions of glory when he emerges victorious.
We may also be amazed at what some fellow Catholics are doing. Teens almost as soon as they are confirmed are leaving church behind. Mothers divorced from their spouses have live-in boy friends. Veteran Catholics blithely miss Sunday mass at almost any inconvenience. “Have the commandments been changed?” some wonder.
Jesus would answer "no," there is no justification for such practices. When he calls his disciples to serve one another, Jesus intends that all of us sacrifice individual autonomy to achieve divine authenticity. That is, rather than doing what pleases us, we are to imitate Jesus’ compliance with God’s will. Sometimes the challenge is daunting as it is for Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. For this reason we pray, “Lead us not into temptation...” This prayer alone assures us of the grace of the Holy Spirit to overcome any difficulty.
(I Peter 1:18-25; Mark 10:32-45)
The gospel describes the disciples as “amazed” and some of them as “afraid” as Jesus sets his sights on Jerusalem. They are, no doubt, traumatized because they know that nothing but ill awaits Jesus in the center of Jewish ritual. On the other hand, we are amazed at the obtuseness of the Twelve disciples who make up Jesus’ closest confidantes. As Jesus is facing the supreme test, two of them have the brazenness to jockey for the highest positions of glory when he emerges victorious.
We may also be amazed at what some fellow Catholics are doing. Teens almost as soon as they are confirmed are leaving church behind. Mothers divorced from their spouses have live-in boy friends. Veteran Catholics blithely miss Sunday mass at almost any inconvenience. “Have the commandments been changed?” some wonder.
Jesus would answer "no," there is no justification for such practices. When he calls his disciples to serve one another, Jesus intends that all of us sacrifice individual autonomy to achieve divine authenticity. That is, rather than doing what pleases us, we are to imitate Jesus’ compliance with God’s will. Sometimes the challenge is daunting as it is for Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. For this reason we pray, “Lead us not into temptation...” This prayer alone assures us of the grace of the Holy Spirit to overcome any difficulty.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
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.
(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.
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