Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hebrews 13:1-8; Mark 6:14-29)
The exceptionally beautiful exhortation from the Letter to the Hebrews today typically comes at the end of a New Testament epistle. After expressing the basis of his faith in Jesus, the author describes several actions consonant with such belief. The exhortation is thus called paraclesis from the Greek language meaning a strengthening of mind as well as heart to what has been taught.
The first part of the paraclesis in Hebrews considers practices to be followed. Christians are to offer hospitality freely because one never knows who the guest is. The last verse of the passage today recalls that Jesus is always the same, always ready to be our guest. A table prayer attributed to Benedictine monks joins the two ideas in verse:
O thou…
Who hast multiplied loaves and fishes
And converted water into wine;
Do thou come to our table
As guest and giver to dine.
It cannot be wrong to have private dinner parties. Couples, families, and associates need occasions to share exclusively over a meal. But such instances should not blind us to the evangelical call to share our sustenance with others. Especially the poor, as the last judgment parable in St. Matthew’s Gospel indicates, have a claim on our ample resources. In breaking bread with them, Jesus tells us, we entertain him at table.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hebrews 12:18-19.21-24; Mark 6:17-13)
The woman came to the Sacrament of Reconciliation trembling. She wanted to confess a sin which was very embarrassing. She had never the courage to tell it to anyone before, even in confession. After acknowledging the deed, she left the confessional with a free heart.
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews in our reading today exhorts his readers to come to the Lord. He says that just as the woman trembling in confession, they will find not harshness but mercy. God is supremely good, but His goodness should not cause us to feel humiliated as if it meant to put us down. Rather it is best described as “mercy within mercy” which, like our kindergarten teacher, only means to help us overcome our weaknesses.
(Hebrews 12:18-19.21-24; Mark 6:17-13)
The woman came to the Sacrament of Reconciliation trembling. She wanted to confess a sin which was very embarrassing. She had never the courage to tell it to anyone before, even in confession. After acknowledging the deed, she left the confessional with a free heart.
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews in our reading today exhorts his readers to come to the Lord. He says that just as the woman trembling in confession, they will find not harshness but mercy. God is supremely good, but His goodness should not cause us to feel humiliated as if it meant to put us down. Rather it is best described as “mercy within mercy” which, like our kindergarten teacher, only means to help us overcome our weaknesses.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
(Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-32)
We call today’s feast the “Presentation of the Lord,” but traditionally it has been known as “Candlemas Day.” For centuries on this day churches blessed all the candles that they would use in the course of the year. The inspiration for this grand dedication is Simeon’s declaration in today’s gospel that the baby Jesus is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” He is the Israelite through whom Isaiah’s vision of world unity and peace will be fulfilled.
Jesus is the flame – light and heat in a cold, dark world, but he is not the whole candle. The trunk of the candle, its wax, is humanity. Like wax humans have fat -- their pride, greed, hatred, and lust -- to be burned away. Jesus, the consuming fire, rids us of these vices as he allows us to participate in his illumination. With our lives so chastened, we are rendered sincere – a word coming from two Latin words meaning “without wax.”
(Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-32)
We call today’s feast the “Presentation of the Lord,” but traditionally it has been known as “Candlemas Day.” For centuries on this day churches blessed all the candles that they would use in the course of the year. The inspiration for this grand dedication is Simeon’s declaration in today’s gospel that the baby Jesus is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” He is the Israelite through whom Isaiah’s vision of world unity and peace will be fulfilled.
Jesus is the flame – light and heat in a cold, dark world, but he is not the whole candle. The trunk of the candle, its wax, is humanity. Like wax humans have fat -- their pride, greed, hatred, and lust -- to be burned away. Jesus, the consuming fire, rids us of these vices as he allows us to participate in his illumination. With our lives so chastened, we are rendered sincere – a word coming from two Latin words meaning “without wax.”
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hebrews 12:1-4; Mark 5:21-43)
It is said that John Paul II canonized more saints than any pope in history, and perhaps as many as all the popes combined! Who would imagine that he made all these saints because he enjoyed officiating at the canonization rite? Much more likely, he recognized so many saints because he wanted to give people all over the world models to follow. The Letter to the Hebrews today speaks of these models as “a cloud of witnesses”; that is, a body of people who testified to God’s love by their heroic love of God.
Everyone at all times is challenged to love God above all and to love neighbors as oneself. Certainly our age is no exception. We have more education than previous generations which should support virtuous living. But rather than thank God for blessings received, people today are more likely to question God’s existence. Likewise, all the inventions that we covet often serve us poorly by removing us, whether physically or emotionally, from the people we are given to love. We must look to that cloud of witnesses, which includes friends like the person who takes a number of childless seniors to their doctors. Their presence reminds us that loving is neither easy nor impossible. It is just what we do as part of God’s family.
(Hebrews 12:1-4; Mark 5:21-43)
It is said that John Paul II canonized more saints than any pope in history, and perhaps as many as all the popes combined! Who would imagine that he made all these saints because he enjoyed officiating at the canonization rite? Much more likely, he recognized so many saints because he wanted to give people all over the world models to follow. The Letter to the Hebrews today speaks of these models as “a cloud of witnesses”; that is, a body of people who testified to God’s love by their heroic love of God.
Everyone at all times is challenged to love God above all and to love neighbors as oneself. Certainly our age is no exception. We have more education than previous generations which should support virtuous living. But rather than thank God for blessings received, people today are more likely to question God’s existence. Likewise, all the inventions that we covet often serve us poorly by removing us, whether physically or emotionally, from the people we are given to love. We must look to that cloud of witnesses, which includes friends like the person who takes a number of childless seniors to their doctors. Their presence reminds us that loving is neither easy nor impossible. It is just what we do as part of God’s family.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, priest
(Hebrews 11:32-40; Mark 5:1-20)
Wild boars create problems. Farmers say that they destroy crops. They also threaten people. And they are not as edible as their name suggests. In the gospel when the demons possessing the man in the territory of the Gerasenes ask Jesus to send them into a herd of swine, they no doubt have nothing but mischief in mind. But they are not in control of the situation. Jesus is, and plotting the demise of the demons, he dispatches them into the pigs as requested. Immediately the swine hurl themselves into the sea thus returning the evil spirits to the watery abyss from which they are thought to originate.
Once again Jesus demonstrates that he is the rock on whom we can count in trials. Here he reveals himself in charge of foreign territories as well as where we usually encounter him. He will save us wherever we are and from whatever fury breaks upon us. In Left to Tell Immaculée Ilibagiza tells the story of how Jesus protected her during the Rwandan genocide.
“But does appealing to Jesus always achieve the desired end?” we ask quite honestly and realistically. Christian wisdom suggests a somewhat unnerving answer. By faith we know him as the gracious Lord of the universe. His desires are always honored, but those desires may not be exactly ours. As we pray, “Deliver us from evil,” we must remember that we have already resigned ourselves to his discretion by having said, “Thy will be done.”
(Hebrews 11:32-40; Mark 5:1-20)
Wild boars create problems. Farmers say that they destroy crops. They also threaten people. And they are not as edible as their name suggests. In the gospel when the demons possessing the man in the territory of the Gerasenes ask Jesus to send them into a herd of swine, they no doubt have nothing but mischief in mind. But they are not in control of the situation. Jesus is, and plotting the demise of the demons, he dispatches them into the pigs as requested. Immediately the swine hurl themselves into the sea thus returning the evil spirits to the watery abyss from which they are thought to originate.
Once again Jesus demonstrates that he is the rock on whom we can count in trials. Here he reveals himself in charge of foreign territories as well as where we usually encounter him. He will save us wherever we are and from whatever fury breaks upon us. In Left to Tell Immaculée Ilibagiza tells the story of how Jesus protected her during the Rwandan genocide.
“But does appealing to Jesus always achieve the desired end?” we ask quite honestly and realistically. Christian wisdom suggests a somewhat unnerving answer. By faith we know him as the gracious Lord of the universe. His desires are always honored, but those desires may not be exactly ours. As we pray, “Deliver us from evil,” we must remember that we have already resigned ourselves to his discretion by having said, “Thy will be done.”
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