Monday of the Third Week of Lent
(II Kings 5:1-15ab; Luke 4:24-30)
The number of Christians in Palestine today is dwindling. Restricted by Israeli preoccupation with security and Muslim radicalism, native Christians of Israel are emigrating to places where they can live in peace. Theirs is the fate that Jesus experiences in the gospel today.
It is curious that Jesus speaks of rejection on the part of his townspeople. He has just inaugurated his ministry with a reading from Isaiah to which the citizenry of Nazareth responds favorably. Then the people start questioning, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” as if they mean to deny any authorization of Jesus from on high. Next Jesus exposes their refusal to believe in him, and they in turn run him out of town.
We must take care not to do the same thing. How can this happen? The attempt to find the “historical Jesus” through scholarship has led to skepticism about his divine origin. Certainly biblical scholarship has contributed abundantly toward real faith. But we have to remember that the original authors recognized Jesus’ uniqueness. They had a vantage point because of their proximity to Jesus’ life and possibly their association with Jesus’ disciples which scholars today for all there eruditeness cannot approach. It is their faith in Jesus as Lord that has been handed down to us.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Friday of Second Week in Lent
(Genesis 37:3-4.12-13a.17b-28a; Matthew 21:33-43.45-46)
A prototype serves as a functional model. It leads to the final product but lacks the latter's fullness. Shortly before the advent of the personal computer, IBM marketed a typewriter with memory. That short-lived invention was a proto-type. The readings today contain another.
Pairing the Old Testament reading with the gospel today reveals Joseph as a prototype of Jesus. Like Joseph, Jesus is betrayed by his own people, handed over to foreigners, and suffers hardship despite his being completely innocent. Also, both the story of Joseph and that of Jesus turn out glorious. However, the outcome in Jesus’ case, soars beyond Joseph’s. Where Joseph merely thrives in captivity, Jesus rises from the dead.
Both narratives also remind us that our destiny is not in the hands of the people who do us injustice. God will make the ultimate decision regarding our lives. Whether we look out over the city from a spacious office or sweep floors in the basement, we want to live in a way that gives God glory. We then may hope that He will forgive any faults that we have, recognize our good efforts, and redeem us from even death itself.
(Genesis 37:3-4.12-13a.17b-28a; Matthew 21:33-43.45-46)
A prototype serves as a functional model. It leads to the final product but lacks the latter's fullness. Shortly before the advent of the personal computer, IBM marketed a typewriter with memory. That short-lived invention was a proto-type. The readings today contain another.
Pairing the Old Testament reading with the gospel today reveals Joseph as a prototype of Jesus. Like Joseph, Jesus is betrayed by his own people, handed over to foreigners, and suffers hardship despite his being completely innocent. Also, both the story of Joseph and that of Jesus turn out glorious. However, the outcome in Jesus’ case, soars beyond Joseph’s. Where Joseph merely thrives in captivity, Jesus rises from the dead.
Both narratives also remind us that our destiny is not in the hands of the people who do us injustice. God will make the ultimate decision regarding our lives. Whether we look out over the city from a spacious office or sweep floors in the basement, we want to live in a way that gives God glory. We then may hope that He will forgive any faults that we have, recognize our good efforts, and redeem us from even death itself.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:9-31)
Sociologist Charles Murray has recently published another bombshell. His Coming Apart marshals massive evidence to demonstrate that the United States is becoming increasingly stratified economically and socially. Although the liberal rich are often seen as the source of irreligion and wanton living, Murray shows that they are much more likely to go to church and have intact families than the poor. So are the rich in the U.S. acting like the rich man in the gospel parable today, or are they perhaps following Christ?
The rich man's sin is apparently that he doesn't notice Lazarus lying at his door. He lives in luxury with no awareness of his closest neighbor. He probably was well-known in the community, but interestingly in the hereafter he goes unnamed. Lazarus, on the other hand, goes unnoticed at the rich man's door, but even the patriarch calls him by name in eternal life.
Some rich no doubt faithfully follow the Lord. However, there is a striking parallel between the rich in America and the rich man who ignores Lazarus. Those blessed with wealth have an obligation to find and assist those in need. Of course, with gated communities beggars are not seen at the rich person's door. But that cannot be an excuse in days of mass media to say that they are not around.
(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:9-31)
Sociologist Charles Murray has recently published another bombshell. His Coming Apart marshals massive evidence to demonstrate that the United States is becoming increasingly stratified economically and socially. Although the liberal rich are often seen as the source of irreligion and wanton living, Murray shows that they are much more likely to go to church and have intact families than the poor. So are the rich in the U.S. acting like the rich man in the gospel parable today, or are they perhaps following Christ?
The rich man's sin is apparently that he doesn't notice Lazarus lying at his door. He lives in luxury with no awareness of his closest neighbor. He probably was well-known in the community, but interestingly in the hereafter he goes unnamed. Lazarus, on the other hand, goes unnoticed at the rich man's door, but even the patriarch calls him by name in eternal life.
Some rich no doubt faithfully follow the Lord. However, there is a striking parallel between the rich in America and the rich man who ignores Lazarus. Those blessed with wealth have an obligation to find and assist those in need. Of course, with gated communities beggars are not seen at the rich person's door. But that cannot be an excuse in days of mass media to say that they are not around.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
(Jeremiah 18:18-20; Matthew 20:17-28)
In a book and movie former Vice-President Al Gore seeks to demonstrate how overconsumption of fossil fuels is leading to increased heat in the atmosphere with serious environmental consequences. Gore titles his project An Inconvenient Truth because he realizes that addressing the problem will mean sacrifice for Americans. In the first reading Jeremiah is threatened for likewise broadcasting an inconvenient truth.
Jeremiah has chastised the people in the name of God. He has been particularly critical of their using the Sabbath for commerce and not giving it to the Lord. His effectiveness in preaching is testified by the fact that the citizens of Jerusalem plot to do him in. It is a familiar story of killing the messenger so that one does not have to heed the message.
We must grow in consciousness of overconsumption. It is leading to environmental catastrophe that even Pope Benedict has pointed out. It also distracts us from giving God His due. Lent, moves us in the opposite direction. We should be finding our sacrifices making us stronger, not weaker, in both body and spirit.
(Jeremiah 18:18-20; Matthew 20:17-28)
In a book and movie former Vice-President Al Gore seeks to demonstrate how overconsumption of fossil fuels is leading to increased heat in the atmosphere with serious environmental consequences. Gore titles his project An Inconvenient Truth because he realizes that addressing the problem will mean sacrifice for Americans. In the first reading Jeremiah is threatened for likewise broadcasting an inconvenient truth.
Jeremiah has chastised the people in the name of God. He has been particularly critical of their using the Sabbath for commerce and not giving it to the Lord. His effectiveness in preaching is testified by the fact that the citizens of Jerusalem plot to do him in. It is a familiar story of killing the messenger so that one does not have to heed the message.
We must grow in consciousness of overconsumption. It is leading to environmental catastrophe that even Pope Benedict has pointed out. It also distracts us from giving God His due. Lent, moves us in the opposite direction. We should be finding our sacrifices making us stronger, not weaker, in both body and spirit.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)
Yesterday’s gospel emphasized mercy. Today’s stresses humility. And tomorrow’s will highlight service. It seems that during this second week of Lent the Church means to prepare its people for ministry.
Moralist Fr. Richard Gula says that humility is hard to understand, much less to cultivate. Why be humble? Are not those who promote themselves rewarded? Gula believes that the humble will foster cooperation among a group to successfully complete a common task. In baseball, for example, recruiters no longer pay exclusive attention neither to homerun hitters nor to those with the highest batting averages. What they increasingly want are players who will get on base be it with a hit, a walk, being hit by a pitched ball, or even by striking out on a wild pitch.
We don’t have to be introverted or sad to be humble. We just have to recognize that the world, the community, or the team does not revolve around us. Everyone is important and deserves recognition. In the end humility will move us to recognize our faults before God and to ask for His mercy.
(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)
Yesterday’s gospel emphasized mercy. Today’s stresses humility. And tomorrow’s will highlight service. It seems that during this second week of Lent the Church means to prepare its people for ministry.
Moralist Fr. Richard Gula says that humility is hard to understand, much less to cultivate. Why be humble? Are not those who promote themselves rewarded? Gula believes that the humble will foster cooperation among a group to successfully complete a common task. In baseball, for example, recruiters no longer pay exclusive attention neither to homerun hitters nor to those with the highest batting averages. What they increasingly want are players who will get on base be it with a hit, a walk, being hit by a pitched ball, or even by striking out on a wild pitch.
We don’t have to be introverted or sad to be humble. We just have to recognize that the world, the community, or the team does not revolve around us. Everyone is important and deserves recognition. In the end humility will move us to recognize our faults before God and to ask for His mercy.
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