Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Jeremiah 13:1-11; Matthew 13:31-35)
Walking through a shopping mall, both men and women are allured by the lingerie shop. The window display arouses such interest that all wonder what can be inside. Of course, the apparel is meant to increase the intensity of desire of a husband for his wife. In the first reading today the prophet Israel uses such an image to describe the relationship between God and Israel.
The loin cloth described in the passage was to be worn by men to cover their genitals. In public the loincloth was worn under a tunic, but whether in private or in public it signifies intimacy. The prophet himself states this meaning: “As close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins, so had I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the Lord.” The tragedy that Israel abandons God for the fetishes of their neighbors is symbolized by the loincloth being buried and rotting.
God has created humans as sexual beings so that they might relate to one another. Genital sexuality is reserved for a man and a woman to solidify their union as an environment for raising children and thus fulfilling God’s plan for creation. Quite unfortunately, humans often distort this blueprint by making pleasure the purpose of sexual fulfillment. Like Jeremiah‘s rotting loincloth, such practice cannot last long. We look to Jesus, who reinforces the original teaching on sexuality in Genesis, as our advisor in these affairs.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Jeremiah 3:14-17; Matthew 13:18-23)
In a recent television show, a detective is asked if he believes in God. He only answers that he used to but hints that he lost his faith when his wife was killed in a hit and run accident. The vignette demonstrates what Jesus means in the gospel by saying that some seed falls on rocky ground.
No one’s life is always easy. Everyone suffers setbacks and experiences limits. Yet everyone as well is beckoned to respond in faith to God’s initiatives – both the fact of having been born and, more significantly, in hearing of God’s love. Outrage over one’s lot and rebelliousness in one’s nature hinder that response. These obstacles comprise the rocky ground of the parable. Still it is not inevitable that anyone lose faith. Indeed, by telling the parable Jesus is exhorting his listeners to soften the ground of their lives by removing the rocks of rebelliousness and breaking up the clods of anger to embrace God’s love. As countless suffering people testify, God is more generous with them than they deserve.
We live in an age of disbelief. Statistics may say that the majority still believes in God, but the idea makers are predominately agnostic and the trust of many is tenuous. Now more than ever perhaps it is our responsibility as believers to testify to our faith. We can tell others how when we pray, good things happen. At the very least, prayer enables us to cope with misfortune without cursing or self-pity.
(Jeremiah 3:14-17; Matthew 13:18-23)
In a recent television show, a detective is asked if he believes in God. He only answers that he used to but hints that he lost his faith when his wife was killed in a hit and run accident. The vignette demonstrates what Jesus means in the gospel by saying that some seed falls on rocky ground.
No one’s life is always easy. Everyone suffers setbacks and experiences limits. Yet everyone as well is beckoned to respond in faith to God’s initiatives – both the fact of having been born and, more significantly, in hearing of God’s love. Outrage over one’s lot and rebelliousness in one’s nature hinder that response. These obstacles comprise the rocky ground of the parable. Still it is not inevitable that anyone lose faith. Indeed, by telling the parable Jesus is exhorting his listeners to soften the ground of their lives by removing the rocks of rebelliousness and breaking up the clods of anger to embrace God’s love. As countless suffering people testify, God is more generous with them than they deserve.
We live in an age of disbelief. Statistics may say that the majority still believes in God, but the idea makers are predominately agnostic and the trust of many is tenuous. Now more than ever perhaps it is our responsibility as believers to testify to our faith. We can tell others how when we pray, good things happen. At the very least, prayer enables us to cope with misfortune without cursing or self-pity.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Jeremiah 2: 1-3.7-8.12-13; Matthew 13:10-17)
A senior citizen tries to pass on the Catholic faith to his adolescent grandson. When the youth spends a weekend with him, he invariably takes him to Sunday mass. The youth tells him that he enjoys the experience. However, not living in a home where the faith is practiced, he has yet to express desire to commit himself to the Church. Today as we honor Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus, we may speculate on their contribution to Jesus’ faith commitment.
It may be presumed that Anne and Joachim raised Mary as a devout Jew. Unlike the people of ancient Jerusalem, whom the prophet Jeremiah decries in the first reading, Anne and Joachim taught Mary to wait upon the Lord. They instructed her not to follow the winds of the time, but to always remember how God loves His people and will save them in distress. Mary, in turn, passed on this instruction to Jesus who perfectly fulfilled God’s will with his sacrifice in obedience until death.
Catholic grandparents will, often enough, have to take on the responsibility of teaching their grandchildren the faith. Their children have often become so estranged from belief that they understand religion as no more than a set of rites to mark the passage of time. Where this is the case, grandparents need to convey the truths to grandchildren that human nature has been distorted by sin but has been redeemed by Jesus. They will hopefully show them that heeding Jesus’ words leads to happiness and embracing his company in the sacraments gives the strength to do so.
(Jeremiah 2: 1-3.7-8.12-13; Matthew 13:10-17)
A senior citizen tries to pass on the Catholic faith to his adolescent grandson. When the youth spends a weekend with him, he invariably takes him to Sunday mass. The youth tells him that he enjoys the experience. However, not living in a home where the faith is practiced, he has yet to express desire to commit himself to the Church. Today as we honor Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus, we may speculate on their contribution to Jesus’ faith commitment.
It may be presumed that Anne and Joachim raised Mary as a devout Jew. Unlike the people of ancient Jerusalem, whom the prophet Jeremiah decries in the first reading, Anne and Joachim taught Mary to wait upon the Lord. They instructed her not to follow the winds of the time, but to always remember how God loves His people and will save them in distress. Mary, in turn, passed on this instruction to Jesus who perfectly fulfilled God’s will with his sacrifice in obedience until death.
Catholic grandparents will, often enough, have to take on the responsibility of teaching their grandchildren the faith. Their children have often become so estranged from belief that they understand religion as no more than a set of rites to mark the passage of time. Where this is the case, grandparents need to convey the truths to grandchildren that human nature has been distorted by sin but has been redeemed by Jesus. They will hopefully show them that heeding Jesus’ words leads to happiness and embracing his company in the sacraments gives the strength to do so.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Saint James, apostle
(II Corinthians 4:7-15; Matthew 20:20-28)
As gruesome statistics testify, women are often abused by the men in their lives. Despite the affront to human dignity, domestic violence too often goes unreported and, consequently, unaddressed. Domestic violence comprises the proverbial “elephant in the room” of which everyone is aware, but no one wants to talk about. Sometimes, however, someone breaks the stifling silence to report the crime. That person acts prophetically like, it is easy to imagine, James the Apostle whose feast we are celebrating today.
The gospel pictures James as the son of Zebedee who, along with his brother John, boldly answers that he can drink from the chalice that Jesus is about to take. The Acts of the Apostles testifies that James did indeed suffer martyrdom. In fact, it appears that he was the first of the Twelve to do so. Perhaps he spoke up boldly again when Herod Agrippa’s henchmen started looking for Jesus’ followers. In any case he gave witness to the Lord with his life.
Probably more often than we want to admit we too should speak up in Christ’s name. When we see hints of domestic violence, for example, we should at least ask questions. Giving witness to Christ is more than dying at the hands of people who hate him. It includes raising our voices, like Jesus, on behalf of the oppressed.
(II Corinthians 4:7-15; Matthew 20:20-28)
As gruesome statistics testify, women are often abused by the men in their lives. Despite the affront to human dignity, domestic violence too often goes unreported and, consequently, unaddressed. Domestic violence comprises the proverbial “elephant in the room” of which everyone is aware, but no one wants to talk about. Sometimes, however, someone breaks the stifling silence to report the crime. That person acts prophetically like, it is easy to imagine, James the Apostle whose feast we are celebrating today.
The gospel pictures James as the son of Zebedee who, along with his brother John, boldly answers that he can drink from the chalice that Jesus is about to take. The Acts of the Apostles testifies that James did indeed suffer martyrdom. In fact, it appears that he was the first of the Twelve to do so. Perhaps he spoke up boldly again when Herod Agrippa’s henchmen started looking for Jesus’ followers. In any case he gave witness to the Lord with his life.
Probably more often than we want to admit we too should speak up in Christ’s name. When we see hints of domestic violence, for example, we should at least ask questions. Giving witness to Christ is more than dying at the hands of people who hate him. It includes raising our voices, like Jesus, on behalf of the oppressed.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Micah 7:14-15.18-20; Matthew 12:46-50)
As summer’s heat reaches its peak (in the northern hemisphere) with more ferocity than normal, some are asking what causes such inclement weather. An increasingly common answer is the profligate burning of fossil fuels. Curiously the response approximates that of biblical times when self-indulgence among the people was seen as the general cause of hardship. In the first reading today, the prophet Micah looks to God for deliverance.
Micah prophesized in the southern kingdom and predicted the fall of Jerusalem. In today’s passage, however, he looks beyond ruination to a time when God will forgive the sins of Israel and restore the nation to its ancient glory.
We see Micah’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus whose birthplace the prophet names in an earlier oracle. Jesus’ faithfulness on behalf of the people wins God’s forgiveness and brings about a new Israel, the Church. We, its members, are to live in a reformed way that embraces everyone in love, even future generations. Such love compels us to care for the earth so that ecological disaster may be avoided.
(Micah 7:14-15.18-20; Matthew 12:46-50)
As summer’s heat reaches its peak (in the northern hemisphere) with more ferocity than normal, some are asking what causes such inclement weather. An increasingly common answer is the profligate burning of fossil fuels. Curiously the response approximates that of biblical times when self-indulgence among the people was seen as the general cause of hardship. In the first reading today, the prophet Micah looks to God for deliverance.
Micah prophesized in the southern kingdom and predicted the fall of Jerusalem. In today’s passage, however, he looks beyond ruination to a time when God will forgive the sins of Israel and restore the nation to its ancient glory.
We see Micah’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus whose birthplace the prophet names in an earlier oracle. Jesus’ faithfulness on behalf of the people wins God’s forgiveness and brings about a new Israel, the Church. We, its members, are to live in a reformed way that embraces everyone in love, even future generations. Such love compels us to care for the earth so that ecological disaster may be avoided.
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