Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, apostle

(Acts 11:21b-26.13:1-3; Matthew 5:20-26)

Barnabas may be readily identified for his companionship of Paul on the so-called first missionary journey.  But we know him in the book of Acts as well for his remarkable display of generosity.  Barnabas, originally called Joseph, is the man who gave all the proceeds of land he had sold to the community of disciples in Jerusalem.  Such a magnanimous gesture demonstrates what Jesus teaches in today’s gospel.

Jesus instructs his disciples that they must be the “light of the world.”  He intends that they do what some today call “random acts of kindness” so that the world will inquire their motivation and find out that it is the Holy Spirit who comes to them through Jesus Christ, the Lord.

In times when people are urged to think of themselves and to consume as if there were no tomorrow, it is challenging to think of our neighbor and act on her or his behalf.  Yet Jesus requires this kind of generosity of his disciples.  Gratefully, he equips us with the Spirit that not only moves us to deny ourselves but provides joy when we do so.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Corinthians 1:1-7; Matthew 5:1-12)

It was said that Fr. John Powell, S.J., could keep a church basement full of people sitting on metal chairs attentive to his talk for two hours.  The marvelous communicator wrote about Jesus’ beatitudes as the “Be Attitudes” -- dispositions that promised the fullness of life.  We hear them in context today as the first installment from Matthew’s gospel which will be read on weekdays for most of the summer (or winter in the Southern Hemisphere).

Although catechisms sometimes list only eight beatitudes in Matthew, there are actually nine.  The first four (blessed are the poor in spirit, the mournful, the meek, and those desiring righteousness) speak of passive attitudes necessary to align one with God.  The second four (the merciful, the clean of heart, peacemakers, and those who suffer persecution) indicate one’s actively carrying out the divine will.  The long ninth beatitude reiterates what is said in the previous one but gives it a new purpose, Jesus himself.  It conveys Matthew’s belief that the kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus.

The beatitudes are so countercultural that most people do not understand them, let alone want to imitate them.  They rile at the thought of being “poor in spirit.”  This does not mean that we should have a negative attitude, but that we should trust in God as those without resources are inclined to do.  The irony that Jesus intends to convey is that when we live by such faith, we end up rewarded and not deprived.

Friday, June 7, 2013

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

(Ezekiel 34:11-16; Romans 5:5b-11; Luke 15:3-7)

Long before the ubiquitous souvenir of New York was conceived, images of a heart were seen in many Catholic homes.  The heart belonged to Jesus but the image indicated that he wanted to share it with others.  To put it simply, the heart of Jesus indicated belief in his eternal love for the household.  All the readings of today’s mass tell the extent that the love will go.

For a long time the reading from Romans was understood as saying that God had made it possible for Christians to love Him.  As busy as people get in this world, it does seem like a supernatural feat to think about and then to love God.  But Paul actually has God’s love for His daughters and sons in mind in this particular passage.  This purely unmerited love moved Jesus to die on the cross.  It now fills Christians’ heart so that they may freely do what is right and so merit heaven.

Always falling on a Friday, the feast of the Sacred Heart gives us reason to contemplate Jesus love and then to imitate it.  Sometimes it means just being patient with those around us like a middle-aged man whose wife has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Under intensive treatments, the wife has become irritable with her husband, but he patiently continues to care for her.  Such grace will enable the woman to die in peace, and the man to live with peace of mind for a long time.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

(Tobit, 6:10-11.7:1bcde.9-17.8:4-9a; Mark 12:28-34)

In a classic philosophical debate Socrates holds that knowledge of what is right results in a desire to do it.  Aristotle disagrees claiming that weakness of the will can short-circuit the desire.  Most people given the choice between chocolate fudge and an apple for dessert would agree with Aristotle.  What would Jesus say?

In the gospel today Jesus makes a telling comment to the scribe who congratulates him on his choice of the greatest commandment.  He says, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”  One may interpret this statement as meaning that the scribe is not in the Kingdom because he does not profess faith in Jesus.  Perhaps, but it is more likely that Jesus too recognizes the difference between knowing something as right and actually doing it.  The scribe is not yet in the Kingdom because he only acknowledges the need to love God and neighbor.  He still must humble himself to love.

Knowledge gets us started on the “good life.”  It pinpoints what we should do, provides viable options, and assesses the risks of each alternative.  But actually doing what is right – true morality – also requires will-power – the virtues of temperance, fortitude, and prudence.  For example, young adults know the need for pre-marital abstinence from sexual intercourse to live chastely.  But sitting alone with their partners on Saturday night, they require the virtues of the will to overcome being swamped by lustful desire.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Memorial of St. Boniface, bishop and martyr

(Tobit 3:1-11a.16-17a; Mark 12:18-27)

An incident in the life of St. Boniface is reminiscent of the first reading today.  Boniface was an eighth century English monk who became a missionary to what is now northern Holland and Germany.  In evangelizing the native tribes, he came across an ancient oak tree that was sacred to their god Thor.  Boniface cut down the oak tree, and when the people saw that Thor was not going to punish the deed, they abandoned their pagan beliefs. 

The story recalls the supposed curse on the maiden Sarah in the Book of Tobit.  The obviously pedagogical tale speaks of the distressed woman whose seven husbands die before consummating their marriage.  She is said to be cursed by the demon Asmodeus whose influence will be expelled by the angel Raphael’s fish oil.

The stories taken together advises us on the grip superstition often has on people.  It should never deter us from doing what is right.  The question of the occult gives some pause here, but it is true that most of the time where demons are supposedly involved the root of the difficulty is superstitious belief.  Superstition, a sin against the First Commandment, must be resisted.  If it continues to bother us, we should pray for courage to confront it squarely.