Monday, March 23, 2015

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent

(Daniel 13:1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62 ; John 8:12-20)

The Book of the Prophet Daniel was written in the second century before Christ although its context is sixth century Babylonia.  The author is critiquing his people’s desertion of Judaism for the pagan cult of Palestine’s occupiers.  The abandonment of Jewish Law is portrayed as so perverse that even judges are willing to give false testimony!  However, God comes to the people’s rescue through Daniel.  By saving a woman from the wicked judges’ lies, the young prophet restores virtue to the nation.

In Christians’ eyes Daniel prefigures Christ.  Today’s passage shows Jesus as likewise saving a woman from being stoned to death.  However, his virtue runs even deeper than Daniel’s.  Where Daniel delivered a righteous woman from her persecutors, Jesus treats even a guilty person with mercy.  Those who follow him will strive to show a similar compassion.  Parting from him will only lead down the road to one’s being harshly judged.

We are approaching the commemoration of Jesus' fateful entry into Jerusalem.  We must choose which way we will go.  Will we follow Jesus, the light of the world, to divine mercy?  Or will we trod darker paths to our eventual condemnation? 

Friday, March 20, 2015

Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Wisdom 2:1a.12-22; John 7:1-2.10.25-30)

Few Americans have distinguished themselves more than George C. Marshall.  As Army Chief of Staff during World War II, he oversaw the Army’s build-up that saved the world from German and Japanese tyranny.  Later as Secretary of State, he introduced the foreign aid plan that rebuilt the European economy and assured American prosperity.  In recognition of these efforts Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize.  Yet Senator Joe McCarthy attacked Marshall as feeble, stupid, and responsible for China turning Communist!

Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom soberly assures us that even the most righteous of people like George Marshall suffer persecution.  Certainly the Gospel of John portrays Jesus as being so persecuted.  By healing the hopelessly infirm, Jesus shows himself to be sent from God.  By performing such acts on the Sabbath, he further reveals that a fundamentalist interpretation of the Law is not God’s plan.  The Messiah, God’s anointed Son, has arrived in person.  Following him, not rigorously interpreting the Law, leads to salvation.  The gospel today pictures Jewish rulers, losing their authority to Jesus, plotting to kill him.

When we pursue what is good, we will sometimes find our efforts criticized and our intentions misconstrued.  It happened to Jesus, and as his followers, we can expect it to happen to us.  But suffering persecution is no reason to give up doing what is right.  We might check our work and question our motives to assure that they are properly ordered.  If they are, then there is reason to stay the course.  After all, Jesus promises the Kingdom of heaven to those who suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(II Samuel 7:4-5a.12-14a.16; Romans 4:13.16-18.22; Matthew 1:16.18-21.24a)

Boo Radley is the minor hero of the epic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. He is not seen much and says little if anything.  However, when the children of the protagonist, a virtuous lawyer, are threatened by a disgruntled drunkard, Radley intercedes to save their lives.  Although it may seem a bit irreverent, we might picture St. Joseph in a similar role.

Interestingly, St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, does not say a word in any of the four gospels and is only mentioned in three.  Yet he is universally known for being both just and loving.  His righteousness is displayed by his not wanting to embarrass Mary when he discovers that she is with child.  He exhibits the human virtues of courage and prudence as he races Mary and Jesus to Egypt upon hearing of Herod’s plan to kill all male children of the region.  The evangelist Luke further records how Mary commends Joseph’s loving concern as she mentions that he, as much as she, was anxiously looking for Jesus when the lad is found with the teachers in the Temple.

St. Joseph serves as a model for men, especially fathers, in a world that is losing its sense of masculine virtue.  He also shows all of us the priority of expressing love for others with faithful presence and self-sacrificing action over the often misleading use of words.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Isaiah 49:8-15; John 5:17-30)

The title, “& Son,” in a business listing reassures clients.  The owner obviously has a family which roots him in the community and suggests trustworthiness.  If the son comes to do the job, the client perhaps thinks “like father, like son” and expects the true value for what she pays.  An analogous father-son relationship forms the heart of today’s gospel.

The Jews become upset that Jesus keeps calling God his father.  They correctly see -- although they do not believe -- that if God is his father, then he has all God’s characteristics.  In other words, Jesus is God.  He too is able to bring people out of captivity as the reading from Isaiah proclaims of God.  Jesus will perform a greater wonder.  Empowered by the Father, he will call the dead to life.  But he will not do this arbitrarily.  He will call only those who already have known his voice to eternal life.  Others may be called, but to condemnation.

The Easter promise will always astound us.  We cannot help but ask, how can the dead be raised to life?  But certainly all adults have seen in their lifetimes things that they never before had dreamed.  God, who also is beyond our imagining, has infinite power.  When we try to imitate not His power but His goodness, we attend to Jesus’ voice and can hope to be called from death to life.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Ezekiel 47:1-9.12; John 5:1-16)

It is said that tavern keepers in Ireland like it when St. Patrick's Day falls on a day late in Lent.  They will increase profits because their clients will be less likely to return to the penance of tea tottering.  Those revelers will consider St. Patrick as having licensed them to begin the celebration of Easter.  But such an introduction into the Easter mystery will bring about a sham imitation of the life it promises. Today’s readings hint at what is to be expected.

Ezekiel highlights the Temple as the source of this abundant life.  From its bowels water flows to not only irrigate the land but also to purify the sea.  John’s gospel shows Jesus as an even more prodigious life-giver.  The paralytic does not have to manipulate himself into the Temple’s waters but only encounter the Lord to be cured.

With Easter approaching, Lenten penances actually lose their bite.  We have become used to life without beer, chocolate, or what have you.  We also know that our time to enjoy these delights is not long coming.  But the real expectation as we enter the home stretch of the Lenten course is not about what the tongue savors.  It concerns our being assured first that death will not close our lives and then that the soon-to-be baptized in the Church who will help us testify to this truth.