Monday, April 17, 2017

Monday within the Octave of Easter

(Acts 2:24.22-23; Matthew 28:8-15)

Of all the evangelists Matthew is most cynical toward the Jews.  He alone pictures Jewish leaders scheming with Judas to arrest Jesus.  Likewise, he alone records the Jewish people saying that Jesus’ blood should fall on them and their children.  The cynicism toward the Jews concludes in today’s gospel.  Matthew alone explains the natural skepticism that arises with the report of a dead person’s coming to life by describing the Jewish authorities bribing the Roman soldiers and promulgating a lie.

Scholars attribute such negativity in Matthew (and John) to the persecution that Christians were experiencing at the hand of Jewish leaders at the time of his writing.  Jewish-Christians were being purged from synagogues as Jewish leaders were reforming the practice of their faith with the destruction of the Jerusalem temple.  Saying that an evangelist read back into the account of Jesus’ life events which reflect his own times does not undercut the authority of Scripture.  Rather it should help Christians to understand and live their faith.

We should not doubt the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  That Jesus appeared to his disciples and to Paul in a glorified body after he died is firmly attested to in Scripture.  His resurrection and visitations have precipitated the coming of the Holy Spirit upon us.  The Spirit enables us to accept the quite implausible occurrence of the resurrection so that we too hope to experience it at the end of time.   The same Spirit moves us to search for the truth of all matters so that our testimony to the resurrection of Jesus has credibility. 

Friday, April 14, 2017

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

(Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42)

The Gospel according to John portrays Jesus as fond of personal encounters.  At the beginning of his ministry Jesus engages Nicodemus and then the Samaritan woman in one-on-ones.  These encounters lead to the salvation of both although it is not apparent in Nicodemus’ case until today’s gospel reading.  Jesus also encounters the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda, the man born blind in Jerusalem, and Martha and Mary individually in Bethany -- all with positive outcomes.  However, in today’s account of Jesus’ passion his face-off with Pontius Pilate ends regrettably.

Pilate meets Jesus with objectivity.  He seems interested in determining the veracity of the Jews’ claim that Jesus makes himself out to be a rival to the Roman emperor.  He asks him, “’Are you the King of the Jews?’”  Jesus answers him obliquely which precipitates a conversation on the nature of kingly power.  As the conversation continues, Pilate becomes satisfied that Jesus does not threaten Roman sovereignty.  Pilate quickly maneuvers to release Jesus by first claiming him as the beneficiary of the annual Passover pardon and then by having him scourged so that the normal person would say that he has suffered enough.  But the Jews are portrayed as implacable as they bully Pilate into betraying his judgment of the case.

Each of us should see Jesus as personally confronting her or him today.  He is asking, “Carmen, do you believe that I died on the cross to win your salvation?  Or is this service only a ritual to mark time, no more significant than Halloween?”  Hopefully, we can answer honestly, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Savior of the world.”  That said, we will want to give him homage.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Holy Thursday – Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

(Exodus 12:1-8.11-14; I Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-15)

The word remember literally means to put the pieces (or members) back together. When we remember something, our minds restore the image that has been dispersed through time.  We remember a story by calling to mind its basic elements; for example, a man had two sons: one left to spend his inheritance foolishly while the other begrudged his brother a welcome upon returning.  Today’s readings are all about remembering and assigning new meaning to what is recalled.

The first reading gives the mandate to all the children of Israel to remember God’s liberation of their ancestors from slavery.  They are to recall the gracious act by reenacting the meal eaten on the eve of its occurrence.  The second reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians itself remembers how Jesus gave new meaning to the mandate when faithfully fulfilling it.  For his followers the meal to be shared will no longer remember God’s deliverance of the Israelites from political oppression.  From that moment it will remember Jesus’ offering of himself as the means of their liberation from sin.

The reading from the Gospel according to John presents a new dimension of Jesus’ anticipated paschal supper with his disciples.  The meal is replaced by the symbolic washing of his followers’ feet.  Typical of John’s gospel Jesus interprets the meaning of his action.  As he serves his disciples by both washing their feet and dying for them the following day, they must serve one another.  In other words, Christians are to love one another to the point of dying on her or his behalf.

We are entering into the mysteries of our salvation.  More than mandates of self-sacrifice they include the graces of the Holy Spirit.  We go forward to celebrate them with solemn joy.  We will be challenged unto death but at the same time renewed for eternal life.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Wednesday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 50:4-9a; Matthew 26:14-25)

A decade ago the biblical world was in commotion over the discovery of a manuscript attributed to the apostle Judas Iscariot.  The manuscript, entitled the “Gospel of Judas,” featured a dialogue between Jesus and Judas in which Jesus hails him as the bearer of his truth.  Some scholars made the case that the text provides a whole new interpretation of Christianity.  More judicious ones, however, saw that there is little new in such writing.  Indeed, the late second-century orthodox theologian Irenaeus of Lyons even wrote of the document.  He described it as one of many such writings of the time which sought to undermine established truth and order.

Why are people then and now so fascinated with preposterous ideas like the one contained in the spurious “Gospel of Judas”?  Are they so restless on account of their own shortcomings that they will believe every new word in the wind?  Or perhaps they have become so disillusioned by the hypocrisy of Christians that they seek a new meaning for Christian truth? One way or another, they should find in today’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel enough reason to hold firm to the tradition.

Human beings very often act as Judas does in the reading.  They are willing to betray not only ideals but also friends for money.  They may even defy their friends in the face to hide their deceit as Judas does when he calls Jesus by the prohibited title, “Rabbi.”  Jesus has not come to reveal all such evil but to offer its perpetrators forgiveness.  He will die so that we might repent of our sins and recover our innocence with his gracious help.  Even when we fail in our efforts at reform, he remains ready to help us try again.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Tuesday of Holy Week

(Isaiah 49:1-6; John 13:21-33.36-38)

At the end of the Civil War movie “Glory” a troop of African-American soldiers go into battle.  They will bring glory to their country and to themselves by dying on its behalf.  The show suggests the kind of glory of which Jesus speaks in today’s gospel.

The hour is at hand for the Son of God to give his life for the salvation of the world.  He will duel with evil in its most pernicious forms.  The world already has begun to fall apart.  A disciple leaves in order to betray him.  Another foolishly boasts of how he will defend him.  Jesus is to fulfill the role of the Suffering Servant which Isaiah speaks of in the first reading.  His death and resurrection will give rise to a new Israel which will be faithful to God’s commands.  The new creation will transcend the old one by including all nations on earth in its company.

It is time for us to set back and reflect.  We can ask, “What kind of glory do we seek?” Are we here to gain attention for ourselves? Or are we, like Christ, to give ourselves for the glory of God?  If it is the latter which we seek, then we are to humble ourselves in service to God’s many children.