Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Memorial of Saint Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church

(II Thessalonians 2:1-3a.14-17; Matthew 23:23-26)

It has been said that the three most influential persons in Christianity are Jesus, St. Paul, and today’s patron, St. Augustine.  It is a plausible selection.  Jesus and Paul are natural choices, and much can be said to defend Augustine’s placement in the troika. His prodigious thought lent coherency to biblical teaching.  And his long service allowed him to comment on most aspects of theology and church life.  He wrote books, theological tracts, and sermons.  His best known work, The Confessions, is found on most lists of great books of Western Civilization.  He certainly fulfilled the demand articulated in today’s first reading.

The Second Letter to the Thessalonians like most New Testament epistles emphasizes the urgency of holding to faith traditions.  “…stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught,” it says.  Unlike other religious systems Christianity understands itself as a religion with a fixed theological tradition.  Proper understanding of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit more than anything else makes one a Christian.  Morality, particularly love of God and neighbor, is also essential but in a real sense not so much as firmness of belief.

Today, as in biblical times, there are many odd ideas that pretend to be Christian.  The “prosperity gospel” provides a relevant example.   Of course, Christ never preached the desirability of riches, quite the opposite.  Endeavoring to understand our faith will help us to practice as he taught and lived.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Memorial of Saint Monica

(II Thessalonians 1:1-5.11-12; Matthew 23:13-22)

As many young people do not practice the faith of their childhood, St. Monica is becoming a more popular saint.  Parents turn to her as their patron and model.  Monica prayed for the conversion of her errant son Augustine.  As a young man, the future saint pursued esoteric teachings and lived with a mistress.  In today’s first reading Paul tells the Thessalonians how he prays for them much like Monica prayed for her son.   

Paul asks God “that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in (the Thessalonians), and (they) in him.” This indeed took place.  The Thessalonians endured trials to maintain their faith in Christ and were to be justly rewarded for their efforts.  However, the Thessalonians’ influence on Christianity and western civilization can hardly be compared with that of St. Augustine.  He was one of the Church’s greatest theologians.  Equally important, his introspection set intellectual thought on a psychological course that continues today.

Above all, Monica teaches us the need for persistent, loving prayer.  She prayed for years that Augustine might use his prodigious talents for God and the Church.  Likewise, we must not give up when our prayers are not readily answered or seem to ask too much.  We need to pray until our knees bleed and our hearts are ready to faint.  Then we will see blessings.

Frdiay, August 24, 2018

Feast of St. Bartholomew, apostle

(Revelation 21:9b-14; John 1:45-51)

As with most of the twelve disciples whom we recognize as apostles, we know little about Bartholomew.  Since in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he is paired with Philip, Biblical scholars hold that he is the same as Nathanael whom the Gospel of John associates with Philip.  Nathanael, as today’s gospel relates, proclaims the identity of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.  With this statement the evangelist John presents Nathaniel-Bartholomew like Luke introduces the sage Simeon at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple.  Both are portrayed as prophets announcing the redemption of Israel. 

Even though Bartholomew’s biography remains largely obscure, any one of us would trade places with him.  After all, he saw and even touched salvation in person!  That is, he followed Jesus first-hand, heard his voice, felt the warmth of his hand.  It is taken for granted that the apostles suffered martyrdom.  They could do so willingly, however, because they knew that Jesus to whom they testified would give them eternal life.

We cannot know Jesus as the twelve apostles did, but nevertheless he allows us access to himself.  His words remain in the gospel, his flesh and blood are ingested in the Eucharist, and his Spirit is felt in the love Christians demonstrate.  In faith we know that Jesus is present to us.  Drawing strength from him, we like the apostles may give witness to him by dying to ourselves in service to others.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ezekiel 36:23-28; Matthew 22:1-14)

Fr. Stanley Rother, an American missionary to Guatemala, was assasinated in 1981.  Two years ago, Pope Francis declared that Fr. Rother was killed in odium fidei (in hatred of the faith); that is, as a martyr which qualifies for him the title of “Blessed.” His story portrays atypical heroism and also a typical devotion on the part of the native peoples of Guatemala. 

Fr. Rother refused to leave the indigenous people of his village despite persistent death threats.  Eventually soldiers carried out the crime.  When Fr. Rother’s family came to take Fr. Rother’s body for burial in Oklahoma, the people resisted.  They claimed that he had been their priest and their protector.  Finally, the two sides compromised.  All of Fr. Rother’s body except his heart was returned to the United States.  The native people, however, retained his noble and loving heart in their church.

The reading from Ezekiel today promises that everyone’s heart will be purified like Fr. Rother’s.  Ezekiel says that God will replace the stony hearts of the people with tender hearts.  Then they will be able to give fitting homage to God and show loving care to one another.  He adds that this will be done by gathering the people in a new land and sprinkling them with clean water.

Ezekiel’s prophecy has been fulfilled in our time.  Jesus has renewed our hearts in Baptism (the sprinkling) which brings us into his Church (the new land).  Regrettably, however, some fail to follow him choosing instead self-gratification.  We can pray for them while we give thanks for our renewal in love.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Ezekiel 34:1-11; Matthew 20:1-16)

The lay woman was complaining about the injustice to religious sisters two generations ago.  She reiterated the fact that those valiant women labored in Catholic schools for thirty dollars a month.  Then the woman compared that system with the current way teachers receive less than counterparts in business. Was the system back then really unjust?  And how about the current payment of teachers: is it fair?

As always it is necessary to consider the context when evaluating moral actions.  The sisters had vowed to a life of poverty.  Also, the people they served were often poor themselves.  They sacrificed themselves for the glory of God and the benefit of the children they served.  They may be equated to the workers in today’s gospel that bear the day’s heat only to receive the minimum of support.  But unlike at least one of those workers, they did not grumble.

In God’s Kingdom all workers receive a just wage.  That wage takes account of family needs as well as the principle of equal pay for equal work.  Of course, it is no simple matter to balance all claims to justice.  Nevertheless, it should be said that teachers have an enormous responsibility.  When they fulfill it faithfully, they do deserve an income commensurate with peers in industry.  They also merit our appreciation and gratitude.