Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 15:1-12.17-18; Matthew 7:15-20)

In order to stem the tide of divorce, some American couples have entered “covenant marriages.”  This is an agreement that the two parties will seek counseling before marriage and will limit their grounds for divorce once married.  The arrangement takes the name “covenant” from the type of relationship between Abram and the Lord witnessed in the first reading today.

The terms of the covenant require Abram to be faithful to God.  As long as he maintains that faith, he can be assured of the Lord’s fulfilling His promise.  History bears out how God has magnificently done so.  Abram has had innumerable descendants.  Today they include not only the millions of Jews throughout the world, but the billions of Christians and Muslims as well.

We have entered into a new covenant with God through Jesus Christ.  By being baptized in his name we become heirs to a new land.  We will inherit heaven with the resurrection from the dead.  But this legacy can be lost if we stop believing in him.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 13:2.5-18; Matthew 7:6.12-14)

The movie The Fugitive received much acclaim as an action drama.  It showed a physician who is wrongly convicted of murdering his wife.  The doctor escapes police custody but is pursued by a deft marshal.  He is able to escape arrest until he uncovers the real murderer.  In the last scene the marshal takes the physician, who has not yet been officially exonerated, into custody.  Rather than handcuff him, however, he allows the doctor to freely ride to the courthouse.  The marshal’s graciousness resembles Jesus’ in a scene from Matthew’s gospel.  When he realizes a Canaanite woman has real faith, Jesus alters the warning he makes in today’s passage about giving what is holy to the dogs.

Of course, Jesus is not literally talking about dogs when he admonishes his disciples.  Dogs are heathens who do not believe in God, the all-loving Father.  Jews of the first century regularly saw Gentiles as “dogs.”  Hence, Jesus is telling his disciples to be wary about teaching them religious doctrine.  The Canaanite woman, who is a Gentile, appears later in the gospel.  She asks Jesus to exorcise the demon possessing her daughter.  Jesus responds with an unbecoming statement echoing what he says today about giving what is holy to dogs.  However, when the woman demonstrates that she believes, Jesus changes his assessment and grants her request.

Our Lord always gives good example.  If he is mistaken about someone, he does not have to save face by trying to hide his error.  Perhaps he would be more careful about the image he uses the next time he preaches about teaching Gentiles.  In any case, he would not want us to deride anyone by calling them “dogs.”  And when we misjudge someone publicly, he would want us to apologize for our mistake.

Monday, June 24, 2019

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

(Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Lucas 1:56-66.80)

Besides Jesus, who should be named as the three most important figures in the gospels? Many would not hesitate to say Mary, the mother of Jesus.  St. Peter would also be a popular choice.  But the third place would be up for grabs.  Some might nominate St. John, the son of Zebedee and often considered to be the “Beloved Disciple.”  A few might argue that Judas was indispensable in setting the stage for the crucifixion.  However, John the Baptist is the best choice.  His role as forerunner of Jesus makes more influential that even Peter.  For this reason the Church celebrates John’s birthday today.

Today’s gospel focuses on John’s naming.  His mother insists that he will be called John.  Zechariah’s support of his wife’s choice leads to the return of his ability to speak.  The name means The Lord has shown favor.  John will live up to this omen.  Through him the Lord has shown favor to his parents who longed to have a child.  Through his ministry of preaching and baptizing many will come to repent of their sins.  And finally with his humble recognition that he is not the Messiah, the world will turn to Jesus for salvation.

We celebrate John’s birthday today, approximately the summer solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere) and six months before Christmas.  The date fits details of what is reported of the Baptist in the fourth gospel.  There Jesus calls him “a burning and shining lamp’ (John 5:35).  John himself testifies to Jesus by saying, “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Friday, June 21, 2019

Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, religious

(II Corinthians 11:18.21-30; Matthew 6:19-23)

Aloysius Gonzaga was an Italian noble who joined the Society of Jesus at a tender age.  As a novice, he may have heard the warning of keeping “custody of the eyes.”  This term means to turn one’s gaze from compromising sights.  Its reference generally regards sexual allurement.  Aloysius would have heeded such advice.  He did not live long enough to be ordained a priest.  However, his short life was exemplary that in time he was named “patron of Catholic youth.”  Today’s gospel may be taken as an admonishment to Christians to similarly keep “custody of the eyes.”

Jesus calls the eyes the “lamp of the body.”  As such they allow images to settle in one’s mind.  Good eyes will screen healthy images from compromising ones.  Healthy images like nature in bloom lift the soul to give God glory.  Corrupt images like pornography create illicit desire.  Bad eyes do not make these distinctions.  They allow unhealthy images to wreak havoc in the mind.

It may sound fastidious to remind another of sexual desire.  Yet many people today – mostly men but, no doubt, women as well – are obsessed by sexual desire.  Counselling may be needed, but a friendly reminder not to fix one’s gaze on another’s sexual organs can resolve the difficulty.  We are sexual beings which is wonderful.  But sexual desire like all others must be tempered by virtue.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(II Corinthians 11:1-11; Matthew 6:7-15)

The story of Job illustrates an important point in the Our Father.  Job is a rich man who pleases God.  Satan, who in the story is part of the heavenly court, believes that Job is faithful because things go his way.  God then allows Satan to test job.  He loses in a flash his property, his family, and his health.  He is tempted to curse God for his misfortune but doesn’t.

In the standard form of the Our Father, we pray, “Lead us not into temptation.”  We are asking God not to have us tempted like Satan tempted Job.  Pope Francis does not like the wording, however, because it can imply something different.  It sounds like God might tempt someone like a drug lord tempts youth to sell drugs for large commissions.  The pope has reportedly approved a translation which says, “Do not let us fall into temptation.” 

It is not likely that the pope’s translation will gain much traction.  The standard prayer is so well established that people will have great difficulty uttering different words.  The real problem is not so much the present wording, which have a legitimate meaning.  Rather the problem is that we do not listen to what we are saying when we pray the Our Father.  We do not tune into the words that Jesus himself has offered us for our salvation.