Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(James 4:1-10; Mark 9:30-37)

The inelegant name “Fat Tuesday” (Mardi Gras) is derived from the ancient custom of households consuming all remaining fatty foods before Lent begins. During the Middle Ages Lent was a time of penance and discipline when Christians did not eat meat or desserts made with animal fat.  Over the ages Mardi Gras has undergone corruption. Today it often has the spirit of orgy rather than of dutiful, albeit cheery, preparation for a devout fast.

The gospel today indicates a similar distortion of values. Jesus has confided in his disciples that the Son of Man will suffer horribly before he experiences glory. They, however, refuse to probe what this might mean.  Rather they prefer to dwell on fatuous concerns of the self. James and John beg the seats of honor in the kingdom.  Their obtuseness would be as comical as a Three Stooges routine were Jesus not speaking of himself as the one to undergo the ordeal.

If we wish, we might eat a second sausage or drink a glass of wine today. But let us do so with an eye on tomorrow. During Lent we want to take stock of our sins and check our sinful actions. We should strive to understand the cost of our continual concern with self.  It has impeded both our appreciation for and our cooperation in Jesus’ work of redemption.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(James 3:13-18; Mark 9:14-29)

In one of his books Biblical scholar Fr. Raymond Brown expressed exasperation with some of his counterparts. He said that where a particular passage was difficult to interpret, these commentators often became strident about their positions.  Fr. Brown had a finger on an example of the point James makes in today’s first reading.

James emphasizes how humility is part of the search for understanding.  A wise person does not pretend to know her subject with precision, but studies it prodigiously.  In coming to understand, she does not jealously guard her progress or seek to exploit it for ungainly profit.  In contrast, James says, a foolish person is driven by the need for gratification.  He is likely to may make dubitable claims in order to attract attention if not dollars.  In the end the wise person promotes a culture of integrity while the fool creates an atmosphere of suspicion.

Humility becomes any person.  We are probably not as good, intelligent or wise as we think.  We should recognize how others possess qualities or information that we lack.  This humble stance will move us to learn from and cooperate with them.  Hopefully in the end, we will find ourselves growing in appreciation of others and in peace with ourselves. 

Friday, February 21, 2020

Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(James 2:14-24.26; Mark 8:34-9:1)

There is a story about the person who considered his cross too heavy to bear.  He complained to the Lord, and the Lord showed him an array of crosses.  The Lord said that the man could take up any cross he wished.  However, he had to carry a cross if he was to follow him to eternal life.  The man chose one of the crosses that looked like a good fit.  Shortly afterwards, the man came back to the Lord saying that he preferred his original cross.   The cross that he thought was lighter turned out more troublesome than anticipated!

In today’s gospel Peter has just proclaimed Jesus Messiah or savior of the people.  Jesus in turn declared that his Messiah-ship will be manifested by his death on the cross and resurrection.  Now he is saying that to be his disciple one has to carry his or her personal cross after him.

One’s cross is the dimensions of our life that we find difficult to bear.  It may be an illness or a particularly annoying relative.  Carrying the cross after Jesus is not just living with the personal difficulty but allowing it to transform our life.  It becomes the source and object of both prayer and effort.  Dealing with our cross in this way in time we will come to see God as our savior.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(James 2:1-9; Mark 8:27-33)

In a disturbing book published a few years ago sociologist Charles Murray wrote that the rich are more likely to have Christian values than the poor.  That is, they are more likely to go to church, to get married, and to work than their poor counterparts.  The report raises the question about how to respond to James’ assertion in today’s first reading that the poor, not the rich, deserve praise.

James is making a sweeping but not inherently unfair generalization.  Indeed, the poor are often ignored while the rich receive most people’s admiration.  As everyone knows, the rich usually have plenty of money that might be employed for any purpose.  The poor on the other are likely to have problems that are hard to deal with.  Still the poor are not only created in the image of God, but they also represent Christ, the poor one.  James urges that Christians concern themselves with poor people’s needs at least as much as they court the rich for possible favors.

For decades faith based community organizing linked church-goers from well-to-do areas with the inner-city faithful in alliances working for the common good.  The results were both tangible and spiritual.  Laws were passed that improved community life, and people of all stripes knew one another as colleagues.  Sadly many of these coalitions fell apart from the lack of a coherent political vision.  Somehow the spirit of the community organizations must be revived to allow the poor to thrive along with the rich in the sight of God.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(James 1:19-27; Mark 8:22-26)

Our mothers used to chide us that what they said to us “goes in one ear and out the other.”  In other words, we did not pay attention to what they were saying.  We did what we wanted and ignored what they were telling us.  This is the gist of what James’ warning in today’s first reading.

James uses a parable to explain what he means.  He says that hearers and not doers of the word are like those who look at their faces in a mirror and then go off.  Because they do not keep the mirror before their faces, they forget what they look like.  In the same way those who only listen to the word of God promptly forget it.  But those who practice it will not only remember it but live and profit by it.

The Letter of James contains practical advice. Sometimes it is considered more a Jewish than a Christian Scripture.  However, the advice obviously reflects Christ’s teaching.  We do well to hold it regularly “before our faces.”