Friday, August 28, 2020

Memorial of Saint Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church

(I Corinthians 1:17-25; Matthew 25:1-13)

It is said that after Jesus the most important persons in Christianity are St. Paul and St. Augustine.  Paul evangelized western Asia and the Greek peninsula (Europe).  As much as he was an apostle, however, he was equally a theologian.  His presentation of Christianity was the earliest and one of the most insightful ever made.  Augustine is the preeminent theologian of the western church, at least until Aquinas.  Yet his story has evangelized many.  Who is not impressed by the way Augustine asked for chastity “but not now”? 

In today’s first reading Paul expresses the centrality of the cross to Christian faith.  To the wise -- that is, the successful -- the cross scandalizes.  It reveals Jesus as a criminal, not as a saint.  But to believers, Paul intimates, the cross signifies the power of love to conquer death.  After all, Paul encountered the risen Christ. 

Augustine appears at a critical time in western history.  Christianity had emerged from persecution to enjoy a favored-religion status.   But free thinkers were propagating new ideas which corrupted the faith. Augustine successfully refuted a number of these ideas.  Also, the Roman empire in the West was crumbling.  Augustine endeavored to explain this momentous change by contrasting Rome with the City of God. The former, constructed by fallible humans, was bound to fall.  The latter, epitomized by the Church and animated by grace, can only thrive.

Thursday, August 27, 2020

 

Memorial of Saint Monica

(I Corinthians 1:1-9; Matthew 24:42-51)

For a long time St. Monica lived with the hope of her son Augustine converting to the Catholic faith.  She prayed and encouraged him to do so.  Perhaps she found some reason to believe that he would in his deference for her.  But he also had a mistress and a son.  Furthermore, gifted intellectually, Augustine was aware of philosophical trends which seldom move in the direction of faith. Eventually, of course, Monica’s hope was realized.  Augustine not only became a Christian but also one of the Church’s greatest theologians. Monica’s hope should inspire our own for the coming of Christ.  Gospel hope lies behind today’s gospel.

The gospel is taken from Matthew’s gospel’s final discourse.  The long passage treats the hoped-for events to take place at the end time.  Today’s section admonishes Jesus’ disciples to practice justice and temperance in the interim.  They are to distribute food and beverage fairly, never overindulging in them personally.

We are still in the interim -- after almost 2000 years!  It is frustrating at times, and some wonder if Jesus will return as he promised.  Yet there are signs, not of an imminent return but of Jesus’ abiding presence.  Jesus clearly promised this presence as well in Matthew’s gospel.  We hope that the wait will give opportunity for all to convert to his ways.  As we hope, we also pray that our faith never wanes but grow into greater love for others.

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

 Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(II Thessalonians 3:6-10.16-18; Matthew 23:27-32)

Both readings today convey invectives.  In the passage from II Thessalonians St. Paul bewails idlers.  He says that they always come to eat but never to work. As a remedy to their laziness, Paul would deny them food.  He offers himself as a counterexample.  If anyone could be dispensed from physical work, it is Paul, the preacher and teacher.  But he always does his share of the physical work in order to set good example.

Jesus’ criticism in the gospel is more severe.  He accuses the Pharisees not only of duplicity but of murder!  He knows that they are conspiring to kill him and takes them to task for it in advance.  At the beginning of his public ministry Jesus named the “blessed” for their trust in God.  Now at the end he pronounces “woe” to those who exploit God’s name.

We cannot say, “Never criticize,” after hearing St. Paul and Jesus doing just that.  Nevertheless, we should judge carefully before doing so.  Even then, let our words be measured and never be cruel.  Our intention should always be to correct wrong-doing, not to destroy the wrong-doer.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

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

Perhaps the most challenging reality for students of the Bible is the scholarly consensus that a few of St. Paul’s letters were forgeries.   The very notion sounds absurd.  “How can Scripture, which is by definition inerrant, contain works that give false information?” people ask.  However, St. Augustine among others was aware that all the information contained in the Bible was not completely accurate.  Vatican II declared that inerrancy has to do with the truths of the faith that God wished to pass on.  It must be remembered as well that the forgeries were not made for profit.  Rather, they were intended to assure readers of God’s continued care.  In any case, today’s first reading has something to say about Scriptural forgery.

 The writer warns readers of a letter being circulated that was written by another using his (presumably Paul’s) name.  This note testifies to the fact that there indeed were known forgeries of Paul’s letters.  But even more intriguing is the possibility, as many biblical scholars today believe, that II Thessalonians itself is a forgery.  The reasons for saying this include differences in emphasis between it and I Thessalonians.  For example, where I Thessalonians credits the people with good sense about the time of Christ’s return, II Thessalonians disapproves of the people’s obsession with the exact time of the event.

 We must remember that the Bible is a compendium of books inspired by God but written by fallible human authors over a stretch of a thousand years.  We should not expect complete internal coherence, much less conformity to contemporary literary standards.  Still we hold that the Bible contains God’s blueprint for life.  We must prudently follow its teachings as the Church guides us if we are to attain the eternal life it promises 

Monday, August 24, 2020

 Feast of Saint Bartholomew, apostle

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

We are accustomed to focusing on the apostles as individuals.  Who has not heard of Peter’s foibles?  What is one to make of the brashness of James and John?  However, the apostles are better considered as a group.  As today’s first reading makes clear, they make up the foundation of the Church.

The passage partly culminates the Book of Revelations.  Evil has been vanquished.  Now the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem, meet their champion and bridegroom, the Lamb of God.  They are members of the Church formed by the teaching and self-offering of the apostles.  They will flourish forever. 

We are indebted to the apostles.  The Lord sent them to our ancestors to preach and teach the faith.  Jesus chose twelve of them to symbolize the new Israel, which was originally constituted of that many tribes.  There are more apostles than twelve.  The life and works of St. Paul make that clear.  For the unsung apostles, then, as well as to the celebrated ones like Bartholomew we give God thanks today.