Monday, November 9, 2020

 

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

(Ezekiel 47:1-2.8-9.12; I Corinthians 3:9c-11.16-17; John 2:13-22)

A man enjoyed fishing. He liked it so much that he started going fishing on Sunday mornings.  One day his pastor confronted him about not attending church services.  The man tried to explain his reason.  He said that he prayed better in his boat on the water.  He said that he could give greater praise to God in the quiet of the lake.  He added that he there he felt profoundly thankful to God for the wonder of creation. 

It is true that nature can raise our minds to God.  But it cannot substitute for Sunday Eucharist in church.  The church is the designated place where we meet other Christians for communal prayer.  There we recognize ourselves as neither better nor more favored than the others present.  Indeed, we see ourselves as parts of a community consecrated to the Lord.  Also, a church contains symbols and images that remind us of our God who transcends space and time.  We are not as likely to begin worshipping creation more than the Creator in church.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.  It is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the pope.  By attending to this celebration, we honor all churches.  We recognize that our salvation comes from our being incorporated in the People of God, which usually takes place in a church.  We also note that in church we reenact the supreme sacrifice of love.  Here we receive the Eucharist which defines us more than anything we can say or do on our own.

Sunday, November 8, 2020

 THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY, November 8, 2020

(Wisdom 6: 12-16; I Thessalonians 4: 13-18; Matthew 25: 1-13)

This year there has been no lack of exhortation to be forward-thinking. Since March the entire world has been urged to clean their hands, maintain social distance, and wear a mask. These measures are insisted upon to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Because health is valued, we need to take care of ourselves in these and other ways. In the Gospel, Jesus exhorts his disciples to be foresighted with the parable of the ten virgins.  He does not have in mind the health of the body but that of the soul.

The parable warns us to prepare for the return of Jesus at the end of time. After almost two thousand years we wonder if Jesus is going to return. Some Christians say, "No", that the return refers to his resurrection from the dead. But we Catholic Christians look forward to his coming at the end of time, although we have no idea when it will happen. We note that the parable mentions a delay in the return.

We prepare for his coming by doing good works. The five virgins bring extra oil to keep their lamps burning if the husband is late. Lighted lamps are a symbol for good works. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples: "'Let your light shine before all, so that when they see your good works, they glorify your Father who is in heaven.'” With the parable of the virgins, Jesus tells the disciples that if they have not done many good works for others, they will be left out of the kingdom.

Visiting the sick has always been considered a good deed. Now with the pandemic, all the elderly are taken as sick in a sense. If they contract the Covid virus, they are in danger of death. Therefore, they have isolated themselves in their homes away from the bustle of people. However, by isolating themselves from their families and friends, the elderly often experience deep loneliness. It can be particularly depressing during the holidays. So we should think of ways to correspond with the elderly in November and December.

Of course, we want to attend to our own family members first. We should call them continuously if we cannot be with them in person. The other day the newspaper described the dilemma of a family whose mother lives in another town hundreds of miles distant. Usually the woman gets on a plane to spend Thanksgiving with her children and grandchildren. But this year not only the plane but also being in the midst of children run considerable risks. The family has to double their efforts to be with their mother virtually. In addition to communicating with Skype they can send you the traditional foods of the season.

But our charity has to extend beyond the family if our light will shine "before all." There are many lonely people in nursing homes, whether the homes are upscale or basic. Some of the elderly do not have children to visit them. In other cases the children have abandoned them. We find ways to comfort them even with Covid's restrictions.

Soon we will be asking each other if we are ready for Christmas. Of course, we will mean if we have bought gifts and decorated the Christmas tree. This year we will want to prepare for Christmas also by doing good works for the elderly, both relatives and those till strangers. We should think of Christmas as a rehearsal for the Lord's return at the end of time. We will be preparing for Jesus.

Friday, November 6, 2020

 Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

 (Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 16:1-8)

 Once an ecumenical group of pastors was discussing a gospel passage much like the one we read today.  The ministers were baffled at the obvious implication that people should help others out of self-interest.  Is love really the motivator, the ministers seemed to ask themselves, if one benefits from the action?

 The ministers were responding from the perspective of the influential Lutheran theologian, Anders Nygren.  Intolerant of self-love, Nygren drove a wedge between real love, which he termed agape or divine love, and acquisitive love, which Greek philosophers called eros.  According to Nygren, the latter has nothing to do with the former.  He would label any action falling short of selflessness as unworthy of Christian love.

But Nygren’s thesis does not adequately account for human motivation.  We are people with real needs.  Beyond physical necessities we need support and assurance which come to us when we go out to others.  It is not necessarily selfish to satisfy these needs.  What differentiates love from exploitation is concern for the good of everyone.  Jesus keeps this distinction in mind in today’s gospel parable. The crafty steward does not only act on his own behalf; he also reduces the burden of the indebted. Similarly, God takes notice and helps us when we help the poor.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

 

Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Philippians 3:3-8a; Luke 15:1-10)

Joe Fitzgerald played handball at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He had trained hard – seven days a week, twice a day except Sunday -- and became proficient.  He also quarterbacked his college football team.  He is handsome and evidently articulate.  Yet, like St. Paul writes in his Letter to the Philippians, despite these promising professional attributes, he decided to follow Christ. 

Paul is not ashamed to boast about his Jewish background.  He mentions his tribe, his observance, even his zeal in pursuing rivals of Judaism.  Then an encounter with Christ turned his life on end. Joe Fitzgerald mentioned in an interview that he had been living in a way that was not pleasing to God.  Knowing that being lukewarm was not an option, he decided to enter the seminary. At the time of the interview, years after he was ordained, he said he was “very happy” as a priest.  Paul is even more upbeat.  He writes that he considers every trait and accomplishment as a loss in comparison to knowing Christ Jesus.

We too know him.  Perhaps we do not experience Paul’s euphoria because we listen to him with our ears waxed and our vision filtered.  We may spend too much time following the news and not enough attending to the gospel.  There he repeatedly tells us how much he loves us.  He tells us today that he would risk everything to find us.  There is no reason to be disturbed by news reports if we just trust in him.

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

 Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop

(Philippians 2:12-28; Luke 14:25-33)

When Jesus says that people must hate their parents in order to follow him, his command must be contextualized.  The Aramaic language, which he spoke, uses “hate” as a way of saying “not love as much.”  In other words, Jesus is telling his disciples that they must love him more than their parents.  Today’s patron, Charles Borromeo, understood what Jesus meant.  He came from some of the most prominent families in Italy.  Yet when his father, Count Borromeo died, Charles declined the headship of his family.  He became a priest and was soon made bishop of Milan.

As a young bishop, Borromeo faced the challenge of the bubonic plague of 1576.  Rather than leave Milan with the city officials, he stayed behind to organize his clergy and religious in the relief effort.  He also personally administered to the sick.   Like bishops have done in the pandemic this year, Charles made the difficult decision to close churches to avoid spread of the disease.

In order to follow Jesus, we must not hate anybody.  On the contrary, we must love all – even those with whom we feel uncomfortable.  This can be a difficult task as is accepting people with different ideas about the danger of Covid.  It helps to talk with the people and to pray for them.  While we are at it, we might ask God to make us closer followers of Jesus.