Wednesday, June 8, 2022

 Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 18:20-39; Matthew 5:17-19)

As long as one lives in a land with other kinds of people, it will be hard to keep syncretism at bay.  Syncretism blends different elements of culture to produce a new cultural reality.  Syncretism often results in the loss of a major characteristics of the older culture.  Santeria exemplifies a syncretism religion.  This cult borrows from African animist and Catholic traditions.  It was developed in Cuba but is found in other Caribbean cultures as well.

In today’s first reading the prophet Elijah challenges the people to give up their syncretistic practices.  “How long will you straddle the issue?” he charges, “If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” Baal is the Phoenician-Canaanite god of fertility and weather.  Elijah then demonstrates to the people the Lord’s supremacy.  His prayer to the Lord calls down fire to consume the sacrifice.

We might find syncretistic tendencies in the people we meet.  They may go to mass on Sunday but during the week put all trust in mammon.  They may keep a statue of the Virgin in their yard but on their porch take seriously their horoscope.  We want to avoid these tendencies if not these people.  We believe in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  They have sent their Spirit upon us so that we might become holy like them.

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

 Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 17:7-16; Matthew 5:13-16)

A Dominican priest in Pakistan had a large Muslim following.  The people considered him a holy man of God.  They would wait for him after mass outside church.  There he would bless them.  The blessing evidently brought cures and other graces.  The widow of Zarephath looks at Elijah as those Muslims did to that Dominican in Pakistan.

The widow is not a daughter of Israel.  She tells Elijah, “’As the Lord, your God, lives...”  She must recognize the power of God, or she would not invoke an oath in His name.  She also acknowledges the authority of God’s prophet when she obeys his commands.

The woman is saved by her faith in God even though that faith is undeveloped.  We do well to imitate it along with her generosity.  We want to do all that God has commanded through Moses and, especially, Jesus.  In today’s gospel Jesus tells his disciples to be salt and light.  He is telling us to lift people’s spirits with works motivated by love.

Monday, June 6, 2022

 Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church

(Acts 1:12-14; John 19: 25-34)

Today’s feast or, more accurately, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, has only been established recently.  It serves at least two purposes.  It justly extends the celebration of Pentecost by a day.  It also draws attention to the family aspect of the Church.

Conventional wisdom sees today’s gospel as Jesus providing for his widow mother.  However true that is, the evangelist likely has more in mind by the Beloved Disciple and Mary taking one another as his and her own.  Jesus is forming his Church.  In handing over his spirit a few verses later, he is enlivening the Church with the Holy Spirit.  The scene can be called “a second Pentecost.”

The chief characteristic of the Church formed by Jesus’ mother and Beloved Disciple will be familiar love.  In the Church we share not only Jesus’ Spirit but his body and blood as well.  This reality helps us to see one another in the Church in a revered way.  We may not be as close to most Church brothers and sisters as we are to our natural siblings.  Nevertheless, we should offer them extra care and affection.

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022

(Acts 2:1-11; Romans 8:8-17; John 14:15-16.23b-26)

A novel tries to re-imagine the Holy Trinity. The three persons have different characteristics. The Son is a Jewish carpenter. There is nothing new here. The Father is an incredible invention, not worth saying much about Him here. The most curious of the three is the Holy Spirit. He is described as a young girl who moves with the impetuosity of a butterfly. She's here one second and there the next. Yes, it can be said that the Holy Spirit is everywhere at the same time. Now at Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit, it behooves us to try to describe more of the Spirit. As the basis of our study we can use the readings from yesterday, the vigil, and today.

It can be said with confidence that the Holy Spirit is a gift. In the vigil’s gospel this gift is described as water that refreshes a thirsting people. It is as if we were dried up plants on which water is poured. Soon we straighten up to continue with our daily tasks. A Catholic poet had the Holy Spirit as his muse. As he felt unable to express his feelings, he prayed to the Spirit. He said: "O Lord of life, send my roots rain."

The Holy Spirit is also the gift that brings the hope of eternal life. Yesterday's second reading from the Letter to the Romans says: "...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." It is the agonized cry of the families who have lost their children in the massacre in Texas. They pray with all their hearts that they see their children again in eternal life.

The first reading yesterday also contains a glimpse of the Holy Spirit. The prophet Joel says that the Lord will pour out his spirit on everyone. Then the “old men will dream dreams” and the “young men will see visions”. What will the old dream of? and what will the young see? If they have experienced the trauma of war like the Ukrainian people, surely it will be peace and friendship between nations and people.

The first reading today describes the Spirit as tongues of fire resting on the disciples. The tongues are a dynamism to proclaim God's love to the world. A week ago, one of the most respected journalists in the country did exactly this. She ended her column with a testimony of faith. She said: "I have been alive for some years and this is the only true thing, that there is a God and he is good and you are here to know him, love him and show your feeling through your work and how you live."

The second reading from First Corinthians describes how the Spirit brings us together into one body. We are united despite different cultures and languages. This truth has been shown in the issue of abortion. Catholics have joined with the pope and bishops against abortion. Thanks to the Catholic Church the pro-life movement has not diminished despite strong opposition.

Finally, the Holy Spirit brings help in our trials. Our translation says an “Advocate,” in the sense of a lawyer.  The Spirit stands with us in temptations. Whether we struggle with pornography, or it is laziness that bothers us, the Spirit comes to our aid. It reminds us of the lessons of our teachers and of the fact that it is God that we offend by sin.

A good image for the Holy Spirit is a spring. In different places there are springs sprouting endless streams of pure water.  The water refreshes, helps, and gratifies so that children playing in it shout for joy. Thus it is with the gift of the Holy Spirit. It refreshes, helps, and gratifies us so that we want to sing praises to God.

Friday, June 3, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

(Acts 25:13b-20; John 21: 15-19)

In today’s gospel Jesus indicates “by what kind of death (Peter) would glorify God.”  He tells Peter that someone will lead him where he would rather not go. He means that Peter would die as a martyr giving witness to Jesus.  Today’s patron saints also died after being led by another where they would rather not go.

Charles Lwanga was a layman who served in the court of the Ugandan king.  In charge of court pages, Charles protected them from the king’s perverted desires.  His defiance brought on persecution for the pages as well as Charles.  They suffered the horrible martyrdom of being roasted alive.

Who can understand human cruelty of such dimension?  Yet it displays itself perhaps in every culture and in every period of time.  Like the Ugandan martyrs we hope to give witness to Jesus Christ, who also suffered terrible cruelty.  By our patience in the face of injustice we too can glorify God.