Fr. Carmen Mele, O.P.: Today's Homilette

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 2:14-18; Mark 1:29-39)

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke Jesus is revealed to the world with the stories of his birth. The Gospel of Mark has no infancy narrative. It introduces Jesus with a flurry of activity on the first day of his ministry. Today’s gospel recounts the events at the end of that first day and the beginning of the second.

Jesus heals diseased people and drives out demons from the possessed. But he is not on a medical mission. Rather than stay in one place to treat all who come to him, he goes off to preach to others. His mission is to announce the reign of God and the need for listeners to change their ways so that they may benefit by it.

But established ways of thinking and acting are notoriously difficult to alter. Try driving on the left side of the road after driving on the right for ten years. Similarly, we are accustomed to seeking pleasure and recognition in abundance. To dominate these passions, we need to take time like Jesus to pray for God’s help.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 2:5-12; Mark 1:21-28)

Today’s first reading addresses the great question of suffering. It tries to explain why people suffer despite being redeemed by Christ. The question appears academic until one suffers the loss of limb or, worse, the loss of a loved one. Then that person can see if the explanation in the Letter to the Hebrews has worth.

The reading notes that Jesus was made perfect through suffering. The implication is that suffering is the way to perfection. By suffering without cursing God, men and women may conform their wills to His. Jesus has won them justification of sin so that their own suffering can merit perfection.

We might ask, why would we want to be perfect if the way to perfection involves suffering? After all, suffering involves pain, an antithesis to the joy we seek in life. We might answer our question by noting how the reading calls those who suffer Jesus’ “brothers” (and sisters). In striving for perfection, we join God’s family where we experience true happiness.

Monday, Jamuary 9, 2023

The Baptism of the Lord

(Isaiah 42:1-4.6-7; Matthew 3:13-17)

When Mary greeted Elizabeth at the beginning of Luke’s gospel, the evangelist said, “…the infant leaped in her womb.” The infant in her womb, of course, was John the Baptist who “leaped for joy” in the presence of Jesus.

Matthew’s gospel does not report a visit by Mary to Elizabeth when both are pregnant. However, in today’s gospel something roughly similar takes place. John, the fiery prophet attracting Jewish leaders to the desert of Judea, recognizes the superiority of Jesus. When Jesus comes to him for Baptism, John tells him that he (i.e., John) should be baptized by Jesus.

The event indicates Jesus’ humility as well as John’s. Jesus knows at least something of his divine origin, yet he submits to John’s baptism. He tells John to allow the baptism “’to fulfill all righteousness.’’’ The righteousness of God calls one to be humble before another. We are always to respect other people and never to arbitrarily impose our will upon them. When Pope Francis went to Canada last year to apologize to the indigenous peoples for the abuses of Church officials, he was “fulfill(ing) righteousness.”

But in Matthew’s gospel, “all righteousness” means something more. It refers to God’s plan to save the world from sin and resultant death. Jesus is God’s humble servant of whom Isaiah prophesied in today’s first reading. He has been called to bring about justice. This does not mean that he will incarcerate humans, quite the contrary. Jesus will bring about justice by paying the debt of human sin. Because he is God, his death on the cross, symbolized by being flooded with water in Baptism, makes up for all human sin. Still, we must repent of our sins and turn to Jesus. Doing so, our eyes are opened so that we may move from the dens of sin to the path of life.

God acknowledges the righteousness of Jesus quite dramatically in the gospel. It says that “the heavens were opened” which reminds the knowing reader of the end of the Book of Isaiah. There the prophet cries, “’Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down…’” That is happening as God proclaims to the world that Jesus is His Son who pleases Him.

Matthew presents Christ’s baptism as a grand epiphany. He is telling us here is the divine Son of God for us to see, hear, and follow. Beyond humility, he will teach us to discipline our desires and to extend our love to all.

Sunday, , January 8, 2023

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

(Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3.5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

The star in the gospel today represents nature. It is part of natural creation. It has the ability to guide the magi as the North Star has aided navigators for millennia. However, the star cannot lead the magi to the newborn "king of the Jews". Nature has its limits as far as God is concerned. It can show that God exists, but it cannot say much about what God is like. In the same way, the star can indicate approximately where his son is, but it cannot tell exactly his whereabouts.

It is worth reflecting a little more on the star. Shining in the sky, the star invites our wishes. Most of us have wished upon a star for something we longed for. In fact, the word desire has its roots in the Latin words de sidere, meaning of the stars. The stars in the heavens represent our greatest desires. Particularly the Christmas star stands for our desire for life to the full. If we thought more about it, we would conclude that the star of the magi represents our desire to have peace, justice, and above all, love. It is a symbol of our desire to transcend human limits and to be one with God.

Magi are described in the gospel with this desire, this concern to transcend natural limits. These characters are commonly associated with the kings of the first reading. However, the evangelist Matthew never calls them "kings". We can keep our traditions of the three kings as the source of gifts for children. But it is important that we investigate in depth the reason for Matthew calling them "magi".

Magi is one of those words that has a range of meanings, some positive and some negative. For example, when a person is called “proud,” we are not sure that the person is selfish or fulfilled in something important. In ancient times, magicians were astronomers searching for the truth. However, some had the reputation as rogues like the magician Barjesus found in the Acts of the Apostles. This kind of ambiguity is also found in religion. Practiced well, religion brings peace and strength to a person so that he or she might overcome life's challenges. But practiced in the way of extremists, religion ends in iniquity that harms others.

In his gospel, Matthew certainly intends that the magi as seekers of truth. They represent a new movement of humanity towards Christ. They are not Jews but foreigners who will recognize the true God through his Son Jesus Christ. They teach us that every human person is inclined to know, adore, and imitate God.

The magi find in Jesus the end of their search for the truth, and they give him appropriate worship. For us too, Jesus fulfills the desire for life to the full. Found in Holy Scripture, Jesus teaches us the conduct that produces a better world. Received in the sacraments, Jesus strengthens our hearts to live his teachings. Observed in the saints, Jesus assures us that life can end in perfect love.

Friday, January 6, 2023

(see homily for Epiphany following that of the weekday)

Christmas Weekday (January 6)

(I John 5:5-13; Luke 3:23-38)

The genealogy presented in St. Luke’s gospel differs significantly from St. Matthew’s. Recording seventy-seven generations, it is much longer. It runs backwards by beginning with Jesus and ending with Adam. Many names differ, even Jesus’ “as was thought” grandfather. However, these variations need not disturb Christians. Ancient genealogies were often less accurate than contrived to show proper lineage. It might be pointed out that in two significant places, Matthew’s and Luke’s lineages converge. Both record that Jesus is in the line of Abraham and of David. He was obviously of the nation of Israel and, quite likely, of royal lineage.

Luke also reports in this gospel passage that Jesus is thirty years when he was about ready to begin his ministry. Here the evangelist may be comparing Jesus to David who began his reign as king at thirty. The datum in any case indicates that Jesus is in the prime of life. At thirty human physical and mental powers reach their peak. Being thirty, Jesus has had time to master the Scriptures and is old enough to call others to follow him as a rabbi.

Among so many other reasons, Jesus merits our attention despite his pedigree and at his prime, he gave up his life to save us. He might have found a comfortable position associated with an established synagogue. Or he might have waited to experience more of life before beginning his salvific campaign that ended on the cross. But, as always, he did not do what was convenient but what the Father willed.