Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 12:5-16ab; Luke 14:15-24)

In “Revelation” Flannery O’Connor presents a proud woman who shows contempt on others. Mrs. Turpin is especially disdainful of the poor and racial minorities.  She believes that she and people like her will enter heaven but is at least doubtful of the rest of humanity.  Then a girl, not coincidently named “Mary Grace,” calls Mrs. Turpin an “old wart hog” from hell.  The name knocks the woman from her high horse.  While washing her pigs, Mrs. Turpin has a vision of the people she has disdained entering heaven while she is left on earth.  The story recalls today’s gospel parable.

Jesus tells his own short story about people who refuse the offer of participating in the heavenly banquet.  They have excuses, for sure, and not necessarily limp ones.  They have to make money or to spend time with the family.  The point is, however, that the Kingdom must be one’s top priority.  Even the poor are not granted entrance into the Kingdom because they are poor.  Rather they will experience the fullness of life because they have placed God first.

We may find ourselves looking down on the poor as lazy or unprincipled.  We better take care of such an attitude.  It may mean that we have given lower priority to the Kingdom than to worldly success.  In place of disdain, we might try to help or at least to pray for those in need.  As indicated often in the gospels, this kind of concern is a true Kingdom value.

Monday, November 6, 2023

Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 11:29-36; Luke 14:12-14)

Anti-Semitism has marred western civilization since the time of Christ.  The polemic against the Pharisees and, to an extent, all Jews in the gospels is understandable.  Jews had ejected Christians from synagogues where they prayed together.  Although some Church Fathers wanted to protect Jews, others quite vehemently condemned them.  The influential Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 mandated that Jews wear marks of identification which could not help but increase hateful discrimination.  The Jewish list of grievances extends for volumes.

St. Paul certainly had a different perspective. He never forsook his Jewish heritage although, of course, he swore complete allegiance to Christ.  In today’s passage from the Letter to the Romans Paul affirms that God’s election of Israel as His “Chosen People” cannot be undone.  As unlikely as it may seem, he foresees the time when they too will become part of Christ’s fold. 

With society becoming increasingly fractionated, we must be ready to stand in solidarity with unjustly persecuted minorities.  We should not allow prejudicial remarks against Blacks, Jews, and other traditionally slandered peoples go uncontested.  Jesus was a Jew, but more importantly he suffered and died on behalf of all.  If we really love him, we will defend the dignity of all human beings.

 

Friday, November 3, 2023

(Optional) Memorial of Saint Martin de Porres, religious

(Romans 9:1-5; Luke 14:1-6)

It was not a sabbath question, but it was one of a similar propriety when healing.  One day Brother Martin de Porres found an old beggar in the street.  Because his body was full of sores, Martin carried the man into his own bed at the priory where he lived.  Martin then nursed him back to health.  Not everyone judged Martin’s service an act of mercy.  One fellow friar complained that it was disgusting.  Martin replied to the criticism, “Compassion, my dear brother, is preferable to cleanliness…I can easily clean sheets with a little soap, but no torrent of tears could wash off my soul the stain that would have been made there by any unkindness to the unfortunate.”

In today’s gospel Jesus dismisses the criticism of the Pharisees with a similar admonition.  No one would be so inhumane as to not pull a son or even an ox out of a cistern on the sabbath.  Jesus would probably say that by all means, one should follow the law.  However, one is not to be so rigid as to refuse exceptions where common sense applies.

Admittedly, sometimes we have difficulty determining when common sense should be applied.  We are told never to lie, but if lives are at stake, is it permitted?  We pray for discernment and also fortitude to do what is right despite the burden the right thing entails.

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

(Wisdom 3:1-9; Romans 6:3-9; John 6:37-40)

The custom of remembering the dead has a long history.  Early Christians assumed the traditions of pagan ancestors.  In the Middle Ages local churches observed different days to pray for the dead.  It is thought that the designation of November 2 to pray for the dead originated with St. Odilo, an abbot of the famous Benedictine monastery of Cluny.  He ordained that all monasteries founded from Cluny offer special prayers for the dead on the day after All Saints Day.

In today’s gospel Jesus hints at the appropriateness of praying for the dead.  He says that no one who believes in him will be rejected.  The need for prayer comes from the honest recognition that most people don’t follow Jesus perfectly.  The living pray to God that their beloved dead will be perfected soon so that they can join Christ in glory.

Hoping that people will pray for us when we die, we pray for our beloved dead.  We are aware of our imperfections but also of God’s mercy.  We believe that just by carrying out this act of mercy, we are coming closer to God.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Solemnity of All Saints

(Revelations 7:2-4.9-14; I John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a)

Social analysts seem to agree that this is a post-Christian age.  Fewer people, percentagewise at least, attend religious services.  Many Catholics have abandoned Church teaching such as the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  Although there is a vague sense of an afterlife, most people do not accept the Church as the means to attain it.  In this atmosphere we can look to the saints for testimony in favor of practicing our Catholic faith.

The saints include men and women from the full range of nations and careers.  Some were geniuses like Augustine of Hippo who knew carnal desire as much as anyone yet accepted the grace of conversion.  Others were farmers like Blessed Franz Jägerstätter who defied the Nazi regime out of duty to God who spoke to him through his conscience. Many, of course, were women like Catherine of Siena who commanded an army of followers in a zealous apostolic life. 

We must be wary of a herd mentality which impels us to act like the popular majority.  Saints provide reasons to calm our doubts and models to live our lives.  They also pray for us upon request that we might find happiness beginning now and never ending.