Thursday, XVII Week of Ordinary Time
(Matthew 13)
We might call the significance of the two parables in today’s gospel “a matter of emphasis.” Jesus emphasizes the bad fish and the new teaching. The good fish caught in the net of judgment will be put into buckets, and the bad ones thrown away; that is, and here is the emphasis, the bad will be thrown into a fiery furnace with wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus more subtly emphasizes the new teaching brought out from the storeroom of wisdom. Rather than give the expected order of old and new, he deliberately places “the new” before “the old.”
The new teaching is the kingdom of heaven which now has come through Jesus’ presence. It brings joy, peace, and happiness to those who repent of their sins and believe in its presence. The old teaching – the Law and its commandments – has not been suspended but our concern goes beyond keeping its statues. The bad fish are those who never repent, that is, never look at their faults, ask forgiveness, and struggle to live Jesus’ new righteousness of love of enemy.
Once again Jesus is challenging the sensibilities of modern humans. Today we like to think that we can do bad things and get away with it. Many have no problem with telling a lie or absenting themselves from Mass on Sundays as long as they in some way help the poor. Jesus is indicating that there is a problem. He would agree with the ancient Greek moralists who said, “First, do no evil.” Likewise, many today have trouble saying, “I’m sorry.” Jesus would want us to do so every time we err. It is part of what he intends when he tells us to repent.
Homilette for Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Wednesday, Memorial of St. Alphonsus Ligouri
(Exodus 34)
One of Michelangelo’s most famous sculptures shows Moses with horns coming out of his head! It was not that Michelangelo thought Moses some kind of devil but that he was faithfully depicting the figure described in the Latin Bible that was used at the time. In it Hebrew word for radiance was incorrectly translated as horn; hence Moses had horns protruding from his head. Moses is radiant, of course, from having spent time with God who imparts his wisdom in the Ten Commandments.
Putting the Commandments aside for a moment, today, as yesterday, the Church celebrates the founder of a great religious order. St. Alphonsus Ligouri started the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer or Redemptorists. St. Alphonsus achieved notoriety also for his brilliance as a moral theologian. It is said that he consistently gave opinions that steered a prudent path between rigorism and laxity, two dangerous currents that can throw the People of God off course. Many Redemptorists have followed their patron in writing excellent moral theology.
We too want to follow St. Alphonsus’ prudent course in obeying the Ten Commandments and in practicing virtue. Rigorism can make us neo-Pharisees joylessly looking for faults in others. Laxity, the greater challenge today, can lead us to idolatry as we worship creation and not the Creator.
(Exodus 34)
One of Michelangelo’s most famous sculptures shows Moses with horns coming out of his head! It was not that Michelangelo thought Moses some kind of devil but that he was faithfully depicting the figure described in the Latin Bible that was used at the time. In it Hebrew word for radiance was incorrectly translated as horn; hence Moses had horns protruding from his head. Moses is radiant, of course, from having spent time with God who imparts his wisdom in the Ten Commandments.
Putting the Commandments aside for a moment, today, as yesterday, the Church celebrates the founder of a great religious order. St. Alphonsus Ligouri started the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer or Redemptorists. St. Alphonsus achieved notoriety also for his brilliance as a moral theologian. It is said that he consistently gave opinions that steered a prudent path between rigorism and laxity, two dangerous currents that can throw the People of God off course. Many Redemptorists have followed their patron in writing excellent moral theology.
We too want to follow St. Alphonsus’ prudent course in obeying the Ten Commandments and in practicing virtue. Rigorism can make us neo-Pharisees joylessly looking for faults in others. Laxity, the greater challenge today, can lead us to idolatry as we worship creation and not the Creator.
Homilette for Tuesday, July 31, 2207
Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola
(Exodus 33-34)
What kind of person can maintain herself or himself forty days without food or drink? We would say a strong-willed man or woman, someone who is tough, probably a person who no longer lives for himself or herself but one given in love for another whom he or she wishes to please with fullness of heart. As the reading from Exodus indicates, such a person was Moses, a Jew by birth, a noble by adoption, God’s prophet by divine election. Such a one is also Ignatius of Loyola who died on this date 451 years ago.
Like Moses before the burning bush Ignatius had a vision of God when he was a young man. He never revealed exactly what took place but said that he learned more from the vision than he did the rest of his life! It evidently taught him “to see God in all things” which became the inspiration of the Society of Jesus (or Jesuits), the religious order he founded. Ignatius wanted to spend his life in the Holy Land following the paths of Moses and, of course, of Jesus. But his holy land became a small apartment in Rome from which he directed the development of the Society into the foremost defenders of the Catholic faith.
Few or possibly none of us have the tenacity and, indeed, the love of God that characterize Moses and Ignatius. Yet, our lot is not simply to stand in awe at their accomplishments. Rather, ours is to practice discipline like they did. Discipline is a fundamental part of our discipleship of Christ. There may be no need, desire, or use in fasting forty days. However, going without a meal on a regular basis and abstaining from alcohol and coffee at an appointed should result in a clearer vision of God in the things He has created.
(Exodus 33-34)
What kind of person can maintain herself or himself forty days without food or drink? We would say a strong-willed man or woman, someone who is tough, probably a person who no longer lives for himself or herself but one given in love for another whom he or she wishes to please with fullness of heart. As the reading from Exodus indicates, such a person was Moses, a Jew by birth, a noble by adoption, God’s prophet by divine election. Such a one is also Ignatius of Loyola who died on this date 451 years ago.
Like Moses before the burning bush Ignatius had a vision of God when he was a young man. He never revealed exactly what took place but said that he learned more from the vision than he did the rest of his life! It evidently taught him “to see God in all things” which became the inspiration of the Society of Jesus (or Jesuits), the religious order he founded. Ignatius wanted to spend his life in the Holy Land following the paths of Moses and, of course, of Jesus. But his holy land became a small apartment in Rome from which he directed the development of the Society into the foremost defenders of the Catholic faith.
Few or possibly none of us have the tenacity and, indeed, the love of God that characterize Moses and Ignatius. Yet, our lot is not simply to stand in awe at their accomplishments. Rather, ours is to practice discipline like they did. Discipline is a fundamental part of our discipleship of Christ. There may be no need, desire, or use in fasting forty days. However, going without a meal on a regular basis and abstaining from alcohol and coffee at an appointed should result in a clearer vision of God in the things He has created.
Homilette for Monday July 30, 2007
Monday, XVII week of Ordinary Time
(Exodus 32)
Upon seeing a picture of Lindsay Lohan for the first time, a sixty-seven year old friend remarked that movie stars don’t seem to last very long anymore. Their attraction may be more ephemeral than before, but still the public never exhausts its need for these idols. Both entertainment artists and sports figures seem to contend with God as the fulfillment of people’s hopes. John Lennon thought that his crew had the better of the match when he boasted that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus?
What could the people have possibly seen in the golden calf made with their own hands as worthy of worship? If it were displayed today, we might answer that it would be the first prize in a lottery. Forged from gold, that would make many mouths drool. But in the ancient world the calf was a symbol of God. Worshipping it was sinful because the first commandment of the Decalogue prohibited such images. The people probably did so anyway because Moses delayed so long in his conference with God that they wanted to conjure God’s presence.
Like the Israelites we often have a hard time waiting. Worshipping God seems to bring such a slow payback that we turn to idols for excitement. However, if the fulfillment we receive from attentiveness to God takes its time and arrives without sweeping emotion, it brings a joy that lasts forever. In the meantime we have the consolation of good company waiting on the Lord.
(Exodus 32)
Upon seeing a picture of Lindsay Lohan for the first time, a sixty-seven year old friend remarked that movie stars don’t seem to last very long anymore. Their attraction may be more ephemeral than before, but still the public never exhausts its need for these idols. Both entertainment artists and sports figures seem to contend with God as the fulfillment of people’s hopes. John Lennon thought that his crew had the better of the match when he boasted that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus?
What could the people have possibly seen in the golden calf made with their own hands as worthy of worship? If it were displayed today, we might answer that it would be the first prize in a lottery. Forged from gold, that would make many mouths drool. But in the ancient world the calf was a symbol of God. Worshipping it was sinful because the first commandment of the Decalogue prohibited such images. The people probably did so anyway because Moses delayed so long in his conference with God that they wanted to conjure God’s presence.
Like the Israelites we often have a hard time waiting. Worshipping God seems to bring such a slow payback that we turn to idols for excitement. However, if the fulfillment we receive from attentiveness to God takes its time and arrives without sweeping emotion, it brings a joy that lasts forever. In the meantime we have the consolation of good company waiting on the Lord.
Homilette for Friday, July 27, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
(Exodus 20)
Psychologists today speak often of boundaries. These are limits that allow relationships to develop without undo friction. People need to set boundaries which means to let others know how closely they intend to relate to another. In turn, the other person must respect those boundaries. For example, we may tell a friend from work that he should not call us after 10 p.m. Often boundaries are implied by the nature of a relationship. Teachers should not date their students even when they are both adults.
In the first reading today God sets his boundaries for humans. Not keeping the Sabbath or stealing injures our relationship with the Lord. We should note, however, that observing the Ten Commandments hardly fulfills our responsibilities as Christians. It is not enough that we refrain from worshipping idols; we must also love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is not enough that we do not covet our neighbor’s wife; we must love our neighbor as ourselves. This is why when asked, Jesus did not name any of the Ten Commandments as the greatest.
In writing his moral theology St. Thomas Aquinas did not concentrate on the commandments. He realized that if we are to be happy or, better, if we are to know God, we have to do much more than follow ten rules. No, he said, we have to practice virtue. This is a huge task that might exhaust some of us from the get-go except for the Holy Spirit. God breathes his life into our bones, as it were, so that we might not just avoid evil, but also that might do lots of good
(Exodus 20)
Psychologists today speak often of boundaries. These are limits that allow relationships to develop without undo friction. People need to set boundaries which means to let others know how closely they intend to relate to another. In turn, the other person must respect those boundaries. For example, we may tell a friend from work that he should not call us after 10 p.m. Often boundaries are implied by the nature of a relationship. Teachers should not date their students even when they are both adults.
In the first reading today God sets his boundaries for humans. Not keeping the Sabbath or stealing injures our relationship with the Lord. We should note, however, that observing the Ten Commandments hardly fulfills our responsibilities as Christians. It is not enough that we refrain from worshipping idols; we must also love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is not enough that we do not covet our neighbor’s wife; we must love our neighbor as ourselves. This is why when asked, Jesus did not name any of the Ten Commandments as the greatest.
In writing his moral theology St. Thomas Aquinas did not concentrate on the commandments. He realized that if we are to be happy or, better, if we are to know God, we have to do much more than follow ten rules. No, he said, we have to practice virtue. This is a huge task that might exhaust some of us from the get-go except for the Holy Spirit. God breathes his life into our bones, as it were, so that we might not just avoid evil, but also that might do lots of good
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