Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
(Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62; John 8:1-11)
In the famous “mercy speech” of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice the heroine Portia tells the spiteful Shylock that “earthly power thus then show likest God’s when mercy tempers justice.” Thomas Aquinas also assures us that mercy and justice run simultaneously in every judgment of God. Thus, we should not see mercy as the undoing of justice. Quite the contrary, mercy comprises a necessary dimension of justice because out of mercy justice achieves its end -- the rehabilitation of criminal defect.
In the gospel today Jesus manifests God’s justice when he shows mercy to the woman caught in adultery. He has already corrected society of its corrupt fascination with sexual crimes by reminding the people they too have sin on their shoes. Now he must change the adulteress’s heart lest she think that she may sin wantonly and get away with it. His judgment is as firm as it is clement, “`Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.’”
Jesus shows himself a judge wiser than the sagacious Daniel in the trial of Susannah’s persecutors. His unfathomable wisdom indicates that he is the Messiah, the One God promised to send to save His people. In these last two weeks of Lent we want to contemplate how Jesus’ carries out this salvific mission. We should note his patience, his fortitude, and most of all his unswerving commitment to the will of His Father.
Homilette for March 7, 2008
Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
(Wisdom 2:1a.12-22; John 7:1-2.10.25-30)
Few Americans have distinguished themselves more than George C. Marshall. As Army Chief of Staff during World War II, he oversaw the Army’s build-up that saved the world from Nazi and radical Japanese tyranny. Later as Secretary of State, he introduced the foreign aid plan that rebuilt the European economy and assured American prosperity. In recognition of these efforts Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet Senator Joe McCarthy attacked Marshall as feeble, stupid, and responsible for China turning Communist!
Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom soberly assures us that even the most righteous of people, like George Marshall, suffer persecution. Certainly the Gospel of John portrays Jesus as being so persecuted. By rehabilitating the hopelessly infirm and working other wonders, Jesus shows himself to be sent from God. By performing such acts on the Sabbath, he further reveals that the age of the Law, that prohibits Sabbath work, has ended. The Messiah or Christ, God’s anointed Son, has arrived in his person. Believing in him, not following the Law, leads to salvation. The gospel segment today pictures Jewish rulers, having their power threatened by faith in Jesus, as plotting to kill him.
When we pursue what is good, we will sometimes find our efforts criticized and our intentions misconstrued. It happened to Jesus, and, as his followers, we can expect it to happen to us. But suffering persecution is no reason to give up doing what is right. We might check our work and question our motives to assure that they are properly ordered. If so, then there is reason to stay the course. After all, Jesus promises those who suffer persecution for sake of righteousness will be awarded the Kingdom of heaven.
(Wisdom 2:1a.12-22; John 7:1-2.10.25-30)
Few Americans have distinguished themselves more than George C. Marshall. As Army Chief of Staff during World War II, he oversaw the Army’s build-up that saved the world from Nazi and radical Japanese tyranny. Later as Secretary of State, he introduced the foreign aid plan that rebuilt the European economy and assured American prosperity. In recognition of these efforts Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize. Yet Senator Joe McCarthy attacked Marshall as feeble, stupid, and responsible for China turning Communist!
Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom soberly assures us that even the most righteous of people, like George Marshall, suffer persecution. Certainly the Gospel of John portrays Jesus as being so persecuted. By rehabilitating the hopelessly infirm and working other wonders, Jesus shows himself to be sent from God. By performing such acts on the Sabbath, he further reveals that the age of the Law, that prohibits Sabbath work, has ended. The Messiah or Christ, God’s anointed Son, has arrived in his person. Believing in him, not following the Law, leads to salvation. The gospel segment today pictures Jewish rulers, having their power threatened by faith in Jesus, as plotting to kill him.
When we pursue what is good, we will sometimes find our efforts criticized and our intentions misconstrued. It happened to Jesus, and, as his followers, we can expect it to happen to us. But suffering persecution is no reason to give up doing what is right. We might check our work and question our motives to assure that they are properly ordered. If so, then there is reason to stay the course. After all, Jesus promises those who suffer persecution for sake of righteousness will be awarded the Kingdom of heaven.
Homilette for March 4, 2008
Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent
(John 5:31-47)
As Holy Week approaches, Christians do well to reflect on our attitudes toward Jews. Much too often we unjustly see them as ruthless and avaricious in worldly affairs. Resentful of their accomplishments, we can find in the gospel more reason for contempt.
All the gospels relate that Jewish people had a role in Jesus’ passion and death. The Romans actually executed Jesus, but each gospel points out that they did so at the instigation of Jews. The gospels of Matthew and John are especially harsh in their consideration of Jewish responsibility. Matthew locates culpability for the crucifixion not only with the Jews in Jerusalem on Good Friday but also with all Jews of all times. It reads, “And the whole people said in reply (to Pilate), ‘(Jesus’) blood be upon us and upon our children.’” Throughout the Gospel according to John, as we see in the passage today, Jesus is in a bitter debate with not only the scribes, Pharisees and other Jewish leaders but, more generically, with “the Jews.”
However, we must be very careful about making accusations. It is universally recognized that the Gospels not only tell the story of Jesus’ life and death but also reflect the conditions of the apostolic times. For a while after Jesus’ resurrection his followers considered themselves as part of Judaism. They worshipped with other Jews in the Jerusalem Temple and in synagogues all over. But during the latter half of the first century, when the Gospels were being composed, bitter opposition arose between Christians and Jews. With the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., Jewish leaders reformed their religious practices. They saw the need to expel from the synagogues the Christians who were worshipping Jesus as Messiah. As Jesus makes clear in the gospel today, Jews and Christians read the Scriptures differently.
Because some Jews persecuted some early Christians, the evangelists described Jewish responsibility for Jesus’ death quite harshly in the gospels. But these facts should not cause us to castigate all the Jews in the gospel, much less think of any Jew today as a “Christ-killer.” The Second Vatican Council’s “Declaration on the Relationship of the Church and Non-Christian Religions” states: “True, authorities of the Jews and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ (cf. Jn. 19:6); still, what happened in His passion cannot be blamed upon all the Jews then living, without distinction, nor upon the Jews of today.” Rather than animosity, our attitude toward Jews today should be profound respect. They belong to the lineage that gave us Christians both initial understanding of the One God and, more importantly, our Savior Jesus Christ.
(John 5:31-47)
As Holy Week approaches, Christians do well to reflect on our attitudes toward Jews. Much too often we unjustly see them as ruthless and avaricious in worldly affairs. Resentful of their accomplishments, we can find in the gospel more reason for contempt.
All the gospels relate that Jewish people had a role in Jesus’ passion and death. The Romans actually executed Jesus, but each gospel points out that they did so at the instigation of Jews. The gospels of Matthew and John are especially harsh in their consideration of Jewish responsibility. Matthew locates culpability for the crucifixion not only with the Jews in Jerusalem on Good Friday but also with all Jews of all times. It reads, “And the whole people said in reply (to Pilate), ‘(Jesus’) blood be upon us and upon our children.’” Throughout the Gospel according to John, as we see in the passage today, Jesus is in a bitter debate with not only the scribes, Pharisees and other Jewish leaders but, more generically, with “the Jews.”
However, we must be very careful about making accusations. It is universally recognized that the Gospels not only tell the story of Jesus’ life and death but also reflect the conditions of the apostolic times. For a while after Jesus’ resurrection his followers considered themselves as part of Judaism. They worshipped with other Jews in the Jerusalem Temple and in synagogues all over. But during the latter half of the first century, when the Gospels were being composed, bitter opposition arose between Christians and Jews. With the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., Jewish leaders reformed their religious practices. They saw the need to expel from the synagogues the Christians who were worshipping Jesus as Messiah. As Jesus makes clear in the gospel today, Jews and Christians read the Scriptures differently.
Because some Jews persecuted some early Christians, the evangelists described Jewish responsibility for Jesus’ death quite harshly in the gospels. But these facts should not cause us to castigate all the Jews in the gospel, much less think of any Jew today as a “Christ-killer.” The Second Vatican Council’s “Declaration on the Relationship of the Church and Non-Christian Religions” states: “True, authorities of the Jews and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ (cf. Jn. 19:6); still, what happened in His passion cannot be blamed upon all the Jews then living, without distinction, nor upon the Jews of today.” Rather than animosity, our attitude toward Jews today should be profound respect. They belong to the lineage that gave us Christians both initial understanding of the One God and, more importantly, our Savior Jesus Christ.
Homilette for March 5, 2008
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
(Isaiah 49:8-15)
Lent is first associated with the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt. Our forty days of sacrifice to overcome selfish tendencies correspond to the forty years of purification that the Hebrews underwent in the desert. There are other Bible stories, however, which also give meaning to the Lenten experience. The first reading today presents one of these.
In the sixth century before Christ the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judah and carried many of its people into exile. It was a terrible experience of subjugation and humiliation. The prophets write of it as a punishment for the excesses of the people during the almost 500-year period of Israel’s kings. In that time many Israelis had taken up the idolatrous practices of Israel’s neighbors. Often the rich had squandered fortunes in sumptuous living while ignoring the plight of the poor. But after decades of mortification in Babylon Isaiah now pronounces that enough is enough. The people have learned their lesson. God is at hand to bring them back to their own land.
We should hear the voice of Isaiah as a call that Lent is now nearly over. God has noticed our sacrifices and is coming to rescue us from our sins. We have to hold the line for two and a half more weeks. But just as sure as daylight is now overtaking the night (in the northern hemisphere, that is) so can we count on God liberating us through Christ’s Easter victory. He shall crown our efforts of charity, prayer, and fasting to make us God-like in mercy, holiness, and generosity.
(Isaiah 49:8-15)
Lent is first associated with the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt. Our forty days of sacrifice to overcome selfish tendencies correspond to the forty years of purification that the Hebrews underwent in the desert. There are other Bible stories, however, which also give meaning to the Lenten experience. The first reading today presents one of these.
In the sixth century before Christ the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judah and carried many of its people into exile. It was a terrible experience of subjugation and humiliation. The prophets write of it as a punishment for the excesses of the people during the almost 500-year period of Israel’s kings. In that time many Israelis had taken up the idolatrous practices of Israel’s neighbors. Often the rich had squandered fortunes in sumptuous living while ignoring the plight of the poor. But after decades of mortification in Babylon Isaiah now pronounces that enough is enough. The people have learned their lesson. God is at hand to bring them back to their own land.
We should hear the voice of Isaiah as a call that Lent is now nearly over. God has noticed our sacrifices and is coming to rescue us from our sins. We have to hold the line for two and a half more weeks. But just as sure as daylight is now overtaking the night (in the northern hemisphere, that is) so can we count on God liberating us through Christ’s Easter victory. He shall crown our efforts of charity, prayer, and fasting to make us God-like in mercy, holiness, and generosity.
Homilette for March 4, 2008
Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
(Ezekiel 47:1-9 and12; John 5:1-16)
“Crops grow where water flows.” The agricultural lobby posts signs along rural highways with this and similar messages. They want to remind the public that we should not take water for granted. It may fall from the sky, but often costly government programs have to preserve and channel water if it is to nurture life.
Both readings today illustrate the life-giving power of water. In the reading from the prophet Ezekiel the Temple waters flow to produce abundant plant and aquatic life. We should see this water as a kind of grace that provides both nutrition and healing for God’s people. In the reading from the Gospel of John the crippled man cannot avail himself of the Temple waters so Jesus heals him directly. Jesus becomes a more reliable fount of grace than the Temple waters which stir only intermittently and whose effectiveness fades.
Jesus can come to us in ten thousand ways. But the channels that he has formally established are the seven sacraments. In Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Healing, Marriage and Orders Jesus both heals us and empowers us to serve others. We should not take these sacraments for granted. To keep grace flowing in our lives we need to take advantage of the Sacraments of Penance and of Eucharist regularly and of the other sacraments when occasions for them call.
(Ezekiel 47:1-9 and12; John 5:1-16)
“Crops grow where water flows.” The agricultural lobby posts signs along rural highways with this and similar messages. They want to remind the public that we should not take water for granted. It may fall from the sky, but often costly government programs have to preserve and channel water if it is to nurture life.
Both readings today illustrate the life-giving power of water. In the reading from the prophet Ezekiel the Temple waters flow to produce abundant plant and aquatic life. We should see this water as a kind of grace that provides both nutrition and healing for God’s people. In the reading from the Gospel of John the crippled man cannot avail himself of the Temple waters so Jesus heals him directly. Jesus becomes a more reliable fount of grace than the Temple waters which stir only intermittently and whose effectiveness fades.
Jesus can come to us in ten thousand ways. But the channels that he has formally established are the seven sacraments. In Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Healing, Marriage and Orders Jesus both heals us and empowers us to serve others. We should not take these sacraments for granted. To keep grace flowing in our lives we need to take advantage of the Sacraments of Penance and of Eucharist regularly and of the other sacraments when occasions for them call.
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