Memorial of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
(Mark 6:17-29)
This curious sidebar in Mark’s gospel describing the martyrdom of John the Baptist resolves what happened to one of the first century’s greatest religious leaders. It also anticipates Jesus’ death.
John was an enormously popular religious prophet whom evidently even Jesus followed for awhile. His being executed like a dog shows how state power can wantonly lay aside human rights. More than the other evangelists Mark will describe Jesus’ death as similarly outrageous and gruesome. The Jewish leaders have false witnesses testify against Jesus. Pilate hardly gives him a hearing at all. And Jesus hangs on the cross for a full six agonizing hours in this gospel.
“Where is justice?” we want to cry out. It is with God, and He has introduced it into the world with the paschal mystery of Jesus. Just as Jesus’ brutal death ended in the glory of the resurrection so the lives of those who believe in him will be saved. For now we move under Jesus’ mandate to fortify the mechanisms of justice in our society. We also pray that when injustice strikes despites our efforts to keep it at bay, its victims will respond with the love of enemy which Jesus emphasized.
Homilette for Thursday, August 28, 2008
Memorial of St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church
(I Corinthians 1:1-9)
It has been proposed that the three most important persons in early Christianity were Jesus, Paul, and Augustine. Some might wonder why Jesus’ name is put on this short list that does not include the Blessed Mother or St. Peter. But the proposition concerns the formation of a great religion. Jesus, of course, started it all. Paul propelled the Christian movement forward with his work among non-Jews. And Augustine gave Christianity, in the West at least, a solid theoretical basis.
There are many comparisons to be made between Paul and Augustine beyond enshrinement in Christianity’s hall of fame. Both experienced famous conversions. Paul, of course, was persecuting Christianity when the Lord turned his life upside down on the road to Damascus. Augustine’s conversion, on the other hand, was subtle and gradual. He had leaned for a long time toward a heretical Christian sect. Also, a promiscuous relationship hindered him from pursuing where his intellect was leading him. Finally, however, he could not deny God’s calling from within and was baptized by St. Ambrose of Milan. Another comparison is that both Paul and Augustine worked tirelessly for Christ after their conversions. Paul’s preaching extended beyond Asia Minor, throughout Greece as we note in the first reading today, and at least as far as Rome. Augustine’s enormous output of books and sermons eloquently testifies to his exhaustive work.
Perhaps most importantly both Paul and Augustine can be considered together for their work developing the concept of grace. Paul understood that we humans were doomed to sin when God sent His son to save us. Augustine made it clear that salvation is not a little bit God’s offer and a little bit our response. No, Augustine taught, even the inspiration to respond to God’s offer is a movement of divine grace within us.
(I Corinthians 1:1-9)
It has been proposed that the three most important persons in early Christianity were Jesus, Paul, and Augustine. Some might wonder why Jesus’ name is put on this short list that does not include the Blessed Mother or St. Peter. But the proposition concerns the formation of a great religion. Jesus, of course, started it all. Paul propelled the Christian movement forward with his work among non-Jews. And Augustine gave Christianity, in the West at least, a solid theoretical basis.
There are many comparisons to be made between Paul and Augustine beyond enshrinement in Christianity’s hall of fame. Both experienced famous conversions. Paul, of course, was persecuting Christianity when the Lord turned his life upside down on the road to Damascus. Augustine’s conversion, on the other hand, was subtle and gradual. He had leaned for a long time toward a heretical Christian sect. Also, a promiscuous relationship hindered him from pursuing where his intellect was leading him. Finally, however, he could not deny God’s calling from within and was baptized by St. Ambrose of Milan. Another comparison is that both Paul and Augustine worked tirelessly for Christ after their conversions. Paul’s preaching extended beyond Asia Minor, throughout Greece as we note in the first reading today, and at least as far as Rome. Augustine’s enormous output of books and sermons eloquently testifies to his exhaustive work.
Perhaps most importantly both Paul and Augustine can be considered together for their work developing the concept of grace. Paul understood that we humans were doomed to sin when God sent His son to save us. Augustine made it clear that salvation is not a little bit God’s offer and a little bit our response. No, Augustine taught, even the inspiration to respond to God’s offer is a movement of divine grace within us.
Homilette for Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Memorial of St. Monica
(II Philippians 3:6-10;16-18)
The time of the “coming of the Lord” has preoccupied Christians from early on. Jesus said that he would come again and that his followers should be prepared for a sudden arrival. But, of course, the event has not yet taken place.
The first reading today indicates how a few Philippians misbehave under the expectation of Jesus’ imminent arrival. They consider the coming so close that they refuse to work! Rather they just use the supplies they have at hand. If Jesus does not appear before their provisions run out, they ask neighbors to share with them. After all, they speculate, the neighbors do not need much by way of excess since time is still short.
Of course, this kind of behavior is outrageous. No one can say when Jesus will come, but when he does, Christians should be found at work doing good for one another. In this way Christ will recognize them as his own.
(II Philippians 3:6-10;16-18)
The time of the “coming of the Lord” has preoccupied Christians from early on. Jesus said that he would come again and that his followers should be prepared for a sudden arrival. But, of course, the event has not yet taken place.
The first reading today indicates how a few Philippians misbehave under the expectation of Jesus’ imminent arrival. They consider the coming so close that they refuse to work! Rather they just use the supplies they have at hand. If Jesus does not appear before their provisions run out, they ask neighbors to share with them. After all, they speculate, the neighbors do not need much by way of excess since time is still short.
Of course, this kind of behavior is outrageous. No one can say when Jesus will come, but when he does, Christians should be found at work doing good for one another. In this way Christ will recognize them as his own.
Homilette for Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
(Matthew 23:23-26)
Matthew’s gospel shows Jesus beginning his first public discourse with eight beatitudes and his last discourse with seven woes. The beatitudes, of course, indicate the rewards Jesus’ followers will receive and the woes, the punishments his enemies will undergo. There are also contrasts among the beatitudes and the woes. Today’s gospel passage relates the fourth and fifth woes which we can contrast to the fourth and sixth beatitudes.
Where Jesus considered those who hunger and thirst for righteousness “happy” or “blessed,” he now sees those who neglect judgment and mercy and fidelity as deserving “woe.” The latter are the kind of people who attend to the letter of the law or, as he puts it, “tithes on mint and dill and cumin” but avoid keeping its spirit which is that they become fair and compassionate. A number of years ago a church finance officer, whose co-workers considered him the model of trustworthiness, embezzled hundred of thousands of dollars from the diocese he worked for. This thief exemplifies the hypocrisy that Jesus criticizes here.
While the scribes and Pharisee keep up a good façade – “the outside of cup and dish,” what lies behind the scene – “the inside” -- is sheer wickedness. As much as this is the case, the perpetrators merit Jesus’ woe. His disciples, on the other hand, strive to be “pure of heart” which means to desire inwardly what is worthy of God, especially in sexual matters. It is a life-long struggle, to be sure, but worth the effort. It promises not only honest, caring relationships on earth life but the beatific vision in eternity.
(Matthew 23:23-26)
Matthew’s gospel shows Jesus beginning his first public discourse with eight beatitudes and his last discourse with seven woes. The beatitudes, of course, indicate the rewards Jesus’ followers will receive and the woes, the punishments his enemies will undergo. There are also contrasts among the beatitudes and the woes. Today’s gospel passage relates the fourth and fifth woes which we can contrast to the fourth and sixth beatitudes.
Where Jesus considered those who hunger and thirst for righteousness “happy” or “blessed,” he now sees those who neglect judgment and mercy and fidelity as deserving “woe.” The latter are the kind of people who attend to the letter of the law or, as he puts it, “tithes on mint and dill and cumin” but avoid keeping its spirit which is that they become fair and compassionate. A number of years ago a church finance officer, whose co-workers considered him the model of trustworthiness, embezzled hundred of thousands of dollars from the diocese he worked for. This thief exemplifies the hypocrisy that Jesus criticizes here.
While the scribes and Pharisee keep up a good façade – “the outside of cup and dish,” what lies behind the scene – “the inside” -- is sheer wickedness. As much as this is the case, the perpetrators merit Jesus’ woe. His disciples, on the other hand, strive to be “pure of heart” which means to desire inwardly what is worthy of God, especially in sexual matters. It is a life-long struggle, to be sure, but worth the effort. It promises not only honest, caring relationships on earth life but the beatific vision in eternity.
Homilette for Monday, August 25, 2008
Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
(Matthew 23:13-22)
We meet Jesus is in Jerusalem. He has just cleansed the Temple and is waiting for the wrath of the religious leaders to fall upon him. In the meantime, he criticizes the Pharisees for their erroneous teaching. But we should not think that Jesus was historically as incensed with the Pharisees as today’s gospel indicates. The setting reflects the situation of the Church at the time of Matthew’s writing, perhaps fifty years after Jesus died. By then Judaism was reforming itself after the Romans demolished the Temple. Its religious leaders, predominantly Pharisees, had to draw lines in the sand to distinguish its full-fledged followers from those synagogue attendees who might be Christian at heart. They would persecute these Christians in a way similar to the Inquisition when the Church punished false Catholics. Matthew shows how Jesus might have defended his followers if he were present in the late first century. In any case we might listen to Jesus’ diatribe against the Pharisees as a critique of religious exploitation in general.
Jesus’ first charge is that Pharisees deprive people of access to the Kingdom. In other words the religious leaders actually prevent people from knowing God. Priest and ministers who have extravagant lifestyles or who have abused the faithful physically or mentally fall under this weighty condemnation. Then Jesus criticizes the Pharisees’ proselytism which makes fanatics of religious converts. We might find a contemporary example here in a convert from Islam or Buddhism who denies that the possibility of the Holy Spirit working within the hearts of their former religious associates. We know that the Holy Spirit works definitively through the Church and its sacraments, but we cannot deny the possibility of salvation to people outside the Church. Finally, Jesus condemns the way Pharisees manipulate the law by drawing meaningless distinctions between gold and Temple or between gift and altar. Catholic teachers who say that the unmarried may have sex as long as it is done “responsibly” or that one is free to miss mass on Sunday as long as he or she go once during the week make the same kind of wrongful distinction as the Pharisees here.
(Matthew 23:13-22)
We meet Jesus is in Jerusalem. He has just cleansed the Temple and is waiting for the wrath of the religious leaders to fall upon him. In the meantime, he criticizes the Pharisees for their erroneous teaching. But we should not think that Jesus was historically as incensed with the Pharisees as today’s gospel indicates. The setting reflects the situation of the Church at the time of Matthew’s writing, perhaps fifty years after Jesus died. By then Judaism was reforming itself after the Romans demolished the Temple. Its religious leaders, predominantly Pharisees, had to draw lines in the sand to distinguish its full-fledged followers from those synagogue attendees who might be Christian at heart. They would persecute these Christians in a way similar to the Inquisition when the Church punished false Catholics. Matthew shows how Jesus might have defended his followers if he were present in the late first century. In any case we might listen to Jesus’ diatribe against the Pharisees as a critique of religious exploitation in general.
Jesus’ first charge is that Pharisees deprive people of access to the Kingdom. In other words the religious leaders actually prevent people from knowing God. Priest and ministers who have extravagant lifestyles or who have abused the faithful physically or mentally fall under this weighty condemnation. Then Jesus criticizes the Pharisees’ proselytism which makes fanatics of religious converts. We might find a contemporary example here in a convert from Islam or Buddhism who denies that the possibility of the Holy Spirit working within the hearts of their former religious associates. We know that the Holy Spirit works definitively through the Church and its sacraments, but we cannot deny the possibility of salvation to people outside the Church. Finally, Jesus condemns the way Pharisees manipulate the law by drawing meaningless distinctions between gold and Temple or between gift and altar. Catholic teachers who say that the unmarried may have sex as long as it is done “responsibly” or that one is free to miss mass on Sunday as long as he or she go once during the week make the same kind of wrongful distinction as the Pharisees here.
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