Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
(Romans 8:12-17; Luke 13:10-17)
Jesuit Scripture scholar Joseph Fitzmyer has shown that the Aramaic word abba is not meant to say “daddy” as we once excitedly learned. Yet we should not become disillusioned. St. Paul may have reverted to the Aramaic word to indicate the esteem that many Jewish children, like himself and his siblings, feel for their fathers. Pious Jewish fathers, at least, are not playboys but providers who raise their children in faith and with love. Sons and daughters of such men fear them when they are small, but as they mature the fright dissolves into love and then into a respect bordering on awe.
Paul is saying that related to God, the same movement from fear to awe is implemented in us believers by the Holy Spirit. Certainly Paul has in mind something more than a change in psychological attitude toward God as the Spirit’s fruit here. He is saying that the Spirit establishes us God’s adopted daughters and sons capable of sacrifices, like that of Jesus, which gain for us access to everlasting life.
Homilette for Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Romans 7:18-25a; Luke 12:54-59)
“Red sky in the morning: sailors, take warning.” In the gospel today Jesus exhorts the people to prepare for the coming storm. Of course, he is not talking about the weather, but about judgment day which comes for most people sooner than expected.
When he mentions the need to settle with our opponent, Jesus is again telling us to prepare for judgment. We should remember that if our case goes to trial, God will be both our opponent and our judge. It’d be better, Jesus warns, that we reconcile with God now or He will easily convict us of wrong-doing.
It may be hard for some of us who attend daily mass or, at least, read the biblical texts used at mass to identify ourselves in this reading. We might have noticed that Jesus is addressing himself to the crowds and not to his disciples. Yet all of us, no doubt, find ourselves at times at odds with what we know to be true and good. Jesus then is urging us as well to recognize our selfishness and to ask forgiveness for the times that we have allowed it to override our good judgment.
(Romans 7:18-25a; Luke 12:54-59)
“Red sky in the morning: sailors, take warning.” In the gospel today Jesus exhorts the people to prepare for the coming storm. Of course, he is not talking about the weather, but about judgment day which comes for most people sooner than expected.
When he mentions the need to settle with our opponent, Jesus is again telling us to prepare for judgment. We should remember that if our case goes to trial, God will be both our opponent and our judge. It’d be better, Jesus warns, that we reconcile with God now or He will easily convict us of wrong-doing.
It may be hard for some of us who attend daily mass or, at least, read the biblical texts used at mass to identify ourselves in this reading. We might have noticed that Jesus is addressing himself to the crowds and not to his disciples. Yet all of us, no doubt, find ourselves at times at odds with what we know to be true and good. Jesus then is urging us as well to recognize our selfishness and to ask forgiveness for the times that we have allowed it to override our good judgment.
Homilette for Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Romans 6:19-23; Luke 12:49-53)
Sex scandals at high levels this summer provoked a controversy regarding marriage. After the revelations of extramarital affairs involving a U.S. senator and the governor of a southern state, people have asked what marriage is for. Is its purpose the personal fulfilment of the individuals involved? Or, more traditionally, is it the procreation and education of children? With its tellingly high divorce rate, American society seems to want individual satisfaction from marriage most of all. The Church teaches differently. She says that along with the mutual sanctification of the couple in love, marriage is about bringing up children who will glorify God and benefit society.
In the first reading today, St. Paul asks his Roman Christian readers a similar question. He notes that previously they followed the licentious customs of the society around them. What good did that do for you? Paul asks. In other words, he wants to know if the fleeting pleasure of promiscuity is worth the cost of death which he rightly associates with sin. Until Christ some might have rationalized that, yes, it was worth it. But with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead another answer is in order. Now that we will gain eternal life by associating ourselves with Christ, we want to reject sin and to put our faith in him.
(Romans 6:19-23; Luke 12:49-53)
Sex scandals at high levels this summer provoked a controversy regarding marriage. After the revelations of extramarital affairs involving a U.S. senator and the governor of a southern state, people have asked what marriage is for. Is its purpose the personal fulfilment of the individuals involved? Or, more traditionally, is it the procreation and education of children? With its tellingly high divorce rate, American society seems to want individual satisfaction from marriage most of all. The Church teaches differently. She says that along with the mutual sanctification of the couple in love, marriage is about bringing up children who will glorify God and benefit society.
In the first reading today, St. Paul asks his Roman Christian readers a similar question. He notes that previously they followed the licentious customs of the society around them. What good did that do for you? Paul asks. In other words, he wants to know if the fleeting pleasure of promiscuity is worth the cost of death which he rightly associates with sin. Until Christ some might have rationalized that, yes, it was worth it. But with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead another answer is in order. Now that we will gain eternal life by associating ourselves with Christ, we want to reject sin and to put our faith in him.
Homilette for Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Romans 6:12-18; Luke 12:39-48)
In today’s passage from Romans St. Paul deals with a question much like one that troubles society today. He knows that Christ has freed humans from the complexity of following the Law of Moses. The question then arises: since there is no law saying the contrary, is one free to sin? Today many ask whether the copious freedom cherished by western humanity is really good for people?
Paul answers the question of being free to sin negatively. He reasons that just as there is a slavish attention to the Law, there is also slavishness to sin. People give themselves over to sin and resultant death by doing what they know to be wrong. They usually cannot control themselves once they have started down the road to perdition. We can see this happening in addictions. Drug, alcohol, and sex addicts cannot stop doing immeasurable harm to themselves and others. Because of the damage, society to date has restricted freedom in these areas, at least a little.
Theologians after Paul have clarified the nature of true freedom. It is not only a lack of restriction but also an orientation to the good. Paul, somewhat awkwardly, calls true freedom “becoming slaves of righteousness.” It consists of practicing virtue continually so that doing what is right becomes as natural and as healthy as eating cereals and fruit for breakfast.
(Romans 6:12-18; Luke 12:39-48)
In today’s passage from Romans St. Paul deals with a question much like one that troubles society today. He knows that Christ has freed humans from the complexity of following the Law of Moses. The question then arises: since there is no law saying the contrary, is one free to sin? Today many ask whether the copious freedom cherished by western humanity is really good for people?
Paul answers the question of being free to sin negatively. He reasons that just as there is a slavish attention to the Law, there is also slavishness to sin. People give themselves over to sin and resultant death by doing what they know to be wrong. They usually cannot control themselves once they have started down the road to perdition. We can see this happening in addictions. Drug, alcohol, and sex addicts cannot stop doing immeasurable harm to themselves and others. Because of the damage, society to date has restricted freedom in these areas, at least a little.
Theologians after Paul have clarified the nature of true freedom. It is not only a lack of restriction but also an orientation to the good. Paul, somewhat awkwardly, calls true freedom “becoming slaves of righteousness.” It consists of practicing virtue continually so that doing what is right becomes as natural and as healthy as eating cereals and fruit for breakfast.
Homilette for Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
(Romans 5:12.15b.17-19.20b-21; Luke 12:35-38)
Paul nowhere mentions the words original sin, but in the passage from Romans that we hear today he examines it. To understand what he is saying, we need to review the story of creation.
Genesis distinguishes human creation as the only handiwork God makes in His own image. This means that we, like God, have the capacity to love. That is, we can know others as well as ourselves and give ourselves to them in relationships of trust. Genesis goes on to tell how the first humans -- Adam and Eve -- act on the tempter’s half truths to reject God’s authority. The result of their disobedience, which we name original sin, is a triple alienation. The pair become at odds with each other, with material creation, and with God. The alienation is epitomized in the bitter reality of death for them and their descendants.
Paul then completes the story. As grave as the first humans’ sin is, Christ’s grace more than makes up for it. He has overcome the triple alienation by his singular act of obedience to God, his Father. Humans can now re-enter relationships of love. No more must we die if we unite ourselves with Christ in faith.
(Romans 5:12.15b.17-19.20b-21; Luke 12:35-38)
Paul nowhere mentions the words original sin, but in the passage from Romans that we hear today he examines it. To understand what he is saying, we need to review the story of creation.
Genesis distinguishes human creation as the only handiwork God makes in His own image. This means that we, like God, have the capacity to love. That is, we can know others as well as ourselves and give ourselves to them in relationships of trust. Genesis goes on to tell how the first humans -- Adam and Eve -- act on the tempter’s half truths to reject God’s authority. The result of their disobedience, which we name original sin, is a triple alienation. The pair become at odds with each other, with material creation, and with God. The alienation is epitomized in the bitter reality of death for them and their descendants.
Paul then completes the story. As grave as the first humans’ sin is, Christ’s grace more than makes up for it. He has overcome the triple alienation by his singular act of obedience to God, his Father. Humans can now re-enter relationships of love. No more must we die if we unite ourselves with Christ in faith.
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