Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hosea 8:4-7.11-13; Matthew 9:32-38)
A popular spiritual director used to say, “All people are good, and all people are hurting.” The biblical stories of creation and of the fall reveal the same truth. After breathing life into the man, he and his partner walk with God in Paradise. Then their mistrust of the Creator’s goodness ruptures the friendship. God’s subsequent interrogation reveals that the sin has also fractured their own relationship. Finally, the due punishment breaches human rapport with nature.
In time some of the closeness with God that the first humans enjoyed is restored. Most notably, God leads the Hebrews through the desert for forty years forging a new covenant between God and humanity. But the people always return to evil ways. Hosea and the other prophets point out their fickleness. They dally with metal idols and scandalously satiate their passions.
In today’s gospel passage Jesus enables a deaf mute to speak as he has previously restored the sight of the blind and raised the dead. These reparations indicate God’s approaching the people in a personal and, thus, definitive way. In short order Jesus will establish the unbreakable bond between God and humanity with his death and resurrection. For now he points out the need to pray that the coming redemption will be announced throughout the world.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Hosea 2:16.17c-18.21-22; Matthew 9:18-26)
Reminiscing about the Great Depression, a wealthy woman mentioned how it was better when there was little. It was not that her family had nothing, but whatever goods it possessed almost out of necessity had to be shared with the unemployed. The sharing evidently resulted in greater unity and virtue which the reading from the prophet Hosea today promises for Israel.
Hosea sees Israel as God’s unfaithful wife and compares the nation to his own spouse who is a prostitute. Although paganism does not exhaust the nation’s sins, it nearly occupies all of the prophet’s attention. He comments that the prosperity which the nation enjoys is turned into silver and gold idols. The only remedy for such mischief, as he says in today’s passage, is for God to strip the nation of its riches -- indeed of its very land -- in order to reform the people in exile.
Sometimes it is said that economic recessions have the silver lining of enabling people to see the value of spiritual resources over physical ones. This discovery certainly can and does happen. But it has been observed that for every person deprivation benefits, it blights many more. Economic strife and physical exile are not conditions to be prayed for. Rather, we are wise to ask God to open our eyes in gentler ways to His goodness and our hearts to share with those in need.
(Hosea 2:16.17c-18.21-22; Matthew 9:18-26)
Reminiscing about the Great Depression, a wealthy woman mentioned how it was better when there was little. It was not that her family had nothing, but whatever goods it possessed almost out of necessity had to be shared with the unemployed. The sharing evidently resulted in greater unity and virtue which the reading from the prophet Hosea today promises for Israel.
Hosea sees Israel as God’s unfaithful wife and compares the nation to his own spouse who is a prostitute. Although paganism does not exhaust the nation’s sins, it nearly occupies all of the prophet’s attention. He comments that the prosperity which the nation enjoys is turned into silver and gold idols. The only remedy for such mischief, as he says in today’s passage, is for God to strip the nation of its riches -- indeed of its very land -- in order to reform the people in exile.
Sometimes it is said that economic recessions have the silver lining of enabling people to see the value of spiritual resources over physical ones. This discovery certainly can and does happen. But it has been observed that for every person deprivation benefits, it blights many more. Economic strife and physical exile are not conditions to be prayed for. Rather, we are wise to ask God to open our eyes in gentler ways to His goodness and our hearts to share with those in need.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Matthew 9:9-13)
The famous psychiatrist-writer Scott Peck once began a presentation by speaking about one of the most important events of the twentieth century occurring in Akron, Ohio, during the 1930s. The audience wondered if they heard the man correctly. They thought, “What famous event ever took place in Akron, Ohio?” Soon Dr. Peck explained. He was referring to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization that has enabled millions of people to overcome a killing disease.
People attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings have a distinct advantage over most of the population. They know that they are sick; therefore, they seek the help they need to overcome their debility. Unfortunately, most people are in denial about their sickness. Of course, not everyone is an alcoholic, but each of us has some sickness, some inclination toward sin. Jesus tells us just as much the Pharisees in the gospel today that unless we acknowledge ourselves as sinners, we cannot share in the Kingdom of God that he is bringing about.
(Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Matthew 9:9-13)
The famous psychiatrist-writer Scott Peck once began a presentation by speaking about one of the most important events of the twentieth century occurring in Akron, Ohio, during the 1930s. The audience wondered if they heard the man correctly. They thought, “What famous event ever took place in Akron, Ohio?” Soon Dr. Peck explained. He was referring to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization that has enabled millions of people to overcome a killing disease.
People attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings have a distinct advantage over most of the population. They know that they are sick; therefore, they seek the help they need to overcome their debility. Unfortunately, most people are in denial about their sickness. Of course, not everyone is an alcoholic, but each of us has some sickness, some inclination toward sin. Jesus tells us just as much the Pharisees in the gospel today that unless we acknowledge ourselves as sinners, we cannot share in the Kingdom of God that he is bringing about.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Amos 7: 10-17; Matthew 9:1-8)
The way Amos rants against injustice one might think that Israel was the most decadent of all the nations in history. But it has been noted that his prophecy falls at a time of peace and prosperity and, presumably, some care for neighbor. We might say that greed and hatred are not necessarily prominent in Israel as they are built into all social structures with as much frequency as the corner store. In Latin America today, for example, after generations of naming the problem, political corruption is growing exponentially. A recent seminar in Ecuador notes that the increased corruption has its roots in the drug trade and the desire of politicians to assure their reelections.
As he indicates in the first reading, Amos is not thrilled about denouncing injustice. He was a simple farmer and shepherd until the Lord called him to warn the northern kingdom of its sins. Now he has no choice but to preach as God directs him. The man’s lot induces our pity as even the priests of the land find his message overbearing.
Eventually, Jesus will come to hack at the root of sin. The gospel today, of course, relates how he forgives sin. His absolution is not meant as only the removal of an external blotch. Much more wonderfully, he provides the grace that leads those whom he touches beyond sin into the community of righteousness. There may still be need for prophets in this community, but we should be able to note some progress against corruption and other injustices.
(Amos 7: 10-17; Matthew 9:1-8)
The way Amos rants against injustice one might think that Israel was the most decadent of all the nations in history. But it has been noted that his prophecy falls at a time of peace and prosperity and, presumably, some care for neighbor. We might say that greed and hatred are not necessarily prominent in Israel as they are built into all social structures with as much frequency as the corner store. In Latin America today, for example, after generations of naming the problem, political corruption is growing exponentially. A recent seminar in Ecuador notes that the increased corruption has its roots in the drug trade and the desire of politicians to assure their reelections.
As he indicates in the first reading, Amos is not thrilled about denouncing injustice. He was a simple farmer and shepherd until the Lord called him to warn the northern kingdom of its sins. Now he has no choice but to preach as God directs him. The man’s lot induces our pity as even the priests of the land find his message overbearing.
Eventually, Jesus will come to hack at the root of sin. The gospel today, of course, relates how he forgives sin. His absolution is not meant as only the removal of an external blotch. Much more wonderfully, he provides the grace that leads those whom he touches beyond sin into the community of righteousness. There may still be need for prophets in this community, but we should be able to note some progress against corruption and other injustices.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Amos 5:14-15.21-24; Matthew 8:28-34)
In The Good Earth, Pearl Buck’s classic novel of pre-revolutionary China, the protagonist has a brief encounter with Christianity. Having gone to the city to escape the famine that consumed the countryside, Wang Lung is handed a picture of the crucified Christ. He is fascinated by the image but has no time to inquire into who the crucified one is. Struggling to eek out a living for his family, Want Lung feels impelled to continue working.
The situation of the people of Gadarene town on the outskirts of which Jesus casts out demons in today’s gospel seems little different from that of the Chinese peasant. Charged by Jesus to leave two wild men, the demons possess a herd of pigs whom they send hurling into the sea. We might expect the people to welcome Jesus for saving two men from a fate worse than Alzheimer’s. But as practical people, they weigh their loss of property as greater than the benefit of having two men restored to their senses and ask Jesus to leave before he causes more financial woe. The people seem curious about who Jesus is and respectful of his powers; nevertheless, they forego any message he might have for them.
It is as easy for us to get caught up with business – even Church business – that we ignore what Jesus has to offer us. It certainly requires patience to listen to his words as they come through the gospel, especially in our world of a ten thousand distractions. We can also be sure his message will demand some sacrifice on our part. But when we open our mind and heart to him, Jesus invariably brings us the tranquility of spirit which the former wild men of the Gadarene territory now possess.
(Amos 5:14-15.21-24; Matthew 8:28-34)
In The Good Earth, Pearl Buck’s classic novel of pre-revolutionary China, the protagonist has a brief encounter with Christianity. Having gone to the city to escape the famine that consumed the countryside, Wang Lung is handed a picture of the crucified Christ. He is fascinated by the image but has no time to inquire into who the crucified one is. Struggling to eek out a living for his family, Want Lung feels impelled to continue working.
The situation of the people of Gadarene town on the outskirts of which Jesus casts out demons in today’s gospel seems little different from that of the Chinese peasant. Charged by Jesus to leave two wild men, the demons possess a herd of pigs whom they send hurling into the sea. We might expect the people to welcome Jesus for saving two men from a fate worse than Alzheimer’s. But as practical people, they weigh their loss of property as greater than the benefit of having two men restored to their senses and ask Jesus to leave before he causes more financial woe. The people seem curious about who Jesus is and respectful of his powers; nevertheless, they forego any message he might have for them.
It is as easy for us to get caught up with business – even Church business – that we ignore what Jesus has to offer us. It certainly requires patience to listen to his words as they come through the gospel, especially in our world of a ten thousand distractions. We can also be sure his message will demand some sacrifice on our part. But when we open our mind and heart to him, Jesus invariably brings us the tranquility of spirit which the former wild men of the Gadarene territory now possess.
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