Monday, October 14, 2013

Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 1:1-7; Luke 11:29-32)

There is an account of an African slave who served a Catholic household in antebellum Georgia.  The woman was so dedicated to the family that she did not leave it after emancipation.  The people considered her a family member and buried her in the family gravesite.  We will note a similar evolution in Paul's salutation to the Romans which comprises the first reading today.

Paul introduces himself as a "slave of Christ Jesus."  He does what the Lord commands.  But this term by no means exhausts Paul's identity.  Paul also recognizes himself as Christ's apostle and  will surely include himself among those whom he later describes as having been made children of God by adoption.  This means that he carries out Christ’s commands not really out of submission but out of freedom.  He need not  see God as a prisoner views the warden watching his every move.  Rather God has become more like a mother observing her baby begin to walk and ready to assist the baby with each step.

We, of course, have been equally adopted into God's family.  We rejoice under His care and give thanks for the fine people now given to us as sisters and brothers.  We also perform our family services -- helping one another and calling others to join our household.

Friday, October 11, 2013

Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Joel 1:13-15.2:1-2; Luke 11:15-26)

A local parish just had its first “Christ Renews His Church” retreat.  The men responded well.  Most who signed up came, and most who came on Friday night stayed until Sunday.  But, of course, the end of the retreat was not the end of the process.  The first priority as the retreat was closing was to schedule a follow-up meeting where the men would share how they felt going back into the world.  Such follow-ups are prevalent the popular movements that invigorate the Church today.  Jesus hints at their necessity in today’s gospel.

Jesus has just driven out a demon.  The people wonder where he got such power.  He tries to convince them that it comes from God because the devil would not work against himself.  Then Jesus teaches the people that once cleaned of their impurities they must stay close to the Lord.  He would say that thinking one can remain in virtue without prayer and penitence is only fooling oneself.  As he puts it, the devil can return with evil spirits more pernicious than what possessed the person before causing great havoc.

We do not use the terminology of spirits, devils, and demons today.  But this does not mean that they do not exist.  More sophisticated, we typically call the moral problems people face vices, deviant behaviors, or the like.  In any case, when the evil is removed, we are wise to remain, as Jesus tells us, close to him so that greater problems do not overwhelm us. 

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Malachi 3:13-20b; Luke 11:5-13)

Why do some people have difficulty asking God for help? Perhaps they do not want to feel foolish should God not grant what they ask. Or maybe they like to consider themselves as not owing God any favors. Or perhaps they just don’t think God cares enough to help.  In the gospel today Jesus provides two images to free people from these errant ideas about God.

First, Jesus suggests that God may be considered a friend to whom we may go with little as well as big problems. That is, we might ask God for a loaf of bread just as well to heal mother’s cancer.  But, Jesus indicates, God is better than a friend because He will assist us not just to avoid the embarrassment of denying someone He knows. No, God is like a father – the second image – who grants what we need because He loves us deeply. That is, God seeks only what is good for us. The difference between God’s friendship and every other friendship -- or, for that matter, God’s Fatherhood and any other fatherhood -- is that God can bestow the perfect gift, the Holy Spirit, who fills us with joy, love, and peace.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Jonah 4:1-11; Luke 11:1-4)

At the beginning of his narrative, Luke tells his patron that he has decided to write his gospel different from others.  He says that his will be “an orderly sequence” presumably meaning that he will relate the events of Jesus’ life in a straightforward and concise way.  Certainly the “Lord’s Prayer” in the third gospel exemplifies more directness than Matthew’s version.  As is seen in today’s reading, Luke has two blessings in place of Matthew’s three and three petitions instead of four in the first gospel.

It seems that Luke emphasizes God’s intimacy with us.  For him there is no need of circumlocution.  We don’t have to acknowledge that God is “in heaven.”  Much less do we have to qualify our relationship with God by saying “Our Father.”  No, Luke when speaking of God, Luke has in mind the prodigal father of Jesus’ most famous parable who loves each of us as someone very special. 

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Jonah 3:1-10; Luke 10:38-42)

Since no historical records exist of the mass conversion of Nineveh and since the story of Jonah drips with exaggeration, the book is taken as an instruction to later Jews rather than a chronicle of an actual event.  It certainly indicates God’s will that other peoples be saved.  It also warns against prejudice.

Nineveh’s complete repentance is seen in the way both king and people change their hearts.  This sense is punctuated by dressing the animals in sackcloth.  Given that every society has some backsliders, Jews would have marveled to hear how thorough the conversion of their feared neighbors to the northeast was.  These were the same barbarians who had ravaged their ancestors.  Perhaps, the Jews could conclude, they are not as bad as they seemed.

The Book of Jonah is instructive to us as well.  It tells us not to write any people or any person off as beyond salvation.  God can work wonders. Those whom we may regard as despicable may surpass us in rendering true worship to God.