Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 12:5-16ab; Luke 14:15-24)

In Seven Habits for Highly Effective People management guru Stephen Covey sets keeping the end in mind as one of the highest priorities.  Effective people know where they are going and organize their resources to get there.  Jesus gives a similar rule of success in the gospel today.

The passage begins with a pious comment, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God.”  A place at the table in God’s house is the goal of every Christian at least as a Christian.  Unfortunately, she or he often lets other concerns obstruct the way to that table.  Jesus tells a parable of people invited to a dinner party who allow business and family interests get in their way of accepting the invitation.  Just as they lose their chance of enjoying the feast, those who put work or relatives ahead of doing God’s will are not to share in salvation.

Usually we have little trouble honoring God and attending to business.  God often blesses those who abide by His will with success in their work and happiness in their homes.  Still at times there may be a conflict of interests; for example, a man grapples with the option of padding his expense account to provide more income for his family and being strictly honest.  This is really no dilemma for the one who has set his sights squarely on the Kingdom of God.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop

(Romans 11:29-36; 14:12-14)

When Pope Francis tells bishops to refrain from trips abroad to be with their people, he is echoing an abuse prevalent in the Renaissance church.  Bishops of remote dioceses would live in the great cities of the time spending the money of the people they left behind.  This kind of abuse triggered the Protestant reformation and the vigorous Catholic reform from within directed by the Council of Trent.  St. Charles Borromeo, whom we remember today, was one of the leaders of the latter movement.

In some ways Charles was not a likely candidate for leading reform.  Born into a prominent Italian family, he was chosen by his uncle, Pope Pius IV, to be a cardinal and the administrator of the diocese of Milan at twenty-two years of age – a clear case of nepotism.  However, Charles not only took part in the Tridentine Council but vigorously instituted its reforms by establishing seminaries and religious education for children.  When the plague ravished Milan, he personally saw to the care of the sick-poor.

St. Paul writes in the first reading “how unsearchable are (God’s) ways!”  We should recognize that God often works beyond the norms that we impose on reality to produce good where it is unexpected.  This is not to say that we shouldn’t have norms like “no more nepotism” but to caution us from judging any situation differing with our norms as inherently bad.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Solemnity of All Saints

(Revelation 7:2-4.9-14; I John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a)

A distinguished attorney is asked, “Who is the most important person in the courtroom (to assure justice).”  Perhaps it is the judge who sees that that due process is followed.  Or maybe it is the collective members of the jury who make the final decision regarding innocence or guilt.  Or possibly it is the defense lawyer himself who must investigate his client’s case and persuade the jury with convincing evidence.  The man responds that after many decades practicing law as prosecutor, judge, and defense attorney, he believes that the most important person in a courtroom is a reliable witness.   Such a witness’s truthfulness and conviction become the determining factors in bringing about justice.

We can define saints as reliable witnesses to Jesus.  By relying on God, by striving after righteousness, by reconciling opponents, and by practicing all the beatitudes, saints witness to the primacy of Jesus’ message and the efficacy of his grace.  Their words and, more so, their actions provide testimony that Jesus has risen from the dead to actively support his followers.

The Church has officially declared only seven thousand or so saints.  But this number hardly indicates all the people throughout twenty centuries of Christianity who have lived the beatitudes.  Today we celebrate the millions of un-proclaimed saints who have given reliable witness to Jesus.  Their number includes an African-American slave who lived so graciously that the slave-owning family buried her in the family plot proudly claiming her as kin.  All of us have known people much better than ourselves who, we are sure, belong to the legion of reliable witnesses to Jesus. 

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 8:312b-39; Luke 13:31-35)

In Vergil’s classical poem The Aeneid the protagonist learns of his destiny to found the city of Rome.  Although the end is preordained, he does not understand it as inevitable.  Rather, he continually applies himself to achieve it.  The project requires strength and self-sacrifice, which Aeneas never fails to exert.  Today’s passage from the Gospel of Luke shows Jesus making similar effort to fulfill his destiny.

Jesus knows that Herod Antipas is not one to trifle with.  He beheaded John the Baptist on the whim of his step-daughter as well as married his brother’s wife (and also his niece) Herodias.  Because he surely could kill Jesus also, Jesus takes the Pharisees’ (his unlikely informers) advice to leave Galilee and proceed to Jerusalem according to plan.  There, of course, he will meet his destiny which is to be crucified and to rise from the dead on behalf of both the Jewish nation and the whole world. 

Perhaps Paul in today’s first reading expresses best the accomplishment of Jesus. By his cross and resurrection -- both divinely instituted before the beginning of time and executed through his intentional actions – Jesus assures us of God’s love.  We no longer are to live in fear or doubt but can live in righteousness knowing that our destiny of eternal life is secure.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 8:26-30; Luke 13:22-30)

Fr. Richard Rohr speaks convincingly of the two halves of human life.  In the first half people learn to control their egos from running wild.  Then need to have laws imposed so that at least they may live with others without mortal conflict.  During the second half of life, Rohr sees a different challenge.  By this time people have learned some self-control, but there is still need to be transformed into gentle, caring subjects.  They may be driven by their culture or perhaps their instincts to work against this need.  For this reason believers at least are endowed with the Holy Spirit of which St. Paul writes to the Romans as seen in today’s first reading.

Paul says that the Spirit intercedes on behalf of believers asking for what the heart does not know it needs.  The heart wants solutions to what it sees as problems confronting the human person.  But the Spirit knows that what is essential is not outer domination but inner peace that comes from knowing God as Father.  We may pray for insight and strength, but the Spirit prays in us for docility and humility.

The human project which each of us faces is an enormous task.  Simply put, it is to become a saint.  Unfortunately, we have only one opportunity to work it out.  Fortunately, we have the Spirit within moving us to sanctity and praying for us to succeed.