Memorial of Saint Paul
Miki and companions, martyrs
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Memorial of Saint
Agatha, virgin and martyr
(II Samuel 24:2.9-17; Mark 6:1-6)
By most people’s standards the most challenging moral
teaching of the Church in recent times has been its condemnation of artificial
contraception. Married couples find it difficult
to see how using one pill to prevent conception violates the natural law while
using another to relieve a headache accords with it. The Church’s response to this apparent paradox
looks to the functioning of the body. In
the first case the pill interrupts normal functioning of the body while in the
second it enables it. With such a desirable
goal as sexual gratification at stake, the Church’s position does not convince
all people. Perhaps many will have similar
trouble recognizing David’s sin in the first reading today.
David wants to take a census of his people. Primarily, he wants to know the number of men
available to fight in his army. God would
be offended because knowing the number of available troops, David will likely become
more belligerent. Also, God recognizes
that David no longer looks to Him for strength but to the size of his army.
Trusting in the Lord does not mean abandoning prudence
which moves us to act in just ways to accomplish our purpose. Prudence also inspires prayer for God’s
assistance. Thus, whether we are an army’s
general staff preparing for battle or a family planning a family, we should proceed
in three ways. First, we want to pray
for help. Second, we will determine the
best way to achieve our goal within the limits of justice. And finally, we will move to carry out our
objective trusting that in the Lord’s favor.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Tuesday of the
Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(II Samuel 18:9-10.14b.24-25a.30-19:3; Mark 5:21-43)
The old man was pleased with himself. He had caught the doctor billing him for treatments
that he did not render. The man saved
thousands of dollars by just examining his bills. Today’s gospel tells the story of a woman who
was not so fortunate. Her doctors had
taken all the money she had without giving her any satisfaction. She now turns to Jesus in her desperation.
Faith in Jesus moves the woman with hemorrhages to touch
his garment. She knows that it is wrong
for her to do so because she is unclean according to Jewish law and touching Jesus
sullies him as well. So, when Jesus’ divine
power is demonstrated first by being the source of her healing and then by
realizing that his healing power was utilized, the woman trembles with fear. Yet she manages to respond to Jesus’ call, “’Who
has touched me?’” Her courage wins for
her a second, deeper blessing. Jesus
grants her salvation. “’Daughter,’” he
says, “’your faith has saved you.’”
We should not be afraid to come to Jesus when we, like
the woman with hemorrhages, have done wrong.
We pray to him for strength and we encounter him forthrightly in the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. His words
to us will not be different, “Daughter (or son), your faith has saved you.”
Monday, February 3, 2014
(Optional)
Memorial of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr
(II Samuel 15:13-14.30.16:5-13; Mark 5:1-20)
A priest from Latin America was about to say his first
mass in the U.S. on February 2. He
expected to see a crowd in church as the Presentation of the Lord is a popular
feast day in his country. But he was disappointed
when only a few people arrived for mass.
In his homily he criticized Americans for being so lax in their faith. The next day, February 3, he was assigned the
mass at the same hour as the day before.
This time, however, the church had a crowd which made the priest feel
that his preaching was effective. Entering
the sacristy after mass, he learned that the numbers had nothing to do with his
homily. The sacristan presented him with
a set of candles and told him to bless the throats of the people. The priest, who had never heard of the tradition
of blessing throats on St. Blaise day, received a lesson on American Catholic
culture.
In the order of holy things the Presentation of the Lord --
when we meditate on Jesus as the light of the world -- deserves much greater attention
than the blessing of throats. During the
Eucharist of the Presentation we encounter the Lord in his resurrected glory so
that we might say with Simeon, “Lord, now you can let your servant go in peace.”
We mean, of course, that we are prepared
to die because we know that Jesus will give us his eternal care.
On the other hand, the blessing of throats, which might
be done with the same effect on any day of the year, is a sacramental. It is meant to remind us of Jesus’ action in
the world to save us from sin. It still is
beneficial to have our throats blessed, but it is far better to attend mass and
receive the body and blood of Christ.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Memorial of Saint
John Bosco, priest
(II Samuel 11:1-4a.5-10a.13-17; Mark 4:26-34)
Although it sounds incredible, modern scholars debate the
existence of King David. Of course, his
person is well attested in the Bible, but extra-biblical historical evidence
that he lived and ruled is questionable.
The best extra-biblical record of his existence is an inscription found on
a piece of rock discovered a number of years ago in a northern city of ancient
Israel. The inscription, which can be
dated to one hundred and fifty years after the traditional dates of David’s
reign, mentions his dynasty, the “House of David.” Perhaps a better case for David’s existence
can be made from the very realistic experience of his life given in the first
reading today.
Although an accomplished warrior, David does not
accompany his army in the expedition against the Ammonites. Whether or not he has grown lethargic in his
elderly years, he should have been grateful to God for the victory of his
troops. Quite humanly, however, David
turns his back on the Lord by sinning grievously – twice. First, he commits adultery with the wife of
one of the soldiers who was fighting his war.
Then, when he learns that the woman is pregnant, he has the soldier killed
to avoid causing scandal.
David follows the way of all flesh. He allows his passions to control his
judgment and does not flinch at committing atrocity to conceal his
lustfulness. When his sins are finally
uncovered, he does show remorse, but that hardly makes up for the terrible
injustice and the horrendous example. His
debt and that of all our sins will be paid by his descendent, Jesus of
Nazareth. He is the only, truly innocent
human being – one who does not flinch a moment to battle evil, even to the
extent of making the ultimate sacrifice so that sin no longer will compel the
rest of us.
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