Thursday, June 5, 2014

Memorial of Saint Boniface, bishop and martyr

(Acts 22:30.23:6-11; John 17:20-26)

St. Boniface, the patron of Germany, was martyred while at work as a missionary.  Born in late seventh century England, Boniface was commissioned by the pope to convert pagan tribes.  Doing so, he endeavored to realize the vision that Jesus proclaims in today’s gospel.

Jesus is praying for unity.  The words he uses – “’so that they may all be one’” – are often quoted in ecumenical circles.  But Jesus has more in mind than the unification of disparate Christian communities.  He wants to draw all people– believers and non-believers alike – into communion.  In the end he is praying for the reconciliation of the whole world!

As always, we need to adopt Jesus’ position as our own.  We not only pray but also endeavor to bring the world together in peace.  Simple efforts are needed: conversing with people of different backgrounds, greeting friends of different religions on their holy days, and taking interest in the traditions of different nations.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter

(Acts 20:28-38; John 17:11-19)

The world for the Gospel of John, as for most of us, is a fashion show of iniquity.  Violence, stupidity, and greed show themselves in progression.  Although Jesus can say, “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son...,” it remains a place of temptation seeking to destroy the soul.  For this reason, Jesus says in today’s reading, “I do not belong to the world.”  The ambivalence goes back to the Genesis where God created the world as good only to see it compromised when the woman and her husband consider themselves as so good that they are equal to God.

Now Jesus is reversing the trend.  He does not want the world’s mire to pollute his disciples.  He gives them the truth of God’s love.  By self-sacrifice for the good of one another they will overcome the world’s tendencies to self-promotion.  Jesus has shown them the way.  Soon they will follow.  Their love for him will take them to far away places to preach his name.  They will not be ensnared by the world’s seamier side because Jesus prays for them in the gospel today.

His prayer protects us as well.  There is no point in trying to flee the world.  As long as we have bodies, the world will be part of us.  In fact, we have a mission in the world as surely as the apostles in Acts.  We too have to give witness to God’s love for the world by selfless love.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs

(Acts 20:17-27; John 17:1-11a)

In today’s gospel Jesus has entered his final hour.  As if it were the preface at Mass, he begins his prayer to the Father which will lead to his passion, death, and resurrection.  He asks God for the grace to endure the ordeal that will end in his glory.  He has already won glory for the Father by preaching His love for the world.  Now he seeks to model that love by dying so that his followers may have eternal life.

St. Charles Lwanga also won glory for God and himself.  He lived in Uganda during the latter part of the nineteenth century.  By that time missionaries had arrived and converted many of the natives.  The country’s sovereign was apparently cruel and tyrannical.  When he tried to force the young men of his court into sexual relations, Charles openly protested.  His actions, however, brought the wrath of the king down on him and about one hundred other Christians, both Catholic and Anglican, who were martyred. 

We also can also win glory for God by raising our voices in defense of the vulnerable.  People will criticize the mentally disturbed for being disruptive and illogical.  Facing such people with the truth that mental sufferers need more prayer than criticism, we exhibit a concern that resembles, in a slight sense at least, the love of Jesus on the cross. 

Monday, June 2, 2014

Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

(Acts 19:1-8; John 16:29-33)

A lay minister describes how he brought back to church a fallen away Catholic.  He met a man named John in a sports bar.  One Saturday afternoon, the minister invited John to accompany him to mass.  John seemed to enjoy the experience and was most impressed with hearing his friend proclaim the word of God.  Since then, John has attended mass every Saturday evening. The experience exemplifies the work of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s first reading St. Paul meets some followers of Jesus who have never experienced the Holy Spirit.  Indeed, as it says, they never “never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  The immediate effect of their receiving the Holy Spirit in Baptism is their prophesizing or speaking in the name of God.  It certainly involves evangelization.  The Spirit moves Christians to tell others of God’s love witnessed in Jesus Christ.

As we prepare to celebrate the Holy Spirit on Pentecost this Sunday, we should anticipate His gifts and also the mission to which He calls us.  He will provide understanding and courage to speak to others of how we have experienced love and mercy through our relationship with Jesus.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

(Acts 18:9-18; John 16:20-23)

“O happy fault!” the “Exultet” proclaims in the Holy Saturday liturgy. This oxymoron declares the desirability of Adam’s sin for having produced the effect of the world’s knowing the Son of God.  A woman might similarly speak of her labor as sweet pain in that it accompanies the wonder of a new-born child.  In today’s gospel Jesus uses this image of child-bearing to describe the glory of the resurrection after his bloody death.

In the passage Jesus is making his farewell to his disciples.  They are confused by his reiterating how they will not see him for a while and then see him again.  As is his custom, Jesus uses an image from daily life to give clarity.  They will experience sorrow at his leaving them but joy when he returns, just like a woman who after labor sees her baby.  His going and coming is also like childbirth as it brings a whole new way of living.

Jesus, the master story teller, is capable of relating his meaning with clear, strong images.  As the Word of God, it is only fitting that he uses words artfully.  We give thanks for him, especially as we realize that he spoke most eloquently on the cross where he shows us the depth of God’s love.