Thursday, November 12, 2015

Memorial of St. Josephat, bishop and martyr

Wisdom 7:22b-8:1; Luke 17:20-25)

In the movie Philomena the son of an unmarried woman is unlawfully given to another family.  When many years later the woman discovers that the perpetrators of the crime are a congregation of sisters, she decides not to sew for personal damages.  Thankful to have closure to the question of what became of her son, Philomena accepts the apologies of the congregation.  Obviously she lives within the Kingdom of God.

As Jesus explains to the Pharisees in today’s gospel, the Kingdom of God has no geographical boundaries.  Nor is it confined to any moment of time.  Rather the Kingdom of God exists wherever men and women recognize that their lives are gifts from God which they are to share with others.  It is the freedom experienced in thanking God by joyfully serving all as brothers and sisters.

We live in a world that believes that justice can be achieved by recognizing a full complement of human rights for all.  Soon, however, we see that there are many more rights than there are responsibilities to assure their being honored.  Living in God’s Kingdom, we realize that we must sacrifice at least some of our rights claims.  It means that we humble ourselves for the good of our neighbors.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, bishop

(Wisdom 6:1-11; Luke 17:11-19)

There is a story about Robert E. Lee that may help us appreciate today’s patron saint Martin of Tours.   Shortly after the American Civil War ended, a former slave attended services at an Episcopalian church in Richmond.  When it was time, the African-American strode up for Communion ahead of all the white people.  The congregation was aghast; the ministers did not know what to do.  Then the former leader of the Confederate Army walked up to the communion rail and knelt close to the former slave.  They both received the revered bread together. 

Martin was also a former military commander.  He is famous for sharing his cloak with a beggar.  Like Lee he did not think of himself as too important to commune with those disparaged in society.  To the contrary, he saw himself as a reconciler among the people.

Today’s first reading from the Book of Wisdom admonishes the rulers of the earth to care for the lowly.  It tells them that they will be judged not according to their earthly power but their submission to God’s eternal law.  The same rules apply to all of us. 

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Memorial of St. Leo the Great, pope

(Wisdom 2:23-3:9; Luke 17:7-10)

The Book of Wisdom was probably composed in the century before Christ in Alexandria, Egypt.  In some ways the Jews in that context were dealing with the same challenges Christians face today.  Individualism was on the rise along with skepticism and general dissatisfaction concerning traditional beliefs.  Formerly religious people were turning to paganism and secular philosophy in order to avoid persecution.  The author of Wisdom searched ancient texts for remedies to these challenges.  He maintained that by living according to the Law, Jews could be assured of the soul’s immortal life.

This sounds like Christianity's message, but there is a critical difference.  Jesus promises much more than the eternal existence of the soul.  His resurrection from the dead offers followers the prospect of glorified bodies.  They are to enjoy again the wonders of physical creation without, of course, the problems that corporality inevitably bears in its current mode.

Today the Church remembers one of its wisest leaders.  St. Leo the Great was instrumental in resolving the conundrum of how Christ could be both God and human.  Equally impressive, he negotiated with a warring Attila the Hun who subsequently withdrew his forces.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

(Ezekiel 47:1-2.8-9.12; I Corinthians 3:9c-11.16-17; John 2:13-22)

Today’s feast celebrates the dedication of the Lateran Basilica.  Many wonder, what is so great about that?  It is one of the four magnificent churches in Rome and the locale of five general councils of the Church, the most important one being the fourth in 1215.   That council called for bishops to appoint preachers and to support them in their work.  The mandate paved the way for the establishment of the Dominican Order a year later.

More importantly, the Lateran Cathedral is the church of the bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ.  As such, it serves as the symbol of all Christian churches.  In other words, today we raise up for consideration all the churches in the world.  A church is the preferred meeting place of the human person with God.  As we enter a church, we make a blessing with holy water.  This is a way of cleansing ourselves from the mess we sometimes make in the world so that we may communicate with God.

The deepest meaning for a church is actually Christ himself.  The church is the body of Christ as Jesus implies in today’s gospel.  Here we feel his warm embrace.  For this reason a church has been considered as a sanctuary where sinners and even criminals might find refuge.  Today we celebrate not so much a building but Jesus Christ.  We give God thanks for the love Christ has shown us and for the peace he imparts to us.

Friday, Oct 6, 2015

Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8)

In the adult fairy tale The Little Prince the fox teaches the little boy several valuable lessons. One of these concerns customs or rites.  They bring a regularity to life so that one can be free from constant stress.  In today's first reading taken from the end of the Letter to the Romans St. Paul assures his readers that he will respect their established customs.  

The church community at Rome has at least some Jewish converts.  Paul himself was not part of their conversion.  It only can be speculated who evangelized them – perhaps an apostle from Jerusalem? In any case Paul will not take the credit.  Nor, he implies, do the original evangelizers have to worry that Paul will impose himself in their territory in the future.  Paul explicitly says that he is an apostle to gentiles preaching only in places where the gospel has never been heard.

We may not be comfortable with all Church customs.  For example, we may not like singing at mass or being told that we must  be married in a church.  Nevertheless, like Paul we should willingly submit to such customs.  They are designed to keep peace in the Church.  As we want to live in peace, we try to keep peace with others.