Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 12:24a-13:5a; John 12:44-50)

When we hear of sacraments, we think of the seven signs instituted by Christ to give grace.  But there is more to the concept.  The Church is a sacrament.  It is the visible presence of Christ in the world today.  Over fifty years ago, Dutch Dominican Edward Schillebeeckx published a ground-breaking book entitled Christ, the Sacrament of the Encounter with God.  The work shows with theological finesse Jesus’ claim in the gospel today: when we see him, we see the Father.

Today’s passage serves as a summary of the first half of John’s gospel which shows Jesus being revealed to the world as God’s only-begotten Son.  It reiterates how he has not come into the world to judge it but to save it.  That saving work is related in the gospel’s second half which begins with the next scene of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples. 

We want to hold on to Jesus by heeding his words.  They will guide us through the difficulties we presently face.  Indeed, they provide comfort as they promise us a share in the glory of the resurrection.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 11:19-26; John 10:22-30)

In his Mass Leonard Bernstein composes a marvelous tribute to Scripture.  The song “The Word of the Lord” declares that autocratic powers may incarcerate God’s preachers, but they cannot imprison the message they preach.  In today’s reading from Acts, Luke also shows how the word spreads in the primitive church with similar dynamism. 

Followers of Jesus, after being persecuted in Jerusalem, evangelize in other places.  They preach exclusively to Jews, but their converts do not discriminate.  When they come to Antioch, they preach to everyone.  The Greek followers of Jesus cannot be called Jews because they do not follow the Jewish Law.  The entire community – Jews as well as Greeks – must re-identify.  They call themselves Christians.  It is the beginning of a new era for the Church which is still in existence.

If the word of God seems stymied today because of secularism in many Western countries, it has hardly lost its dynamism in Africa and Asia.  It is convincing large numbers of people in these places that Jesus is the way to happiness.  In today’s gospel it tells of Jesus delivering the message: “I give (my sheep) eternal life, and they shall never perish.” 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 11:1-18; John 10:1-10)

In his newly released pastoral exhortation The Joy of Love Pope Francis addresses the difficult issue of Catholics married outside the church.  He urges dialogue between those Catholics and their pastors or pastoral agents.  Above all, he wants them to be accepted into the community.  He specifically says that he does not mean that the Church’s ideal of marriage should be watered down.  But he recognizes that Christ, the face of God’s mercy, calls his sheep to him.  This is the message of both readings today.

In Acts Peter is being challenged by the other apostles why he ate, presumably pork, in a non-Jewish household.  He responds by explaining that the Holy Spirit was at work developing the teaching of holiness.  Peter was shown that those called by the Lord pray and help others; they do not obsess over diet.  In the gospel Jesus does the challenging.  He is accusing the Pharisees of killing his sheep by their rigid interpretation of the Law.  He will lead his people to salvation by gently speaking to their needs.  First, he will resolve their immediate problems.  Then, he will address the deeper questions of human existence.

We often feel a need to draw lines separating ourselves from others.  Jesus warns us to be very careful about this enterprise.  More preferably, we should assist those struggling to follow Jesus’ way.  We want to welcome them into our community of love where they may receive the direction they need.

Friday, April 15, 2016

Friday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 9:1-20; John 6:52-59)

In the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex, spiritual and physical blindness interplay to the enlightenment of all.  Oedipus’ father, King Laius, is told in an oracle that his son will kill him and marry his wife.  Determined that the prophecy will not be realized, Laius plots to have his infant son murdered.  However, the deed is never carried out.  When Oedipus grows up, he unwittingly fulfills the prophecy.  Then learning of his misdeed, Oedipus blinds himself in shame. In the first reading there is a parallel story of spiritual and physical blindness.

After Saul’s inquisitorial journey is interrupted by the appearance of Jesus, he goes blind.  The infliction functions first as a metaphor of the prosecutor’s spiritual blindness in punishing Christians.  Then the blindness indicates a period of introspection in which Saul may recognize his malice in persecuting Christians.  Finally, blindness with attendant fear serves as punishment for Saul’s zealotry.  When the blindness dissolves, Saul not only knows the truth but decides to make amends for past errors.

Spiritual blindness inflicts most people at one time or another.  We misread situations and cast blame unjustly.  We seek after apparent goods that bring us embarrassment if not downfall.  We miss seeing Jesus in the suffering.  Christ’s light burns away this blindness like an ophthalmologist’s ultrasonic torch emulsifies a cataract.  Renewed by Christ, whom we meet in the sacraments, we can live in the truth as we await the fullness of his glory.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

(Acts 8:26-40; John 6:44-51)

At a meeting a priest once shocked his colleagues by declaring that he had murdered a fellow priest.  Of course, his words were given immediate attention.  He said that he had repeatedly covered for the dead priest when he was drinking all night so that he could not say morning mass.  When the priest died of alcoholic-related complications, the enabler-priest felt responsible.  In today’s gospel Jesus shocks the Jews with similarly descriptive language.

Jesus has already said that he is the bread of life.  He meant that the teaching he received from the Father and passes on to the people must be believed if they are to have the fullness of life.  Now he takes the analogy a step farther.  He says that the bread which he gives is his “Flesh.”  He uses such strong language because his message departs from the world’s in dramatic ways.  Where the world exhorts people to maximize pleasure, Jesus teaches self-sacrifice as the way to eternal life.  He will indicate that his Flesh is incorporated in the Eucharistic bread which is to be actually eaten.  But he does not mean that one can profit from tasting it without believing in him.

We too should be shocked out of complacency with Jesus’ words.  We have been accustomed to think of success as becoming rich and to envy those who attract attention by their beauty.  Taking to heart Jesus’ words, we will reconsider these values.  We will come to emulate the humble who care for others while praising God.