Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 2:1.6-14; Matthew 6:1-6.16-18)

“Is there a Santa Claus?” children ask.  If they are old enough, one might answer, “It depends what you mean by Santa.”  Santa Claus is not a man who lives at the North Pole and takes toys to every boy and girl on Christmas Eve.  But Santa Claus may be thought of as God Himself who loves every child so much that He moves hundreds of millions of parents to express His affection.  The story of Elijah’s assumption into heaven told in the first reading may be seen in a similar way.

It is a fantastic tale.  The old Elijah is walking along with his young companion when a flaming chariot sweeps him into heaven.  Although fundamentalists may consider the story historical, more probably Elijah’s assumption is a figurative way of saying that he dies in God’s favor.  The Old Testament has many wondrous testimonies – Methuselah living almost a thousand years or Ezekiel bringing dry bones to life being two. 

We should be neither defensive of nor disillusioned by the story of Elijah’s assumption. Calling it symbolic will not compromise our belief in Christ’s resurrection.  Much of the Old Testament serves as a type for the New.  That is, what the Old Testament suggests is brought to fulfillment in Christ.  The Elijah story, taking place more than eight hundred years before Christ, confirms the righteousness of God which comes into full force with the paschal mystery.  Elijah’s leaving a double portion of his spirit on Elisha foreshadows Jesus’ sending the Holy Spirit on his disciples.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 21:17-29; Matthew 5:43-48)

Often anthropologists will explain human behavior by speculating what life was like on the plain of east Africa where Homo sapiens supposedly emerged.  They say things like the fight or flight reaction that humans feel today originated there perhaps a two hundred thousand years ago as ways of survival when confronting ferocious animals.  Another such response Jesus proposes in today’s gospel.

Jesus is in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount.  He is making one of six antitheses to show how God’s ways differ from human ways.  He tells his disciples that humans love their neighbors and hate their enemies.  Love for neighbors will assure them of allies when they face danger.  Hatred of enemies will move them to not naively spare someone who would have you dead.  The behavior makes sense in life on earth, but Jesus is introducing a new way of life – that of the Kingdom of God.

Enemy love stretches our limits.  If we do not want to kill our enemies, we want to avoid them.  Jesus is telling us to reconcile with them.  We pray for them.  We make an effort to speak with them.  We reach out to them with kindness.  As Jesus says, this is God’s way that we, His children, are to follow.

Monday, June 13, 2016

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor of the Church

(I Kings 21:1-16; Matthew 5:38-42)

Very recently in the United States police brutality has been given notoriety.  Excessive use of force even to the point of killing suspected criminals has been exposed in the press.  To the extent that such cases are verified, they are rightly publicized and condemned.  In today’s first reading a case of abusive state authority is presented.  The gospel reading may cause wonder of what to do about it.

Jezebel relieves her pouting husband of frustration by using state authority to murder his nemesis.  The crime calls to heaven for redress.  In the gospel is Jesus demanding toleration of such outrage?  By saying, “’…offer no resistance to one who is evil,’” Jesus is announcing the end of retribution among his followers.  He is instructing them to become as patient with evildoers as their Father in heaven.

However, Jesus does not want us to abandon claims for justice.  We are to walk toward him with our paths enlightened by his love.  Yet the ground we trod is mired in violence from which we must be protected.  Jesus is not forbidding us from taking up this task.  But he is insisting that we do so with genuine care for our persecutors.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

( I Kings 19:9a.11-16; Matthew 5:27-30)

The “tiny, whispering sound” conveying the presence of the Lord to Elijah is better translated the “sound of silence.”  God visits him, as He does each of us, in the silent chamber of conscience where He tempers our pride and chastises our sloth.

The Lord’s question of Elijah, “Why are you here?” is both rhetorical and accusatory.  God knows well that Elijah has chosen to run away from his responsibilities as prophet.  Elijah must speak the word of God in order to turn the people’s hearts back to God.  But the prophet only complains about his lot: the people have abandoned God, they have killed God’s messengers, and they are presently hunting down Elijah himself.  God, however, does not condemn Elijah for irresponsibility and endless complaints.  He only re-commissions Elijah to carry out His will.

Sometimes we feel discouraged like Elijah.  Nothing seems to go right despite our efforts to please God.  We too complain about our situation and perhaps become cynical about possibilities for its improvement.  A generation ago Henry Nouwen wrote a pamphlet “From Resentment to Gratitude” which explored these feelings of frustration and anger that pervade contemporary life.  As an antidote, Nouwen prescribes humbly refocusing our perspective.  He writes that we must see “that our life is not an inalienable property to be defended but a gift to be shared.”  Recognizing life for the gift that it is, we can leave behind our sulking to do God’s will.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 18:41-46; Matthew 5:20-26)

The presence of so many guns in American culture has had disastrous effects.  In some places like Chicago teen gangs are murdering not just one another but very innocent people who surround them.  From what is happening, the insightfulness of Jesus in today’s gospel is borne out.

Jesus tells his disciples that calling someone “’Raqa, ’” an Aramaic word meaning imbecile, carries a punishment equivalent to that of murder.  He is indicating that the anger with which such a word is emitted would likely induce one to kill the other if a sufficient weapon were at hand.  Christian discipleship must go beyond that kind of reaction.  Jesus is calling for a care for those who offend as he will die for sinners.

We have a hard time with anger.  The best we often think we can do is not to stay away from those who might offend us.  Perhaps, as a temporary strategy, that is prudent.  However, sooner or later as Jesus’ disciples we should strive for reconciliation.