Thursday, July 28, 2016

Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Jeremiah 18:1-6; Matthew 13:47-53)

Author Graham Greene once wrote of his preference for the Gospel according to John.  He liked the fourth gospel because it does not say anything about damnation and hell fire.  It only talks of eternal life.  The Gospel according to Matthew, on the other hand, seems to relish images of punishment like in today’s passage, “wailing and the grinding of teeth.”

Jesus is speaking of the Kingdom of heaven being like a dragnet which captures both good and bad fish.  Although he says that the good fish will be set aside in buckets, he seems to emphasize the bad which will be thrown away.  He adds that it will be this way with wicked people who will be cast into “the fiery furnace” at the end of time.

It has become fashionable to claim that no one may be in hell.  But shouldn’t that thesis make us wonder whether justice is rendered in the world?  It seems obvious that some people deliberately choose to do evil.  Purgatory -- an intensive purifying experience – may provide a solution to the dilemma.  Or perhaps the wicked are just left for oblivion without either the burning or beatitude?  In any case we should keep in mind that Jesus’ purpose in speaking about hell is always to spur us to do what is right.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Jeremiah 15:10.16-21; Matthew 13:44-46)

Webster defines jeremiad as a “lamentation or tale of woe.”  The word is derived from the prophet Jeremiah’s frequent complaints.  Jeremiads may be found in both the book which bears the prophet's name and the Book of Lamentations.  The latter work, however, was probably not the work of the prophet.  Today’s first reading presents a good example of a jeremiad.

Jeremiah has tried to tell the people that they have incurred God’s wrath.  He has warned them that their infidelity and idolatry have resulted in Babylon’s army coming to invade Jerusalem.  But the people do not want to hear his message of woe.  They reject him and leave him like a coyote howling in the hills. 

Jeremiah’s only recourse is to God.  He complains that he has been faithful, but God has not reciprocated.  Then he hears the Lord’s judgment.  If Jeremiah repents of his feeling sorry for himself, God will make him victorious over those who revile him.

We should feel free like Jeremiah to take our complaints to the Lord in prayer.  Perhaps it is a problem with an abusive son or daughter that troubles us.  God will hear us but will also want us to be just and firm in our response to the difficulty.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Jeremiah 14:17-22; Matthew 13:36-43)

According to a non-canonical gospel Joachim and Anne are the parents of Mary.  Nothing is known about them with certainty, not even their names.   Of course, Mary had to have parents.  Because she is so saintly, it is likely that her parents were good people.  They may serve as a model for the good seed in today’s gospel.

The passage explains the parable of the wheat and the weeds.  The good seed produces a brilliant harvest.  After the weeds have been picked and discarded, the harvest appears as glorious as gold.  Such are the lives of the good.  They may be as humble as dirt, but whatever they do bears the fragrance of love for others.

This feast of Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, provide us an opportunity to reflect on the role of our grandparents in our faith development.  Some of us have had the blessing of pious grandparents caring and praying for us.  Often enough our grandparents, chastened by experience, have demonstrated a sure and steady faith.  Their peace has challenged the presumption that the world is necessarily becoming wiser and happier.

Monday, July 25, 2016

Feast of Saint James, apostle

(II Corinthians 4:7-15; Matthew 20:20-28)

People were gathering in a bar in New York City to have a drink after work seven months after nine-eleven.  A young marine in full dress was standing at the bar with two older men, possibly his dad and uncle.  At one table sat a group of outdoor workmen; at another a group of office women.  Into the room walked two men wearing NYFD tee shirts.  Perhaps because they were wearing boots as well, no one seemed to doubt that they were really firemen.  Everything stopped as all the customers rose to their feet.  The marine turned around and gave the fireman a full salute.  Everyone else followed suit.  The bartender poured the firemen drinks, and all went back to what it had been.  Today the Church honors St. James with the same instinct that captured the attention of that crowd in the bar after nine-eleven. 

St. James was the first of the apostles on record to have been martyred for the sake of Christ.  The Acts of the Apostles mentions that he was executed by order of King Herod.  In time all of the others except St. John are believed to have similarly given their lives as a witness to Christ.  For this reason they are venerated as James today with a proper feast day.

After so many centuries we have lost some of the fervor in honoring the apostle-martyrs.  But we should never neglect to observe their feast days but less forget their stories.  In the first reading Paul, also an apostle-martyr, explains why.  They suffered travails as well as death so that we might know Jesus Christ who gives us eternal life.

Friday, July 22, 2016

Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene

(Song of Songs 3:1-4b; John 20:1-2.11-18)

The Dominicans, the Order of Preachers, for centuries have honored St. Mary Magdalene as one of their patrons.  Their motive has been the same that recently moved Pope Francis to raise her memorial day to a full-fledged feast.  As the Dominicans see themselves sent to proclaim the gospel, they take after Mary Magdalene whom Jesus dispatches to his apostles with the news of his resurrection.  

Dominicans should strive to imitate Mary Magdalene’s love for the Lord as well.  Luke will name her first among the women who accompany Jesus and his disciples in their mission of preaching the Kingdom.  In John’s gospel, Mary stands at the foot of the cross and goes alone to his grave.  She not only esteems Jesus’ goodness but also possesses the valor to be identified with him.

Mary really serves as a model for all Christians.  All of us, as again Luke describes her, have been exorcised of the demons of rebelliousness and self-righteousness.  All of us are called to follow Jesus which will only move us to love him more.  All of us are urged to proclaim Jesus’ new life, which is ours, by acts of selfless love.