Thursday, May 18, 2017

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 15:7-21; John 15: 9-11)

What if the Catholic Church, in order to foster unity with Protestant communities of faith, relaxed the requirement of attending Sunday Eucharist?  Surely many would oppose the change as an aberration to a Catholic custom that has been practiced almost since the beginning.  Others would say that there is no Scriptural mandate to assist in the Sunday Eucharist and therefore the Church precept is alterable. This question is similar to what the primitive Church confronts in today’s first reading from the Book of Acts.

It is hard to understate the importance of this meeting of the primitive Church.  The leaders are to decide the direction of the Church in the future.  Will it continue to be primarily a movement within Judaism, or will it allow Gentiles to be Gentiles while finding their salvation in the Lord Jesus?  The decision seems to boil down to what James will say.  Peter has already been convinced of the need to let Gentiles eat pork.  Paul and Barnabas, of course, have no objections to the idea.  Opposed to the change are the so-called “Judaizers” who see Christianity as a renewal of Israel with its necessity of keeping the Law.  James’ speaking in favor of the change with only a few restrictions clinches the argument. 

It probably is not a good idea to abandon the Sunday Eucharist obligation.  But Catholics should be open to similar non-essential changes in order to accommodate Christian unity.  We should not emphasize our differences from others.  Rather we should seek commonalities so that Christ may be one without diluting all that he is and all that he tells us. 

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 15:1-6; John 15:1-8)

In one of her novels Ann Tyler writes of a man commenting on a sign in a grocery store.  The sign reads, “Vine Grown Tomatoes,” and draws the remark: “So what that tomatoes are grown on a vine?  Where else can they grow?  What’s important is that they are vine ripened.”  Jesus says something very similar in today’s gospel.

Jesus is telling his disciples that they must stay close to him if they are to meet their objectives.  This applies to every legitimate thing that they do.  Whether they raise a family, start a business, or preach the gospel, they have to follow Jesus’ commands.  If they do not -- if they want to be served more than to serve, if they have contempt rather than love for one another – their enterprise is sure to encounter significant problems.

At times Jesus seems remote.  We do not think he cares about us or we think that we don’t really need him.  Yet he remains, as St. Augustine said, closer to us than we are to ourselves.  We stay close to Jesus by both following his ways and praying for his assistance. 

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 14:19-28; John 14:27-31a)

Christ and Culture was written by H. Richard Niebuhr in the early 1950s to describe different approaches theologians have taken to the world.  It says that some Christian writers have seen the world as intractably evil and opposed it.  Others, it continues, have found the world as fundamentally good and endorsed it.  It recommends more nuanced approaches.  These will recognize the world as a mixture of good to be embraced and of bad to be shunned if it cannot be transformed.  In today’s gospel Jesus is more negative.  He speaks of the world as the realm of the devil.

As the devil’s domain, the peace of the world is delusory at best.  It may seem like a good thing but can bring about great harm.  It is the absence of sensitivity that excessive alcohol induces or the exuberance of illicit sex.  Jesus’ peace is permanent serenity because it frees one from sin and bestows the Holy Spirit.

We should be at least cautious of what the world offers.  Certainly society still bears some good as it was created by God.  But it has been compromised over time by the persistent presence of evil.  In any case we will want to sow in it the seed of the gospel by doing good in the name of Jesus.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter

(Acts 14:5-18; John 14:21-26)

Western theology speaks a lot of grace.  It is famous for describing how grace transforms the human person to love unselfishly.  Eastern theology is more effusive about divine indwelling.  Although its effects are similar to those of grace, its implications are more suggestive.  Divine indwelling is the presence of the Holy Trinity within the person.  It fills the person like ecstatic music moving her to do beautiful things.  The Greek Fathers of the Church had no qualms in stating that this indwelling divinizes the person.  In today’s gospel Jesus speaks of coming with the Father and the Holy Spirit to dwell within those who keep his commandments.

One woman after raising her family and burying her husband dedicated herself to her church community.  Assisting in the parish office, she knew everyone within the community.  When the neighborhood began to change both economically and racially, she remained a resident for many years.  She became acquainted with her new neighbors and participated in the newly formed block club.  She kept Jesus’ commandments to believe in him and to love another.  Perceptive people could notice the indwelling of Father, Son, and Spirit in her.

All of us probably have met people like this woman in whom God dwells.  They are observant but always kind.  They pursue justice in ways we hardly imagine without making us uncomfortable.  They do not make much of themselves but bring out the best in us.  We should be imminently grateful for these vessels of God in our midst.

Friday, May 12, 2017

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 13:26-33; John 14:1-6)

People’s hearts become troubled when they have a terminal disease.  They worry about a poor quality of life which includes issues of severe pain, loss of control, and becoming a burden to others.  Hand in hand with quality of life, people desire control over their death.  They also are concerned that their choices will not be honored.  Jesus offers some consolation to those whose death is imminent in today’s gospel.

He tells his followers not to let their hearts be troubled.  Of course, they are disturbed that Jesus is going to die, not they.  Yet the anguish over loss is at least similar.  Jesus assures them that he is going for their benefit and that he will return.  Further, he implies that they can follow him by living in the ways that he has instructed.

We should not expect that everyone embrace Jesus’ assurances when death comes knocking.  To those who resist wanting to take their own lives we can offer some reasons not to.  First, taking one’s life has become trendy leading to others feeling pressured into doing something they do not want to do.  Second, they do not have to use all the mechanisms available to prolong life but may take advantage of effective palliative care.  Finally and most importantly, we will be there to the end helping them as much as reasonably possible.