Thursday, June 28, 2018

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, bishop and martyr

(II Kings 24:8-17; Matthew 7:21-29)

Today’s gospel completes the great “Sermon on the Mount.”  Although most of its material originates with Jesus, Matthew gives it form.  He cuts and pastes Jesus’ teachings to provide a summary of Christian moral catechesis.  The closing parable can be taken as an outline for Matthew’s work. 

Jesus exhorts his followers to build their houses on rock not on sand.  That is, he wants us to ground our lives in the beatitudes.   The beatitudes describe our goal in life, basically “the kingdom of heaven.”  If the beatitudes comprise the foundation of moral practice, the commandments form its building blocks.  They oblige us to do the seemingly impossible like “love your enemy.”  They also forbid what seems to come most naturally -- “to look at a woman with lust.”  These commandments would be impossible to fulfill without divine help.  For this reason Jesus includes in his catechesis a lesson on how to pray.

The “Sermon on the Mount” ends with a number of proverbs.  This material is hardly redundant or peripheral.  It adds needed demonstrations of how we are to pursue God’s will and not our own. Only in doing so will we have accomplished the repentance which Jesus preaches.  Having established the expectations for Christian life, Matthew will begin his account of Jesus’ ministry.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary time

(II Kings 22:8-13.23:1-3; Matthew 7:15-20)

Two generations ago false prophets said that the world was being overpopulated.  They predicted mass famine if artificial methods of birth control were not disseminated.  The truth, even then, was that some people – notably Americans – use disproportionate amounts of resources.  Even so, there have not been the great shortages of food that doomsday sayers forecasted.  In today’s gospel Jesus criticizes so-called prophets in his day who cause unnecessary consternation.

Jesus may well have in mind those who speak of God’s coming wrath to win the support of the people.  They condemn the lack of religious rigor of common people while failing to show compassion to those suffering hardship.  They are wolves under the appearance of shepherds.

Today false prophets criticize the Church for its positions in defense of human life.  They say – contrary to Church teaching -- that a concern for human dignity leads to helping the dying take their lives.  But a true concern for human dignity recognizes that every human being is made in the image of God.  We pay homage to human dignity by serving the dying until their natural end.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 19:9b-11.14-21.31-35a.36; Matthew 7:6.12-14)

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, has the intriguing title of “preacher of the papal household.”  His duties include delivering a weekly sermon during Advent and Lent to Vatican officials.  In one Lenten sermon Fr. Cantalamessa advised that people not love others like they loves themselves.  He reasoned that many people are so self-indulgent that they do harm by treating them as they treat themselves.  Although the preacher makes a good point, Jesus’ maxim found in today’s gospel remains valid.

As Jesus indicates, the “Golden Rule” is not his alone.  Different versions of it are found in the sacred writings of most religions and well as the Hebrew Scriptures.  Since everyone wants to be cherished, the rule has been rephrased as “Love others as you love yourself.”  Jesus himself makes this revision in the Gospel of Luke.   The statement takes for granted that we want what is truly good for ourselves -- nothing false, spiteful, or harmful.

A number of years ago there was a controversy about another rule of thumb involving Jesus.  People wondered if “What would Jesus do?” (“WWJD?” was the popular acronym) is a sufficient guide for action.  Some thought it impossible to know what Jesus would do.  Really?  Doesn’t he tell us what he would do when he says, “’Do to others what you would have them do to you.’”

Monday, June 25, 2018

Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 17:5-8.13-15a.18; Matthew 7:1-5)

In his encyclical Mater et Magister Pope St. John XXIII wrote of three stages for social action.  People are to look, to judge, and to act in order to bring about needed change.  The process seems to conflict with today’s gospel where Jesus tells his disciples, “’Stop judging…’” What he means, of course, is that they are not to be hypercritical.  If people were to stop judging, they might as well forego their intellectual powers.

Hypercriticism is judging another excessively harshly.  It gives no leeway for a possible error in one’s perception of another’s way of being.  Hypercriticism assumes an air of superiority over others whose motives are not fully known. Tobit is hypercritical when he accuses his wife Anna of stealing a goat in the biblical story.  Those who judge all refugees as self-serving are likewise hypercritical. 

As Jesus’ disciples, we cannot avoid judging.  But we should not judge severely.  Rather we should aim at viewing a situation completely, assessing motives fairly, and acting carefully.  This process amounts to removing any beam from our eyes and helping our neighbor remove theirs.

Friday, June 22, 2018

Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

(II Kings 11:1-4.9-18.20; Matthew 6:19-23)

Today’s first reading will seem odd to many.  Not only are the characters involved in the story unfamiliar.  It also tells a sordid tale, hardly edifying as part of the word of God.  Many will want to ignore it and move on to the gospel.  However, the Church has chosen this reading for a purpose which begs illumination.

After Ahab’s wife Jezebel had Naboth, the poor farmer, killed and his land expropriated, Ahab repented.  It was said that God was pleased with Ahab’s change of heart and did not punish him.  Rather Ahab’s descendants would suffer the consequences of his offenses.  This saga is played out with Athaliah, Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter.  She married Jehoram, the corrupt king of Judah.  Jehoram died leaving his son Ahaziah king; and Athaliah, the queen mother.  Jehu of Israel killed Ahaziah along with another Jehoram, the king of Israel, and most of Ahab’s other descendants.  In this way Ahab’s dynasty in Israel ended.  Meanwhile Athaliah seized power over Judah.  She had all claimants to its throne killed, including her own descendants.  However, one of Ahaziah’s sons, Joash, was rescued.  The high priest eventually anointed Joash king and had Athaliah slain.

The gruesome story illustrates what Jesus teaches in the gospel.  We have to make treasures of the right things.  If we want power to rule over people without regard to caring for them in God’s name, we will come to ruin.  But if we use the authority given to us for true human welfare, we will prosper in God’s eyes.