Monday, July 2, 2018

Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 2:6-10.13-16; Matthew 8:18-22)

Economic equality has never been the goal of Christian social thought.  Rather from Scripture to modern papal thinking, Christians have opted for justice.  This means that a society looks out for all its members so that everyone’s basic needs are met.  In contemporary times this vision is being ignored.  The wealthy are separating themselves from the poor.  They are more likely to live in gated communities and to send their children to private schools.  They also are more often found in church than the poor.  One wonders, however, if they hear the message from Scripture read there.

In today’s first reading the prophet Amos expresses outrage at the rich person’s disregard for human dignity.   He says that the rich would sell a slave for a trifling.  He adds that they take the poor person’s few garments as collateral for loans.  Then they have the nerve to lie on those garments in the Temple.  In the gospel Jesus identifies himself with poor people when he says that the Son of Man has nowhere to sleep.

In an age of globalization, creating a just society becomes increasingly complicated.  But this fact does not excuse us from the responsibility.  With so much technology available, there is no shortage of resources to supply everyone’s needs.  We need to rethink priorities.  Instead of always strategizing to become wealthier, we should make sufficiency for the poor a goal.  Action steps will include greater social correspondence among all social sectors.

Friday, June 29, 2018

The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

(Acts 12:1-11; II Timothy 4:6-8.17-18; Matthew 16:13-19)

Today we celebrate the two greatest apostles.  Peter was named by Jesus in front of his other disciples to lead the Church.  Paul’s call took place in a personal encounter with the Lord.  He was sent specifically to non-Jews who came to make up the majority of Christians.   Both were martyred in Rome around the year 64.

The histories of both Peter and Paul illustrate the Christian belief in a personal God.  Today’s first reading shows Peter being miraculously rescued from prison.  It came at a critical time.  Peter like James was about to be slain by the sword of one of Herod’s henchmen.   The Lord, however, spared him so that he might bring Church administration to Rome.  Paul always felt himself in close communion with Jesus.  The second reading testifies to his sense of Christ assistance at crucial junctures in his mission. 

The critical element of Christian belief is that God is personal.  He not only exists from eternity as a communion of persons, he also became human to interact with us.  The testimony from the lives of both Peter and Paul today shows that his personal presence did not end with his Ascension.  Christ comes to each of us as well in varied ways.  He is found in the Christian community where divine love is palpable.  He is heard in the word of God and even ingested in the Eucharistic sacrament.  He is also, quite wonderfully, present in the solitude of our hearts.

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.’”