Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Independence Day)

(Amos 5:145-15.21-24; Matthew 8:28-34)

As the United States celebrates the anniversary of its foundation, stress fractures appear along its base.  The people are deeply divided on a number of fundamental issues.  At what point in a human life should a person be given the protection of law?  What constitutes a family?  Is there a right to take one’s life?   What responsibilities does the nation have for the poor of other lands?  To what extent should a person be allowed to protect her own life?  These questions are testing the strength of the nation.

Turning to Scripture for help with answers, we find in today’s first reading the prophet Amos exhorting Israel to act justly.  Speaking on behalf of God, he stresses the necessity that the people do what is good.  For Amos this means full adherence to the Mosaic Law, not just to its prescriptions for ritual.  Jesus in the gospel demonstrates how this is carried out.  He goes out of his way to liberate two men who are possessed by demons.  It is an act of justice as well as mercy.  No one should be subjected to the domination of evil.

As citizens of the United States we see Jesus as our hope as well as our model.  Like him we want to assist our neighbors live in peace.  We also pray to him for guidance.  We need his Spirit to discern how to promote universal flourishing.  We need as well his grace to lead the nation in making sacrifices for that end. 

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Feast of Saint Thomas, apostle

(Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29)

The world has become increasingly secular.  Although most people say they believe in God, they no longer posit all hope in Him.  They see a doctor when sick and a lawyer in civil disputes.  They find solace in sports and television drama.  They anticipate technology’s latest product more than the coming of God’s Kingdom.  But people didn’t believe completely at other points in history.  Today’s gospel records an instance when one man refused belief in Jesus’ resurrection.

Thomas has reason to doubt the report of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  There could be no doubt that Jesus had died.  His blood was drained from his body until water appeared.  He was also put in a tomb where he lay for over a day.  Yes, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, but Lazarus never walked through a closed door.  Nevertheless, when Thomas is confronted by Jesus, he must let go of his disbelief.  He does more than that, however.  Along with the other apostles, Thomas leaves his native place to preach Jesus Christ to the world.  Their success is amazing.  Through their and others’ effort whole nations have accepted God, the Father of Jesus.

Is Christianity doomed by the advance of secularism?  Some think that its survival requires forming small communities isolated from the dominant culture.  But perhaps it’s too early to call for circling the wagons.  People can find real fulfillment only in personal relationships, not in technological wonders.  If we can demonstrate the value of Christian virtues in forming such relationships, there may be a reconversion.  We will have to proceed like Thomas and many others preaching the gospel with our lives.

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.