Friday, September 27, 2019

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, priest

(Haggai 1:1-8; Luke 9:18-22)

St. Vincent de Paul founded the Daughters of Charity to take care of the poor.  Once some of the dedicated women worried that their mission was taking them away from prayer.  Vincent told them that their concern was not justified.  He said that they were leaving Christ to go to Christ.  Today’s gospel teaches us to also see Jesus in this way.

Peter correctly identifies Jesus as the “the Christ of God.”  But Jesus tells him and the other disciples not to refer to him as such.  He does not want the people to think of him as a king with an army.  Rather he has been anointed (what the word Christ means) to serve the people.  He is a teacher and a healer whom the people voluntarily follow.

Christ does not walk among us today, but this does not mean that he is not present.  One sign of his presence is the poor.  Their simple faith accepting of suffering reminds us of Jesus in the gospel.  By assisting them we will know his love and realize his promise. 

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Haggai 1:1-8; Luke 9:7-9)

Many Christians today ask themselves Herod’s question of today’s gospel.  “’Who then is this about whom I hear such things?’” the king asks.  We today want to know if Jesus is God incarnate as the Church has claimed for two thousand years.  Or is he just a man – a very good and wise man, to be sure – worth our attention but not our allegiance until death?

The passage says that Herod keeps trying to see Jesus.  They finally meet at the end of the gospel.  Pilate sends Jesus to him to ascertain his guilt. As much as Herod would like to kill Jesus (Luke 13:31), he cannot find him culpable of a crime.  In Luke’s gospel any half-objective person who sees Jesus has to admit that he is more than innocent.  He is holy.  Pilate knows this too but cedes to the will of the Jews demanding his crucifixion.  Herod seems to prefer Pilate’s friendship to the truth as he does not object to the prefect’s judgment.

We too then have to decide about Jesus.  Shall we commit ourselves to him forever?  Or will we, like Herod, prefer more advantageous friends and convenient “truths”? To be sure, we take on faith that Jesus has risen, ascended, and has sent his Holy Spirit.  Evidence for these truths is very remote and to an extent circumstantial.  We believe because he has enlightened our minds to see the truth of his doctrine.  Even more, he has moved our hearts to give of ourselves in love as he did.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ezra 9:5-9; Luke 9:1-6)

Fr. Meinrad served in Fort Worth for many years as an assistant pastor.  A Benedictine monk, he wore his black habit on the street.  In fact, because of the habit many people noticed him walking from one hospital to another to visit the sick.  Fr. Meinrad was not noted for his preaching skills.  Yet his simplicity, devotedness to service and gentle demeanor spoke more eloquently than model homilies.  Jesus is calling forth such virtues as he sends his apostles out to preach in today’s gospel.

In his instructions Jesus emphasizes the importance of poverty or, what might better be called today, simplicity.  His preachers are not to take anything with them on the journey.  Money, food, even a change of clothes become excessive burdens.  His reason for streamlining is to impress upon the people the message of the kingdom.  God provides for those who trust in him.  The people will supply preachers’ needs.  In this way they will not only receive the good news but will also have an opportunity to share it.

Although bishops are the successors of the apostles, priests do their work.  They will more authentically and effectively fulfill the mission of preaching when they embrace evangelical poverty.  At this time of concern for the environment priests could help transform the world by becoming models of simplicity.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(Ezra 6:7-8.12b.14-20; Luke 8:19-21)

Contemporary Catholics flock to St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.  The immense structure creates awe not just for its grandeur but for the faith it signifies.  However, St. Peter’s is of lesser importance to Catholics than the Jerusalem Temple was to Old Testament Jews.  The latter was univocally the “house of God.” Only in that Temple could Jews offer sacrifice to make up for their sins.  For this reason the charge that Jesus would destroy the Temple was taken utmost seriousness.  Today’s first reading speaks of the dedication of the second Temple in the sixth century before Christ.

The scribe Ezra records how the Temple was actually commissioned by Persian kings.  He says it was built by donations from the people as well as with public funds.  He also mentions the feast prepared for the Temple’s dedication.  Four hundred lambs are slaughtered for the occasion. But this sacrifice pales in comparison to the preparations for the dedication of Solomon’s Temples.  David’s son had 120,000 sheep slain for his Temple’s dedication.  One factor is that people are poorer in Ezra’s time.  Perhaps they have been humbled by the tragic immorality that led to the first Temple’s destruction.

Churches, temples, and mosques are the most fitting places to worship God.  We should frequent them more often than to meet the weekly obligation.  They do not have to be large or filled with expensive ornamentation although these features have some value.  What is important is that we pray in these places fervently.  We need God’s grace to follow Jesus’s way to God’s heavenly home.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, priest

(Ezra 1:1-6; Luke 8:16-18)

In some circles Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., has the status of a movie star.  He is famous for his work  with the Eternal Word Television Network.  Every year Fr. Pacwa goes to a Maronite church outside Dallas for Holy Week.  There he celebrates mass and hears confessions.  He is so well considered that penitents wait all night to confess their sins to him.  As remarkable as it sounds, St. Pius of Pietrelcina – Padre Pio - had an even longer line of penitents.  Busloads of people would come to the Italian town where he lived to have him hear their sins.  It is said that he spent ten hours each day in the confessional.

Both Padre Pio and Fr. Pacwa are sure administrators of Jesus’ judgment.  In today’s gospel the Lord speaks of a lamp that is placed on a stand so that it can give light.  Of course, Jesus himself is the lamp, the “light to nations.”  He enables people to correctly evaluate the grey areas that pervade most lives.  Jesus tells his disciples, “Take care.”  He means that they should be attentive to all that he says so that they will live righteously.

Should we take care in choosing a confessor?  Some state correctly but perhaps unhelpfully that any priest will do.  True, our sins can be absolved by any priest.  But still some are more helpful than others in pointing out how the gospel affects our lives.  We are wise to look for these when we confess our sins.