Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 8:18-25; Luke 13:18-21)

The 62-year old worker talked of retirement.  He was suffering from two arthritic knees that needed replacement.  He also had a pinched nerve in his shoulder.  It was obviously painful for the man to do a full day’s work.  Many people have difficulty growing old.  Even trusting Christians like St. Paul begin to wonder when they see their bodies failing.

Paul writes of all creation “groaning in labor pains.”  It waits patiently for the redemption promised by the resurrection of Jesus.  Humans, made in the image of God, have the most to hope for.  They will assume spiritual bodies like their Redeemer’s that will not age or experience pain.

Two thousand years is a long time to have waited for redemption.  But who is to say that it will not take another two thousand or perhaps two million years?  In the meantime we, given the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit, keep the faith.  We love our neighbor and care for the poor.  Most of all, we thank God for our blessings and pray for our needs.  It is a good life that will be glorified when Christ returns

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

(Ephesians 2:19-22; Luke 6:12-16)

Today’s feast celebrates, using St. Paul’s phrase, “the last of the apostles.”  At least, they are mentioned last on the lists of apostles in the gospels except for Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ betrayer.  Simon and Jude are taken together today, perhaps because so little is known about either historically.

Scholars debate the meaning of “zealot” by which Luke’s gospel identifies Simon.  In Matthew and Mark, Simon is called the Cananean, but that is just a transcription of the Hebrew word for “zealot.”  “Zealot” may describe someone “jealous of the law.”  It could be said that “zealous” means “fanatical” today.  Or it could mean “revolutionary,” which is to say a fanatic who is willing to perpetuate violence for his/her cause. 

Interestingly, Matthew and Mark give “Thaddeus” as an alternative for “Jude” in Luke.  The tradition has kept both names calling the eleventh apostle (in Luke) “Jude Thaddeus.”  His name was really “Judas,” but English and French translations usually disassociate him from the betrayer. Jude is a forgotten saint.  As he has been recognized as the patron of hopeless causes, many turn to him for intercession.

The gospel is built upon reversals.  Mary proclaimed how the lowly will be raised and Jesus was raised from the dead after being crucified.  He also said that the first will be last and the last, first.  Therefore, we need not hesitate to seek the assistance of these two apostles.  They stayed close to Christ on earth and cannot be far from him in eternal life.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans Luke 7:18-25a: 12:54-59)

In Gethsemane Jesus’ disciples sleep while he is praying.  He asked them to pray with him, but their bodies gave way to the natural tendency to doze off at night.  Jesus makes an excuse for the disciples.  He says, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is week.”  St. Paul says something very similar in today’s first reading.

Paul is trying to explain why it seems that he never does the good that is in his heart.  Rather he does the evil that his flesh seems to desire.  Paul is speaking generally and does not specify any specific sins.  People today may relate to what Paul is saying in dealing with pornography or gossip.  They do not want to look at pornography but somehow their fingers cannot resist pressing its button.  They may have resolved not to criticize others, but somehow there mouth cannot be quiet when certain names are mentioned.

Today’s passage only presents us the name of our deliverer from sinful deeds of the flesh.  Jesus Christ will lead us from submission to fleshy desires.  He will ask the Father to send us the Holy Spirit to strengthen our resolve.  He will also provide eternal life as a motive for us to try harder.  We find Jesus in the sacraments.  We should not tire of asking his assistance there.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 6:19-23; Luke 12:49-53)

The ancient city of Pompeii was buried under a river of volcanic lava in 79 A.D.  Then in the late 1800s, it was uncovered to give a three-dimensional snapshot of life in the Roman Empire.  The view is not always edifying.  One house has a statuette of a boy lifting his phallus with the opening of the gate to salute a visitor.  Perhaps even more than people today, Romans were obsessed with sex.  For this reason St. Paul, writing not long before Pompeii disappeared, comments to the Romans on sexual license.

In general Paul’s letters indicate that many people became Christians as a way out of sexual enslavement.  Christianity provides a support group to help people cope with an oversexed environment. It also promises the grace of the Holy Spirit to pursue a virtuous life.  Paul emphasizes in today’s reading another reason to forego extramarital sex.  He writes that the effect of sexual sin is death in contrast to eternal life Christianity offers.

Sex, like all creation, is a natural good for which we should thank God.  However, it has been corrupted through sin so that it now appears as much a threat as a benefit.  For this reason we need to be careful about our dealings with it.  We should not think of sexual intimacy as inherently impure or sinful. Yet we cannot declare it good outside marriage.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 6:12-18; Luke 12:39-47)

Although the comparison with American slavery is troublesome, St. Paul often describes himself and his converts as “slaves of God.”  He believes that people should not hesitate to trust themselves to a benevolent master like the Lord.  Paul sees the situation as imminently better than that of people who are under the aegis of a lax master.  In today’s reading from his letter to the Romans he describes both situations.

According to Paul, Christ has liberated those who accept him as Lord from sin.  Now they have a choice.  They can either give themselves over to their liberator as, in a sense, slaves to him.  Or they can hang free.  If they take the latter course, they will soon find themselves slaves again to some material obsession.  Pleasure, power, and prestige are three common masters who may be lax but under whom subjects are ruined.  Meanwhile, following the commands of the Lord leads to happiness and eternal life. 

We may recoil at the words “slaves of God” because of the often bitter experience of American slaves.  Yet we could not put ourselves in better hands.  God will not always dictate to us what we must do.  Rather, like wise parents when children mature, He will give us increasing autonomy.  We cannot do better with any other master.