Monday, November 11, 2019

Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, bishop

(Wisdom 1:1-7; Luke 17:1-6)

St. Martin of Tours captured the hearts of the people much like St. Francis many centuries later.  As a youth, Martin soldiered but resigned his commission rather than serve the heretical emperor.  He said at the time, “I am the soldier of Christ: it is not lawful for me to fight."  Martin became a monk and then a missionary. One day he was called to visit a sick person in the city of Tours. He was taken to a church where people were waiting to make him bishop.  As bishop, Martin upheld Church doctrine but also defended rights of heretics.  His tolerance alienated him from the Roman emperor.  Martin is most remembered as the man who shared his cloak with a beggar.

The first reading today is taken from the Book of Wisdom.  The work in part instructs rulers to be just and prudent in their judgments.  Martin of Tours could serve as a model of its teachings.  “…think of the Lord in goodness,” it reads, “and seek him in integrity of heart.” Martin lived for the Lord.  He was true to God’s way of compassion.  He did not seek punishment as an end but reconciliation.

All of us have at least some authority.  We may be parents or supervisors.  If nothing else, we make decisions about how to spend leisure time.  We should strive to imitate St. Martin – faithful, diligent, and caring. 

Friday, November 8, 2019

Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 15:14-21; Luke 16:1-8)

A group of pastors was discussing a gospel passage much like the one we read today.  The ministers were taken aback by the implication that people should act out of self-interest.  Is an action worthy, the ministers seemed to ask themselves, if one gains personal benefit from it?

The ministers were questioning from the perspective of an imminent Lutheran bishop, Anders Nygren.  Intolerant of self-love, Nygren drove a wedge between it and divine love.  He termed acquisitive, human love eros and selfless, divine love agape.  According to Nygren, human love is always unworthy of those redeemed by Christ.  He would see such an act as indicative of fallen human nature.

But Nygren’s thesis does not adequately account for how humans are created.  We are people with real needs.  Beyond physical necessities we need support and assurance.  Having a destiny beyond the troubles of earthly life, we work for this end.  This means that we strive for perfection out of a desire for eternal life.  Jesus’ parable tells of a man who takes risks so that he may not suffer in the future.  In like manner we love the poor, God’s special concern.  We do not want to lose the eternal life which Christ promises us.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 14:7-12; Luke 15:1-10)

It is said that a person is known by the company she keeps.  If she goes about with good people, she is probably worthy of trust.  But if she hangs around with liars, her words should be scrutinized.  It is for nothing, therefore, that the Pharisees in today’s gospel are suspicious of Jesus.  He seems to enjoy the company of sinners.

But Jesus will no more adopt the ways of sinners than Pope Francis will look for a luxury hotel.  Quite the contrary, Jesus goes out to sinners because they need him.  They are, as the gospel says, “lost.”  This is a fate worse than death.  Unless they receive help soon, they will not find their way home.  They will perish in a fearful place.

We too must try to bring back “lost” believers.  We do not want to see our loved ones, or anyone else, perish.  Our strategy is simple.  It does not include harangues.  Rather, we talk with them in our homes as people who love them.  More importantly, we show by the qualities of our lives God’s blessings for those who love Him.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Wednesday of the Thirty–first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 13:8-10; Luke 14:25-33)

The territory of Utah before statehood was rife with polygamy and slavery.  There was no law to prohibit these practices.  Gradually submitting to federal control, Utah banned both.  Its experience exemplifies what St. Paul has shown in his Letter to the Romans.  Without law everything is permissible.  Once law is established, it condemns people for evil acts.  But it does not make a people good.  They need more than prohibitory statues.  They need the Holy Spirit.

Today’s first reading speaks of divine love as the fulfillment of the law.  Love is the work of the Holy Spirit moving adherents to practice virtue.  They do no one any harm.  More characteristically, divinely inspired love moves those affected to care for others.  In the gospel Jesus gives the same testimony.  He sees love of God and of neighbor as the basis of all righteousness.

Love takes effort.  For this reason the Holy Spirit is involved.  The Spirit prompts us with its gifts to do what is just and helpful.  We ask the Spirit’s help to fulfill what is known its “law”; that is the law of love.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 12:5-16ab; Luke 14:15-24)

In one of her novels Mary Gordon writes of viewing a sunrise from a mountaintop.  A group drives to the trailhead well before dawn.  There it begins a swift hike up the mountain in the dark.  As the light begins to appear, one young woman notices a patch of flowers in the field.  She rushes toward it in glee.  Meanwhile her companions are yelling after her to forget about the flowers for now.  The sun is going to come up in just a few minutes.  That young woman may be compared to the invitees who refuse to attend the banquet in Jesus’ parable.

The invitees should realize that the rich man’s table is so extravagant that it should not be missed.  Yet they absorb themselves in their own limited agendas.  The rich man does not sulk with the regrets.  Rather, he invites the people of the streets to take the place of the self-satisfied. 

Jesus is telling us that God’s love is not puny.  Like the rich man He invites everyone to partake of the wealth of His kingdom.  For our own good we want to put aside personal interests to participate in it.  We will not regret any cost that it might involve.  Indeed, we will only have regrets if we refuse to be part of it.