Thursday, January 7, 2021

Thursday after Epiphany

(I John 4:19-5:4; Luke 4:14-22)

In two weeks the world will focus on Joe Biden.   People everywhere will watch him swear to faithfully fulfill the office of President of the United States.  Then they will tune their ears to his inaugural address.  They will try to discern his priorities as chief executive.  Will he criticize China?  Will he have reconciling words for Republicans?  Today’s gospel presents an analogous situation.  Jesus is making what amounts to an inaugural speech in the synagogue of Nazareth.

Jesus does not show any interest in reforming Jewish liturgical practices.  Rather, he emphasizes care for the marginalized.  He will preach to the poor, free the oppressed, and give sight to the blind.   The people like what they hear.  They are tired of injustice and want relief for the suffering.  The course that Jesus will follow will alienate some of these current backers.  He courts only God’s favor.  He will demand that the people repent of selfishness and assist the needy.

We might see ourselves in an inaugural situation.  With vaccinations we be making a fresh start after a hard year.  We are wise to discern the lessons learned in 2020.  It is important that we consider how our actions may affect the vulnerable.  We want to care for the elderly and assure that the poor are treated fairly.  We should make Jesus’ proposals our own.  They will guide us to his glory.

Wednesday, January 6, 2021

 

Wednesday after Epiphany

(I John 4:11-18; Mark 6:45-52)

Americans have been said to gain on the average a pound of body weight over the holiday season.  That may not sound too bad, but a problem emerges when the added pound accumulates over years.  Yet as great a threat as obesity presents to health, there is still a greater danger in holiday feasting.  Like the disciples in the gospel today, we may not understand what the abundance of food means.

 

We share our food during Christmas as a means of anticipating the eternal feast in heaven. At the Incarnation we receive in our midst the one with the place of honor at the eternal banquet.  Of course, this image of a heavenly feast is speculative.  Since we do not know what eternity is like, we imagine it in terms of a wonderful communal experience.  We say it is like a banquet with the best of company and of food.  Scripture often projects this image of a banquet table for the fulfillment of God’s plan. St. Paul, however, is more discreet in describing heaven.  Citing Isaiah, he writes, ‘“…eye has not seen, and ear has not heard…what God has prepared for those who love him.’”

 

Feasting, of course, does not continue throughout the year.  Most days we exert ourselves carrying out the mandates Christ has given us.  On some days we fast to show our love for God.  In these ways we also guard against the threat of obesity.

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

 Memorial of Saint John Neumann, bishop

(I John 4:7-10; Mark 6:34-44)

The story of Jesus’ feeding of the is told in all four gospels.  It is also proclaimed at mass throughout the year.  The narrative is central to the Catholic understanding of the identity and mission of Jesus.  It shows Jesus as the bread of life who has come to bestow eternal life to believers in him.

In today’s first reading the author says that God shows His love for humans by sending us His Son.  It was not just a “once and for all” event.  Rather God sends His Son to us all the time in the Eucharist.  The Son Jesus Christ does not only become part of us.  Paradoxically, by eating His body and drinking his blood, we become more part of him.  We become more loving and truthful as we secure a place for ourselves in his body, the Church.

Today, especially the Church in the United States remembers St. John Neumann.  He immigrated to the United States from Bohemia.  Once here, he presided over the Eucharist thousands of times as a priest and then as a bishop.  Naturalized a citizen, he became the first saint of the United States.

Monday, January 4, 2021

 Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious

(I John 3:22-4:6; Matthew 4:12-17.23-25)

As a new year takes hold, the gospel today pictures Jesus’ new, vigorous ministry.  People come to him from all over for healing.  His popularity will last only a short time.  Soon the Pharisees will begin to oppose him, and the people will lose faith.

Opposition sets the tone of the first reading.  The author takes to task former members of his community who follow another “spirit” or belief.  Evidently, the opposition believes that Jesus did not come “in the flesh” but was a purely spiritual being. Such a belief has enticing corollaries. One is that the body is unimportant and may be treated in any way one likes.  Sexual promiscuity would even be possible with such an ideology.

Today the Church remembers Elizabeth Ann Seton, a person for whom the body was very important.  This American Catholic convert saint suffered much grief with the loss of loved ones.  She also worked tirelessly to build up a religious congregation to educate Catholic children.  In following Jesus, she serves as a model of courageous witness and good deeds.

Sunday, January 3, 2021

 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD, January 3, 2021

(Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3: 2-3.5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

Who are the magi? They are not kings even though they carry exquisite gifts. Nor are they magicians. They are researchers. They study the heavens and the earth in search of truth. We can consider them wisemen since they are looking for more than knowledge of physical reality.  They also want to know the meaning behind the reality.

The magicians focus on the star. It represents nature in all its complexity and the extent of existence. Through nature we can know something about God. At least it can be concluded that God exists as the creator of the universe. We can also deduce from nature that God expects justice from humans. Everyone has a conscience to distinguish between good and bad. We know that it is bad to murder one’s neighbor and good to give alms to the poor.

However, we cannot know God through nature. We could not say that God is loving and merciful without His help. For this reason the magicians have to consult the Jews for the whereabouts of the "king of the Jews." The Jews have the self-revelation of God Himself. They know where the “ruler, who to shepherd… Israel,” will be born.

Curiously, the Jews do not want to accompany the magi in their search for truth. In fact, when hearing of the newborn "king of the Jews," Herod, their leader, becomes jealous. In time he will devise a plot to kill him. Certainly not everyone seeks truth. Some have other goals in life. Instead of seeking truth, they want pleasure, money, or power.

These people could not appreciate the glory of God in Jesus Christ if they found him. They think of sacrifice as insanity, simplicity as lack of success, and humility as personal flaw. In contrast, the magi rejoice when they find Jesus. He who is going to sacrifice himself to redeem the world is met as the infant son of a carpenter. He does not live in a palace but an ordinary house. Like Simeon in the Gospel according to Saint Luke, the Magi see the light to all nations in the face of the child Jesus.

Many young people today consider themselves seekers. They do not want to declare themselves as practicing any religion. They dismiss Catholicism as petrified with ancient rules and customs. They want beliefs in accordance with the truth of the self, the environment, and the equality of all people. We believe that if they investigate reality at its roots like the magi, they will find this truth in Jesus Christ. He no longer lives in a house in Bethlehem but in the church that he founded. It is up to us, members of that church, to show young people that rules and customs are not impediments but links. They connect us with the magi of the first century and the saints throughout history. More to the point, they put us in touch with Jesus Christ, King of the Jews and Redeemer of the world.