Tuesday, February 2, 2021

 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

 (Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-32)

 Today’s feast is formally called the “Presentation of the Lord.” More traditionally it is known as “Candlemas Day.”  For centuries on this day churches blessed all the candles that they would use during the year.  The inspiration for this grand event is Simeon’s declaration in today’s gospel. Jesus is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles.”  He fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of world unity and peace through Israel.

Jesus is the flame – light and heat in a cold, dark world -- but not the whole candle.  The trunk of the candle -- its wax -- is humanity.  Like wax humans have fat -- their pride, greed, hatred, and lust – which is to be burned away.  Jesus, who may be compared to the refiner’s fire of the first reading, rids us of these vices.  Doing so, he allows us to participate in his illumination of the world.  With our lives so chastened, we are rendered sincere.  This word coming from two Latin words, sine cerum, meaning “without wax.” 

 Let us be sincere to all by leaving behind our vices.   Instead of pursuing pride and lust, let us follow Jesus, the light of the world.

 

Monday, February 1, 2021

 Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 11:32-40; Mark 5:1-20)

A young monk was having great difficulty.  He could not pray but kept thinking of women.  He went to an old monk for help.  He told the veteran that he wanted to leave the monastery.  The old monk encouraged him to stay.  Then he took the youth to the roof of the monastery and told him to look at the western sky.  When the young monk raised his eyes, he saw hundreds and hundreds of warriors in a war dance.  The elder said that they were devils ready to launch an attack on people.  Then he directed the young monk to look at the eastern sky.  When he did, he saw a throng of thousands preparing a defense.  The old monk said that these were angels of Christ preparing to come to the young monk’s aid.  They the old monk told the young monk to go back to his cell and call upon the Lord.  The young monk did so assured that he could overcome temptations.

The story parallels today’s gospel.  A legion, which is roughly five or six thousand soldiers, of devils pit themselves against Jesus.  They are powerful but really no match for the Lord.  Jesus makes them reveal their identity and then directs them to a herd of swine where they are vanquished. 

Jesus can help us when we feel unable to overcome some difficulty.  This may be the desire to look at pornography or perhaps resistance to do some necessary task.  We have to call upon him and ask him, like we might a doctor, to assist us.  He will not refuse our request.

Sunday, January 31, 2021

 THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, January 31, 2021

(Deuteronomy 18: 15-20; I Corinthians 7: 32-35; Mark 1: 21-28)

The other day there was a review of a science book in the newspaper. The reviewer praised the author as exceptional. He said that the author can explain complicated ideas like dark matter. Also, the reviewer went on, the author’s Nobel prize makes him a proven authority. This author seems similar to Jesus in the gospel today.

It is Saturday, the day dedicated to the Lord. Jews come to the synagogue to learn about God and give Him praise. Jesus enters the place. It is not said whether he is a regular teacher or comes as a guest. Anyway, he starts teaching. As if he had a doctorate from Oxford, his words catch everyone's attention.

Then the cry of a demon interrupts Jesus' instruction. We hear many references to demons in the Gospels. They seem like leftovers from ancient times. But the presence of demons in the gospels is not without meaning to us. Here the demon represents lack of education. The demon that the master Jesus orders out of the man is ignorance, foolishness, and superstition.

Before leaving the man, the devil reveals who Jesus is. He is not an ordinary teacher but "the Holy One of God." To appreciate what this phrase means, we should turn to the first reading. According to Deuteronomy God has promised Israel a prophet who will speak for him. He will have God's own words in his mouth. The "Holy One of God", Jesus, is the prophet promised to Moses many centuries earlier.

The words of Jesus burn in the hearts of the people. They resonate with the hard truth that catches our attention as well. Take what he says about lust.  Is it not true: "'Whoever looks at a woman with lust, has already committed adultery with her in his heart'"? Jesus also speaks plainly without lengthy explanations and multiple Scripture citations. In fact, on different occasions, the words of Jesus run against the Old Testament. He says, for example: “’ There is nothing outside of a person that by entering him can contaminate him; rather, what comes from inside a person is what contaminates him.’" Like the people in the Capernaum synagogue, we have to say that he speaks with his own authority.

Today the same thing can be said of the Church. The Church teaches with authority because it interprets what Jesus says in the gospel.  In many cases, the Church speaks against worldly trends.  We all know about her unpopular teachings on abortion and contraceptives. Pope Francis has been assertive with social doctrine as well. He says in the title of his most recent encyclical letter that we are all brothers and sisters: " Fratelli Tutti." Inside the letter the pope explains what Jesus would have us do for immigrants. He says that Jesus obliges us to make friends with immigrants. Francis continues that Jesus wants us to reach out to help immigrants start a new life free of harassment. The Pope is not inciting disorder.  He insists that there are tolerable means within our reach to alleviate the suffering of many immigrants.

Human migration presents rich countries with a great challenge. The walls they build and the devices they use to stop migration are of little practical use. Immigration will continue. Instead of resisting it at great cost to life both physically and spiritually, we have to accommodate it. Pope Francis teaches us that immigrants are our brothers and sisters. Somehow, we have to accommodate them in our midst.

Friday, January 29, 2021

 Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:32-39; Mark 4:26-34)

Every year for the last forty-seven years, thousands of demonstrators come to Washington for the March for Life.  The demonstration proposes “to end abortion by uniting, educating, and mobilizing pro-life people.”  The magnitude of the march has varied through the years, but the tendency is to have increasing numbers.  Demonstrators have a sense of joy and comradeship.  It exemplifies the kingdom of God which Jesus parabolizes in today’s gospel.

Jesus says that the kingdom begins as something small like a seed of grain.  Once planted, however, it grows giving sustenance like wheat or comfort like a mustard tree.  The kingdom is God’s presence that both touches and satisfies us.  Corporately, the kingdom brings peace and joy. Individually, it blossoms into eternal life.

We might see Jesus himself as the kingdom.  He offers his friendship to us through the sacraments.  He makes our life easier because he helps us to do what is right.  He makes death a joy, once we get beyond the dying.  Then he will welcome us into eternal life.

Thursday, January 28, 2021

 

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

(Hebrews 10;19-25, Mark 4:21-25)

Of all the theologians in history few have left a mark quite as indelible as St. Thomas Aquinas.  He is like the lampstand that Jesus speaks of in today’s gospel.  Set on him, Jesus, the light of the world, is made visible to guide the people.

Thomas was born into a noble Italian family.  There was little doubt that he would become a priest.  But he left behind family influence which would have him become a Benedictine abbot.  He followed the Lord’s calling into the Dominican Order.  There he was tutored by St. Albert the Great. Surpassing the brilliance of his mentor, Thomas became a master teacher in Paris.  His opus magnus, the Summa Theologiae, synthesizes Aristotle and Augustine and other prominent thinkers.  But its first and foremost sourcebook is the Scriptures.  Thomas interprets the Scriptures thoroughly, consistently, and perceptively.

Unfortunately, reading Thomas presents a challenge.  Although his Latin is not intricate, the words in his time often have different meanings than in the classical period or today.  Also, the scholastic format seems redundant and abstract.  But taking pains to read Thomas gives the reader an exalted appreciation of both faith and whom faith reveals, the Lord God.