Friday, January 22, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr

(I Samuel 24:3-21; Mark 3:13-19)

In today’s first reading David refuses to take advantage of the opportunity to kill his deadly rival, Saul.  He recognizes that Saul is God’s anointed with a charge to protect the people.  Saul is to be supported not undermined.

We too have been anointed.  At Baptism the minister rubbed chrism, that is perfumed and blessed oil, on our heads.  We share in Christ’s ministry of priest, prophet, and king.  We too are mandated to protect God’s people.

The charge covers all people – born and unborn.  Tomorrow hundreds of thousands of people – mostly baptized Christians -- will converge on Washington to fulfill this duty.  They will ask America’s leaders to reconsider the lock on anti-abortion legislation.  Their determination goes to the extent of making considerable personal sacrifices.  They know that abortion is no less than annihilation of the most vulnerable of human beings.

Thursday, January 20, 2022

 Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 18:6-9.19:1-7; Mark 3:7-12)

In today’s gospel Jesus faces two kinds of threats.  There is the crowd which may turn into a stampede that crushes him. He orders a boat as a safety valve if this begins to happen.  Then there are the evil spirits who want to reveal his full identity to the people.  If they succeed, the crowd would besiege him with adulation.  This might not seem harmful, but it would frustrate his mission of revealing the Father’s will.

Jesus shows his authority over the evil spirits.  He orders them not to speak about him.  More than that, however, at the indicated moment he will vanquish Satan.  The power of darkness will have no control over Jesus’ followers.  Like the invasion of Normandy, it will be a costly victory.  Jesus will die on the cross.  But it will liberate his people of the tyranny of sin.

We too face physical and spiritual threats all the time.  The Covid pandemic exemplifies the former.  Unchaste desires represent the latter.  Like Jesus, we are wise to prepare ways to escape physical disaster.  We should as well not hesitate to call on Jesus to help us avoid spiritual downfall.

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

 Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 17:32-33.37.40-51; Mark 3:1-6)

The biblical story of little David defeating the mighty Goliath has become a template.  We see any contest between unequal opponents a “David vs. Goliath” rematch. However, the biblical story conveys much more than underdog grit outperforming giant power.

 Essential to David’s victory is God’s presence.  As Goliath has a shield bearer going before him, David is preceded by the Lord.  The staff in his hand represents God’s assistance.  As a staff reins in an errant sheep, the Lord keeps David from becoming neither fearful nor overconfident in battle.  God assists David in slaying Goliath just as He humbled Pharaoh during the Exodus.

We often see ourselves as small as David compared to the giant challenges of life.  We may witness a thug beating up someone and wonder what to do.  Or we may face a cancerous condition that leaves us shaking.  At such times we do well to pray that God act on our behalf.  He is there to hel

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

 Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

(I Samuel 16:1-13; Mark 2:23-28)

Jesus himself testifies to David’s importance.  In today’s gospel he justifies his disciples’ eating on the sabbath by reference to him.  As David ate bread dedicated to the Lord, so Jesus’ disciples should be able to pick grain for nourishment on the sabbath.

It is not necessary that David have a robust appearance (although he has).  To be king, David must have a heart inclined to do the Lord’s will. God, who knows the hearts of people, sees this.  He relates this information to Samuel who anoints David as king.  Although David loves God, he will commit egregious sins.  But he repents of his crimes.  He knows that God’s justice is always tempered by His mercy.

Rather than worry about our appearance, we should cultivate a loving heart for God.  We do this most of all by trusting in God’s love for us.  We also will learn to love God by observing the Third Commandment.  Justifying work on the sabbath by saying that it was “for man” betrays Jesus’ intention.   Letting go of our ambitions on Sunday to praise God and to look forward to full union with Him helps us in different ways.  We stop thinking of ourselves and think of others more.  We become aware of the beauty of prayer, of people, and of nature.  Most of all, we develop of a spirit of gratitude for all we have.

Monday, January 17, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Anthony of the Desert, abbot

(I Samuel 15:16-23; Mark 2:18-22)

Jesus reminds the people of the freshness of God’s Kingdom.  They are not to think of it with old categories like fasting but with new ones like rejoicing.  Just because John had his disciples submitting to rigorous discipline does not mean that Jesus’ disciples to do so.  At least, this is true of the present moment.  He does say as well, however, that fasting for his disciples is not completely out of the picture.

Fasting and penance were certainly part of St. Anthony’s life.  He lived for a hundred years in the third and fourth centuries.  After the initial years of the fourth century, martyrdom ceased to be a major challenge.  Anthony and others showed their love for Christ by lives of prayer and subsistence living in the desert.  In doing so, they indicated to all Christians the need to make sacrifices for Christ.

People make think it idiotic, but we should embrace poverty, chastity, and obedience like St. Anthony.  Poverty for laypeople will mean living simply without consumerist spending.  Chastity will mean faithfulness to our state of life – single, married, or religious.  Obedience will entail shaping our lives according to God’s word.  This is not a formula for misery – far from it.  It is a path to eternal happiness marked by daily joy.