Wednesday, July 13, 2022

 Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Isaiah 10:5-7.13b-16; Matthew 11:25-27)

As the war in Ukraine drags on, it may be related to the war of today’s first reading.  However, care must be taken not to equate Ukraine with Israel or Russia with Assyria.

The reading expresses the biblical conviction that God is in charge of world events.  Mighty Assyria is but an instrument for imposing a corrective on Israel.  The faithlessness of Israel after God saved its ancestors from slavery in Egypt, formed it in the desert as an exemplar civilization, and gave it rich land for development is overbearing.  Isaiah means that what is left of Israel (that is, Judah) must return to God’s ways if it is to survive.

We hope that somehow an intact Ukraine can survive the devastating war.  If it does, no doubt it will have learned lessons about how to reform.  We pray that it will all end in a more Godlike world, less inclined to war and more given to righteousness.

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

 Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

 (Isaiah 7:1-9; Matthew 11:20-24)

 Is faith possible today?  There will be exceptions, but it may be said that believing is increasingly difficult.  Biblical faith is, first and foremost, a relationship of trust with God.  For a Christian it is the gift of self to Christ.  Throughout the world the movement is in the other direction.  Especially young adults find the building up of self as the purpose of life.  This phenomenon can be easily demonstrated by the glorification of the self in social media.  Yet there is also evidence accumulated through the ages that faith produces favorable outcomes.  This can be seen in today’s first reading.

 King Ahaz of Judah is in a desperate situation.  Two rival kingdoms have conspired against him.  He wants to seek help by allying Judah with powerful nations.  But Isaiah warns him that only by clinging to the Lord will he survive.  Thus, Ahaz learns the meaning of faith – standing steadfast in the Lord.  As a matter of fact, the situation turns out well.  Ahaz’s enemies are throttled; Judah survives because it trusts in God.

 We may find difficulty going against the grain.  Like many others we are drawn to pursue wealth and pleasure.  Perhaps more than that, we would like to brag about ourselves.  We need to remember that Christ is our reward.  Following him, we will be saved from vain pursuits and will come to know deep, endurable happiness. 

Monday, July 11, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Benedict, abbot

(Isaiah 1:1—17; Matthew 10:34-11:1)

Christians - Protestants as well as Catholics - have found new interest in St. Benedict.  They see hope for the future in his founding communities where the gospel may be lived.  As a young man, Benedict went to Rome for higher education.  There he became disillusioned with the way fellow students pursued knowledge.  Rather than as a way to truth, many were more interested in finding pleasure.  He retreated from the city, became a hermit, and eventually founded monastic communities.  Today faith-filled, young families find in the Benedictine retreat from cities a model.  Rather than trying to raise children amid secularization, they live in rural communities without severe corrupting influences.

Today’s gospel should be read in a way that supports separation from the corruption of the world.  Jesus speaks of bringing a sword to the earth.  In no way is he speaking literally.  He means that following him will separate one from ungodly influences.  His followers will live the truth of the gospel – that they are saved in God’s love through faith in him.

Is it necessary for people to separate themselves from the world?  In some ways, yes.  We should resist worldly temptations of excessive pleasure, power, or prestige.  But this does not mean that we must isolate ourselves from others.  Freedom from corruptive influences, however, does entail reflection, development of virtue, and prayer.  In these ways we can follow Christ who leads us to eternal life.

Sunday, July 10, 2022

 FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians  1:15-20; Lucas 10:25-37)

The gospel today begins with two questions.  The scholar of the law asks Jesus about how one is to inherit eternal life.  Jesus responds with his own question: “’What is written in the law?’”  Eventually we are provided answers to both questions.  The law asks that one love God above all and also one’s neighbor.  Allow me to add two more questions that will help us understand better this beautiful parable.  The first is, what does “eternal life” mean?  The second question is the same as the scholar of the law asks, “’…who is my neighbor?’”

“Eternal life” is mentioned many times in the New Testament.  Various theologians and other writers have commentated on the concept.  Some think of eternal life as if it were an island where the immortal soul can gaze on the wonder of God.  They have in mind the “beatific vision” in which, according to St. Paul, we see God “face to face.”  Others consider eternal life as the family table in which our souls are reunited with the souls of our loved ones.  Curiously those who hold this interpretation almost never include God in their expectation. Still others anticipate eternal life as a world renewed.  There we live – body and soul – with people of all races, means, even religions along with the resurrected Lord Jesus.  An idle life is not the plan here but harmonious cooperation to perfect community life.

It seems that this third interpretation of eternal life is best from the viewpoint of the New Testament.  If Jesus rose from the dead bodily, then it should be the destiny of all who follow him.  It is certain that the inhabitants of eternal life will have to wait until the end of time for the reunification of their bodies and with their souls.  But they will make use of the time to purify themselves of defects, including the lack of appreciation of other kinds of people.  If they are already known to be saints, then this intermediate state can serve as an opportunity to know better the qualities of other kinds of people.

Regarding the other question - who is my neighbor? – we can propose another three possible responses.  We are used to thinking of the man or woman who lives next door as our neighbor.  Still, we know that the word “neighbor” reaches beyond our neighborhood.  Our neighbor is anyone who demonstrates goodwill toward us.  If another person says to me, “Good morning,” I consider her a neighbor.  She may live in Denmark or in D.C., it doesn’t matter in this sense of the word.   However, according to Jesus’ parable, neighbor includes someone to whom we don’t matter.  He or she is the person who frowns at us, even the one who makes fun of us.  He or she is our neighbor because what makes one a neighbor is not how she or he sees us but how we see him or her.  The Lord Jesus has redeemed us with his love so that we might look on others with love.  In other words, Jesus has died that we might be neighbors to all people.

The mother of one of the best pastors in a diocese was a person who loved everyone. Her son, the priest, used to say, “She never met a stranger.”  To a sixty or a six year-old, to a black or a white woman, whether dressed in silk or in denim, the woman would extend a greeting and begin a conversation.  It is no surprise then that her son was such a fine priest.  As his mother, he loved everyone.

Possibly we can understand better now eternal life.  It will be the occasion for the whole world to know one another as neighbors.  Perhaps not everyone who has ever existed will be included in this group.  Some have chosen to reject the love which God has extended us in Jesus Christ.  But for those who have chosen to follow Jesus, he will introduce them to others.  Let’s hope that we among this blessed group.

Friday, July 8, 2022

 Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Hosea 11:1-4a.8e-9; Matthew 10:16-23)

A number of years ago director Martin Scorsese made a movie of Shusaku Endo’s disturbing novel  Silence.  The book and movie tell the story of a Jesuit missionary in seventeenth century Japan.  In order to dissuade native Catholics from suffering horrific torture, the missionary himself denies Christ.  The situation is taken from Jesuit annals, but not the plot.  In the annals the missionary did not apostatize.  Rather he too underwent the torture! 

The Silence was making the case for doing evil to produce a greater good.  This kind of morality has always been condemned by the Church.  As today’s gospel indicates, Christ knows that those who believe in him will experience persecution.  He tells them to be both shrewd and simple. They do not have to invite hostility by, for example, declaring openly their beliefs.  But they should never deny those beliefs when pressed.  Still, he states categorically that those who endure in the faith will be saved.

Justifying the doing of evil to achieve good is a particularly modern endeavor.  We have all heard how some try to justify telling a lie to avoid being bothered by unwanted callers.  As seen in the passage, Jesus condones shrewdness in such situations.  We can tell inquirers that it is not their business to know if the head of the house is at home.  But we should never lie about it.