Wednesday, October 19, 2022

 Memorial of Saints John de Brebuef and Isaac Jogues, priest, and Companion, martyrs

(Ephesians 3:2-12; Luke 12:39-48)

Many today criticize the efforts of missionaries on the American frontier.  They see the missionaries as intruders on tribal culture and imposers of a totally foreign religion.  These accusations can be disputed.  Tribal warfare characterized native American life, not universal peace.  In the case of the missionaries celebrated today -- Saints John de Brebuef, Isaac Jogues and companion martyrs -- they worked with the tribes that were interested in the promise of Christ’s salvation.  They were eschewed by rival, more belligerent tribes who could not accept gospel abhorrence of violence.  The missionaries saw themselves working much in the way of Paul in today’s first reading.

Paul views Christ as bringing unity and peace to the world.  He finds in his teaching and, much more, in his passion and death the only way to global harmony.  Sending Christ into the world, God the Father established His plan for universal salvation.  Hatred and division are being overcome through Christ’s sacrifice of himself.  Incorporating that sacrifice, people like Paul and the Jesuit martyrs catalyze the process of reconciliation.

We should not hesitate to make similar sacrifices.  Gratefully, we are not likely to be called to give our lives for peace.  But we are to love others, which requires sacrifice as well.  We may have to give up some plans or perhaps our pride to help someone in need.  In doing so, we become like Paul and the Jesuit martyrs what the reading terms “ministers of God’s grace.”

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist

(2 Timothy 4:10-17b, Luke 10:1-9)

Much has been said of the “New Evangelization,” but how is this evangelization being carried out?  A lot of it has been undertaken by lay men and women working with the so-called movements in the Church.  Cursillo was among the first of these movements.  It has been followed by a host of others: “Marriage Encounter,” “Emmaus,” “Christ Renews his Parish,” the “Charismatic Renewal among others.  Biblical foundation of these lay-dominated evangelization programs may be found in today’s gospel.”

Only Luke’s gospel records a sending of seventy disciples to preach the good news.  They may be considered laity as the number seventy is symbolic of fullness or universality.  They are sent to preach the good news of salvation.  This message is well summarized in the statement, “’The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

St. Luke is not only a champion of the laity.  He is the patron of doctors and artists.  He gives particular and valuable emphasis to the poor, to prayer, and to the Holy Spirit.  Above all, his portrayals of the Virgin Mary have edified the Christian faith through the centuries.  Luke sees her as a model showing us how to contemplate and practice the word of God.  He also sees her as our mother constantly pointing us to the Savior.

Monday, October 16, 2022

 

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr

(Ephesians 2:1-10; Luke 12-13-21)

Many commentators look to the fourth century as the beginning of the downfall of the Church.  In that period Christianity was not only decriminalized but also became the state religion.  Since then, becoming a Christian was politically correct and scoundrels of different stripes have entered the Church.

The Letter to the Ephesians, probably written in the latter part of the first century, features a pristine Christianity.  In today’s reading the author, who was probably a disciple of St. Paul, tells of how Christians before their conversions had lived much like everyone else.  That is, they were focused on pleasure and accumulation and given to wrath.  Then they responded to the call of Christ.  They could take advantage of his grace to live exemplary lives featuring good works.  There was no material advantage in being a Christian at that time.  However, there was the hope of eternal life for practitioners.

The Christian situation is coming full circle.  People are leaving the Church in significant numbers.  No more is it very advantageous to be a Christian.  There is much to regret in the loss as many Christian values like the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death no longer penetrate public life.  However, the time is upon us to experience intimate friendship in the Lord as we give exemplary testimony to him with our lives.

Sunday, October 16, 2022

 TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Exodus 17:8-13; II Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8)

Who are the Amalekites?  They appear in today’s first reading, but in almost no other part of the Bible.  Nor are they found in many anthropological studies.  There is good reason for these absences.  In the verse that immediately follows today’s reading, God Says, “I will completely wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heavens.’”  Like the Nazis the Amalekites hated Israel.  Neither did they respect the Lord, the God of Israel, even after His impressive victory over Pharoah’s army.  It seems that they attack the Israelites for no other motive than hatred.  For this reason, it can be said that the Amalekites represent a compendium of evil.  They symbolize prejudice with hatred, and also all the evil caused by natural catastrophes.

In the gospel Jesus instructs his disciples how to face overwhelming evil.  He has just informed them of the trials that will come at the end of time.  He said that they will be persecuted and will suffer greatly.  In Nigeria, the Middle East, and China Christians risk their lives when they attend mass.  To overcome this type of evil Jesus exhorts his disciples to pray untiringly.

Constant prayer springs from an unbreakable faith.  The person with this faith does not waver wondering if God is listening.  Rather, he or she accepts Jesus’ teaching that God is like a doting father always ready to help his children.  All He wants is that they ask Him with persistence.  To emphasize the need to pray with persistence, Jesus tells the parable of the so-called “Unjust Judge.” However, as in the case of the “Prodigal Son,” a better name can be given to this parable more in conformance with its meaning.  It is the parable of the “Insistent Widow” who does not cease to demand what is hers by right.

Jesus recommends to his disciples that they pray with the same insistence when they confront great evil.  He says that they are not going to be disappointed.  Once an African American pastor was teaching his congregation the need to pray without tiring.  Having grown up in times of legal discrimination, the pastor told them: “Until you have stood for years knocking at a locked door with your knuckles bleeding, you do not know what prayer is!””

Although he does not mention prayer in the second reading, St. Paul suggests the same unbreakable faith to his disciple Timothy who is confronting many challenges.  As Jesus, Paul does not want his disciple to take recourse in crude

 methods but to use spiritual weapons.  He recommends the use of Scripture to carry out his duties.  Certainly, the Bible features incessant prayer as Moses does in the first reading.  The leader of the Israelites with arms raised in the form of prayer and clinging to the staff of God as if it were a rosary does not stop praying until the enemy is defeated.

The gospel passage ends on a disquieting note.  As if he were referring to our times, Jesus asks: “…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Today many have abandoned the faith of their ancestors.  Although some claim that they still believe in God, they do not want to submit to His will as found in the Bible.  One suspects that they do not pray much at home either.  Among these people we like find some of our children and grandchildren, other relatives, and friends.  We wonder, “What can we do for them?” Surely we should show them Christ by living just and holy lives.  But even more urgent is persistent prayer.  We have to pray persistently that they see the true light which is Christ.

Friday, October 14, 2022

 Friday of the Twenty-eighth week in ordinary time

(Ephesians 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7)

In his recorded homily last Sunday Bishop Robert Barron preached on the virtue of humility.  He said that humility is the source of sanctity because pride is the greatest of vices.  In demonstrating this spiritual truth, Bishop Barron featured Naaman, the Syrian general.  Despite his prominence, Naaman took the advice of an Israeli slave girl and the second-hand instruction from the prophet Elisha.  The result was not just his physical healing but his coming to know and praise the true God.

In today’s gospel Jesus recommends the same humility.  He tells his disciples to beware of the leaven or hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  He means that the Pharisees try to make themselves look important before others.  Their pretension, however, will end in the loss of their souls if it is not corrected.  The Pharisees and everyone else must acknowledge their weaknesses before God and neighbor as they pray for strength to overcome them.

We like to reflect on our strengths – good looks, discipline, sharp intellect, what have you.  In acknowledging these, we should give thanks to God for both natural endowment and the grace to develop it.  But it is more important to acknowledge our weaknesses – laziness, craving for food, clumsiness, etc.  Doing so, we can appeal to God for the saving grace to bear our crosses as His children.