Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
(Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:9-31)
A dozen or so years ago sociologist Charles Murray published a book that
received national attention. Coming Apart
marshaled massive evidence demonstrating that the United States was becoming
increasingly stratified economically and socially. Although the liberal rich are criticized as
having an elitist disregard for religion and for wanton living, Murray showed the
opposite. His evidence revealed that the
rich were much more likely to go to church and have intact families than the poor. So do the rich in the United States act like
the rich man in the gospel parable today, or do they follow Christ?
Of course, the answer is, “that depends.” In the parable the rich man's sin is not
that he is wealthy but that he overlooks poor Lazarus lying at his door. He
probably is well-known in the community, but interestingly in the hereafter he
goes unnamed. Meanwhile, Lazarus dies in misery but is remembered by name
in eternal bliss.
Some rich, no doubt, faithfully follow the Lord. However, there is a
striking parallel between the rich in America and the rich man who ignores
Lazarus. With gated communities, first-class accommodations, and high-cost
private schools, the rich are not likely to see the poor struggling close by. They
much make extra effort to be remembered in eternal life.
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Wednesday, March 8. 2023
Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent, March 8, 2023
(Jeremiah 18:18-20; Matthew 20:17-28)
Chicago’s first “Mayor Daley,” Richard J., achieved a
reputation for political know-how. Once
he was criticized for asking a judge to appoint his son as a trustee in a class
action lawsuit. The appointment meant a
hefty financial reward. Daley told his
critics, “If a man can’t put his arms around his sons, and give them
a hand, then what kind of world are we living in?”” No doubt, the mother of
James and John asked Jesus to help her sons in today’s gospel with the same sentiment.
The woman expresses faith in Jesus when she makes her
request. Jesus takes no offense when she makes the appeal. What bothers him, however, is the concern for
high places, not just of the brothers but of all his disciples. He proceeds to insist that leaders in his
church must concern themselves with service.
There is nothing wrong with a desire to be
recognized and respected for doing what is right. But when our goal is simply to be praised, we
are liable to betray our purpose. As
Jesus gave his life to free us from sin and death, we should work for the benefit
of others. Because Church leaders preach
Jesus, they should serve with exceptional diligence.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
(Isaiah 1:10.16-20; Matthew 23:1-12)
Way back in 2015 Pope Francis emphasized the need that constituents
of the Church “walk together.” He was
commenting on church synods as one of the important results of the Second
Vatican Council. Synod literally means “walking
together.” A synod usually refers to
bishops from around the world meeting to discuss Church teaching and
practice. Francis, however, has extended
the concept to include all members of the Church. He hopes that bishops, priests and deacons,
religious and laity dialogue together on church concerns. He is not introducing a democratic form of
governance. He only hopes that the Church
reflect better Jesus’ teaching in today’s gospel.
Jesus is forming a church where equal dignity thrives. His disciples should be brothers and sisters to
one another. No one is to wear pompous
garments. Nor should one presumptively refer
to another by special title like “father” or “master.” Rather, all are to serve one another’s
needs. This rule applies especially to leaders
who have traditionally been called “ministers” (literally, “servants”) in the
Church.
Before there can be true dialogue, we must acknowledge our
failure to treat one another with equal dignity. Pastors have too often refused to listen to lay
perspectives on Church policy. Often
enough, laity have tried to claim bishops’ authority by claiming “we are the
Church.” As Isaiah admonishes in today’s
first reading, we all must make justice our aim. We are to redress the wronged, to hear what
women have to say, and to include the powerless in the decision-making process.
Monday, March 6, 2023
Monday of the Second Week of Lent
(Daniel 9: 4b-10; Luke 6:36-38)
When asked how he was doing, an old priest typically
responded, “Better than I deserve to be.”
Such a remark might be made as a dodge or a deception. However, from this priest, it probably conveyed
humility. The readings today recommend
this virtue.
The passage from Daniel communicates a rare communal
confession. The prophet recognizes the
sins of injustice and idolatry committed by his nation. In the gospel Jesus presumes that his
disciples carry sinful baggage. He tells
them that if they hope to be freed of it, they must acknowledge that they are
no better than others.
Humility and mercy go hand and hand. When we recognize ourselves as no better than
others, we can readily forgive others’ faults.
Like the old priest mentioned above, we should not deceive ourselves in
thinking we are better than others. Even
if we have been able to live relatively good lives, there is a commonness about
sin that make relative differences negligible.
Sunday, March 5, 2023
THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
(Genesis 12:1-4; II Timothy 1:8-10; Matthew 17:1-9)
The Hebrew word Shema names one of the best-known
passages in the Old Testament. It is found in the Deuteronomy, the book in
which Moses shares his final counsels to the people of Israel. The word itself
means "listen." Israel always has to listen well to what the Lord
says. In the first reading Abram is found doing exactly that.
When He speaks to Abram, God is putting into action His plan
to redeem the world. Ever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit there has
been a decline in human goodness. One of their sons murdered the other. After a
few generations the situation deteriorated so much that God decided to start
over. He sent a flood to destroy the earth except for the righteous Noah, his
family, and a pair of each kind of animal. But this did not solve the problem.
Soon after the second creation the men of Babel tried to gain fame by building
a tower that would challenge God in heaven. Now with Abram God tries a new
strategy. He will form a holy people from the lineage of Abram that will teach
the world His ways.
Abram must listen carefully to God. The project will not be
easy. At seventy-five years old, Abram is to leave his homeland to transplant
himself to a foreign land. However, as a man of faith, Abram does not hesitate
to carry the orders that he is given.
In the gospel God commands Peter, James, and John to listen
to Jesus, his son. Jesus is here to inaugurate the fulfillment of God's plan.
By his surrender into the hands of the Jews, his passion, and his resurrection
from the dead, Jesus will take away primordial sin from the world. He will
become the head of the redeemed people of God.
His disciples must now be assured that his going over to death will not
result in defeat. Rather, it will manifest his victory over death and regenerate
them as his brothers and sisters.
The other day an article in the newspaper indicated the human
preference of hearing what one wants to listening well. The author, who
identifies as "pagan forever" (that is, "pagan forever"),
criticizes the Bible for its extreme violence and sex. But he refers only to
the Old Testament: the stories of Abraham's trial, Jonah's captivity inside the
whale, and David's many wives. He doesn't mention anything about the person to
whom the entire compendium of evil is pointing. Jesus Christ is the most
prominent person in the Bible. He is presented there as the supreme teacher of
justice and the redeemer of all human sin. He teaches us how to overcome vices
through prayer and self-sacrifice. By sending his Spirit, he strengthens our
hearts and enlightens our minds to overcome every evil spirit confronts us.
Yes, it is difficult to listen to Jesus with so many voices
telling us what to do. Many people want to tell us what the good life consists
of. And many advertisements try to attract us with things that we supposedly
cannot live without. But we know deep down that there is only one voice that is
worth our full attention. God speaks to us in the Bible, particularly through
Christ in the gospels. Only to him should we pay full attention.