THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

17 NOVEMBER 2024

 

          As we come to the end of this liturgical year, our Scripture readings speak of the end of the world and the Second Coming.  They use apocalyptic images.  They are usually extravagant visons of things we have never experienced on this earth and often come with destruction and fear.  The Prophet Daniel uses apocalyptic images to speak of how “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.”  Mark also uses apocalyptic images to speak of the end.  The sun will darken, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky.  Most spectacularly, the Son of Man will come in the clouds.  Then, as often happens with these apocalyptic visions, we are told to be on the lookout for the end.  But, we are also told that we know not the time or the hour.  Only God can know the time or the hour.

            Too many times, those instructions are ignored.  People continue to look for the signs that the end is near.  For centuries, predictions of the end have failed to materialize.  So, instead of trying to determine when the end will occur, we can examine what the word “apocalypse” really means.  While apocalypse does involve the destruction and end of the world as we know it, the word actually means the uncovering or revealing of heavenly mysteries.  Instead of trying to determine the time when the Lord will come again, we can find our role in this uncovering or revealing in the fig tree that Jesus mentions.  Throughout the Old Testament, the fig tree is used to symbolize the Israelites, God’s chosen people.  In just a few chapters prior to today’s Gospel, Jesus curses the fig tree for not bearing fruit.  As baptized members of the Body of Christ, the image applies to us, because we are God’s chosen people.  Fig trees are supposed to be tellers of time.  Because they signal when the seasons are changing, we are called to be signalers for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  We are the fig tree that others can look at to see the coming of Christ.  We are able to do this when we produce leaves and bear good fruit.

            The Mysteries of the Kingdom of God have been revealed to us in many ways, especially in the readings from Sacred Scripture and in the teachings of the Church.  We are called to be heralds of those Mysteries by the way we live our lives, especially in this time of deep division and conflict, both in our society and in our Church.  We reveal these Mysteries when we cultivate good leaves by taking time to visit the sick or respond to the needs of the poor and the vulnerable, or when we show compassion to friends or family who are having a rough time.  We bear good fruit when we learn to respect the image of Jesus Christ in those who drive us crazy or in those who disagree strongly with us.  We bear good fruit when we offer ourselves in humble service, especially in the wonderful way that this parish feeds the hungry and homeless on Thanksgiving Day.

            In these last two weeks of this Liturgical Year, the Lord is not trying to frighten us into being good.  Nor does he want us to speculate when the end will come, either the end of our own lives or the end of the world.  Instead, he gives us a foretaste of the heavenly mysteries at this Mass.  He nourishes us to make sure that that we sprout good leaves on our fig tree and produce good fruit.  The Lord will come again at a time we cannot predict.  We can be a sign of that to others in ways we cannot imagine.  Even when this current Liturgical Year will end with the Solemnity of Christ the King next Sunday, a new year will begin on the First Sunday of Advent.  As fig trees, we have no reason to worry or be discouraged.

 

 

THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

10 NOVEMBER 2024

 

          We meet two widows in today’s Scripture readings.  The first is a pagan widow living several centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ.  She is suffering from the severe drought that has ravaged her region, the home of Queen Jezebel’s father.  As she gathers some sticks to build a fire to cook a final meal for herself and her son, a strange man approaches and asks her to make a little cake for him.  This is no ordinary stranger.  He is Elijah, the enemy of Queen Jezebel, who had called on God to bring about this drought in punishment for the sins of her and King Ahab.  The widow acknowledges that Elijah’s God is not her god in telling him that the Lord, YOUR God knows that she has no more food.  Elijah promises that if she uses the last of her flour and oil to make him a little cake, she will have plenty to feed herself and her son until it rains again.  He tells her not to be afraid.  She risks everything to trust this word of the stranger on behalf of his God.  Her incredible faith is rewarded, just as Elijah has promised. 

            In the Gospel, we meet another remarkable widow.  Jesus is been in the temple and criticizes the scribes.  They take advantage of the respect due to their office by parading in long robes, accepting greetings in the marketplaces, taking seats of honor in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.  They recite lengthy prayers as they devour the houses of widows, entrusted to their care.  Sitting down opposite the treasury, he watches rich people deposit large sums of money into the thirteen trumpet-shaped containers.  Those large copper coins would make a lot of noise and attract a lot of intention.  But he sees a poor widow who deposited two small coins worth a few cents.  No one would have noticed her contribution.  But Jesus does.  Like the widow of Zarephath, she risks everything.  She gives all that she has trusting that God will provide for what she needs, even when the greedy scribes who should have taken care of her did not.  Jesus contrasts her authentic piety and trust in God with the false piety of the scribes.

            The disciples must have remembered this incident in the temple.  Just a few days later, Jesus did exactly what that poor widow has done.  As the Letter to the Hebrews says, Jesus became both priest and victim.  Unlike the priests who offer sacrifices every day in the temple, Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross only once.  Jesus trusted the Father that death will not be the end.  By his sacrifice, Jesus took away our sins and reconciled us with the Father.

            Jesus invites us to imitate the faith of these two widows.  We need to trust that we can risk everything and receive more back than we can imagine.  We can trust his word, just as the widow of Zarephath trusted the word of God given by Elijah.  Fed by the Sacrifice of Jesus made present here as we remember it, we too can give of ourselves over and over again, risking everything in complete trust that we will receive back more than we could ever have given.

            At the time of Jesus, King Herod was renovating and enlarging the temple.  He must have depended on the wealthy to finance the construction.  Sadly, over the years, I have had to raise significant sums of money to build stuff.  In every fundraising effort, we had to hire professional consultants.  They wisely told us to do what Herod probably did:  approach those who were more financially endowed to begin the process.  We heeded their advice and raised the funds necessary to build lots of buildings, including a new church.  But we never forgot those who gave what they could.  We listed all givers on a public wall, not by advertising what they gave, but by listing them in alphabetic order, no matter what they were able to give.  The Lord knows the sacrifices of all of us, especially the more important sacrifices that do not involve money.  He accepts our risks and offers great returns on those investments.

 

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

3 NOVEMBER 2024

 

In the Gospel of Saint Mark, scribes and religious leaders usually ask Jesus.  They want to trip him up and expose this self-taught rabbi from Galilee as a fraud.  However, this scribe is not hostile.  He understands that keeping the commandments shows reverence for God and involves the correct act of a believer seeking to respond to God’s covenant of love.

Knowing that the Pharisees have developed 613 different laws from the Torah, he seems genuine in asking Jesus his opinion.  Of all those laws, he wants to know which commandment is the greatest.  Jesus does not hesitate.  He quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (our first reading today) and recites the Shema, Israel, the prayer prayed by all faithful Jews every morning and evening: “Hear, O Israel!  The Lord our God is Lord alone!  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

Without skipping a beat, he then quotes Leviticus 91:18: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Neither of these commandments are original.  Both are widely known by the faithful.  However, Jesus is the first to join them in such a radical way.  They cannot be separated from one another.  It is impossible to love God (and keep the first three commandments) without loving neighbor (the last seven commandments).

The scribe confirms the correctness of Jesus’ answer.  He also adds a statement that is remarkable for a scribe: “loving God and neighbor is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  Scribes are closely connected with the temple and temple worship.  They work with the priests who would offer the animals in sacrifice on the altar in the temple.  Animal sacrifices and the burnt offerings are part of worship in the temple.  People would bring them on a daily basis.  But the scribe understands that these offerings are merely external manifestations of an internal desire to be in union with God.  Jesus affirms his correct understanding and tells the scribe that he is not far from the kingdom of God.

We who are disciples of Jesus Christ know that his perfect sacrifice of self out of love for us has replaced the sacrifices and burnt offerings of the ancient temple in Jerusalem.  As the Letter to the Hebrews tell us, he is both priest and victim.  His once and perfect sacrifice on the altar of the cross accomplished what all the former sacrifices had hoped for.  His sacrifice has reconciled us with the Father and has opened for us the kingdom of God.

To imitate that sacrifice, we must love God and neighbor with our heart.  We must love with all our heart.  For ancient people, the heart signified the depths of the person. We must love with our soul, which signifies our whole self.  We must love with our mind, submitting our thoughts and all our intellectual efforts to the love of God.  We must love with out strength.  When we love with all our strength, we realize that love is not just a strong emotion.  It is a decision to commit all our external achievements in the service of God and neighbor. Loving neighbor is never easy, as Jesus explains in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Neighbors are anyone we meet, including enemies and those who drive us crazy.

It is important that the Lord reminds us of these two central commandments of love on this weekend prior to the election.  No matter what happens in Tuesday’s election, and no matter which candidates will win, it is the love of God that remains at the center of our lives.  When we open ourselves to this incredible love, then we can trust more deeply in our great high priest, Jesus Christ.  He knows our fears and failings, because he shares our human nature with us.  But he is interceding for us.  Unlike us, he is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and higher than the heavens.           

 

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

20 OCTOBER 2024

 

            Along with Simon Peter, James and John form the inner circle of the disciples of Jesus. They had gone into the house with him when he raised a dead girl to life.  They were at the Transfiguration, where they caught a glimpse of the Lord’s true glory.  After the Last Supper, Jesus would take them into the Garden of Gethsemane with him.  These two members of the inner circle dare to ask an outrageous question: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” They want him to sit at his right and his left when he comes into his glory.

            They have delusions of power, honor, and prestige.  What makes their request even worse is that Jesus had just clarified his mission.  As Messiah, he would not win a glorious victory over their enemies.  Instead, the Father had sent him to be the suffering servant of the Prophet Isaiah.  He would be crushed in infirmity, crucified on a cross.  The cup he will drink will be the cup of betrayal, false accusations, and a humiliating death.  In his baptism, he will drown in the floodwaters of pain, torture, and death.  Only after drinking this cup and undergoing this baptism will he be raised from the dead.  He asks them if they can drink this cup and undergo this baptism.  Without knowing what they are saying, they agree.

            Jesus makes it clear to his inner circle that leadership is not about power, honor, or prestige.  Leadership is about humble service, which includes dying to self and carrying the cross of being a humble servant, a slave.  Jesus speaks these words today to all who form the inner circle of leadership, especially in the Church.  Pope Francis has the Cardinals in his inner circle to serve the universal Church.  Father Andrew has his inner circle of advisors to serve this parish.  Those in the inner circle of leadership cannot lord their positions over those they serve.  They must drink the cup of dying to self and be immersed in the baptism of carrying heavy crosses for the sake of those whom they serve.

            When the other ten hear this request, they become indignant.  They are not upset with the sons of thunder because they made this outrageous request.  They are upset because James and John had beaten them to ask what they wanted.  So, Jesus addresses all of them.  He addresses all of us.  Whether we are in an inner circle or not, disciples must drink the cup of self-denial and be immersed in the baptism of putting ourselves last.  As James and John will eventually learn, authentic disciples cannot share in the rising of Jesus Christ unless we share in his dying.

            As we hear this Gospel, we have an advantage which the original apostles did not have.  We know the end of the story.  We know that drinking the painful cup and being drowned in the baptism of death was not the end for Jesus.  But, we must listen carefully to his words.  We may want to have really good seats in the Kingdom of Heaven.  But, we too have to drink of the cup of suffering and be drowned in the waters of death on a daily basis.  Each of us must share in the cross of Christ in our own way.  At this time of heightened division in both our country and in our Church, perhaps there is a common call for all of us.  The Lord challenges us to drink the cup of humility and recognize his presence in everyone, especially in those with whom we disagree the most or those who rub us the wrong way.  We don’t have to agree or give up our convictions.  But we can treat them with respect and courtesy.  We can die to our dependence on social media, which tends to further divide and encourage hate and anger.  As much as we may disagree with one another, we must remember our original baptism.  We were drowned in the waters of baptism and raised to new life in Christ and in communion with his Church.  At this Eucharist, we share much more than what may divide us.  We share the cross, and the hope of resurrection.

 

TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

6 OCTOBER 2024

 

            The Pharisees ask Jesus a loaded question, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”  They know the answer to that question.  Moses allowed a husband to divorce his wife.  However, they want to draw Jesus into the current argument:  What constitutes the reasons for a husband’s decision to divorce his wife.  The stricter rabbis insist that a husband could file for a divorce only on the strictest grounds, such as infidelity.  However, the more lenient ones argue that any reason would suffice.  A man can divorce his wife if he does not like her cooking, or if he cannot get along with her family.

            Jesus avoids that trap.  He knows that a wife has absolutely no recourse in a divorce proceeding.  She can do nothing to defend herself and no option other than to accept the husband’s decision and moving on to a very uncertain future.  Divorced women are driven into poverty and the shame of being an outcast without a family.  As always, Jesus has compassion for the poor and the vulnerable.  So, he argues that Moses allowed divorce because of the hardness of people’s hearts.  He refuses to be drawn into the arguments of the day and responds by going to the heart of what God intends for marriage.  He quotes the second chapter of Genesis and insists that God created marriage as a permanent institution.  He argues that when a man and a woman become one flesh, that union cannot be separated.  What God has joined together, no human being can separate.  According to Genesis, which the Pharisees would understand as Moses speaking, God instituted marriage as a mutual love and harmony that cannot be broken.

            His disciples have difficulty with this radical teaching.  Even though they accept Jesus as the Messiah, they have not yet realized what he means by the kingdom of God.  That kingdom, won by his death and resurrection, will restore humanity to the original intimacy and love of Genesis.  That is why Jesus wants children to come to him.  Children have a remarkable ability to embrace the present moment without question.  The disciples musty learn that same lesson.  They will need to embrace his message of love and permanence with simplicity and trust.

            Jesus invites us to embrace this very difficult teaching about marriage with simplicity and trust.  As Catholics, we accept his teaching that marriage is a permanent institution that can be ended only in death.  We are part of the kingdom of God begun with his death and resurrection.  As all of you who married couples know, marriage is not an easy vocation.  It is very demanding.  I argue that married couples face greater challenges than we who live the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  The Church has clearly defined what constitutes a valid bond of marriage that can only end in death.  We embrace the teaching of Jesus and know that civil divorce does not end a valid bond of marriage.  That is why we have a Marriage Tribunal in our Diocese.  Those whose marriages have ended in divorce can approach the Tribunal to decide about the truth of that bond.  Most Catholics do not understand what an annulment means.  If you find yourself in this difficult situation, do not hesitate to approach Father Andrew.

Married couples need to do everything possible to cooperate with the grace given by the Sacrament to be faithful to their commitment.  When you experience difficulties, do not hesitate to seek professional help.  There are other movements today which support married couples.  The Bible begins with a wedding in Genesis.  It ends with a marriage feast in the Book of Revelation.  We are painfully aware that we do not live in a world of perfect love and intimacy.  But in a world of sin and division, we are invited to embrace the Kingdom of God like little children.  That means that married couples in a valid bond of marriage need the faith to enter into the dying of Jesus Christ, trusting that together, they can share in his rising.   

 

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

15 SEPTEMBER 2024

 

            Ever since leaving the Easter Season and returning to Ordinary Time, we have been listening to the Gospel according to Saint Mark.  He has been telling us about the early ministry of Jesus in Galilee.  In his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus had read from the Prophet Isaiah and announced that he was the promised and long-awaited Messiah.  Even though the locals could not believe in him, he called others who left everything and became his disciples.  They heard his teaching and witnessed his miracles to verify his identity.  He then chose twelve of them and sent them in pairs on a mission.  They accomplished miracles in his name and returned in triumph.  As their faith in him deepened, the opposition to him increased.  The religious leaders were beginning to plot against him and exploring ways to eliminate him.

            Today, Jesus leads his disciples to Caesarea Philippi, an area named for a local governor and his patron, Caesar.  They gather near the shrine dedicated to Pan, the pagan god of agricultural growth and fertility.  He asks his disciples to tell him the gossip about his identity.  They respond that some claim that he is John the Baptist.  Others claim that he is Elijah or one of the prophets.  Then he asks the key question: “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter responds with the correct answer: “You are the Christ.” 

            Then he tells them not to tell anyone, because he needs to clarify his role as the Messiah. He will not be a messiah who defeats the Romans.   He confirms that the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes will win the battle and have him executed.  He will be the suffering servant who will defeat the power of sin and death by entering into death itself.  Peter takes him aside and rebukes him, because Peter cannot imagine that his trusted friend and mentor would have to undergo such a horrible fate.  Jesus strongly rebukes him and calls him “Satan,” the one who tempted him in the desert to depart from the will of his Father.  Jesus then tells them that if they want to be his authentic followers, they must accept the same fate.  They have accepted the gift of faith that he has offered.  Now, they must live that faith by surrendering themselves to the incredible love that Jesus will embrace.  As authentic followers, they too must deny themselves and take up the cross of putting others and needs of others first.  They had not earned the gift of faith.  They had received it feely and without pay.  Now, they must embrace the implications of living that faith and spreading it to others.

            That is exactly what Saint James is saying in the second reading.  He acknowledges that faith is a free and unearned gift.  Like the other disciples of Jesus Christ, he is grateful for that gift and has openly accepted it.  But then he spells out the implications of living that faith.  An authentic faith in Jesus Christ involves embracing the cross and putting the needs of others first.  He gives a specific example.  If a disciple sees a brother or sister who has no clothing and no food and simply wishes them well, then that disciple is not carrying a cross or entering into self-denial.  Saint James points out that this faith is dead without the good works that would allow them to provide clothing and food to the poor person.

            This is the message for every one of us, who are disciples of Jesus Christ. Like Peter, we know that we are not following the teachings of a great human leader or prophet.  We are disciples of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who has defeated the power of sin and death by embracing his cross and giving his life completely to us.  When we are dismissed from this Mass, we are challenged to display our faith in very definite works of mercy and compassion.  Peter may have balked at first.  But he will eventually understand and embrace the dying of Jesus Christ and to share in his rising.  He challenges us to do the same.

 

TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

18 AUGUST 2024

 

          In our modern age, we are blessed with technologies to help us get around.  Last year, I bought a car that included “driver assistance technology.”  There are blind spot warnings in the side mirrors.  When I back out of the rectory parking place, a backup camera warns me if there are any cars coming on Dubail Street.  It has adaptive cruise control that automatically adjusts the speed when approaching a car in front of me on the highway.  They make driving safer.

            Saint Paul lived at a time before technology.  But when he writes to the Ephesians, he provides “living assistance training,” which can be helpful for all who have chosen to become disciples of Jesus Christ.  First, he tells us to watch carefully how we live.  The Greek word he uses for “live” is better translated “to walk.”  As disciples, we need to walk together in a way that we have as our goal a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ.  We need to be aware of what lies before us, but we also need to be open to the advice of those who are wiser.  If we keep our eyes firmly on the goal of the new and eternal Jerusalem, then we will be less likely to make impulsive and foolish decisions about what is important in our walking pilgrimage.

            Second, he tells us to make the most of the time God has given us.  Like the Ephesians, we live at a time where there is plenty of turmoil and lots of disagreements.  There are so many things that are totally out of our control.  Instead of wasting time worrying about what cannot be changed, we disciples need to get involved in some kind of humble service.  Even small acts of kindness can make a difference in an angry world.

            Third, he tells us that we must avoid being foolish.  The Book of Proverbs speaks about avoiding what is foolish and embracing what is wise.  In his letter last Sunday, Saint Paul urged disciples to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit helps us to avoid all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, reviling, along with all malice.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can replace these foolish attitudes with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

            Finally, he tells us to avoid being drunk.  There is nothing wrong with disciples drinking in moderation.  However, wise disciples do not drink and drive.  wise disciples do not spend inordinate amounts of time being fed by social media and those things that distract us.  Instead, disciples need to be drunk on the Holy Spirit.  Then we can sign psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another giving thanks to the Lord in our hearts.

That is why it is so important to continue to reflect with Jesus on the importance of the Eucharist as we continue our journey of faith together.  Jesus reminds us that God had fed his ancestors in the desert with manna during their journey in the desert as they walked together to the Promised Land.  Even though they had been fed by God, they still died.  Jesus invites his disciples to believe that he is the Eternal Word of God who has come from heaven and dwells in our midst.  We feed on God himself, eating his Body and drinking his Blood.  He gives himself as food and drink.  Those who eat his flesh and drink his blood will never die.

            We who share in this Eucharist trust his promise.  We know that eating his flesh and drinking his blood strengthens us to give of ourselves totally as he has given himself to us.  As we heard from Saint Paul last Thursday on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ is the first fruits of all who have died with him.  Fed by the Eucharist, we too can die to ourselves and trust his promise to follow where he has gone.