FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

31 JANUARY 2021

 

          In the first reading, Moses addresses his people at the end of their forty-year journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.  God had called Moses, because Moses was a Hebrew and could understand the pain of his own kin.  God had put words in his mouth that allowed him to confront Pharaoh with the ten plagues.  Moses spoke for God during the Exodus, leading his people through the Red Sea, mediating the Covenant at Mount Horeb (the northern kingdom’s name for Mount Sinai), and showing them the manna provided by God for food and the water from the rock for drink.  He had faithfully told them all that God had commanded.  But all too often, they had rebelled and lost trust in both God and Moses.  Knowing God’s endless mercy, Moses promises that God will raise up for them a prophet like him to guide them, despite their tendency to harden their hearts and ignore God’s voice.

            Saint Mark sees this promise fulfilled over a thousand years later when Jesus enters the synagogue in Capernaum.  Jesus speaks to his own people.  Instead of citing Moses or the Torah, as the scribes did, Jesus speaks from his own authority.  He impresses the congregation with his words.  However, one member possessed by an unclean spirit knows exactly who Jesus is and understands his mission.  He knows that Jesus has come to destroy the power of the devil.  As an early sign of that mission, Jesus silences the unclean spirit and commands him to come out.  As a result, his fame quickly spreads throughout the whole region of Galilee.

            As we listen to Mark’s Gospel in the course of this liturgical year, we will hear Jesus consistently forbidding the recipients of his miracles from telling anyone. Jesus does not work miracles to bring attention to him or to benefit those who are close to him.  Only when Jesus speaks openly of his cross does he allow his followers to talk about his miracles.  His miracles will reveal his true identity as the Son of God after his death on the cross and his resurrection. 

Saint Augustine remarked about this passage, “These words show clearly that the demons had much knowledge, but entirely lacked love.”  The love of Jesus is fully revealed on the cross.  Knowledge is important.  But love is the best filter to use with the knowledge we have been given.  The love of Jesus silenced the imperfect knowledge and opened the door to the possessed person to a relationship with God and with the other members of the congregation.

We have knowledge about Jesus through the Words of Scripture.  We also know about the ultimate act of love that Jesus expressed on the cross.  But we can also harden our hearts and ignore God’s voice. We can choose to ignore the cross.  Instead of dying to ourselves, we can put our needs and desires before others, even those close to us.  Saint Mark does not specify the nature of the unclean spirit.  But unclean spirits still exist, and they can control us.  We can have an unclean spirit when we think that we are smarter than God, or if we allow our egos to get in the way of our relationship with God.  Unclean spirits can take the form of alcoholism or drug addiction, taking control of our lives.  Unclean spirits can drag us through the darker parts of Facebook or twitter, leading us away from the truth of God’s Word and God’s love.

At the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus drives out the unclean spirit.  At the end of the Gospel, he breaks through the locked doors where his disciples are hiding.  He breathes on them and gives them his mercy.  We heed the Lord’s call to repent when we have the humility to admit that we have unclean spirits.  The Lord can free us.  Saint Paul tells the Corinthians not to waste time in repenting.  He insists that they get rid of their distractions.  He says the same to us, urging us not to harden our hearts.  Instead, we can hear his voice and embrace the cross as the ultimate act of love and incorporate it into our daily lives.

 SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

17 JANUARY 2021

 

          John the Baptist is very familiar with the worship in the Temple in Jerusalem.  His father, Zechariah, has been a priest serving in the Temple.  His mother, Elizabeth, is from the Tribe of Levi, a tribe of priests.  He understands the dynamic of temple worship.  As a youth, he would have seen countless lambs brought to the temple at Passover every year.  They would be prepared for Passover meals in which people would commemorate the Exodus, when God led his people from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. 

            However, John dwells in the desert, a far cry from the carefully crafted worship patterns of the ornate temple.  In the desert, he tells two of his disciples to behold the Lamb of God.  Those of us who read the Gospel of John know that Jesus will eventually offer himself as the Lamb of God, sacrificed not on a sacred altar in the temple, but on a hill of execution outside the city walls.  His total self-giving love will free people from sin and death.

            The two disciples begin to follow Jesus.   When Jesus notices them, he asks the question, “what are you looking for?’  Instead of answering his question, they ask another, “Where are you staying?”  He invites them, “come, and you will see.”  They see where Jesus is staying and stay with him that day.  By deciding to stay with him, Andrew and his fellow disciple enter into an intimate relationship with Jesus.  In staying with him, they begin to be transformed by their intimate union with the Incarnate Word of God.  We see the change already.  Instead of calling Jesus “Rabbi”, Andrew tells Simon that he has found “the Christ.”  Simon’s transformation  begins when Jesus changes his name to Peter, or “Rock.” 

            This short discourse speaks volumes about the Lord calling each of us to be his disciples.  Jesus asks us the same question, “what are you looking for?’  In other words, he is asking each of us what we are seeking in life.  He is asking us what makes us truly happy and fulfilled.  He invites us to remain with him and allow him to find the fulfillment and happiness for which we were created and formed in the image of God.

            Our parish is in the midst of the second year of our five year strategic plan, the year of prayer.  It is through prayer that we remain with him and grow in a deeper relationship with him.  Once we have been nourished by the Eucharist, our time spent in prayer sustains that unique relationship.  Our reading from the first Book of Samuel helps us to learn to pray better.  Eli, the old priest, finally figures out that God is calling Samuel.  Instructed by his mentor, Samuel answers:  “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”  Like Samuel, we can spend more time in silence, listening to the Lord speaking to us.  Of course, speaking our intentions is an important part of our efforts to pray.  But too often our constant speaking in prayer becomes:  “Listen, Lord, for your servant is speaking!”

            Eli can help us adults to guide our young people as they discern the Lord’s call in their lives.  We can share our experiences.  Like Eli, we too can give advice and direction.  Those of you who are trying to discern the Lord’s call in your lives can trust us.  We can help you listen to the ways in which the Lord might be calling you to marriage, priesthood, or the religious life.

            As Saint Paul reminds the Corinthians, we have been formed as members in the Body of Christ.  Christians in that community were tempted to believe what the pagans believed:  that their bodies were totally separated from their souls.  If they believed this, then they could do whatever they wanted with their bodies.  We are faced with the same temptations.  Having formed a deeper union with the Lord, we can more fully commit our entire selves to the Lord, allowing him to form us into a stronger and more effective Body of Christ in our world.  

 

THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

10 JANUARY 2021

 

          John baptizes people as a sign of repentance.  Sinners emerge dripping wet from his baptism, promising to make changes in their lives.  However, John the Baptist points to one mightier than he who will baptize not with water, but with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus comes to John to be baptized, not because he is a sinner in need of repentance.  He submits to baptism to express his solidarity with sinful humanity.  When Jesus emerges dripping wet from the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit hovers over him.  As Isaiah had promised on the first Sunday of Advent, the Father rends the heavens and announces the identity of Jesus.  Instead of being identified as the son of a carpenter in Nazareth, Jesus is his beloved Son, with whom he is well pleased.

            We too have emerged from the waters of baptism dripping wet.  Although we were born into individual human families, we have become beloved sons and daughters in the family of Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit burned away original sin for those baptized as infants.  The Holy Spirit burned away all personal sins for those baptized as adults.  Today’s Scripture readings invite us to reflect on our identity with Jesus Christ as beloved sons and daughters on this last day of the Christmas Season.  They remind us of three realities which we might take for granted.

            First, we are reminded that God is the giver of all life.  When the prophet Isaiah invites us to come to the water, we realize that those baptized into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit see all life as a precious gift of God.  Dripping wet from our baptism, we can recognize all life, in all its complexity and beauty and power as God’s gift.  Not only do we express continual thanks for the life given to us, but we are also called to respect all life as a gift from God to be protected and honored from the moment of conception through natural death.

            Second, we emerge dripping wet from the waters of baptism to look for all that is new.  Jesus Christ embodies the reality of the Kingdom of God.  That is the essence of the Mystery of the Incarnation celebrated during this Christmas Season.  Especially these days, we are tempted to look back in anger and cynicism and point fingers at each other, blaming others for the messes we are in.  The Incarnate Word of God is constantly showing us glimpses of that Kingdom, of all that is new, keeping us from despair and being discouraged.  Grounded in his real presence in the Eucharist, we will see those glimpses if we keep our eyes and ears open.

            Finally, we emerge from the waters of baptism to realize that we are not alone.   We belong to a community of brothers and sisters.  All of us have water dripping from our brows.  The first letter of Saint John reminds us that we love each other when we love God and keep his commandments.  As we leave the Christmas Season, we can more easily see that all of us have much more in common than what divides us.  Aware of our membership in this community, we can have honest disagreements about theological and political issues.  But we can also treat one another with greater respect, entering into honest dialogues instead of putting each other down.

            Saint John reminds us that Jesus Christ came through water and blood.  Water identifies his purity, while blood speaks of his sufferings.  Through the waters of baptism, we are united with him in a bond of love.  Through the Eucharist, we are nourished to imitate that love.  Dripping wet from our baptism, the Holy Spirit continually guides and purifies us to become who we are:  the Body of Christ in this messy and confusing world.

 

THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

3 JANUARY 2021

 

          When the Prophet Isaiah writes to his people, he knows that they are in a very dark place.  Their excitement about being freed from captivity in Babylon has vanished.  Instead, they find themselves in the ruins of the temple and Jerusalem on Mount Zion with an impossible task of rebuilding.  In the midst of this darkness, Isaiah tells them to rise up in splendor.  “Your light has come,” he tells them, “and the glory of the Lord shines upon you.”  He says that this light of God’s presence is not confined to the residents of Jerusalem and Judah alone.  This light will be manifested as a beacon to draw all people to emerge from the thick clouds that cover them and be drawn to God’s presence in his temple and in his holy city. 

            Saint Matthew sees this promise fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ.  Like a shining star, his birth brings light to a people dwelling in the darkness of a harsh Roman occupation.  They have to endure the cruel rule of the narcissistic King Herod whose insecurity brings him to eliminate anyone whom he perceives to be a threat to him (even his children).  The dynasty of David has disappeared long ago.  Their hopes for a new messiah in his lineage have been plunged into darkness.

            The light of the Savior’s birth draws pagan astrologers from the east to Jerusalem, much as Isaiah had promised.  Ironically, those who are blessed with revelation from Sacred Scripture choose to ignore this manifestation of the Lord’s glory.  King Herod is threatened by the news of a new born king and sends the magi to find the child so that he can kill him.  Herod sets the tone in Matthew’s Gospel with so many religious authorities turning against Jesus, while pagans and foreigners are drawn to him.

            Saint Peter Chrysologus, the fifth century Bishop of Ravenna, says best what they find:  “Today the Magi find crying in a manger the one they have followed as he shone in the sky.  Today the Magi see clearly, in swaddling clothes, the one they have long awaited as he lay hidden among the stars.  Today the Magi gaze in deep wonder at what they have seen:  heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man, and one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body.  As they look, they believe and do not question, as their symbolic gifts bear witness:  incense for God, gold for a king, myrrh for one who is to die.”  Saint Matthew tells us that they departed for their country by another way, indicating that they have been transformed by this manifestation of the Lord’s presence.

            The Magi teach us how to recognize the manifestation of the Lord today.  In the Eucharist, we see with the eyes of our bodies what appears to be only bread and wine.  But we know through the eyes of faith that this is the very body and blood of the Lord.  Like the Magi, we kneel before this real presence and bring our own gifts – not gold and frankincense and myrrh, but the gifts of our hearts in praise and thanksgiving.

            Formed by this manifestation of the Lord’s presence, we can recognize how the Lord manifests himself to us, even in the darkness of this strange last year and in this New Year.  The Lord manifests himself in ways that we might expect, and also in ways that will surprise us.  Because everyone in my immediate family could not gather this year, our seminarians living with us in the rectory clearly manifested the Lord’s presence and hope to Fr. Mike, Fr. Nathan, and me.  Even though they are on break, they have given themselves in humble service to the parish.  They have prayed with us, cooked with us, and laughed together with us.  We have become radiant in what we are seeing.  Be sure to look around and see similar manifestations in your own lives, especially if you have not expected them.

 

MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

1 JANUARY 2021

 

          When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she had been chosen to be the Mother of God, he told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”  We can only speculate how Mary felt when she faced the consequences of her humble acceptance of that message.  Did she feel highly favored when she had to face the scorn of her neighbors in Nazareth for being pregnant before marriage?  How did she feel when she had to give birth to her child in a smelly stable, or when she and Joseph had to become exiles in Egypt, or even three decades later when she would see her son executed among thieves before a jeering crowd?  Although she certainly could not have felt blessed in these difficult times, she trusted the angel and maintained her firm faith that she truly was blessed:  full of grace.

            Her ancestors in the desert were also favored by God, but they were not without sin.  God had freed them from captivity and chose Moses to lead them through the desert.  When they were confronted with hardships and dangers, they complained and sought blessings from other gods.  That is why Moses reminds them in the first reading that they are truly blessed, truly favored by God’s action in their lives.

            Mary needs no reminder.  Despite the obstacles thrown into her path, she remains mindful of being blessed by God.  She sees through the darkness to trust the angel’s message.  Mary keeps this focus, because she keeps all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

            We are more like the ancestors of Mary than we care to admit.  Even though we are truly blessed by being baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ, we can lose hope and turn to other sources of comfort and consolation.  As we conclude the Octave of Christmas today, Mary invites us to renew our faith in the Incarnation, the Mystery of God taking on human flesh.  If God can come amid the shame and straw in a place smelling of dung, then God can come everywhere.  This Mystery does not end with this Solemnity.  God continues to dwell in our midst.

            Mary teaches us how to maintain this faith without getting discouraged.  Like Mary, we must keep all these things in our hearts.  That can be difficult in an era of instant communication and twenty-four hour news coverage.  We need to resist the temptations of responding immediately to Facebook and Twitter.  We need to be sure to separate the truth from so many allegations.  Like Mary, we must reflect on our lives in prayer, not responding immediately to the latest “breaking news,” but reflecting on the events of our lives in our hearts. For months now, we have been asking Mary’s intercession as we face the darkness and uncertainty of this pandemic.  As we enter into this New Year, she will not abandon us, as she shows us how to hope in the Nativity of her Son.  This year is the “Year of Prayer” at Saint Pius.  With prayer, we can see through the darkness to trust that we are blessed by God.