Friday of the Third Week of Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 321

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.

Because I am not a Veteran of any military service, the word honor had no particular resonance for me. I heard it used in movies about warriors; I heard Veterans in the VA talk of it. Its weight finally fell upon me as I attended the opera Carmen. 

Don Jose, the protagonist, is a dutiful soldier, attentive to his mother and affectionate with his sweetheart until he falls insanely in love with the gypsy Carmen. She shamelessly leads him on as he disobeys orders, challenges his commanding officer in a duel, joins a gypsy band of thieves, and renounces everything he stood for. Jose's mindless worship of the woman cannot justify his foolishness, dishonorable conduct, and murder. 

Having attended an opera, I won't say I have the same sense of honor as our Veterans; but I think I have at least a civilian's understanding. With it, I read the story of King David differently. 

David had every advantage of experience and authority over our young Jose, and Bathsheba was certainly not a seductive Carmen; so David's murder of Uriah is all the more dishonorable. When Nathan exposes the crime, we can suppose David's contrivance fooled no one but himself. 

Periodically, I must return to a statement by Reinhold Niebuhr, especially since I meet this mystery almost daily as a hospital chaplain: 

The high estimate of the human stature implied in the concept of "image of God" stands in paradoxical juxtaposition to the low estimate of human virtue in Christian thought. Man is a sinner. His sin is defined as rebellion against God. The Christian estimate of human evil is so serious precisely because it places evil at the very center of human personality: in the will. This evil cannot be regarded complacently as the inevitable consequence of his finiteness or the fruit of his involvement in the contingencies and necessities of nature.
Sin is occasioned precisely by the fact that man refuses to admit his "creatureliness" and to acknowledge himself as merely a member of a total unity of life. He pretends to be more than he is. Nor can he, as in both rationalistic and mystic dualism, dismiss his sins as residing in that part of himself which is not his true self; that is, that part of himself which is involved in physical necessity. In Christianity it is not the eternal man who judges the finite man; but the Eternal and Holy God who judges sinful man. Nor is redemption in the power of the eternal man who gradually sloughs off finite man. Man is not divided against himself so that the essential man can be extricated from the non-essential. Man contradicts himself within the terms of his true essence. His essence is free self-determination. His sin is the wrong use of his freedom and his consequent destruction.
      The Nature and Destiny of Man. Reinhold Niebuhr (1941) ISBN 0-02-387510-0

Professor Niebuhr has said this as well as anyone since the Divine Author penned the story of Adam and Eve. We sin because we choose to sin. We don't have to. There is no law that says we must. David's initial taking of Bathsheba was inexcusable; his murder of Uriah, beyond anything we should have to forgive.  

With that sense of horror for sin, we hear of God's merciful regard for David. he will forgive the psalmist who wrote Psalm 51. He will not revoke his word and the Messiah will be born of David's line, despite his dishonorable conduct. 

Lent is still a few weeks away but pondering God's mercy is never out of season. Other than our Baptism we have no claim on God's mercy. We dare not take it for granted. 

And when we do consider the Grace that is Freely Given to the Undeserving, we must be staggered by God's Goodness. 

Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 320

Therefore your servant now finds the courage to make this prayer to you. 

And now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth;

you have made this generous promise to your servant.

Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever;

for you, Lord GOD, have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever.”

Our first reading yesterday, from 2 Samuel, described Nathan's unexpected blessing to King David, that his descendants should reign forever in Israel. Today we read of David's response. He immediately went to prayer. The Divine Author says he "sat in the presence of the Lord." I suppose a king may do so.

Like the Virgin Mary a thousand years later, he praises God, "...you are God and your words are truth." He has received this astonishing promise. We might suppose a question naturally springs out of his heart, "Can this be true?
People unexpectedly seeing a long lost brother, sister, or child might say the same thing: "Is this happening? Can I believe my eyes? Am I dreaming?"

King David immediately grabs at what he knows, "The Word of God is true!"

In our time, under a siege of half-truths, alternate facts, and baldfaced lies, Christians must affirm our belief in Truth. God speaks truly to us; we speak truly among ourselves; we speak truly to the world. We have no need for exaggeration or deception; we can speak carefully and faithfully. We know that people rely on us to speak the truth; we should be recognized as honest men and women.

We also have a Spirit who affirms us in truth; that is, we have a intuition of what is true and reliable. That knowledge of truth may not be infallible. We have not been permitted to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But because we can talk over our concerns with friends and family who share our religious and spiritual values, we're not so likely to fall for telephone scams and conspiracy theories. The Bible teaches us to "test every spirit" and to beware of impetuous decisions. If an opportunity seems too good to be true, we know we don't need it. "No, thank you!" 

When the day comes that we cannot believe in government, business, entertainment or religion to speak the truth, our civilization will collapse. We will not dare to cross bridges for the builders may have cut corners. We will not enter private homes or public buildings. Food and drink will be tainted by the merchants who only look out for their own interests. Labeling will mean nothing. 

You can see this line of thought must descend into suicidal chaos.

Our existence begins with the Word of God, and the belief, "You are God and your words are truth."

David continues, "Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever..." 

The house is a biblical expression meaning David's royal descendants. But it finds many metaphorical echoes in our religion. Psalm 27 teaches us to pray: 

One thing I ask of the LORD;

this I seek:

To dwell in the LORD’s house

all the days of my life,

To gaze on the LORD’s beauty,

to visit his temple.

For God will hide me in his shelter

in time of trouble,

He will conceal me in the cover of his tent;

and set me high upon a rock.

This house is the temple, the Church, our Mother Mary's Love, our parish, our immediate family, and the Kingdom of God. Our sacraments, weekly liturgies and daily prayers are built on the rock of our faith, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. 

It is easy to wring our hands and worry that society doesn't honor marriage or family. Divorce, adultery, and abortion hang like nuclear clouds over us; they are dark, poisonous, and apparently fatal. But we have God's word to David, which is fulfilled to Mary, and revealed in the Resurrection from the Dead. With David we sit in God's presence, confident of our right to be here, assured of God's abiding care. 

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 319

I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
And if he does wrong,
I will correct him with the rod of men
and with human chastisements;
but I will not withdraw my favor from him
as I withdrew it from your predecessor Saul, whom I removed from my presence.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure
forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever.’”




The warrior king David understood correction "with the rod of men and with human chastisements." He was neither unfamiliar with nor averse to violence. He knew Moses' teaching and the Curses for Disobedience. found in Deuteronomy 28.:

But if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, your God, carefully observing all his commandments and statutes which I give you today, all these curses shall come upon you and overwhelm you

When he learned of the great favor the Lord was bestowing upon him, and that it came with the threat of extraordinary punishment, he was humbled and delighted. It did not seem like a blessing with strings attached. Rather it was a promise of "unconditional love." He and his descendants would never lose God's favor; they could be assured of God's mercy even when they sinned grievously. In fact, God's punishing hand for their injustice and immorality would prove God's enduring, engaged concern.
I often hear of this "unconditional love" in spiritual circles but the mystery, as I hear it celebrated, does not seem to expect rebuke or chastisement. Mothers are said to love their prodigal children with unconditional love; and sisters, their brothers. Even dogs are said to love their masters with UL, as if dogs have a divine facility which most people lack. There is only endless patience in their description of this otherworldly gift; and never a hint of irritability, much less anger.
I have never found the expression in any translation of the Bible.
But one could argue that God has given a promise of unconditional love to David and his descendants, including Jesus and his Church.
As I read the scriptures and watch the passing scene, I think receiving David's gift welcomes God's judgment on our guilt, the penalties of bad behavior, feelings of remorse, and the necessity for both reparation and atonement. Unconditional love recognizes the truth of Original Sin, that we inherit the guilt of our ancestors along with their gifts.
Don't wealthy people bequeath the privilege to their children? And if those children inherit a blood-stained wealth, the taint also falls on them.
As he was baptized in the Jordan River, Jesus anticipated the punishment for his past ancestors and his future descendants; that is, the yet-to-be-born Church. As he bore the cross, he bore our sins with their guilt, shame, grief, and remorse. He nailed them to the cross:

And even when you were dead [in] transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross

Accepting our baptism we accept both the guilt of original sin and the promise of salvation. We cannot ignore the duty to make reparation for crimes of the ancient past for they still haunt us; as, for instance, the slavery that evolved into Jim Crow segregation and racial violence. We cannot suppose "those people" should be over it by now. So long as anyone clings to the privilege of "white," some will be punished as "colored."
However, those who accept the Baptism of Jesus, eating his flesh and drinking his blood, are washed in the blood of the Lamb. Their guilt is expiated; their sins, atoned -- as they take up his cross of reparation and follow in his steps.

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

Lectionary: 318

But he said to them in reply,

“Who are my mother and my brothers?”

And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,

“Here are my mother and my brothers.

For whoever does the will of God

is my brother and sister and mother.”

Scholars regard Saint Mark's gospel as the first written "gospel." It was written somewhere around 65 CE. Until the appearance of this document, the word gospel referred only to the stories and preaching; or, more precisely, the "event" that was Jesus happening throughout the Roman empire.

The document begins with a simple statement of intent: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." and thus gave the word an additional definition, "a document containing the gospel."

At that early stage, it seems, the Church had paid little attention to Jesus' mother. She is referenced in only a few New Testament writings; and only those written after 65 CE. Saint Paul never mentions her, although he readily acknowledges that Jesus was "born of woman."

The gospels of Saint Luke and Saint John will give Mary far more recognition; they place her as a key figure in Salvation History. The miracle of salvation cannot move forward without her consent (Saint Luke), and she knows, understands, countenances and consents to the ministry of Jesus from Cana to Calvary (Saint John). In both gospels, she is a woman of wisdom, representing the Old and New Covenants and fully aware of her role.

Saint Mark, it seems, knew nothing of her. She appears incidentally amid the family of Jesus, which is described as hostile to his mission. They thought, "he is out of his mind."

However, Saint Mark's magnificent gospel had a much larger, far more important mission than to tell us about Jesus' family. Mark would have us understand that Jesus was utterly abandoned and apparently despised by everyone including the Roman occupiers, the Jewish authorities, the several Jewish parties (Sadducees, Herodians, Pharisees, etc.), his neighbors, and his family. Only in death is he recognized, by his Roman executioner, who is certainly the last person we would ever expect to honor him. If Jesus heard the Voice of Approval when he was baptized, and Affirmation when he was Transfigured, he is alone when he dies. Unlike the gospels of Luke and John, the Lord's mission will be accomplished with neither help nor sympathy from anyone. Even heaven maintains a stony silence as he despairs of redemption. We should understand his terrible abandonment as necessary for our salvation. It could happen in no other way.

The other gospels would present Jesus suffering in a softer light, although he truly died in every case. Saint Mark's portrayal of Jesus' agony allows the dying man neither comfort nor comforters. So we can understand Saint Mark's inclusion of "his mother" in the third chapter as not about her. The story serves his larger purpose.

Understanding, then, Jesus' terrible mission as a solitary messiah, we wonder where do we belong. The gospel explains: Jesus' true family are those who do the will of God; that is, those who will follow in his way of abandonment, who take up the cross and follow him. After reading the other gospels we have never doubted that Mary carried an extraordinary cross with extraordinary grace as she bore her son from Bethlehem to Egypt, and followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem.

In our time, when nothing happens unless its posted on Facebook or recorded on YouTube, when millions of people record their desperate existence with selfies in exotic places, we follow the One who disappeared into the shadow of death, whose cry was not heard.

Monday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 317​


If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.



Today's first reading from 2 Samuel recalls David's uniting the various factions of the Hebrews, his capturing the "stronghold of Zion," and establishing the city as his capital city, Jerusalem. Sometime later, he seized the Ark of the Covenant and brought it to Jerusalem, thus uniting his political power to God's religious authority. The divine author approved that historical event saying, "David grew steadily more powerful, for the LORD of hosts was with him." Jerusalem has remained as a center of our faith to this day, although it is a famously divided city with three major religions claiming it as home.

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln cited today's gospel in his "House Divided Speech," as he accepted the Republican nomination for a seat in the United States Senate. He began thus:

If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it. We are now far into the fifth year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slavery agitation. Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented. In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery, will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new -- North as well as South.

Two years  later, after failing to win a senate seat, Lincoln became the president, and the Civil War followed. Unfortunately (and predictably), the nation was not united by civil war. But the division in the house was transformed from "free and slave" to "white and black." As a result, many African Americans who were not slaves before the war, were stigmatized as "black" afterwards, by the emergence of a superior "white race." This happened despite the fact that most "blacks" had "white" ancestors, and many "whites" had "black" ancestors. (White slave owners were notoriously unfaithful to their wives, religion, and "racial purity.")
More than a century later, we remain a deeply divided nation as "white" people cling to a mythical superiority, very often at their own expense. Millions of 'white" people were well-served by "Obamacare," although they hated it and have tried to dismantle it. Secondly, millions of white children attend inferior schools because taxpayers do not support integrated schools. Finally, thousands of white men take their own lives each year with the guns they claim as a white man's privilege. Indeed, they are Dying of Whiteness.

King David's unified kingdom didn't last either. His wastrel son Solomon lived way beyond the government's means; he was said to have a thousand wives. The nation of Israel separated from Judah and built a new capital at Shechem, and then Tirzah, under King Omri. The two nations were never reunited.
Today we're watching the kingdom of Great Britain  splinter into its component parts. Ireland departed almost a century ago; Northern Ireland and Scotland may leave soon; Wales could follow. United by power rather than affection, some historians say "Great Britain" was always a chimera.

Clearly no nation can expect to be united by one race or one religion. David ruled over many different tribes who worshipped many gods. If he worshipped only the God of the Hebrews, his descendants -- to placate a restive populace -- serviced alien shrines even within the Holy City.
Nor does any national government rule over a single "race." The very idea of race is no longer credible. 

"if you want peace," Pope Saint Paul VI said, "work for justice." And forget about your superiority to anyone. 

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 67​

Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:

for there is no gloom where but now there was distress. 

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.

You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils.

Last year, In an apostolic letter, Aperuit Illis, Pope Francis announced that the Third Sunday of Ordinary time should be called "Word of God Sunday."  He wants all Christians to be steeped in the Word of God. He recalled the words of Saint Jerome, the great scholar known for his translation of the Bible, the Vulgate -- and for his blunt manner of speech -- “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”

Christians can be grateful that, despite its many translations, the Bible is eminently approachable. Although it was written and compiled many centuries ago, in languages and cultures very different from ours, its stories, songs, and proverbs describe a familiar world. More importantly, the Lord who inspired the Scriptures still guides our reading and understanding.

Occasionally, someone asks me about reading the Bible. "Where should I begin?" they ask. My first advice, "Join a church. The Bible is the handbook of the Church." When I was eleven years old my father gave me a birthday present, "Handbook for Boys." I didn't know what to make of it until he explained, "You're joining the Boy Scouts." There may have been some interesting reading in the book for a solitary lad, but its purpose was to guide me through the "classes" of Boy Scouting from Tenderfoot to Eagle. Christians read our "sacred handbook" together to discover what the Lord is saying to us. With that insight, I have a better understanding of my place, purpose, and direction within the community. Without it, I am lost in the world and the Church. 

The second thing I say about the Bible, "We wrote it." It didn't float down out of the sky, a tome full of fanciful history, heavenly songs, and ethereal advice. We wrote it over the course of many centuries; first in Palestine and then in other places, in Hebrew and Greek. We have no original copies of any its documents, only copies of copies. The Lord inspired our writing, our reading, preserving, translating, and compiling of these documents, which range from "books" to one-page "letters." The Catholic Church did not formally decide which books belong in the Bible until the Council of Trent although there was widespread agreement on the canon since the fourth century. The conciliar bishops were responding to Martin Luther's version of the Bible.  

Thirdly, if you want to understand the Bible, read a history of ancient Israel. The near east was ancient when Abraham lived there; the land was dotted with the ruins of abandoned cities; there were religions aplenty when the Lord called the Patriarch out of Ur of the Chaldees. Some verses of our Bible were written before he was born! The Jews didn't mind borrowing good advice from other nations just as we take good advice from our misguided culture. To read the word of God, you should know something about ancient Jerusalem, Babylon, Damascus and Egypt; their cultures, trade, warfare, and politics. The authors of the Bible were as aware of the geopolitical world as you and I are. They had to pay attention because Jerusalem was never a major player in the mid-east.

We study the Bible not to learn history but to discover who we were many thousands of years ago, and who we are today. We are the same people, gathered by the same Lord, and guided by the same Holy Spirit. There has been no rupture between that history and ours; we are descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We are the Church founded on the foundation of the Apostles. The Bible refreshes our memories so well some people think they need pay no attention to the twenty centuries since then, which would be a mistake.

The Bible gives us common references. Not everyone knows our allusions to Jonah, Lazarus, or Pontius Pilate. Many people cannot recite the Lord's Prayer. Even words like creation redemption, salvation, and grace are foreign to our contemporaries. Knowledge of the Bible identifies us and sets us apart.

We look to the Bible for inspiration. When we feel lost in this confusing, dangerous world, we turn to our ancestors, who knew all about confusion and danger. Their Spirit is ours; they lead us on.

Finally, we read the Bible because God wants to speak to us. And we want to hear. 

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

Lectionary: 519

I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.


Because I believe the Word of God which endures forever, I have come to believe that we cannot bear fruit that will last unless we are doing the work of God.
I have occasionally, as a tourist, visited old mansions in the United States. In Europe, they say, a hundred miles is a long way; in the US, a hundred years is a long time. For fabulously wealthy Americans, a hundred years is a very long time. Their wealth is usually dissipated by succeeding generations. When I've asked about the heirs of this or that magnate, the tour guide might say a distant niece lives in some distant place, and has little interest in this relic of the past.
But the word of the Lord endures forever.
Saint Paul supposed he was serving God as he set out to torment those ridiculous Christians who were walking in the Way. He intended to erase all memory of Christ from the earth. He was in for quite a surprize. Not only would the Word of Jesus endure, his name would be forever associate with the Nazarene. The Lord had chosen him to go and bear fruit.
The former Pharisee never built a house, never amassed a fortune, and lived pretty much hand to mouth as he travelled the highways and waterways of the Roman Empire. Apparently no one told him he would need money to travel, so he didn't bother to collect it; he just went. Wherever the Spirit sent him.
Similarly, when he landed in jail, as he often did, he took advantage of the opportunity to write letters to the churches he had founded, and to tell his jailers and fellow inmates about the Lord. Why waste an obvious opportunity?
This annual Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul reminds us of our own responsibility and privilege; we know the Lord and we tell others about him.
People are naturally curious about their neighbors and colleagues; they wonder where we find the encouragement and spirit to live our values. Why do we deal honestly with people? Why are we optimistic and hopeful when the economy tanks and the wrong party is in office?
Even if they don't ask they're going to know we keep holy the sabbath, we protect the unborn, and we honor the institution of marriage.
As Saint Peter said, "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope..."
And invite them to come with you to Church.

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church

Lectionary: 315

So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul’s mantle.

Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul’s mantle.

He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master,

the LORD’s anointed, as to lay a hand on him,

for he is the LORD’s anointed.”

I am not a Veteran of military service but have worked as a chaplain in the VA for the past twelve years. I have heard it said that the military is second only to the Church for it's sense of ceremony. They maintain their values and discipline with ceremonies from induction to discharge, from dawn to dusk and throughout the night. I have met few, if any,  Veterans who didn't take these ceremonies and their values very seriously. Flags are raised, saluted, lowered and properly stored. Uniforms, weapons, medallions and their significance are treated with reverence. Nothing is more sacred than the body of a fallen comrade. They will be returned to their homes and families regardless of the expense. I can only wish I found the same zeal among Catholics, both clergy and lay.

In today's gospel, the warrior David shows admirable deference to "the Lord's anointed." By most standards, neither he nor Saul should be called a king at this point in history. They are guerrilla leaders fighting a common enemy and struggling with one another. Saul has the advantage of precedence and age; David enjoys youth, superior abilities and God's favor. He is also devout; he will not violate the Lord's anointed although Saul, the anointed one, has been notoriously indifferent to the Lord's commands.

Three thousand years later, after four centuries of the Enlightenment and the hegemony of Science, we struggle to find the holy in a secular world, and to live like a holy people in a culture that measures, tabulates and assesses everything but the sacred.

Our reverence for people, places, and thing; for language, song, and symbols; begins with a "Davidic" awareness of God's presence and authority. "I am under obedience. God's eye upon me. I know that I am God's representative in this place." 

Reverence need not be scrupulous, as if the Lord is continually looking to withdraw his divine favor. David never learned that kind of lesson from watching Saul's fall from grace. Children, growing up in a sanctimonious household where everything they do -- essentially they themselves -- are judged and found unworthy of God's goodness, balk against such joyless religion. If their religious formation ends there they will leave and never look back. I often meet such men in the VA hospital. 

In his Letter to the Ephesians, Saint Paul gives simple advice about way of life; especially, "Do nothing to grieve the Holy Spirit." With our daily examen, we pay attention to the Spirit that is guiding us. We recall our conversations and activities and ask, "What spirit was guiding me at that time? Was it pleasant, or fearful, or suspicious, or confident? Eager or reluctant? Is anything weighing upon my spirit? A decision I must make but am putting off? (Perhaps it's not yet time to make that decision.) 

In prayer we return to a confident assurance that the Lord is guiding us, and especially when we can't figure where we're going. 

David showed an admirable, honorable restraint as he dealt with Saul. Anointed by the last of the Judges, Samuel, who had switched his allegiance from Saul to David, the young warrior bided his time. Although he had the vindictive Saul in a stupor at his feet, he would not kill him. He let God arrange for his promise to be fulfilled.  

Saul finally died in battle; but, many years later, King David died of old age in his own bed, with his beloved Bathsheba close by and several old friends. Not many rulers have enjoyed that privilege. Perhaps the Shepherd King won it when he restrained his hand. 

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 314

A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.

Today's gospel describes a massive reaction to Jesus' ministry as thousands of people flock to him from every point of the compass. They seek healing from every kind of ailment. If we ignore Black Friday sales, Americans never see such desperation; we can hardly imagine the wretched condition of these men, women, and families.

After twelve years as a chaplain in the VA hospital, seeing the ravages of Big Pharma and the alcohol and tobacco industries, I have a better appreciation of our human, sheepish naivete. Children are especially gullible but, in a world of increasing complexity and confusion, anyone is apt to fall victim to wolves in sheep's clothing. Most of those who have died of heroin and fentanyl overdoses were not "bad people." They were ordinary citizens who accepted bad advice.

In many cases, but not all, they lacked a religious tradition that would steer them away from utter nonsense. Engagement and frequent conversation with other people, family, friends, and fellow members of a church, can give one a better intuition of what is suspiciously not right. When the medical industry echoed Big Pharma's sales reps saying, "No one should ever suffer pain!" they would have known that's not true. Our memories of Jesus born in poverty and dying on a cross tell us suffering is a normal part of human life. Catholics always have before their eyes, just above the altar, the crucifix. This tradition tells us, while the worse pain might be eased, it cannot be eliminated.

But how do we deal with suffering? Some people think their pain or, more often, the pain of distant strangers, proves there is no God. That's not helpful.

We ask the Lord to guide us, to send us that Holy Spirit which tells us which way to turn. As Isaiah the Prophet said,

No longer will your Teacher hide himself,

but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,

And your ears shall hear a word behind you:

“This is the way; walk in it,”

when you would turn to the right or the left.

Without the Spirit of God, which often seems to whisper in our ears, we have no knowledge of Jesus or his Father. That Spirit is not a vague memory of a glorious past; it is not a clinging to "tradition" for tradition's sake. Rather, it is the Lord's walking with us in the present moment, in good times and hard. God owes us no answers to all our questions but readily gives us the Spirit to guide us through this difficult moment. 

The Spirit lives especially in our gatherings as we encourage one another in the faith. Isolated, I am lost, but we will never be lost, even as we walk through the valley of death. We may be miserable at times, distressed and confused, but the Spirit in our hearts still assures, "This is the way, walk in it."

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

Lectionary: 516A​

Hear me, O coastlands, 

listen, O distant peoples.

The LORD called me from birth,

from my mother's womb he gave me my name.

Today the Catholic Church remembers the tragic Roe v Wade decision of the United States Supreme Court to annul every federal and state law that banned abortion. That decision invited a Pandora's box of plagues, including child abuse, drug abuse, and suicide. 

If you click on the link above to the Catholic Bishops' web site and its recommendations for readings at today's Mass, you'll find a large assortment of readings from the Old and New Testaments, from Isaiah to Maccabees, and Matthew to Revelation. The Scriptures are saturated with the Gospel of Life; the practice of abortion has no place in a Christian spirituality or tradition.

My reading in the last several months has explored racism in the United States and around the world, the epidemic of drug addiction, and the horrific exploitation of the seas. Despite the frequent occurrence of heinous crimes, the careless waste of human life and the unimaginable suffering of millions of people, I have found few criminals. Most prosecutions of serious evils result in acquittals, and convictions settle only on the least offensive actors, those who could not afford lawyers. These little ones are more often sinned against than sinning. Abortion, like environmental pollution and poverty, is less a sin of guilty individuals than a universal violation of God's sovereign law; we're all engaged and we're all responsible. 

I don't know whether the polarization of our society began with racism and our historical investment in slavery, or with the abortion debate. I find it hard to believe it's about socialism versus capitalism, since neither major party wants the extreme of either philosophy. Republicans do not want to dismantle all government services and turn streets, parks, and law enforcement over to private companies; nor would Democrats espouse total government control à la North Korea. While accusations of "socialism" abound, it's only idle mudslinging. How to manage an economy is clearly not the polarizing issue.

Demonizing one's opponents will not restore reverence for human life. There are evil persons but they're usually law abiding, and most criminals are not bad people. The convicts I visited in Louisiana jails loved their children and agonized when they could not celebrate their birthdays. Most people scoff at some laws; they risk speeding tickets and parking fines. But few are criminals. When the president speaks of some people as "bad people" he is clearly catering to immature minds, perhaps the next generation of voters. Adults don't think like that. I am often astonished that good people I know vote for Donald Trump; and they are equally surprised that i do not. Neither party is bad. Nothing is gained by holding willfully ignorant beliefs about one's opponents.  

The ethic of life espoused by our Catholic Church begins with the humility of God. The Lord inclines his ear to save his people, bowing before our divine likeness. Saint Francis urged his disciples to, "Look at the humility of God!"

O humble sublimity! O sublime humility! that the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under a morsel of bread. Consider, brothers, the humility of God and "pour out your hearts before Him, and be ye humbled that ye may be exalted by Him. Do not therefore keep back anything for yourselves that He may receive you entirely who gives Himself up entirely to you.

Unfortunately the teaching of God's humility has been treated as spiritual rather than theological; it usually appears in treacly tracts about the Lonely Jesus in the tabernacle. Meanwhile, the world knows nothing of God's humility, and the Church rarely mentions it. 

Clearly, polarization is failing. It will not serve the cause of life. Rather, the imitation of Christ invites us to regard our enemies and political opponents with the same deference of Jesus before Herod Antipas, Annas and Caiphas. We can speak modestly as Jesus did to Pilate, reminding them they would have no authority were it not given from above. We can let Truth speak for itself without threats of harm or retribution. We can demonstrate kindness, patience, and respect to those who seem to worship an alien god. 

Americans, and the world, should have learned from Prohibition that creating unpopular laws against sinful behavior invites illegal behavior. If one demon is ejected, he will return with seven worse than himself. 

The United States is a consumer-driven society and consumers believe they have the right to purchase whatever they want; be it alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, firearms, or abortion. Not many prolifers would readily surrender their consumer rights, but that's where the change must begin. 

When he took on human flesh, the Lord surrendered many divine prerogatives. But God's kenosis teaches us to stay in the game, to practice integrity despite scorn and ridicule, to respect the most disrespectful opponents, and to anticipate a Savior who will establish the Kingdom of God. We don't know what that Kingdom will look like but we're sure the Lord will do what we cannot:

Love and truth will meet;

justice and peace will kiss.

Truth will spring from the earth;

justice will look down from heaven.

Yes, the LORD will grant his bounty;

our land will yield its produce.

Justice will march before him,

and make a way for his footsteps.

Memorial of Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr

Lectionary: 312​

“I have found David, my servant;

with my holy oil I have anointed him,

That my hand may be always with him,

and that my arm may make him strong.”

Both readings today, and the responsorial psalm, refer to King David, the third and last of the most important Old Testament persons. With Abraham and Moses, he figures prominently in the reformulated religion that is the Church and Christianity. Jesus first, and then the apostles and evangelists, recalled these champions as they scraped the barnacles of Pharisaism off the Jewish tradition. If Christianity seemed an offshoot of Judaism, or an attempt to reform its mother religion from outside, Christians knew it as the true and ancient faith of Abraham, Moses and David.

Our story from First Samuel recalls God's decision to remove the warrior commander Saul from headship, and appoint an inexperienced, young shepherd in his place. David was such an unpromising lad that his father Jesse did not bother to present him to Samuel when the old man appeared in his house. He was out in the pastures tending the flocks and could stay there for the time being.

But Samuel was on a mission, sent by the Lord to appoint Saul's replacement, and he could see that none of the Jesse's older sons would measure up. Despite their size, strength, charm, and handsome appearance, they lacked one critical asset, God's favor. Samuel knew the blessing was meant for this house and one of Jesse's sons; and so he waited for the boy to appear.

Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,

anointed him in the midst of his brothers;

and from that day on, the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.

We have seen that same Holy Spirit rush upon Jesus as he was baptized in the Jordan River. Sharing Samuel's gift of prophecy by our Baptism, we can see that Jesus is the One, despite his unpretentious appearances in the manger, the temple, and on the cross. We are persuaded by his "disappearances" after his crucifixion, when we caught a glimpse of him in Emmaus, the Upper Room in Jerusalem, and on a mountain in Galilee. The Son of David is the Son of God.

In today's gospel, the Lord reminds his critics of David's freedom. David had God's spirit and knew the mind of the Lord. He wanted what God wanted and could do as he pleased, with the confidence of God's endorsement. In later years, he would grow indolent -- "fat, lazy, and stupid" -- and would commit awful crimes; but for the time being, in his struggle with Saul, he had God's full support.

But, Jesus, the Son of David never lost his edge. Where the ancient king of Jerusalem died in his bed, surrounded by comfort, Jesus died on a wooden cross.

As we celebrate the virgin martyr Agnes we ask the Lord to help us keep this sharp, intense, zealous dedication to the Lord. It is easy to become used to the privileges of clean water, safe food, and reliable services in a stable economic/political society. Because we rarely have to go hungry, we lose the taste for fasting. But we should know there are costs for this ease, and they are paid by the world's poor. Our security is a house of cards, and our martyrs remind us that freedom is not free. We pray that we will be found worthy of their company when the crisis comes.

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 311

But Samuel said Saul: “Does the LORD so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the LORD? 
Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. For a sin like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he, too, has rejected you as ruler.”


When the prophet Nathan exposed the King's sins of adultery and murder, David immediately repented. Unlike his predecessor, Saul, he did not claim that he obeyed the LORD "and fulfilled the mission on which the LORD sent me." 
Nor did he point to the complicity of others, as Saul did when he said that his soldiers "took the sheep and oxen, the best of what had been banned, to sacrifice to the LORD their God in Gilgal.” 
David trembled with fear that the Lord might "drive me from before your face, (and) take from me your holy spirit." (Psalm 51: 13) 
Jesse's son remembered that Saul, his mentor whom he loved like a father, had lost his wits. He had become paranoid and obsessive when the Lord withdrew his Spirit from him. The talented, commanding leader of the people had died, apparently by his own hand, during a battle with the Philistines. 
David's authority as king, indeed his very identity, was rooted in the preference God had shown him. Should that favor be withdrawn, he would certainly go mad. The stresses of power, with its isolation and privileges, with its daily, continual problems to be addressed and crises to be resolved, would drive anyone insane. Without God's daily guidance, strength, and regenerating energy, David feared for his sanity.

Millions of people today face that crisis as their lives fall apart. The Lord pledges enormous grace to us in Baptism; it is the source of our identity. It describes our mission as God's sacred presence; we are sent from Jerusalem to testify to what we have seen and heard. 
That divine election, however, is demanding, as Samuel reminded Saul. We can't do things the way everybody else does. We can't conform to the expectations of others, even those pious others who tell us how we should sacrifice sheep and oxen to the Lord. 

"Obedience is better than sacrifice,and submission than the fat of rams."

Without that fundamental relationship with God, every other relationship totters on unstable foundations. Without it, many people lose their wits. 
The story of Saul is a tragedy for the ages. David learned the lesson and repented when his sin was exposed. Punished with the death of Bathsheba's son, he recognized the stern but merciful hand of God. 
Our religion teaches us to do penance. We have our penitential seasons of Advent and Lent; and the Sacrament of Penance. Confessing our sins to a priest, we experience the intensity of God's very personal light in the darkness of our private sins. He knows us; He always knew us; He forgives and welcomes us home again. 
Within the folds of that sacrament we often repeat the words of our ancestor David, 

Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities. A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 64


John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.


It is no accident that the presider of every Mass charges the congregation to "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." The Church takes the words from Saint John the Baptist and we offers the Eucharist with the same drama as when John greeted the Coming of the Lord. This Eucharist is the Lamb of God and we welcome it with the same joy and eager anticipation as the Baptist. 
The title has a long history. Abel offered an acceptable sacrifice of a lamb to God when Cain offered his sacrifice of grain, which was not accepted. Ever since Moses led the Hebrew slaves through the Red Sea to freedom, their descendents offer a Pascal Lamb during the Passover. The lamb would be newborn as the ewes bore their young in the springtime. The Jews delight in the tender meat of Seder as Christians delight in the Eucharist. Before he died, the Lord gathered his disciples to the table and celebrated the Passover with them. He must have known what they did not suspect, this would be his Last Supper, and our First Mass. 
When Saint John recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God he announced the acceptable sacrifice which Jesus the High Priest would offer to God; that is, himself -- in expiation and atonement for our sins. 

While we are beholding Jesus we should also notice John's statement, 

"I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me...."

We know Jesus because the Holy Spirit points him out to us. As Saint Paul tells the Corinthians (1:12) "...no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the holy Spirit."
We know the Lord by the Spirit he and the Father give us. That Spirit animates our generosity and courage while it calls us to repentance for our sins. Growing in the Spirit I must become more sensitive to those around me, more aware of their patience with me, and more aware of their dignity, virtue, and integrity. The Spirit of Penance not only shows me my sins, it also shows me how my companions and my Lord forgive my sins. Without that atmosphere of mercy no one could breathe. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is often recognized as the breath, or atmosphere of God; essential to our life as Christians. 
Setting out into the new year, with the Christmas season behind us, we ask God to help us behold the Lamb, and follow in his footsteps.  
We should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. the leader and perfecter of our faith. 

Saurday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 310

There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish,

who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror,

son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.

He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man.

There was no other child of Israel more handsome than Saul;

he stood head and shoulders above the people.

So begins the story of King Saul. He was a handsome young man, a ferocious warrior, and a capable military commander. He had the favor of God, the support of the judge Samuel, and the enthusiastic confidence of his people. But he had one tragic flaw, a trait as fatal as Oedipus' conceit and Leer's arrogance. He supposed he knew the ways of God. 

It's a mistake children make of parents, to which the parent replies, "I don't care what other parents say or do, you are my child and I am your parent!" I suppose there are husbands and wives who say something similar to their spouses, "You cannot and will not compare me to anyone else!" And parents have to reckon with their children because each one is born with personality and is not like other children. 

Several years ago there was a phrase making the rounds, "What would Jesus do?" It was marketed as WWJD, and taken seriously by many people. I was never comfortable with the slogan. 

What would Jesus do if he were alive today? If a first century Jewish Palestinian rabbi were in this situation? What kind of question is that? 

Jesus is alive today. He gives us his Holy Spirit to guide us daily and hourly. Why don't we ask, "What does the Holy Spirit tell me to do on this, the eighteenth day of the twenty-first year of the twenty-first century?" 

It is easy to second-guess what people should have done in the United States in 1941 to avoid the Second World War; or 1860, to avoid a civil war; what the Pope and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux should have done in 1096 to avoid the Crusades. But we weren't there, we cannot fully comprehend the situation, and we don't know what the Holy Spirit counseled at that time. We can no more second-guess them than we would ask, "What would Pope Urban II do in this situation?" 

True, there are general principles about how to raise children, how to address one's spouse, and how to approach God. They are useful and not to be lightly dismissed. They are handy tools but they cannot replace the face to face encounter with the Beloved. 

The Lord invited Saul to lead the people with Him, and Saul took charge as if he could replace God. Despite all the signs, he would not accept David at his right hand as an equally capable and loyal commander. And then he did as his enemies did, allowing his soldiers to pillage and steal, instead of putting all the captured treasure under the bann. Losing God's favor he became suspicious and paranoid, which finally led to his defeat and death. God removed him in favor of David, his loyal servant. 

Saul's is a tragic, familiar story of one blessed by God but unable to discern the difference between God's favor and his own merits. Like many of today's world leaders, he thought he was indispensable and irreplaceable, that he would live forever. 

Learning from his story, we approach the Throne of Mercy each day, asking the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and desires, our impulses and choices, and to be with us even when he tells us to stand down.