Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

 Lectionary: 324

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.

Anyone outside, glancing up, will notice the sky and its clouds. We often look upwards to make a quick forecast of what might be coming. We notice the density of the clouds. Are they thin and wispy? Are they dense and heavy? Will there be sunshine today, or rain? 

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. During the worst days of the pandemic when I celebrated Mass alone in the VA hospital chapel, I could only hope that some patients might have their TVs set to our chapel channel. And I engaged my imagination and relied on that heavenly cloud of the saints and martyrs, the quick and the dead, with Mary and all the angels to be there for me.  

Hebrews' allusion sends us back to Mount Sinai where Moses encountered the LORD in a dense cloud. It recalls Solomon's priests who carried their smoking thuribles into the temple's Holy of Holies but were soon driven out when the Cloud of God's Glory -- the Shekhinah -- filled the sanctuary. As we enter that cloud we "rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus..."

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 323

Yet all these, though approved because of their faith, did not receive what had been promised. God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect.

In today's Gospel, Jesus restores an unfortunate outcast to his family and village. The madman is no longer possessed by a legion of demons and resumes his place among his people. In response, the townsfolk beg him to leave the district. Hello? What happened?

Beyond healing the demoniac Jesus's mercy has seriously disrupted the local economy. I suppose their systems had even fewer safeguards than ours and would not easily recover from the loss of two thousand swine. It was worse than bird flu in the United States, and the destruction of 52.7 million chickens. 

Jesus seemed to be killing the region with kindness and they begged him to go away, please! They preferred to put off any further healing, reconciliation, atonement, and restoration of original harmony. "We've had enough for now thanks!" they might have said. 

As we read the Gospel of Saint John we hear the Lord pray "that all may be one." That atonement ("at-one-ment") will certainly come for Jesus has prayed for it. But it will not be like the sudden restoration that comes at the end of many novels, movies, and TV shows. That ancient Greek device is called "deux ex machina."  When a comedy had become hopelessly entangled and there seems no possible resolution, a god appears from Olympus in a blaze of glory and sets every thing aright. This male or female deity appears on the stage, perhaps lowered to the surface by a crane, that is, a machine. 

But human life is not like that and the Bible, which is ever faithful to reality, never resorts to contrivance. For instance, The Book of Tobit presents the problems of two very unhappy persons. They are unrelated to one another and are hundreds of miles apart. But their prayers arrive in the hand of Raphael before The Almighty, who dispatches the courtier to work something out. And the solution is both plausible and brilliant. 

Christians are sometimes mocked for their apparent belief in "pie in the sky." Is Heaven the place where God imposes order on the mess we have made, a mess which we would certainly bring with us into Paradise? 

Rather than deus ex machina, I believe in the grace which works with our human nature in human history and time. It sometimes demands that we set things right now! Sooner than we prefer! Or it may be more patient than our wretched cries for justice. Healing and reconciliation sometimes comes quickly, as when a child knocks his head on the table and, a minute later, is distracted by Mommy's kiss and Daddy's Tootsie Roll. But adults are not so easily mollified. We require time, sometimes much time, to restore faith and trust to injured relationships. 

For instance, we believe that God's grace working through human history in a seemingly endless process will end racism in the United States, and antisemitism in the world. Also, our polluted water, soil, and atmosphere will be purified in time, and with much devotion by the dedicated zeal of millions of people and the enforcement of many laws and regulations. If extinct species cannot be restored, many imperiled animals will be given new opportunities. In any case, cleaning up the mess we've made since 1750 will take longer than 273 years. 

If there are no guarantees that any of this might happen, there is the promise of grace and the Word of God. Saint Paul announced as much when he wrote to the Romans: 

For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. 

And we Amen his belief with, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done." 

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 70

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.
Not many of you were wise by human standards,
not many were powerful,
not many were of noble birth.

With these words, Saint Paul echoed a familiar refrain of the Old and New Testaments. Moses insisted in the Book of Deuteronomy, 

It was not because you are more numerous than all the peoples that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you; for you are really the smallest of all peoples. It was because the LORD loved you and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn to your ancestors, that the LORD brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7: 5-8)

Moses, the great prophet, gives two reasons for God's choice of Israel: 1) because the Lord loves you, and 2) because of his fidelity to the oath he swore to Abraham, our father in faith. 

Anyone who believes they're chosen for their intelligence, beauty, strength, or social standing commits a sin worse than pride. They insult the freedom and majesty of God who chooses as he chooses without regard to human worth or usefulness. In fact, the LORD has not changed his assessment of humans in general since the Garden of Eden and the biting remark, "You are dirt and to dirt you will return!" 

But -- God be praised! -- he loves dirt! 

We might also suppose the LORD chooses us to demonstrate his sovereign freedom, a freedom which we share through grace. God owes no one anything but prefers the least among us to demonstrate his mercy and to show us how we should live. 

Today's gospel -- the Beatitudes -- also demonstrates God's sovereign freedom as we learn more about the divine predilection for the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and those who long for justice. Those who demonstrate God's humility are also given favor, and the merciful, peacemakers, pure of heart, and those persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Neither God nor his people will belong to this world's owners. 

With his Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes Jesus describes the coming Kingdom of Heaven. Some people like to have some sense of the future so that they can invest in The Next Big Thing. They want to flourish as the future unfolds. They also flee from doomed projects, no matter how successful they might now appear. 

Jesus comes to us with all the confidence of a Ponzi Scheme but without its razzle-dazzle. He is meek and humble of heart as he explains the obvious to those who know God. With the experience of centuries behind them, his Jewish disciples know he speaks the truth.

Moses had explained the LORD's ways to them; Isaiah had seen the supreme, heavenly majesty of God residing in an earthly temple; Ezekiel found the same God of Heaven and Earth traveling with his exiles to Babylon; Jeremiah saw the Lord gathering his dispersed refugees from all corners of the world. Jewish sages like Solomon and Qoheleth had created a philosophy which included God's plan of mercy. 

The LORD had always loved them for their littleness and spoken fondly to them in their simplicity. Only a fool would invest in the fortunes of a Roman, Spanish, British, or American empire when God's Kingdom is dawning upon the earth. 

When Corinthian gentiles received the Holy Spirit, Saint Paul included them in this wonderful plan of salvation. It all made sense because, "Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth." And yet they had already experienced the extraordinary blessing of knowing the Lord. The Truth spoke to them in their hearts and they saw with God's own wisdom the doom of this world's elite. 

With the Beatitudes, Jesus explains The Way Things Are. Knowing he is neither a fool nor a flimflam man, we listen to him and follow his way. 

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

 Lectionary: 322

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.

Those who follow the link above will open the USCCB website where today's readings and psalm are found. They'll find another link for the first reading, Heb 11:1-2, 8-19, and discover the missing verses, 3-7 with the names Abel, Enoch, and Noah, who preceded Abraham. Although we call Abraham "our father in faith," he inherited a strain of faith from his gentile ancestors. 

So long as God has existed the Holy Spirit has called humans to prayer, devotion, and sacrifice; and to trust in the innate goodness of life and its Creator. If today's thinkers stand on the shoulders of giants as they reach for the stars, we stand on the shoulders of saints as we reach for the infinite goodness of God. 

With Abraham, the LORD inserted himself into human history and anchored our faith in time, place, and people. The maps found in our Bibles are not like Tolkien's map of Middle-earth; they describe the topography of the mountains, valleys, rivers, and shores of planet Earth. They still familiar to residents and pilgrims. Our history of faith is not fabricated like Robert Jordan's implausible Wheel of Time where cities are stable and generations of rulers remain firmly ensconced for thousands of years. Real human history is turbulent on a dynamic planet, and leadership often changes hands. 

If the genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke differ, they nonetheless affirm our belief in the God who inspires and guides real human beings through many centuries of difficult human life. It's never been easy; it was never meant to be easy; but God has always traveled with us. 

The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that our ancestors... 

...died in faith.
They did not receive what had been promised
but saw it and greeted it from afar
and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,
for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.

The Letter urges us to keep the faith as our ancestors did, especially because we now live in "the city" -- that is the Church -- they saw from afar. Where they saw only the morning sky turning from black to dark blue, we see the brilliant dawn of our sacraments and expect the sunrise at any moment. They knew the Lord God traveled with them in a pillar of fire and a column of smoke. We know God is with us in the Body and Blood of Jesus. 

If it is not easy to be Catholic, we are given far more assurance than our faithful ancestors knew. If they kept the faith through hardship, we can keep the faith through our present difficulties. They will pass as surely as time has always proceeded from bad to good and good to better; and through endless setbacks and innumerable switchbacks. 

Since the Letter to the Hebrews was written, we also have an additional history of saints and martyrs. God has selected men and women of every century and every nation to inspire us. We know them as people like ourselves; some were notoriously sinful before their conversion, and all faced insurmountable challenges. They not only kept the faith; they flourished. 

With the same Holy Spirit, we are holy as they are holy. And our children will stand on the shoulders of giants. 

Optional Memorial of Saint Angela Merici, virgin

 Lectionary 321

Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, 
you endured a great contest of suffering.
At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction; 
at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated.
You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison 
and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property... 

As this passage from the Letter to the Hebrews shows, the early church suffered waves of antagonism from both Jewish and government authorities. Hebrews was written during the last decade of the first century to a congregation which had suffered and now enjoyed a respite from persecution. But hostilities would resume and continue off and on for centuries. 

They continue to this day and it seems some part of the Church is always contending with opposition. It is sometimes violent but more often its challenge is subtle, demanding, and demeaning. We're told to conform or face the consequences. 

If American Catholics today enjoy a first amendment "freedom of religion" they should not suppose that will continue forever. History makes no such promise. 

As the Divine Author urges us: 

Do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.

And the Lord promises opposition, and that we will overcome the opposition:

Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. John 15: 20-21

The Catechism of the Catholic Church also reminds us of that opposition: 

❡675 Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers. The persecution that accompanies her pilgrimage on earth will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. The supreme religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.

No one can know whether they will pass through that final trial with their faith unshaken. We can only prepare for it with daily sacrifices of prayer, personal discipline, and charity. (prayer, fasting, almsgiving). 

I see Catholics sponsoring and volunteering in soup kitchens, women's shelters, and hospitals. They attend Bible study and Catechism classes. They oppose racism, abortion, euthanasia, and eugenics. Among their colleagues and neighbors they make no secret of their Catholic identity. They practice marital fidelity and demonstrate their devotion to their children and grandchildren. They work with anyone who loves the truth, regardless of their religious beliefs. 

The Holy Spirit will never abandon the Church; it will always raise up men, women, and children to testify to the truth of Jesus Christ. Personally, I hope to be worthy of such company. 

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops

Lectionary: 520/320

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth, in the hope of eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began, who indeed at the proper time revealed his word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted by the command of God our savior, to Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

That's quite a self-introduction! There's no substitute for knowing who you are, whom you serve, and why. In the Roman society the vast majority of men and women were slaves. Roman law afforded them more rights and privileges than the American antebellum south but a sophisticated man of erudition and distinction would not boast of being anyone's slave. Paul wanted to be known as the slave of God and an apostle of Christ Jesus.

Timothy and Titus, his proteges, should also claim that prestigious title. Last week, as I reflected on Jesus's naming his twelve apostles, I considered how we feel and reflect the presence of persons who are not in the room with us. A loyal husband feels the presence of his wife wherever he goes. A victim of abuse may feel the terrifying presence of the abuser long after the relationship should have ended. And, as Saint John Henry Newman suggested, we speak differently of people when they're standing there with us than we do when they're elsewhere. Their immediate presence makes a difference. 

Saint Paul's disciples, Timothy and Titus, would always feel the immediate presence of God in their ministry. And they certainly enjoyed the benign oversight of Saint Paul, their beloved mentor, long after he had died a martyr's death in Rome. 

Often, when someone is recognized for their important achievements, they say, "We are standing on the shoulders of giants!" As Christians and Catholics, we stand on the shoulders of saints and martyrs, and feel their immediate presence. Should we forget they're in our church windows, icons, and statues. 

Catholics especially welcome Saint Paul's command to,

Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the holy Spirit that dwells within us. (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

Often, as I read the second readings of the Office of Readings, I am amazed and inspired by the writings of a fifteenth, or ninth, or second century Christian author. I believe and accept precisely the same doctrine as this ancient writer! Though much has changed, our faith has not. This early morning liturgy sometimes offers a selection from the Documents of the Second Vatican Council and -- there again! -- I see that nothing has changed. God's word remains as strong and reliable today as it was for the martyrs of the first century. 

On the feast of Saints Timothy and Titus we celebrate the integrity of our apostolic church. We thank God for the Gospel and the opportunity to study it more intensely. It is an inexhaustible well of courage for us as we speak the Truth to a skeptical world that believes in nothing except its own nihilism. 

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

 Lectionary: 519

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Periodically, the question is raised, "Won't God save everyone?" or, "Didn't Jesus die to save everyone? Can his mission fail?" I heard a Muslim imam assure his Christian audience of that universal salvation. His Allah is that "generous" -- or violent And some Christian pastors comfort their congregations with the word that their delinquent grandchildren will be saved in the end. 

There are, of course, strong arguments against the notion, including both justice and mercy. Justice assures those unfairly punished that their suffering will be avenged, and Mercy promises the neutralization of the wicked. 

Concerning the salvation of the wicked, the Catechism of the Catholic Church offers the words of Saint Augustine: 

"...the justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth," because "heaven and earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect . . . will not pass away." He holds also that the justification of sinners surpasses the creation of the angels in justice, in that it bears witness to a greater mercy."

However, that wonderful work cannot violate the freedom of those who choose not to be saved. Gratia -- which is the Latin word for freedom -- will cancel neither angelic nor human freedom. The suggestion that God should save everyone insults the majesty of God. Who are you to tell God what God should do? Don't go there.  

Finally, Charity impels us to announce the Gospel to every creature Now. Before it's Too Late! Because it will be too late at some point. 

Saint Paul was driven by that divine impulse from the day he encountered the Lord on the road to Damascus. It drove him through the many difficulties he encountered from friends and enemies. It overcame natural catastrophes and personal weakness, both physical and spiritual. He sarcastically called certain Christian missionaries "super apostles" to save them from the coming wrath. He could not pause to feel sorry for himself; he would not agonize over his past sins. He was a man on a mission. 

Since the Second Vatican Council, we have entered "the age of the laity," meaning the mission of the Church belongs to everyone. And millions of Christian laity have responded to the call as they carry the word through food kitchens, women's shelters, and foreign missions. Many young people take theology courses in college to complement their STEM studies. What would be the point of knowing how to do something if you don't know why? 

There will never be enough priests for all the chores they used to handle, from plant maintenance to coaching fourth grade basketball. Nor should there be. The Lord fills the positions of catechist, Eucharistic Ministry, lector, parish administration, and others with competent individuals and not by ordination. 

We are compelled by the same word of joy and terror that drove Saint Paul, 

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.

 

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

 Lectionary: 318

For this reason, when he came into the world, he said:
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, As is written of me in the scroll,
Behold, I come to do your will, O God.

A footnote on the USCCB website explains the discrepancy between a verse in Psalm 40 (which says "ears open to obedience you gave me) and its appearance in the Letter to the Hebrews ("a body you prepared for me"): 

A passage from Psalm 40 is placed in the mouth of the Son at his incarnation. As usual, the author follows the Septuagint text. There is a notable difference in Heb 10:5 (Ps 40:6), where the Masoretic [Hebrew] text reads “ears you have dug for me," but most Septuagint manuscripts have “a body you prepared for me,” a reading obviously more suited to the interpretation of Hebrews.

To add to the confusion, the New American Bible Revised Edition, reads more simply, "you opened my ears." (The NABRE is the latest Catholic translation of the Bible; it is offered to American Catholics.) 

Written after the fall of Jerusalem, the Letter to the Hebrews draws sharp distinctions between the Jewish and Christian religions. The disciples of Jesus had suffered much opposition from well-established Jews and gentiles in civil government. The Divine Author's rancor toward the Jews borders on supersessionism, and must be balanced by the affection we feel and the debt we owe to our Jewish ancestors. He is not saying we should despise Jews; he is saying the Son of God took a human body and offered it on the cross for our salvation. 

That bold declaration contradicts everything the Jews and the world believes about God. If there are any religions that believe their god or gods became human, none suggest that a god suffered a painful humiliating death by crucifixion because he or she loved us. 

As we practice the sacrificial life of prayer and penance, we also dig out our ears to hear God's word. We dig out the world's preconceived ideas about how God should act, feel, and think, and what God should do. We open the cisterns of our ears, minds, and hearts to receive the pure, clear, and abundant water of grace until the digging finally discovers the life of the spirit welling up within us. 

This abundant grace welcomes Christians and Jews not for their opinions but for their divine election. It reaches beyond them to the Earth, its peoples, and all its living creatures with the Good News of Jesus. 

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

 Lectionary: 516A

Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.

The editors of the USCCB website offer readings from Isaiah, Ephesians, and Saint Luke on this fiftieth anniversary of Roe v Wade. In the past year we have seen the Supreme Court reverse that decision of 1973. Unfortunately, there is no tribunal on earth to reverse the damage. Nor have pro-abortion forces surrendered the field. "Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization" only undid a decision that was wrong for being badly made; they did not address the evil of abortion, nor did they promise to undo the aberrations that flowed from that misbegotten case.  

In his letter to the Ephesians Saint Paul praises the God who raised up Jesus and gave us both life and hope through that Wonderful Work. When Jesus died no rational person could expect the killing to be reversed. Although there were stories in the Old Testament of reviving the dead (Ezekiel's Valley of Bones), and Jesus had revived Lazarus four days after his burial, no one could expect the incomparable victory of Easter. Jesus was not simply revived on the third day, he was revealed as the Eternal God, the Alpha and Omega of existence. 

We bring that hope to the discussion about abortion. It is a hope without expectation of what must happen. Like racism, antisemitism, gun culture, and Intimate Partner Abuse, abortion runs deep in the American way of life. Many argue that opposing abortion is merely a religious preference like worshiping on Sunday or reciting the rosary, and should not be imposed on nonbelievers. They do not see its violence against human dignity. Although no little girl looks forward to her first abortion, they promise her the privilege. 

Roe v Wade represented a further step in the alienation of Catholics in a world we call home. If we hoped at one time -- as the pre-Vatican II Church did -- that someday the United States would become a Catholic nation, we now see it can never happen. Even as Catholics worship in the sanctuary of their churches, the nation idolizes military, financial, and athletic power. It moves inexorably toward Aldous Huxley's Brave New World where babies are manufactured in the bodies of semi-human women. With pornography, chemicals, and surgery it desexes young people. 

Our effort to undo Roe v Wade begins with public and private worship of God. We must be, and appear to be, God's holy people. If Catholicism opposes abortion, we must be overtly and intentionally Catholic. Our courtesy, generosity, and serenity should arouse both wonder and curiosity. They will ask, "Why don't you abort your babies?" and "Why are you faithful to your spouse? What makes you hopeful when there's clearly no reason to hope? Don't you see what is happening all around you?"

We have a ready reply: 

Thus says the LORD of hosts: There will yet come peoples and inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city will approach those of another, and say, “Come! let us go to implore the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts. I too am going.” 

Many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to implore the favor of the LORD. 

Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten people from nations of every language will take hold, yes, will take hold of the cloak of every Judahite and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8: 20

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 67

In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion. 

This Sunday also falls within the International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. 

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.

Nuclear winter is a severe and prolonged global climatic cooling effect that is hypothesized^[1][2] to occur after widespread firestorms following a large-scale nuclear war. Wikipedia

Spiritually, we have been suffering a nuclear winter for a very long time. It covers the earth and billions walk in darkness. In my experience much of the gloom is caused by divorce. It's consequences are manifold: depression, abortion, addictions, alcoholism, sexual adventuring, STDs, gay marriage, gender confusion, suicide. To name a few. And then there are the desperate efforts to normalize these aberrations. They're sanctioned under the auspices of inclusiveness and freedom. 

Some may see other root causes for the distress: racism, consumerism, violence, or the culture of death. In any case, this spiritual "nuclear winter" has gone on so long that many people suppose that darkness is normal. Some hope for a premature end with a true nuclear winter, a man-made end of the world. They don't remember ordinary joys and sorrows; they don't recall a Garden of Eden; and when life happens in the way of birth or death, defeat or success, they lose their bearings completely. 

In today's gospel Saint Matthew presents Jesus as a dawning light to dispel the darkness. He is the star of Bethlehem shining across the land as he calls disciples to follow him. They will be daylight spreading from east to west. In their light -- that is, their courtesy, confidence, courage, generosity and joy -- the world will see the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Because they fear the Lord and no one else, they will say yes when they mean yes and no when they mean no. Their marriages will be lifelong for they will regard their own words as seriously as they regard the Word of God. Their modesty will not exaggerate their presence but it will be seen, heard, and felt. The nuclear gloom will lift ever so slightly wherever they go. 

Each year on this Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, in response to the gospel stories about the call of Jesus's first disciples, the Church prays especially for vocations. We ask God to inspire young people to seek ordination to the priesthood or diaconate, or to monasteries, convents, and friaries. More importantly, we ask God to guide young people toward the Vocation of Matrimony because devout families stabilize a teetering society. 

The entire Church -- and especially married couples -- "must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."

Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

 Lectionary: 316

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own Blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Periodically a new religion springs up. It might call itself Christian but its premise -- its business plan and selling point -- is a new and unexpected revelation. WooHoo!

Many people are agog with these wunderkinds because they also suffer the belief that history began around the time they were born. Or perhaps more recently. It all began with the Atomic Age, the Computer Age, or the Social Media Age. Or, more remotely, the Enlightenment, American Century, or World War II. Nothing before that miraculous moment matters any more. 

Christians believe that Jesus entered once for all into the heavenly sanctuary of God's presence. That "once for all" includes all time from the remote past to the distant future. In that Eternal Temple he obtains, at the price of his own body and blood, eternal redemption. His merciful kingdom spans the universe; it includes even the creatures who might exist on unimaginably distant exoplanets. 

Call it hubris if you like, but that's our belief. And its based on the solid foundation of knowing the Lord, his life, death, and resurrection. 

New religions spring up because some people see Christianity as old and tired. It's hoary old cathedrals and shrines, occupied by hunched old people with walkers and wheelchairs, and murmuring their prayers, fail to entertain the children of this brave new age. Their new revelations come with power and authority, and those who buy into them -- and they do cost money -- expect to have the upper hand in future dealings. 

But eventually the more successful New Age religions (e.g., Mormons) settle down, abandon their implausible revelations, and become old fashioned Protestants with traditional values.

The faithful are renewed by returning frequently to the source. It is an inexhaustible life-giving spring. Searching for another source cannot satisfy, especially when there is none. As we recite the New Testament canticles during the Evening Prayer (Vespers) of the Church I am often impressed by the insight and assurance of these earliest disciples of Jesus. They believed in Jesus's universal mission. 

In his Ephesian song, Saint Paul wrote: 

In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

And in his Letter to the Colossians he insisted that Jesus...

...is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation.

For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,

the visible and the invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;

all things were created through him and for him.

He is before all things,

and in him all things hold together.

Those who hear these songs about the Lord and take their words to heart are completely satisfied and feel utterly fulfilled. They cannot be distracted even by an angel from heaven. 

Optional Memorial of Saint Fabian, pope and martyr

Lectionary: 514 

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

The Lord Jesus went up a mountain as Moses had ascended Mount Sinai to receive the covenant written on tablets of stone. Jesus summoned twelve of his disciples to be with him on the height where he put the laws in their minds and wrote them upon their hearts.

The twelve were "those whom he wanted." They were not self-appointed apostles; no one should dare to take that authority upon themself. 

Their first responsibility was to "be with the Lord." Saint John Henry Newman describes that sense of presence to the Lord with a wonderful simile. When I speak to a friend about someone else, perhaps rephrasing what they said, I will choose my own words and use my own expressions. However, should that third party be with us, I will try to recall their precise words; or, better yet, ask them to repeat what they said. 

And even if I am only recounting what this person did, I will speak more carefully knowing they're right there to hear what I say. 

If we are continually with the Lord as his chosen and beloved, our manner must reflect the presence of the Lord. Those who are with us -- be they friend, acquaintance, or enemy -- will detect through our manner the divine presence of God. 

Another simile might be useful, in a negative sort of way. Perhaps you've met some unfortunate persons who suffered severe abuse at the hands of a parent. No matter where they go they carry the trauma with them; they are anxious and fearful, terrified of speaking carelessly as if they might betray a dreadful secret. Even if the cruel parent is long dead their presence remains to frighten and control. The victim cannot speak of that parent without measuring their words carefully. When they finally, courageously share their stories they might suffer flashbacks of anguish afterwards. And as you listen to that person and watch their manner you sense the diabolical presence of another.  

Those who know the healing Spirit of Jesus enjoy his reassurance and encouragement. If he is standing over their shoulder all the time, he is saying, "You go, Girl!" "You go, Dude!" and, "You are my beloved." 

From the mountain Jesus sent his twelve apostles to "drive out demons." We do that with our presence. They don't want to be anywhere near the Lord.

Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 314

Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.

The Bible Hub website shows a good deal of variety about this verse from the Letter to the Hebrews. I wondered what the word always means and found that the Greek παντελὲς has also been translated as completely, to the uttermost, or forever. The old Catholic version, the Douay-Rheims, read: "Whereby he is able also to save for ever them that come to God by him; always living to make intercession for us."

The word always sounds to me like "in any case" or "whenever you're ready;" and lacks the immediate urgency and commanding authority we've come to expect of Jesus and the Gospel. 

παντελὲς is a powerful word by any translation. Forever sweeps through the entire history of the universe; it includes everyone from Adam and Eve to the last human mortal in the distant future. Utterly penetrates deep into the human soul; it seeks, exposes, and heals the old, forgotten secrets which may be wrapped in shame and regret and helplessness. Utterly makes them beautiful, as the Wounds of Christ have become beautiful in our eyes. Everything about a Christian's life must fit into the Gospel of one's life just as the Passion and Death of Jesus belong to his Gospel. 

As they tell stories of Jesus, Mary and the Saints, parents and grandparents should tell their children their own faith stories. They have an obligation to...

"Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them on your arm as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6: 8-9

The catechesis of children is more than reciting rules, ordinances, statues, and laws. It is recounting the wonderful works of God, especially those we have personally known. "I was lost but Jesus found me; I was dead but I awoke." 

Finally, this passage assures us that the Lord "who is always able to save us" remains with us forever. Like the Archangel Raphael for Tobiah, he is a companion in all our travels, and our champion through all our adventures and troubles. He knows what they mean, why they happen, and what we should make of them. He will interpret them also for those who learn the stories of our lives. 

No one but God sees the panorama of human life in the history of the universe, and Jesus sees it all from his high throne on Calvary. He gathers us into himself and makes us worthy to attend the LORD.  

Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 313

Then he said to the Pharisees,
"Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"

As Tobit's son Tobiah set out for Media to recover a loan from a kinsman, the blind man instructed his son, "At all times bless the Lord, your God, and ask him that all your paths may be straight and all your endeavors and plans may prosper."

Tobit, despite his irritability, is a devout man who walks in the Lord. His obedient and devout son does the same and their endeavors and plans are very prosperous. Not only do they recover the money, but the old man's sight is restored, Tobiah meets his wife Sarah (whose prayers are answered), and their dog comes back with them. 

I noticed Tobit's advice in our Wednesday morning prayer last week because it contradicts some of my recent (infallible) preaching. (The scriptures are good for that.) I've been saying, "God doesn't help anyone. We should hope and pray that we're helping God! We should ask God what shall I do?" 

Very often we tell God the way things should be and expect him to fix it up for us. And I won't say that's wrong. Doesn't Jesus ask Bartimaeus, "What do you want?" and the disciples of the Baptist, "What are you looking for?" At Christmas we sing, "The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight." The Lord is the satisfaction of all our longing. 

But I will also say, having shared our plans and expressed our desires, we should stick around awhile and let the Lord reply. 

The reply might simply be silence and the spontaneous prayers of praise and gratitude which the Holy Spirit inspires in eager hearts. Very often the silence might be filled with our deepest desire, which we share with all the saints, "Thy will be done.'

Only God can see beyond the horizon to what must happen. Only God can see the biggest picture and what is truly best for us. And so we willingly surrender to God's plan of salvation. Can my finding the job, buying the right house or car, or paying off my debts really make a difference in the world? We ask and God decides. 

Our needs bring us into the Lord's presence and that's the blessing of being needy. 

The Pharisees in today's gospel were not evil people. They intended good but they were so sure that they knew what was good that they could not see Goodness when he stood before them. They wanted to do God's will but they didn't ask what God wanted. And so they plotted -- on the Sabbath day! -- to do evil. They intended to destroy life rather than save it. 

"At all times bless the Lord, your God, and ask him that all your paths may be straight and all your endeavors and plans may prosper."

And then rest in silence and let the Lord reply. 

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbott

 Lectionary: 312

Then he said to them,
"The sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

Jesus's reply to the Pharisees is not for them but for us, his disciples. The Pharisees are not going to understand; their minds are set. 

The disciples were already familiar with a trope from 2 Maccabees (5:19): 

The Lord, however, had not chosen the nation for the sake of the place [that is, the site of the temple], but the place for the sake of the nation. 

Many Christian churches and shrines sit where their pagan ancestors worshiped their gods for centuries. Humans instinctively search for God and often attempt to satisfy that desire by creating religious rituals, including sacred chants, dances, clothing, foods, and sites. The holiest feast on the American calendar is rapidly approaching, February 12, Super Bowl LVII. (The Roman numerals stress its holiness.) Wikipedia breathlessly describes the chosen site, State Farm Stadium in Glendale Arizona. The arena is said to be an architectural icon for its retractable roof and roll-in natural grass field. 

Today's scripture passage assures us that our freedom is not anchored by a sacred site or by a sacred day of the week. We are not made for Sunday or the Sabbath, but God has made those days sacred for Christians, just as he made the Sabbath and the site of the Jerusalem temple sacred for the Jews. (Nor, for that matter, are Christians required to observe Super Bowl Sunday though it can be fun to join friends and family for the occasion.)

Being with the Lord, especially as we eat -- the context of today's gospel is the disciples' plucking and noshing on ripe grain as they pass through a field -- should not be accompanied by stomach-churning anxiety. He's our friend and we're more than comfortable in his presence; we're delighted he's come to join us. How wonderful it is!

This -- rather than aborting babies, owning guns, or shopping on Sunday -- is what we mean by freedom. As the New Testament prophet Zechariah said: we are given 

...salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, (that) rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship him in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

The first amendment of the US Constitution guarantees Catholics the right to worship. This privilege we must use -- or lose. 

 

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 311

Every high priest is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the one who said to him:
You are my Son....

Today's passage from the Letter to the Hebrews reminds me of my oft-proven unworthiness to be a priest and of the choice God made through his Church so many years ago. The older I get the more I appreciate Saint Paul's analogy, we are "vessels of clay." The question of personal worthiness seems irrelevant; none could be worthy except by God's choice. And the Testaments Old and New amply demonstrate the unworthiness of the people God has chosen. 

Pope Francis recently spoke to the Jesuit publication America Magazine, about the question of women priests. Parts of it are described on the Catholic News Agency website. He does so with his typical modesty, not offering overwhelming proof of his position but rather, "something to think about." 

He reminds us that feminine spirituality, which he calls "Marian," is that of receptivity. Because no one deserves salvation -- much less, to be a priest -- and because our behavior is often unworthy even of our human dignity, we are ransomed only by receiving the grace of God. Heirs of Original Sin, we must accept his purifying grace. 

Several years ago, as I mused over the controversy around the priesthood, I wondered if there is any other grace given which belongs exclusively to a male or female person. This peculiar blessing could not disregard their sexuality; it could not be given to both men and women. The answer came: only a woman could give birth to the Savior. Only a woman could be the Mother of God. And without the human nature he received from her, Jesus could not save anyone. 

The American ethos which has pervaded cultures throughout the world would dismiss the differences of male and female. Today they tell us that one's gender might not be the same as one's sexuality. Maleness or femaleness may be a predilection like right-hand or left-hand. Or it may be a choice one can make simply to express one's freedom of choice. 

Doesn't this astonishing discovery of our time make you wonder how the greatest minds in human history could have missed it? After a million years of human development and ten thousand years of civilized life, who knew? Really?

In a society that regards male and female as interchangeable, can anyone be surprised that some children are confused? And when the culture assigns more power to men and routinely abuses women, some girls will want to become men. Especially if pregnancy is a disease and motherhood a disability.  

And then they tell us this ancient injustice! of persons born with the wrong gender may now be corrected with chemicals and surgery. And any "conservative" who opposes this quack medical industry is obviously evil. 

That mindset cannot appreciate the incarnate mystery of God becoming a man. Nor would it recognize the Immaculate Conception of Mary. It can neither appreciate the beauty, holiness, and gifts of male and female, nor add to the discussion about the priesthood. 

The Holy Father's teaching about receptivity becomes more than a modest proposal. It is the starting point of a conversation. He goes on to speak of the male spirituality as "Petrine," that is of ministry. Just as males and females complement and need one another, there can be no Petrine ministry without Marian receptivity. A word spoken without someone to hear means nothing. 

Finally, Pope Francis reminds us of what is already happening, that women are leading the church in many areas of administration. 

“There is a third way: the administrative way. The ministerial way, the ecclesial way, let us say, Marian, and the administrative way, which is not a theological thing, it is something of normal administration. And, in this aspect, I believe we have to give more space to women,” Pope Francis said. The Holy Father then pointed to the women he has appointed, noting that women generally do a “better” job managing things.

It's apparent to me that so long as society is deeply confused about the beauty and sanctity of sexuality, ordaining women would only make matters worse. It would endorse the dangerous belief that male and female are interchangeable and that sexuality means nothing.