A Bruised Reed God Will Not Break; A Smoldering Wick God Will Not Quench! (Isaiah 42: 1-4)

In today's Gospel, Matthew 12: 14-21, St. Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah's description of Jesus:  "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. he will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope."

Those are consoling words in contrast to the message from Micah, 2: 1-5, in which the prophet issues a warning against the wicked of our world, saying: "Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches. In the morning light they accomplish it when it lies within their power. They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and they take them; they cheat an owner of his house, a man of his inheritance. Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I am planning against this race an evil from which you shall not withdraw your necks; nor shall you walk with head high, for it will be a time of evil." 

In the Gospel of today, Jesus meets evil head on:  "The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place."

None of us will escape the evil that exists in this world. Every night on the news we are reminded of evil persons plotting to hurt another person, so it seems, or actually has brought evil upon another. The responsorial psalm of today's liturgy, Psalm 10,  also speak of this world's evil when the psalmist says: "Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted, who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived. For the wicked man glories in his greed, (is this not what we see on the news each night) and the covetous blasphemes, sets the Lord at nought. The wicked man boasts, 'he [God] will not avenge it'; 'There is no God,' sums up his thoughts. His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.  ...[H]is eyes spy upon the unfortunate."  The psalmist then reminds us that God is not blind to anyone's wickedness or the effects of his/her wickedness upon another person, especially the poor and vulnerable. The Psalmist says of God: "You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow, taking them in your hands. On you the unfortunate [person] depends; of the fatherless [and motherless] you are the helper." God quickly comes to the aid of the poor and vulnerable of this world.

Let us never forget that God sees, God cares and God weeps with us! Though God does not magically destroy wickedness and its effects, God is there to walk through it with us, to carry us, if necessary. God is there to strengthen us, to hold us up, to bless us in ways that confound the wicked! It may seem as though the wicked are getting away with their evil intents and deeds.  However, God is a God of justice and at some point, here or hereafter, justice will be served to those who engage in evil! "A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench until he brings justice to victory." O, the greatness and the mercy and the love of our God! It knows no measure!

Lord, I know that you are at work in the "good Fridays" of our day, though I see you not! Justice will prevail and will triumph, as it did not Calvary. Jesus triumphed in the resurrection from the dead on that day; those who killed him walked away saying: "Truly, this is the Son of God!"

Acknowledging Evil and Seeking God's Mercy

In today's first reading, Daniel 9": 4b-10, the people of Israel acknowledge their sinful ways before the Lord, saying:  "We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you."

This is our confession today, Lord.  We have sinned. We have been wicked and done evil: sold children into the slavery of human trafficking, drug trafficking, slave labor. We have sacrificed children, denying them the faith as we engaged in hedonistic pleasures and past times.  We have coveted our neighbor's wife and material possessions. We have cheated the poor and denied justice to the needy. We have destroyed Mother Earth by pouring toxic poisons into the universe, causing global warming and destruction of the environment.  We have turned to false gods for security and walked away from You in our churches and synagogues. Yes, Lord, "we the men and women of _______________, the residents of ____________________, and all of ______________________, near and far, in all the countries where your children are scattered have departed from and rebelled against your commandments and laws."  Lord, have mercy!  Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!  Forgive me the times that I have contributed to the wickedness in the world, its corruption, its deception, its evil ways or denied the existence of evil or the truth that Satan is prowling the world seeking someone to devour.

Choosing Virtue and Rejecting Wickedness

In today's first reading, Ezekiel 19: 21-28, God reminds us, through the prophet, that, "if a wicked [person] turns away from all the sins he/[she] has committed, if [this person] keeps all my statues and does what is right and just, he/[she] shall surely live, ...not die. None of the crimes he/[she] committed shall be remembered...; [this person] shall live become of the virtue he/[she] practiced." And the opposite is true of the person who abandons living a virtuous life and resorts to a life of wickedness. None of the good that person has done shall be remembered and such a person shall die as a consequence of turning to evil and abandoning the good.

Those are strong words that speaks of God's justice. Good leads to an abundance of life while evil leads to death, the absence of life!  Abandoning doing what is right grieves God, who does not rejoice in any one of His sons or daughters walking away from a life of virtue.  God, I believe, weeps when we turn toward evil, lured to such by Satan's lies that such is rewarding, wise,  pleasurable and a producer of  happiness and security. Satan could not be further from the truth that Jesus teaches when He says: Those who save their lives will lose it and those who lose their lives in goodness, in virtue, in denial of self and in self-sacrificing love will save it! At another place in the Gospels, Jesus reminds us that when we  pour out their lives in full measure, we will receive the same in return.  In another passage, Jesus says to us: Do unto others as you would have them do to you!

May you and I heed Jesus' words and trust His promises of fullness of life to those who follow His way!

Making Poor Choices and Restoring Relationships

In today's first reading,1 Kings 12: 26-32; 13: 33-34, we encounter Jeroboam, who is fearful that the kingdom that he has been given will return to David's house and that, if the people go up to Jerusalem (David's kingdom), he will be killed. That fear drives him to erect false gods--two calves of gold-- in two locations: in Bethel and in Dan. He invited the people to worship these gods and consecrates anyone who wants to be a priest.  Not giving up his evil ways, the house of Jeroboam was "cut off and destroyed from the earth."

The consequences of our sins also include destruction of sorts and being cut off in some way. Our sinful ways may alienate us from those we love, causing intense pain to our spouses, our children, our parents and friends. Such may also cause us to lose our livelihood, as we may be fired from our jobs.  When we commit sin, we are the first ones to know because we feel the alienation within ourselves. We know when we do wrong and many times "beat" ourselves up for the wrong we have done.  Instead of shaming ourselves "to death" we need to acknowledge our wrongdoing, ask forgiveness of those hurt by the mistake we have made, make restitution and move forward with ways to restore our reputation, regain employment, if such is lost, and make good again.  God will not ever forsake us and awaits our return, as we learn from the parable of the Prodigal Son in the Gospels.

Lord, give us the grace to be honest about what we may have done wrong and the ways we may have caused alienation, unrest and disunity in our families, our community or our workplace.  I ask this in Jesus' name.

Things that Cause Sin Are Inevitable But So Is Grace

In today's Gospel, Luke 17: 1-6, Jesus tells the disciples that "[t]hings that cause sin will inevitably occur but woe to the one through whom they occur."   Children watch adults intently, especially their parents, but others as well. Children imitate the good and the bad we do! A child is proud that he/she is like mom or dad.  Adults themselves will engage in evil because a leader--the president, a sport's star, a popular actor/actress--does so. A popular argument is that  "everyone does it."

Jesus issues a warning to us in today's Gospel:  "It would be better for [those who lure others into wrongdoing] if a millstone were put around his [her] neck and [that person] be thrown into the sea than for [one] to cause [another] to sin, [especially a child]."  Am I luring others into sin? Am I being lured into sin by others?  All of a sudden, do I find myself joining group gossip or am I the one being joined?  Am I teaching others to tell "white lies'? Am I cheating and teaching others to cut corners, as well! What example am I giving to others? Let me remember that where sin abounds grace more abounds, because Jesus comes to my aid always!  May I call upon Jesus' name when I am being lured into temptation.

Jesus' Call to Repentance

In today's Gospel, Luke 11: 29-32, Jesus says to the crowd: "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah,"  that is, the preaching of Jonah and the subsequent repentance of the Ninevites.

The generation of Jesus' time and our current generation are no different from one another.  There is an abundance of evil in both generations.  In Jesus' generation, people plotted for Jesus' death and, out of jealousy, murdered him on Calvary between two thieves.  In our generation, people also plot to kill others who get in their way. People may be killed because they are about to expose evil or because they are blocking others from fulfilling their lustful desires or from acquiring properties by illegal, unjust schemes.

Where evil abounds, grace abounds as well. Jesus' death and resurrection brought about our redemption and, for that reason,  it is possible for evil to be transformed into a good. People committing evil are offered the grace to repent of their wrongdoing.  Eyes of men and women in actual or virtual prisons are opened. Hope is restored. Hatred destroyed. Evil does not triumph ultimately!

However, if people do not  heed Jesus' call to repentance and, thus, do not follow the example of the Ninevites, they will remain in the pit that Satan sets for those who follow the ways of evil spirits.

Where am I/where are you in this scenario? Are we following good spirit or bad ones?  Are we even aware of sin in our lives and our need for Jesus?

Weeping, Repenting, Acknowledging our Need for Mercy

In today's second reading, James 5: 1-6, St. James challenges those who have become wealthy by corrupt, deceitful ways:  "Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvest your fields....[you who] have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure [at the expense of the poor]...[who] have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have  murdered the righteous one; he offers you no resistance."

This passage brings to my mind those who, to this very day, have accumulated wealth unjustly or illegally: in the sex trade industry, in dealing in illegal drugs, or who have coerced young boys and girls into forced labor; those who, in fact, have withheld wages from their employees, filed bankruptcy and left those to whom money was owned without being paid for their labors and who have engaged in other corrupt practises.

James goes on to invite those who have gained wealth by engaging in unjust practises to grieve:  "Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away,  your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire."

We know from the Gospels that God does not rejoice in those who choose evil over good and who, for that reason, risk eternal damnation. No, God rejoices more over the one sinner who repents than over 99 persons who are in right relations with their God.  Let us pray for that one person whom we know is making millions and billions of dollars in unjust, illegal, deceptive ways. Because of your prayers and mine, my this one person weep and wail over the miseries he/she has caused and return to the Lord repentant of their sins. And may you and I recognize that for which we, too, need to weep and wail in repentance! God knows that for which we need to repent. May we be open to knowing what God knows about us!

Guidance from the Author of Proverbs

Today's first reading,  Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13, again instructs us, clearly stating what God expects of us as His sons and daughters, that is, what gives God pleasure. "Like a stream is the king's heart in the hand of the Lord; wherever it pleases [God], God directs it."  My prayer is that my heart and your heart are like streams in the Lord's hands, in that we allow the love of God, God's compassion and forgiveness, God's justice and truth to flow out of us into the hearts of others.  "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice," the author of Proverbs tells us.  I may think that I need to do this penance or that penance, treat myself harshly, endure strict fasts, and/or, for instance, sacrifice needed sleep to spend hours and hours in prayer in order to be "acceptable to the Lord."  No, Proverbs tells us!  What God wants is that we act justly and do what is right, as also emphasized by the prophet Micah (cf. Micah 6:8).

This passage of Proverbs also clearly speaks of what displeases God:  "Haughty eyes and a proud heart--the tillage of the wicked is sin....Whoever makes a fortune by a lying tongue is chasing a bubble over deadly snares. The soul of the wicked...desires evil; his [her] neighbor finds no pity in his  [her] eyes....A [person] who shuts his [her] ear to the cry of the poor will himself [herself] also call and not be heard."

Some questions that I need to honestly ask myself are:  Would I describe my behaviors as haughty or deceitful? Am I chasing bubbles or desiring evil?  Do neighbors wait in vain for me to show compassion and have pity on them when they are in a crisis situation? Have I shut my ears to the cry of the poor?

A God of Justice and of Life

In today's first reading, Ezekiel 18: 1-10, 13b, 30-32, God says to us through the prophet:  "If a man is virtuous...he shall surely live,...But if he...is a thief, a murderer, or lends at interest and exacts usury...[he] certainly shall not live.  Because he practiced all these abominations, he shall surely die; his death shall be his own fault."

Imagine the following  conversation with the Lord in prayer:

"Lord, I turn over to You all those who are involved in what seems insurmountable,  larger-than-life 'mountains' of criminality, deception, and corrupt engagements and decisions that have or will have caused incredible suffering throughout the whole world.  Lord, please have mercy on us and bring those directly involved in evil or those corroborating with the wicked to justice.  May their "empires" collapse and their illusionary power be destroyed.  If you will it, Lord, You can do it, that is, you can bring all people to repentance and to a change of heart, choosing to abandon evil and turn toward the good!"

Of course I will it.  The wicked shall be stripped of all power in My timing.  So, too, will those who collaborate with those involved in evil. I am a God of justice.  I see the evil ways, the ways of untruth, and the corrupt behaviors being enacted by persons throughout the world. I hear the cries of those who are victims of their crimes. I am not deaf to the cries of the poor. 

Just as I did not spare the wicked in Noah's time nor the wicked of Sodom and Gomorrah's time, neither will I spare the wicked of this day and time in any country. Everyone will be given the opportunity to turn from evil and do what is good; everyone will be given the chance to repent and change their lives. Anyone who chooses to continue in his/her evil ways, however, chooses death, not life.   Death, as I said through Ezekiel, the prophet, "shall be his/her own fault".  I choose life for everyone, not death!

A Plea for Justice

Again, today's first reading, Habakkuk 1: 12-2:4, is applicable to what is happening in the world of today.  Habakkuk is complaining to the Lord concerning the evil that exists in the world of his day. He says to the Lord, God:  "Are you not from eternity, Lord, my holy God, immortal?  O Lord, you have marked [evil men/women] for judgment, O Rock, you have readied [them] for punishment!  Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil, and the sight of misery you cannot endure. Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself?"

Habakkuk's complaint is as true now as in his day.  Evil men and women "devour" others more just than themselves; they are, therefore,  marked for judgment--God's judgment.   The psalmist, in today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 9, reminds that "[t]he Lord sits enthroned forever; he has set up his throne for judgment.  He judges the world with justice; he governs; the people with equity," so unlike humankind's way of judging and governing.  Also, as Habakukk emphasizes:  God's eyes are "too pure...to look upon evil." This is as true today as then."The sight of misery [God] cannot endure" today  any more than in days of old.  The day of judgment will come. God will intervene in God's time and bring justice to this world, creating a new earth and a new heaven where justice will reign and evil will be no more!

Regarding Habakkuk's complaint, God responds as follows: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash man/[woman] has no integrity; but the just [person], because of his [her] faith, shall live."  That promise will be fulfilled!  I believe that!  What about you?

A Weeping God

In today's first reading, Jeremiah 14: 17-22,   God, through the prophet Jeremiah, tells us that He sobs,"without rest, over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people, over here incurable wound.  If I walk out into the field, look! those slain by the sword..."  What God sees today, I believe, are those slain by automatic rifles, machine guns, chemicals, and war machines of all kinds.  God goes on to tells us through the prophet that, as He walks around, He sees "those consumed with hunger"--hunger, I believe, for justice,  honesty, integrity; for compassion, patience, reconciliation, acceptance; hunger for hope and love and forgiveness! 

Humankind, Jeremiah says,  also responds to God in desperation:  "Have you cast Judah (put in the name of any nation on earth) off completely? Is Zion (or other peoples) loathsome to you? Why, [we complain,] have you struck us a blow that cannot be healed? We wait for peace [and justice and integrity], to no avail; for a time of healing, but terror comes instead."   Every night, as we watch the news with you, Lord, we hear of ongoing corruption, destruction, violence and hatred spreading across our land, our country and other countries!

With Jeremiah, we "recognize...our wickedness, the guilt of our fathers [and our own guilt]; that we have sinned against you," O Lord.  Have mercy on us, Lord. Open our eyes to the evil in which we may be involved.  Also deepen our awareness of colluding with others in their evil intent, especially when another's eyes are blind and ears deaf to the wickedness of their ways.

A Message from the prophet Micah

Today's first reading, Micah 1: 1-5,  I believe, applies to us today, as it did to the people of Micah's time.  The prophet Micah utters a warning to us in all segments of society in any part of the world:  Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches [or behind closed doors]; in the morning light they accomplish it when it lies within their power. They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and they take them; they cheat an owner of his house, a man [woman] of his [her] inheritance.  Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I am planning against this race an evil from which you shall not withdraw your necks; nor shall you walk with head high, for it will be a time of evil. On that day a satire shall be sung over you, and there shall be a plaintive chant: 'Our ruin is complete, our fields are portioned out among our captures, the fields of my people are measured out, and no one can get them back!' Thus you shall have no one to mark out boundaries by lot in the assembly of the Lord."

Are we listening to the Scriptures?  Is it possible that persons whom many applaud and trust may, in fact, be planning "iniquity, and work[ing] out evil"?  Is it possible that people's inheritances may be in the process of being squandered by levying heavy tariffs on imported and exported goods--an action that may ultimately result in businesses and farms going  bankrupt?  Is it possible that building walls, demonizing our allies and the canceling of important legislature and treaties that protect our environment and our security may, in fact, result in evil "from which [we] shall not withdraw our necks"?

In today's responsorial psalm, we pray: "Why, O Lord, do you stand aloof? Why hide in times of distress? Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted, who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived. For the wicked [person] glories in his [her] greed, and the covetous blasphemes, sets the Lord at nought. The wicked...boasts, 'He will not avenge it'; 'There is no God,' sums up his thoughts".

Lord, may we heed the warnings of the prophet Micah and take seriously the prayer of the psalmist!

Choices of Good or of Evil

In today's first reading, 1 Kings 21-1-16, we read about Ahab, king of Samaria, and his  wife Jezebel. Ahab wanted Naboth, his neighbor,  to give him his vineyard  to use as a garden, as it was next to the king's palace. Ahab, in turn, would give him another vineyard or simply pay him cash for the vineyard.  Naboth refused, as his vineyard was his own children's inheritance. Angry, Ahab refused to eat. His wife Jezebel engaged in actions of deceit, conniving to have Naboth murdered in order that her husband could take possession of the desired vineyard. She succeeded in her evil maneuverings!

Sound familiar?  Deceitful, wicked plotting to get what one desires goes on to this very day and many times such connivance leads to the loss of life--physical death, death of the spirit of an individual or mental demise! And though we may not be the actual person doing the evil, we may be an accomplice in the evil that is being planned, as were Ahab and Jezebel!

We are reminded in today's responsorial psalm that God does not delight in wickedness and that no evil person will stand in God's sight (Cf. Ps.5).  "God hates all evildoers," the psalmist reminds us, and destroys "all who speak falsehood; the bloodthirsty and the deceitful the Lord abhors."

All of us face choices every day of our lives!  In what kinds of choices am I engaged: choices that enhance life for others or those which destroy or diminish life for others?

Discerning Good and Evil Spirits

In today's first reading, Wisdom 1; 1-7, we are told that God "is found by those who test him not, and [that God] manifest himself to those who do not disbelieve him. For perverse counsels separate a [person] from God, and [God's] power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy; because into a soul that plots evil, wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under the debt of sin. For the holy Spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels;and when injustice occurs it is rebuked."  

Truly, believe,  God is at work in those involved in the presidency of the U.S. and in all those involved in our governing body.  The foolhardy are, I believe, being rebuked. Those who plot evil are being denied wisdom. In those "fleeing discipline" and following "senseless counsels" wisdom has withdrawn its presence.  And, finally, "justice is being rebuked" over and over again. When will we wake up to God at work in our world? Or are we blind because we, too, are "fleeing discipline" and following "senseless counsels", disbelieving in our God, and "plotting evil"?  Are we deaf and blind because we dwell "in a body under the debt of sin" ourselves? Have we separated ourselves from God by believing in "perverse counsels"?

May we remember, at all times, that "God is the witness of [our] inmost self and the sure observer of [our] heart and the listener of [our] tongue. For the Spirit of the Lord fills the world, is all-embracing, and knows what [you and I and all humans say]. We are who we are before God and no other!

The Wondrous Works of God

In today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 145, we praise the Lord for his wondrous works! These works are revealed to  us in both the Old and New Testaments.  In the first reading of today's liturgy from Romans 16:; 3-9, 16, 22-27, St. Paul tells us about all of the people who had been assisting him in spreading the Good News about Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection; in short, his dying to save us from eternal life and to strengthen us in being faithful to our God and Father in the spread of the faith.  In the responsorial psalm, Psalm 145,  we praise God for his greatness, for the splendor of His glorious majesty, and his wondrous works throughout the ages.  We ask for the grace that we will continue to give God thanks (the greatest prayer of thanksgiving is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the celebration of the Eucharist) and persevere in faithfully blessing the Lord by the good we do in building up the Kingdom, as Jesus did.  We pray, too, that we will "discourse of the glory of [God's] kingdom and speak of [God's] might."

God continues to bless us every day, providing us with the graces we need to be His disciples and spread the good news of salvation. This past week I had the privilege to teach a group of fifth graders about the call to holiness, a call given us at our baptism. The inspiration was given me to help the children see the call to holiness in very concrete ways in choosing good (love, truth, forgiveness, kindness, unselfishness,  generosity, obedience and many other virtuous behaviors) over evil (hatred, revenge, bullying, selfishness, stinginess, disobedience and other sinful ways). We spoke of being spiritual wrestlers, of being on God's team, wrestling with good and evil throughout our lives, as Satan persists in tempting us on a daily basis to choose evil over good. With God on our side, we will win the battle!, one day at a time!

God as our Refuge and Nurturer

In the collect of today's liturgy, we pray: "God of might, giver of every good gift, put into our hearts the love of your name, so that, by deepening our sense of reverence, you may nurture in us what is good and, by your watchful care, keep safe what you nurtured."  Lord, you nurtured what is good in young men and women who were born here in the U.S. of Mexican immigrants--men and women for whom the road to citizenship was opened up by our former president and today closed by our current president! Lord, keep safe these undocumented men and women, many of whom have earned degrees here in the U.S., are contributing members, as were their parents, including those already deported and separated from their children here in the U.S.  May the evil being considered be blocked by men and women of integrity, men and women of good will, men and women open to all races, all cultures and all that is good.

Open my eyes, also,  Lord, when I am planning actions that will bring harm to others, that will deprive others of their basic human rights, actions that could be motivated by hatred and prejudice that I do not even know is operating within me. Free me, Lord, from hatred and bigotry, from unclean spirits, such as those that possessed the man in today's Gospel, Luke 4: 31-37, and that may have taken possession of many serving our country in government positions.   Free government officials, of any nation,  from unclean spirits!

In spite of what I see and hear on the news each night,  "I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living" (today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 27), though right now it seems as though evil is triumphing!   As evil descends upon us, in any form, may we cling to the Lord, who is our "light and [our] salvation...[and who is our] life's refuge," (Psalm27).

The Righteous and the Unrighteous

Today’s first reading,, 1 John 3: 7-10,  gives a clear description of those who choose good, following Jesus’ example  and those who choose evil, following and being deceived by Satan, the Father of Lies:  “Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he {Jesus] is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him [or her]….[N]o one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his [or her] brother [or sister].”

Those are strong words and could be very confusing.  All of us sin! Does that mean that all of us belong to the Devil?  We need to read further, realizing that “the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil.”  By our baptism, we have become children of God, begotten by God. Through our baptism we belong to Jesus and through our baptism and the other sacraments, the works of the Devil in us have been destroyed and the seeds of holiness planted.  Therefore, within us is the power to grow in holiness, in goodness, and in grace.  We are not doomed to be slaves of Satan, to act dishonestly, unjustly, or immorally nor out of hatred, prejudice, or bigotry. No!  We will, through grace and in Christ Jesus, become free of sin, free of Satan, free to act justly, honestly, and morally and to love tenderly (cf. Micah 6:8). Through the overpowering of the Holy Spirit in baptism and confirmation and any other sacrament, Jesus in given birth in us.  Through this birth, by Jesus dwelling within us, by our faith in Christ Jesus, sin has no more power over us. Hatred,  bigotry, prejudice, greediness, slothfulness, deceitfulness, or other immorality within  us is deprived of its power  by God’s Presence.

I believe this!  What is your belief? Does your life, and mine,  reflect our belief in Christ Jesus as redeemer and sanctifier

The Feast of the Holy Innocents

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents, those little boys two years and younger who Herod slaughtered in hopes of killing Jesus. Herod was a jealous, ambitious man, narcissistically pursuing power and control at other people’s expense.  Deceptively, he asked the Magi, on their return from worshiping the new born King, to let him know where to find him so he, too, could worship him. That was not his intent. He wanted Jesus killed so that his position of power and prestige would not be in jeopardy.  He would do whatever he heeded to do to remove the threat!

There are many reasons, even today, that infants and children are at risk, whether they are slaughtered in their mother’s womb,  disposed of by being sold to human traffickers, handed over for a profit to those who are seeking body parts or looking for children to sacrifice to Satan, or, in fact,  being used and abused by adults wanting to produce products  cheaply  to guarantee their factories’  billions of dollars in profit.  Children are also at risk of being victims of physical, emotional, sexual abuse within the confines of their homes and, in some cases, in their schools.

 God weeps for children of today as much as he wept for the children Herod killed in Bethlehem. God also mourns today for those who engage in deceptive activities, as Herod did, in order to, presumably, secure a powerful position in the world or in order to profit personally in some way and not be thwarted in achieving narcissistic dreams of greatness. Not only children but adults also, especially women, become victims of the “Herods” of today.

So, what is our challenge personally? What am I/what are you doing to remain cognizant of ways in which powerful figures in our societies are being deceptive?  Am I/are you aware that what someone says he/she is going to do to promote rightful relationships,  and which sounds terrific, could,  in fact,  be laced with evil intent?  What about my/your own intentions? Are they rooted in selfishness, narcissism, pride, greed or do they stem from humility, generosity, a willingness to sacrifice for the good of all?

Waiting for Peace

Today’s readings, Jeremiah 14: 17-22 and Matthew 13: 36-43, are awesome! Jeremiah cries out to the Lord, distraught over the destruction he sees in his country: people are being killed, left to rot in the fields. People are starving in the cities.  Wherever he looks he sees the effects of evil.  Sounds like Jeremiah is living in 2016: every day, on the news, we hear of individuals being gunned down,  stabbed, beaten (whether that be physical, verbal, or emotional).  Every day children are abandoned, neglected,  abused, sold into slavery, become victims of the sex industry or drug traffickers. Every day babies are killed in their mother’s womb. On and on and on we see evil, that is, we witness  people ensnared by Satan’s deceptive maneuvers, lured into becoming wealthy by any means or avoiding inconvenience or sacrifices that are part of life here on earth.

  

Like Jeremiah, we could ask God: “Have you cast Judah (us) off completely? Is Zion (insert the name of your city, country, State) loathsome to you? Why have you struck us a blow that can not [it seems] be healed? We wait for peace, to no avail; for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.  We recognize, O Lord, our wickedness,” or do we?

And God says to us, through Matthew 13:  28-30,   Do not pull out the weeds, those doing evil in the world,  because “when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow til the harvest; and at harvest time, I shall say to the reapers:  ‘First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.’”  In Matthew 13: 41-43, Jesus says to us that at the end of the ages:  “The Son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of falling and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the upright will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.’ Anyone who has ears should listen!”

Are we listening? And, what am I doing to bring about healing: to decrease wickedness, to lessen violence (verbal, physical, emotional, spiritual) in my relationships, to bring about peace in the world, that is, in the family, in my religious community, in the parish, in the municipal or civic community in which I live?

Darkness or Light: A Choice!

In today’s Gospel, John 3: 16-21, the evangelist reminds us that “the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his [or her] works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his [or her] works may be clearly seen as done in God.”

Let’s write that as though John were addressing us personally. It would read as follows:  “When you prefer darkness to light, you do so because your works were evil.  When you do what is wrong, you hate the light and avoid coming toward the light, so that ‘ your works might not be exposed.’  But when you live the truth, you come to the light, so that your ‘works may be clearly seen as done in God.’”

How true John is! When I have done wrong, the last thing I want is to have my wrongdoing exposed, so what do I do? Avoid the light, that is, avoid the person who will confront my deceitfulness or sinfulness.  When I have done wrong, I shudder at being found out. If  I have grown spiritually, however,  and realize that Jesus, the Light of the world, comes into my darkness, not to scold me or condemn me, but to “put on the light,” so to speak, and lead me to safety, then I do not succumb to fear.  In my maturity, I realize that confronting my wrongdoing is a grace that leads to my freedom, to intimacy with the Lord, to wholeness and holiness.  When spiritually mature, I do not shun truth but seek it. Spiritually mature persons know the value of acknowledging the truth, facing the truth and being brought into the Light.  Easy? No! But worth the sacrifice made possible for us by Jesus’ death and resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit, who overshadows us so that we are able to give birth to truth and welcome the freedom won for us on the Cross!