In today's Gospel, Luke 5: 27-32, Jesus calls Levi to follow him. Levi is a tax collector, one who has been known for his unjust practices in taxing the people. In short, he cheated people! Following the privilege of being called to be a follower of Jesus, Levi throws a huge banquet in his home for Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees and scribes see this and complain to Jesus: "'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' Jesus said to them in reply, 'Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.'"
Levi had nothing to boast of as an apostle. Neither do you and I as Christians or as members of a religious community or as priests, deacons, missionaries, Knights of Columbus, married men and women or any privileged group of people. We have been called, not because of our holiness, but because we needed, and still need, a physician. We are sinners who need to repent of our sinfulness.
The other lesson in this Gospel is that none of us can say: God would never call me to such and such! Our weaknesses, our shortcomings, our vulnerabilities and, yes, even our sinful lives are not a deterrent in God's mind. God called an Augustine who lived a promiscuous life to follow Him. Other persons with backgrounds as mired by sin as Augustine's were also called to a life of holiness! No matter how bleak and scandalous our lives may have been or now are, God calls us to holiness, to turn away from sin and embrace goodness, justice, truth, holiness, altruistic pursuits, lives of integrity. And we do it because we are empowered by grace to do so. God equips us to accomplish that to which He calls us.
Let us with the psalmist of today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 86, pray: "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth," as did Levi.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
How One Is Vindicated
In today's first reading, Isaiah 58: 1-9a God asks the prophet to tell the people their wickedness, and the house of Jacob their sins. They seek me day after day and wonder why I do not answer their prayers when, in fact, they have abandoned my law. They fast but continue to carry out their own pursuits. You "drive all your laborers. ...[Y[our fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw." The kind of fast which God wants of them and us is the following:
- "Releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke.
- Setting free the oppressed
- Breaking every yoke
- Sharing your bread with the hungry
- Sheltering the oppressed and the homeless
- Clothing the naked when you see them
- Not turning your back on your own"
Have we turned our backs on our own by gossiping, by being indifferent to the needs of one's spouse to be helped with the ordinary burdens of caring for the children, cooking the meals, cleaning the house, doing grocery shopping, helping the children with their homework, teaching and modeling the faith to the children and maintaining one's job so as to help support the family? Are we actively involved in building relationships within the family, within one's religious community, within the diocese and/or parish? When the opportunity presents itself, do we "share bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless, clothe the naked"? At work, in our communities and in our families and parishes, do we "set free the oppressed, release those bound unjustly, untie the thongs of the yoke"? If we do these things, God says to us: "Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound [of sin] shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and [I] will answer, you shall cry for help, and [I] will say: Here I am!"
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Choose Life, Not Death
In today's first reading, Deuteronomy 30: 15-20, Moses has a heart-to-heart talk with his people before he passes on to eternal life. He challenges his fellow Israelites, and each of us, to choose life, not death! How? By keeping the commandments, serving the one true God, loving God, walking with God, listening to His voice, holding fast to God, turning away from idols, and not worshiping false gods, (and they are all around them and us)! The responsorial psalm, Psalm 1, further instructs on what it means to serve the one true God: follow not the way of the wicked (and they, too, are all around us), walk not in the way of sinners who press us on every side, do not take a seat among the insolent, the lackadaisical, the proud, the arrogant or those who lust for that which causes death to the soul or spirit. Rather, delight in the ways of God and meditate on God's laws day and night! In other words, stay close to the Lord, cling to Him, love Him, serve Him, worship Him. In today's Gospel, Luke 9: 22-25, Jesus also shares his concerns with us lest we forfeit that which gives us life and denies us eternal life. "If anyone who wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whosoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What prof\it is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?
When you and I, at all costs, run after false gods, sit with the arrogant, the proud, the lustful, the insolent, the wicked, sinners bent on evil pursuits, are we not then refusing to deny ourselves? Are we not then not refusing to "take up [our] cross daily"? Is it possible that we fall into these traps because we fail to keep our focus on the Lord, who alone can help to make right choices and to remember our vulnerability to make poor choices that do not lead to life but to death?
May we heed the voices of the Spirit in each of the readings in today's liturgy. Forgive us, Lord, when we turn from you and rely on ourselves alone or seek only the help of fellow human beings, who, like us, are vulnerable to worship idols.
When you and I, at all costs, run after false gods, sit with the arrogant, the proud, the lustful, the insolent, the wicked, sinners bent on evil pursuits, are we not then refusing to deny ourselves? Are we not then not refusing to "take up [our] cross daily"? Is it possible that we fall into these traps because we fail to keep our focus on the Lord, who alone can help to make right choices and to remember our vulnerability to make poor choices that do not lead to life but to death?
May we heed the voices of the Spirit in each of the readings in today's liturgy. Forgive us, Lord, when we turn from you and rely on ourselves alone or seek only the help of fellow human beings, who, like us, are vulnerable to worship idols.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Jesus Made Sin for Us to Save Us from Sin
In today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 51, we pray: Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.... A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.....Give me back the joy of your salvation...O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise."
God did that for you and me on Calvary. St. Paul tells us in today's second reading, 2 Cor 5: 20-6: 2, that God, for "our sake made [Jesus] to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him." Think of the most heinous of crimes. Those were put on Jesus. He became sin itself in all its ugliness, repulsion and heinousness: the sins of hatred and murder, the sins of deceitfulness, cheating, and corruption; the sins of lust and gluttony, of envy and jealousy, of sloth and avarice, of pride and covetousness, of indifference, disobedience, and disdain and any other sinful act of which you and I are unaware. As sin, Jesus was crucified, proclaimed a sinner and put to death as a criminal. He took upon himself the sins of the entire world and everyone in this world and set us free. "[I]n the greatness of [God's] compassion, [God wiped] out our offenses, [t]horoughly [washed us] from [our] guilt and of [our sins cleansed us]. A clean heart [God created] for [us. He gave us] back the joy of [His] salvation!" And for that reason, our "lips and [our mouths] shall proclaim [God's] praises." We Catholics do so especially in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass when, in memory of Jesus and with all of the angels and saints in heaven, we offer Jesus' body and blood--the consecrated bread and wine--to God in atonement for our sins and the sins of the entire world.
In our prayers and fasting, this Lent, O Lord, we bring our sins and the sins of the entire world to you and beg your forgiveness, your mercy and compassion. Be merciful to us sinners and restore us to your friendship this day and every day of our lives. And may we, in turn, be merciful, compassionate and understanding of one another, taking time to reconcile with each other, as You reconciled us to the Father.
God did that for you and me on Calvary. St. Paul tells us in today's second reading, 2 Cor 5: 20-6: 2, that God, for "our sake made [Jesus] to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him." Think of the most heinous of crimes. Those were put on Jesus. He became sin itself in all its ugliness, repulsion and heinousness: the sins of hatred and murder, the sins of deceitfulness, cheating, and corruption; the sins of lust and gluttony, of envy and jealousy, of sloth and avarice, of pride and covetousness, of indifference, disobedience, and disdain and any other sinful act of which you and I are unaware. As sin, Jesus was crucified, proclaimed a sinner and put to death as a criminal. He took upon himself the sins of the entire world and everyone in this world and set us free. "[I]n the greatness of [God's] compassion, [God wiped] out our offenses, [t]horoughly [washed us] from [our] guilt and of [our sins cleansed us]. A clean heart [God created] for [us. He gave us] back the joy of [His] salvation!" And for that reason, our "lips and [our mouths] shall proclaim [God's] praises." We Catholics do so especially in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass when, in memory of Jesus and with all of the angels and saints in heaven, we offer Jesus' body and blood--the consecrated bread and wine--to God in atonement for our sins and the sins of the entire world.
In our prayers and fasting, this Lent, O Lord, we bring our sins and the sins of the entire world to you and beg your forgiveness, your mercy and compassion. Be merciful to us sinners and restore us to your friendship this day and every day of our lives. And may we, in turn, be merciful, compassionate and understanding of one another, taking time to reconcile with each other, as You reconciled us to the Father.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Humility and Servant-hood
In today's first reading, James 4: 1-10, challenges us to answer the questions: "Where do the wars and where to the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within our members?" If my passion is to be number one, to win at all costs, I will set myself out to take down anyone who attempts to block me from achieving that goal. This is not only true on a personal level, it is also true of nations or countries that insist on being number 1! Military buildups operate, I believe, in this same way.
Do we not, in many cases, teach our children that they, too, must win over others and sometimes at any cost! Setting ourselves in conflict against others and needing to be the greatest, the smartest, the BEST in whatever we do and in whatever competition we enter is not what Jesus teaches in today's Gospel, Mark 9: 30-37. When the disciples are arguing among themselves about who was the greatest, He said to them: "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Jesus did not flaunt being the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of all. In fact He makes it clear that He did not come to be served but to serve! He modeled service when He washed his disciples feet and says to the disciples: Do you see what I have done for you. Do likewise!
Lord, have mercy on us when our passions make war within ourselves and with our fellow human beings! May we learn from you to be the servant of all and not seek to be first in anything! May we also honestly answer St. James' questions of the sources of our conflicts with others!
Do we not, in many cases, teach our children that they, too, must win over others and sometimes at any cost! Setting ourselves in conflict against others and needing to be the greatest, the smartest, the BEST in whatever we do and in whatever competition we enter is not what Jesus teaches in today's Gospel, Mark 9: 30-37. When the disciples are arguing among themselves about who was the greatest, He said to them: "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Jesus did not flaunt being the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of all. In fact He makes it clear that He did not come to be served but to serve! He modeled service when He washed his disciples feet and says to the disciples: Do you see what I have done for you. Do likewise!
Lord, have mercy on us when our passions make war within ourselves and with our fellow human beings! May we learn from you to be the servant of all and not seek to be first in anything! May we also honestly answer St. James' questions of the sources of our conflicts with others!
Monday, February 24, 2020
Finding Favor with the Lord
In today's first reading, James 3: 13-18, St. James asks us whether we are wise and understanding and then says to us: "...[S]how your] works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom." There is no way to do this if "bitter jealousy and selfish ambition" dominate our hearts. How do we know whether these motivations have entered our hearts? Their presence reveals itself when we give in to boasting and abandon truth. In James words: [D]o not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice." And we see the effects of jealousy and selfish ambition every night when we listen to the nightly news. Our country has stooped, I believe, to a new low where selfish ambition is applauded and rewarded, where earthly wisdom darkens our minds and hearts and will. Yes, there is a aura of the demonic clouding, I believe, the U.S. Every kind of disorder and...foul practice" are the order of the day, it seems.
But what about you and I personally? Because we live in this kind of climate does not exempt us from taking James words seriously! You and I as Christians are called to be wise and understanding, to live "a good live in the humility that comes from wisdom, divine wisdom that is, not earthly wisdom. When you and I act from divine wisdom, we are relying upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength to make right choices, to follow, in the words of today's the responsorial psalm, Psalm 19, "the law of the Lord." Only God's laws and decrees are "trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple,...rejoicing the heart,...enlightening the eye....The ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just." With the psalmist, we pray: "Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."
But what about you and I personally? Because we live in this kind of climate does not exempt us from taking James words seriously! You and I as Christians are called to be wise and understanding, to live "a good live in the humility that comes from wisdom, divine wisdom that is, not earthly wisdom. When you and I act from divine wisdom, we are relying upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength to make right choices, to follow, in the words of today's the responsorial psalm, Psalm 19, "the law of the Lord." Only God's laws and decrees are "trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple,...rejoicing the heart,...enlightening the eye....The ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just." With the psalmist, we pray: "Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Imitate God in His Holiness, Compassion, Justice and Love
Today's first reading, Leviticus 19: 1-2, 17-18, exhorts us to "[b]e holy, for I, the Lord, your God am holy." How? By following the counsel given in this same passage: "Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people. ..[L]ove your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord." Paul, then, in the second reading, 1 Cor 3: 16-23, asks us the question: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and the the Spirit of God dwells in you? ...[T]he temple of God, which you are, is holy,." In the Gospel, Jesus amplifies the teaching of Leviticus, saying to us: "[L]over your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." And he exemplifies this calling when, on the cross, Jesus prays for his enemies, asking the Father to forgive them for they know not what they are doing!
Holiness is not just something to talk about or read about. It must be lived by us by the way we treat each other, especially those who hurt us, treat us poorly, gossip about us, hold us in disdain, refuse to greet us or who have nothing good to say to us or about us. In today's Gospel, Mt. 5: 38-48, Jesus challenges us to imitate His Father, who shines the sun on the good and the bad and orders the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. You and I are also to shine the "sun" of love, of grace and of goodness and justice upon those who sin against us. We are to radiate God's holiness within us upon everyone, especially upon those we do not particularly like or who do not like us. If we greet only to those who cherish us, Jesus is then speaking directly to us us when He says: ...[I]f you greet your brothers [or sisters] only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Be compassionate just as God is compassionate. Be caring just as God is caring. Love just as God loves!
Holiness is not just something to talk about or read about. It must be lived by us by the way we treat each other, especially those who hurt us, treat us poorly, gossip about us, hold us in disdain, refuse to greet us or who have nothing good to say to us or about us. In today's Gospel, Mt. 5: 38-48, Jesus challenges us to imitate His Father, who shines the sun on the good and the bad and orders the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. You and I are also to shine the "sun" of love, of grace and of goodness and justice upon those who sin against us. We are to radiate God's holiness within us upon everyone, especially upon those we do not particularly like or who do not like us. If we greet only to those who cherish us, Jesus is then speaking directly to us us when He says: ...[I]f you greet your brothers [or sisters] only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Be compassionate just as God is compassionate. Be caring just as God is caring. Love just as God loves!
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