Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Memorial of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, virgin (US)
Or Saturday of week 14 of the year
And Saint Camillus of Lellis, priest (General Calendar)

Biographical Information about Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha[1]
Biographical Information about St. Camillus[2]

Readings for Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time[3]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26a

In the passage from Genesis today we hear the final chapters of the life of, first Jacob, and then Joseph. God’s plan was clearly revealed and the actions of Joseph’s brothers were forgiven. The line of Abraham continues.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!

Psalm 105 is a song of thanksgiving. In this section the singer gives thanks to God for the tradition of Abraham’s descendents and the salvation that is shown through their story.

Gospel Mt 10:24-33

Jesus concludes his instructions to the Apostles as he sends them out. Here he tells them that they go with his authority and his purpose which may be hidden from others but which they will proclaim from “the housetops.” He tells them not to fear the persecution he has told them they will face, because while the body may be killed, their souls are safe with him. He concludes this passage telling them that the Father is watching over them and they have nothing to fear.

Reflection:

It is not usual that the Liturgical Calendar in the US differs from the General Calendar of the Church but that is the case today. On July 14 the United States Church memorializes the first Native American to be beatified, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. Her story inspired the spread of Christianity among the many of the indigenous peoples of North America. Her story of devotion, sacrifice, and suffering in the name of the faith is inspiring, especially coming as it does at the conclusion of St. Matthew’s record of the sending of the Apostles into the face of persecution. Clearly, in following their example, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha did the same thing.


In other parts of our universal Church, we celebrate St. Camillus of Lellis. He too overcame extreme personal challenges to come to the call of Christ who sends us into the world. In his case, his constant remorse and penitence for the sins of his youth drove him to care for those who faced eminent death through illness.

God shows us in these two very different but very similar siblings in Christ how the call that Jesus makes to each of us may be lived in the world. He gives us strength and he promises us that God the Father, who watches over the least parts of his creation, will watch over us with special love and care. With this promise ringing in our ears, how can we ignore the call he makes to us to take up his message of love and compassion and bring it to those we meet? How can we fail in demonstrating through our own actions that his love for all people knows no bounds?

Today we pray for the strength to follow Christ’s call to holiness. We ask that St. Camillus intercede for us that we might show mercy and compassion to those in need and we ask that Blessed Kateri intercede for us when we face hardship in that journey.

Pax
[1] The picture of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha by Fr. Chauchetière, 1682-1693
[2] The picture of St. Camillus is by and UNKNOWN artist
[3] After Links to Readings Expire

Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

And Saint Henry

Biographical Information about St. Henry[1]

Readings for Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Reading form the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 46:1-7, 28-30

After being told that his son, Joseph, had been killed (and shown the bloodied coat he had given Joseph), Jacob (Israel) and his son are reunited and the promise of God is fulfilled. Jacob travels to Egypt on God’s instruction that he will not only be returned to the land he had been given but that Joseph would “close his eyes”, a burial ritual.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

A didactic Selection from Psalm 37 promises the salvation of those who hear God’s voice and trust in Him. This supports the passage from Genesis in which Israel (Jacob) trust God in spite of what he believes about Joseph, his son.

Gospel Mt 10:16-23

Jesus concludes his instruction to the Apostles in this selection from Matthew’s Gospel. Here also we begin to hear about the persecutions that attend the spreading of the Gospel. Those who spread that Good News are encouraged not to worry about an apologetic but rather to trust in the Holy Spirit, the Father “speaking through you.”

Matthew’s final statement, referring to the coming of the Son of Man, has a couple of possible explanations. First it could be referring to the return of Christ after his crucifixion; it could also mean the punishment of the unbelieving Jewish people by the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD

Reflection:

All week we have been told to go into the world and proclaim the “Kingdom of God”. Almost as an afterthought, we are reminded that this Good News will not be received well by others. The selection we hear today from Matthew’s Gospel reminds us that even members of our own families will reject the message.

Anyone who has tried to follow this call seriously knows the truth of these words. Simply behaving in accordance with the Commandments is likely to earn you the title “fanatic” or “Bible Pounder”. The even more unfortunate part of this is, in the current political environment, our faith has been liked to a unilateral political agenda and most non-Christians in the world cannot separate the authentic practice of the faith from the twisted version that backs a political group.

We cannot be deterred by this unfortunate state of affairs. The “Christian Right” seems to be in decline where it comes to its political strength and perhaps that will make it easier for those of us who are living the faith without a political purpose behind our actions to have some impact.

However, the words of Jesus have never been truer. The pendulum has not stopped swinging and the un-churched and avowed atheists will seize the opportunity to drive their own agenda. We will once more be caught in the backlash. We take hope in the Lord’s promise that if we are faithful to him, His promise will be kept and we will attain the reward he promises.

Pax
[1] The image is of Henry II by William Henry Worthington, (c.1790-1819)
[2] After Links to Readings Expire

Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5

Joseph continues to punish his bothers for having sold him into slavery by tricking them into loosing Benjamin their youngest brother who had taken Joseph’s place as the apple of his father’s eye. When he confronts them and sees their willingness to protect and save Benjamin, he reveals himself to them and tells them that in selling him to Egypt, they did God’s will since through him many lives were saved.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

Psalm 105 recounts the actions of Joseph’s brothers, selling him into slavery in Egypt. It speaks of the rise of Joseph in the house of Pharaoh.

Gospel Mt 10:7-15

The instructions to the Apostles as Jesus sends them on their mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God are given. They are to go into the world without any provisions and will depend upon the generosity of others. The Lord gives them authority over all manner of diseases and afflictions but reminds them that they are not to charge for these gifts of healing.

Homily:

Since Sunday we have been following two parallel stories in scripture. In the Genesis readings we have been following tales from the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob concluding in the last two days with stories of Joseph, the son of Jacob who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers who now find justice at the hands of the brother they wronged. In a twist befitting of a modern suspense movie, the plot is laid bare – God had taken their deceitful act of violence against their brother and turned it into one of mercy as Joseph saved multitudes in Egypt through his foresight in storing grain in reserve against the famine now affecting the land. In the final ironic twist, Joseph saves his brothers and father from that same famine.

In the Gospel we have been watching another of God’s stories unfold. This one affects us directly as we hear how the Lord sent out the seventy two on Sunday and now the twelve. It is as if the point is being driven home through the Teaching Magesterium of the Church. First we are prepared – we are given the grace we need for our mission. In the Gospel today, Jesus himself gives the instructions to the Apostles. It is his authority they take into the world. For us, we are prepared through the sacramental grace of the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, the Eucharist. It is our food for the missionary journey.

Like Joseph, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, we, the sons and daughters of God, adopted in Baptism are sent into the world to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of God to others. And what are we to say that is so important? We tell those we meet, thought our words and example that God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, that who ever believes in Him will not die, but will have eternal life. It is a clear and simple message, but one many cannot understand. That is why we are sent, again and again, each day but especially today.

Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is “The Recognition of Joseph by his Brothers” by Peter Cornelius, 1816-17

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Biographical Information about Saint Benedict[1]

Readings for the Memorial of Saint Benedict[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a

We catch the story of Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob, in mid-stream. Joseph’s brothers who in this selection are in Egypt asking Joseph for rations, had sold him into slavery out of jealousy and told his father he was dead. Now they are forced to deal with their guilt as they must decide their own fate unknowingly at the feet of the brother they had wronged. For the first time, Joseph understands their motives and weeps. God’s justice plays out.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Psalm 33 is a song of thanksgiving and praise. In this passage we hear praise for God’s mercy to his people. This supports Joseph’s role as distributor of rations to those suffering from famine above.

Gospel Mt 10:1-7

Following yesterday’s instructions to the twelve, Jesus now sends them out. St. Matthew’s Gospel does not tell the stories of how they were called, but provides the names and mission. It is only in Matthew that the twelve are designated as Apostles reflecting the mission and role they fulfill.

Reflection:

In today’s Gospel the twelve Apostles are sent into the world to proclaim the Kingdom of God. This proclamation is made before Christ has been fully revealed as the Son of God in his ultimate sacrifice. We ask then, what does he mean when he tells them to proclaim God’s Kingdom?

It is important that we try to understand this because it was so important to Jesus that he gave up his life so his message could be heard. It was for proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God that he was murdered by the people he loved.

The Good News is this, that God so loved the world that He sent his only Son, that whoever believed in him should not parish but would have eternal life. The message the Apostles took to the world was that God loves his people and has made provision for them. He was not, as the scribes and Pharisees had understood him, simply a God of Justice, one who ruled over his people with an iron rod, punishing them for their least offences. No, the Good News of the Kingdom was that the Father is a God of Love. He cares for the poor and weak, not just the rich and mighty.

That message, when it was first heard broadly, must have caused the halls and temples of the mighty to tremble. They had claimed God as their own. They gave large sums of money to the temple so they could be assured a place of honor both on earth and in the after life. What audacity this young teacher from Nazareth showed, telling people that God cared for the poor and that money could not buy God’s favor. Those were dangerous words, the poor might get ideas; ideas like they actually mattered and deserved to be treated with dignity. Those ideas would need to be crushed. The Lord of Life had to die.

That, for us, was the news of the Kingdom of God. That was the Good News the Apostles spread and the Saints who followed would keep going. We have the Good News of the Kingdom of God handed off to us. We are to follow in their image.

Pax
[1] The image today is St. Benedict by Fr. Angelico, 1437-1446
[2] After Links to the Readings Expire

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 32:23-33

In this passage we find Jacob in a wrestling match with and angel of God (while it is not stated in this passage that it is an angel, Hosea 12:5 makes that clear). The match ends in a draw but Jacob takes injury. This mythic battle gives rise to one of the dietary laws regarding eating the sciatic nerve. In the end Jacob receives his blessing and is given the name Israel.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 17:1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.

The selection of Psalm 17 is a plea for God’s help. The intercessors ask for this help in spite of the tests they are forced to undergo.

Gospel Mt 9:32-38

In this selection Jesus continues his healing practice as he travels from town to town. We see growing opposition from the Pharisees as he does so. Using the same language we heard in Sunday’s Gospel (Lk 10; 1-9) Jesus prepares to send out the disciples to proclaim the Good News.

Reflection:

Today we take a moment away from the specific call in the Gospel to take the Good News into the world to consider how we ourselves must prepare for that mission. It is instructive for us to look at the first reading from Genesis and reflect on the metaphor depicted there.

In this story we find the main character, Jacob, the son of Isaac who was the son of Abraham, contending with a man – a messenger from God – an angle. We are not given a motive in the story, but only told that Jacob sent his family across a stream and he stayed there, presumably close to the place were he had his dream.

We are told that the angel and Jacob wrestled. Note, this was not fight based in anger from either party, rather it was a contest of strength, not intended to result in serious injury or death. Why would such a struggle take place? To us it is an indication that, because God created us with our own free will, we have the strength to resist the will of God we can choose to contest God’s plan for us and go our own way.

This story celebrates that strength. It places us in a unique relationship with the Father. Just as sons of fathers have always sought to test their strength against each other, so we as God’s children test our will against the Father’s will. And just like those tests of strength in the family, sometimes we, God’s children, believe our physical (or emotional) strength proves we have grown up. It is only later we find that physical maturity is not a match for wisdom and we seek once more that strength from the Father.

Today we see that struggle between our human nature and God’s will laid out in a biblical story from antiquity. We are reminded that God made us with the strength of will to contend even with Him who made us and to ignore his direction. It is up to us to come to the maturity of faith that understands that while we can deny the Father’s will; we need to have the wisdom to accept that will because it is the right thing to do.

Pax
[1] After Links to the Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is Jacob Wrestling with the Angel by Eugene Delacroix, 1854-61

Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
And Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and his Companions, Martyrs

Biographical Information about Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and his Companions[1]

Readings for Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 28:10-22a

The story of the first patriarchs of the Jewish people continues with the story of “Jacob’s Dream”. Jacob takes a stone from a shrine at the holy place he later calls Bethel and uses it for a pillow. He has a dream in which God gives him and his descendants the land. For the people of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this reading has another interesting quality. The exclamation Jacob made in verse 17b “This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven” is inscribed in Latin in the dome of the sanctuary.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.

The hymn of thanksgiving that is Psalm 91 gives praise to God for the salvation of his people. He saves those who believe in Him from the distress and fear.

Gospel Mt 9:18-26

Jesus continues his journey in the passage from Matthew’s Gospel. Again he engages in healing those who have faith in him. First the woman with a hemorrhage, as she touches him in faith, she experiences the healing touch. In Luke the Lord feels this touch and seeks out the woman.

Next Jesus heals the “Official’s Daughter”. In Mark’s Gospel she was at the point of death, here she had already “fallen asleep” meaning she had died. Again Jesus seeing the faith of the requestor raises her from her death bed to new life.

Reflection:

We cannot help but wonder today about the verse inscribed in the dome of the sanctuary at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. The church was remodeled in about 1992 and according to my recollection it was taken back to the way it was before the reforms of Vatican II stimulated a change that had bricked over the stain glass windows in the sanctuary (there are four windows there, each about four feet high by two feet wide perhaps even bigger it’s hard to tell) and painted the dome in a gold and red theme. The 1992 remodeling was based upon old pictures of the sanctuary from before 1964 and was done, in part to celebrate the building's centennial celebration.

There have been many times in the past hundreds of years since the Reformation that our Protestant brethren have accused the Roman Catholic Church of now being Bible based. Yet here in the sanctuary is a rather obscure quote from the story of Jacob’s Dream. We think about that dream now – He dreamt that there was a stair; actually the translation in Hebrew paints the picture more like the earthen ramp like that used to build the tower of Babel. And upon this stair or ramp, messengers of God came and went.

This was the image that inspired the words “This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven!” The designer of the edifice that is St. Thomas the Apostle must have been very well schooled in Holy Scripture to have remembered that passage and proposed it as the inscription above the sanctuary. We wonder who he was?

We wonder if his vision was like the dream that stimulated its first utterance. Did he see angels moving from earth to heaven and back above the altar? It gives us new insight into the significance of places of worship and how they have been viewed from the earliest times. We too should stand in awe as the greatest sacrifice, the greatest holy offering is made upon that table under the words “This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven!”

Pax

[1] The picture used today is Jacob’s Dream by Sanzio Raffaello, 1518

[2] After Links to the Readings Expire

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Is 66:10-14c

Isaiah speaks metaphorically here to those returning from exile. They hear of the creation (birth without pain) of God’s children in a New Jerusalem. His oracle relates to a time of prosperity that comes about due to God’s love for those he has created. It is a calling home; a call to return to that place that gave them birth.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Psalm 66 is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. In this passage we give thanks to God for his creation and join all the earth in its song of praise for the wondrous things God has accomplished.

Reading II Gal 6:14-18

St. Paul, in this selection, tells the Galatians that the Good News of Christ (and Him crucified) is for all people (“For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation”). He then tells his audience that not through the ancient marks of branding does he belong to Christ but through the marks of his persecution (from stonings and beatings).

Gospel Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9

It is only in Luke’s Gospel that we find the sending of the 72. This event is supported in other non-biblical accounts of the period (see Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 265-c. 340) - Church History). It is noteworthy that the instructions given to these disciples are very similar to those given to the twelve in Luke 22:35.

Homily:

This Gospel today tells us the story about the sending out of the “Seventy Two.” This passage from Luke’s Gospel brings to mind a story. The story is about a pretty ordinary man. To protect the innocent, let’s call him David Smith. David worked as a claims adjuster for the local branch of a company that sells all sorts of insurance. While he was a fairly spiritual person, we would not have thought of him as a “leader of the parish”. He came to Mass regularly and did his best to follow the moral teachings of the Church in his daily life.

This time of “ordinary life” went on for several years until, in a very short period of time (three weeks) two devastating events took place in his life. First, his younger sister, whom he loved intensely, died of cervical cancer (thank God it was a short fight) and next his best friend was killed in a car crash. This was especially hard since he found out about it when he was called to assess the car his friend was driving as part of his job. (Makes sense, his best friend would buy insurance from Dave’s company).

Dave was understandably very upset having lost two people he loved in such a short time. And, like so many of us, he turned more intensely to his faith. The day after the funeral of his best friend, Dave decided to hit Daily Mass on a regular basis to pray for his sister and friend. It made his grief at their loss feel somehow shared and it took the edge off his pain.

As he listened to the scripture during that first week he of his new faith effort, he began to hear a new message, as if for the first time in his life; even though he had heard these readings before (he’d even tried to read the whole bible cover to cover once. But it was hard going and he finally gave it up.). As he listened, he wondered, what if I took the message out to the world like the disciples. They were not all that special, fishermen, tax collectors; ordinary people, kind of like me. The more he thought about it, the more it tugged on him so, one day, as he was leaving Mass headed for work he decided he would give it a try for just one day. He would see if he could act like one sent by God to bring the Good News to others.

He immediately found out it would not be easy. He had no sooner walked into his office than a person called with an insurance claim that needed to be looked into. The person on the phone, Sam Wagoner (not his real name), was particularly nasty and insulting (clearly expecting to run into deep resistance from Dave who was, in his eyes, in a position to protect the insurance company’s money). Dave took a deep breath and, thinking of the Lord’s disciples who faced ridicule and even stonings, he put on the face of Christ and spoke words that were understanding and compassionate. (By the way, this was not part of the training manual he had received when he joined the company those many years ago). After a short time, being patient and not responding to the anger of the person, he agreed to come out that day and examine the claim.

When he arrived in the rather depressed neighborhood where the claimant lived, he began to understand why his customer had been abusive on the phone. This was an area that had seen hard times and the older residents who retained a foothold in their once pleasant community were frequently victims of scams and violence. Dave went to the door. He had already seen the vehicle parked in the driveway. Its driver’s side window was broken out and evidence the inept thieves had tried to “hot-wire” it were clear to his trained eye.

It was right on the borderline, this claim. Dave had two ways to go. He could deny the claim since the policy holders insurance did not cover vandalism, or he could grant it because it did cover damage as a result of theft. Two months ago Dave would have been ready to leave the area (having been given such a rough time on the first call) and phone the person back telling them that it was vandalism and they did not have coverage. This would have made Dave’s company very happy. But today, Dave was fortified with a different spirit.

The door was answered by older man, perhaps late 50’s or early 60’s. The fire that Dave had felt at the beginning of his phone call was back in Mr. Wagoner’s eyes. He stepped out on the porch and told Dave that at about 2:00 AM the night before he had heard the sound of glass breaking and run down stairs just in time to see a young man trying to steal his car. The young man had actually gotten the car started and it had moved a foot or two down the driveway and stalled.

Forgetting his anger for a moment, Sam chucked and said “You have to wait a couple of minutes with that car. Stalls every time if you try to just take off.” Then , rounding on Dave he said “What are you going to do about it.?”

Dave didn’t even bat an eyelash, “Why Mr. Wagoner, your car was stolen. This damage clearly occurred as part of that event. We should be able to take care of this right here if this is the same information on the police report.”

“It’s the same thing I told the police this morning.” Mr. Wagoner replied and then to Dave’s complete surprise, he began to cry. Not heaving sobs, just a tear that came unwillingly to Sam’s eye, quickly dashed away with an embarrassed forearm.

“I was sure you were going to tell me no” he said as if to explain the tear. “Nearly the same thing happened down the street not a week ago and Tony Balitelli got denied. He’s still taking the bus. If you had given me the same treatment, I would have lost my job for sure and I can’t afford that at my age. Thank God for you Mr. Smith.”

“Thank God, indeed Mr. Wagoner.” Dave said with a gentle smile and gave Sam a voucher to get the damage repaired and even threw in a free tow if it was needed. He continued to hold that vision of discipleship in his heart for a long time after that and while all of the outcomes were not as rewarding as his encounter with Sam Wagoner, his spirit was buoyed and he found peace in is life.

Perhaps I should just end here with; “They all lived happily ever after.” But this story is one person’s example of discipleship and how he listened to the Gospel message. We are challenged today to find our own response to the Lord’s call, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few”. Like the “Seventy Two, we are sent, we too are given the Spirit to make wonderful things happen in the name of Christ. What is our response?

Pax


[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today is “The Seventy Disciples are Sent out Two by Two” by James Tissot, 1886-96

Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 27:1-5, 15-29

We fast-forward two chapters from yesterday to Isaac’s deathbed. In this selection we hear the plot of Rebecca and Jacob to trick Isaac into giving his final blessing to Jacob, cheating his twin brother Esau out of it. This action is condemned in other parts of scripture (see Hosea (Hosea 12:3) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 9:3) and is punished by God by separating Jacob and his mother. This action shows how God takes even the weak and undeserving and uses them to His greater glory.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 135:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. Praise the Lord for the Lord is good!

Psalm 135 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. The reference in the second strophe is to God choosing Jacob which he did at the birth of the twins telling his mother “the older shall serve the younger”.

Gospel Mt 9:14-17

In this story we find two distinct responses to the question by John the Baptist’s disciples about why Jesus’ disciples do not fast in accordance with Pharisaic Law. In the first response the Lord makes reference to the reason for fasting, which is primarily mourning. How can the disciple mourn when the Good News is being proclaimed? The second response goes to the heart of the new covenant. Mosaic and Pharisaic Law cannot contain the new message of the Gospel.

Reflection:

We are again given a fairly long passage from the lives of the founders of the faith of Israel. The story today fulfills what was told to Rebecca when she became pregnant with the twin boys Esau and Jacob. Esau, though he was Isaac’s favorite because he was a hunter and outdoorsman, was to serve Jacob. Even in the womb they fought and at one point, Esau did officially (by swearing an oath) give up his birth right to Jacob. The story comes to us as one more example of how the early Hebrew people saw God’s involvement with them and theirs with him. It is a very human thing we see today as a mother puts forward her favorite to receive the inheritance that, by law, would go to her older son Esau.

If we were there, would we have asked “Why didn’t God step in?” We had seen the Lord’s active involvement with this family from the beginning. “Why didn’t God permit Esau to receive his father’s dying blessing?” Here we find ourselves getting caught up in the author’s story. We remember that this story was passed on by oral tradition for some two thousand years before it was written down and that, as faithfully as it has been preserved for us, the story was part of a tapestry of encounters with God and man’s response to him. We are shown, again and again that man can twist and turn, he can scheme and manipulate for his own purposes but in the end, God uses those machinations for his own purpose and often with surprising results.

This is a good reminder today. Haven’t each of us been at some point treated unjustly or manipulated in such a way that we were denied a just outcome. Rather than holding bitterness or even hatred for those who have “apparently” been successful in reaping their unjust rewards, let us remember that God has a way of accomplishing good out of bad and those whom He uses do not always enjoy their rewards.

The Lord bids us to pray for those who hate us and love those who declare themselves our enemies. As we remember times in our lives were we have been taken down or treated poorly, let us give thanks for our faith and that God will ultimately accomplish His glorious ends in spite of the evil we encounter.

Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today is “Isaac Blessing Jacob” by Govert Teunisz Flinck, 1639

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

And Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin, Martyr

Biographical Information about Saint Maria Goretti[1]

Readings for Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67

The various excerpts from Chapters 23 and 24 of Genesis tell the story of the death of Sarah and Abraham’s successful plan to obtain a wife for his son Isaac from the Hebrew community. This is how Rebekah (Rebecca) comes to be Isaac’s wife.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

This hymn of praise supports the story of Abraham as it rejoices over God’s gracious help to those who trust in him. We see clearly the hand of God in Abraham’s story as the psalmist proclaims “That I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, rejoice in the joy of your people, and glory with your inheritance.”

Gospel Mt 9:9-13

The journey of Jesus continues with the Lord’s encounter with Matthew (Levi in St. Mark’s Gospel), the tax collector. The Pharisees are scandalized because this renowned teacher has chosen to associate with “sinners” who clearly violate some of the numerous laws about ritual purity. Jesus' response “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” makes it clear that interior faith is more highly prized than purely ritualistic rigor.

Reflection:

We were given the Reader’s Digest version Abraham’s response to the death of Sarah, his first wife, and the procurement of Rebecca as wife for his son Isaac. What was left out of the story was the fact that those involved (The servant, Rebecca, Rebecca’s family) all were both guided by and gave praise to God at each new stage of the story. We were not shown the faith of the servant who prayed for a sign from God that the girl Rebecca was the one sent for Isaac by God, nor were we shown the faith of Rebecca as she prayed for guidance in going with the servant. The entire saga, with the parts we did not hear today, was a story of faith and submission to the will of God.

The Psalm used paints the larger picture of God’s gracious mercy to those who follow him. It essentially pulls the moral from the story for us and leads to the Gospel as Jesus chooses to dine with the “sinners” rather than eat in the ritualistically pure environment of the Pharisees. The Lord makes it clear that it is more important for him to reach out to those who need his spiritual example than it is for him to follow the ritually complex rules of the Pharisaic laws.

By these examples we see the importance of our own interior faith and how it must be developed and applied in the world. Is the implication here the one that so many of the “un-churched” use to rationalize their lack of participation in organized religion? Is the message that the formal celebration of the faith is unimportant?

No, that is not the message. The message, which was intended for and can only be truly understood by the organized community of faith represented by the Church, tells us that our call must be to reach out as well as maintain an interior faith, strengthened by the Sacraments.

While the example of St. Maria Goretti was directed more toward forgiveness and purity of spirit, we can use her steadfast faith as a model for our own. The strength of that faith, sustained and developed within the Church, stood strong in the face of brutal treatment and painful death. May we be given that same strength of faith as we face each day.

Pax
[1] The picture used is of St. Maria Goretti, Artist is UNKNOWN
[2] After Links to Readings Expire

Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

And Saint Antony Mary Zaccaria, priest

Biographical Information about St. Antony Mary Zaccaria[1]

Readings for Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 22:1b-19

The saga of Abraham continues with as he is tested by God. God orders Abraham to sacrifice his only (legitimate) son, Isaac. The term “beloved” is used in this passage which is later also assigned to Jesus as God’s only Son. The sacrifice is aborted once God sees that Abraham will indeed go through with his challenge, thus Abraham is found worthy of the honor God will afford him.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.

Psalm 115 is a hymn of praise to our God who is above all things and creator of all. While he is not seen, his creation is evidence of his creation and salvation.

Gospel Mt 9:1-8

Jesus continues his saving works in the healing of the paralytic. The leaders of the synagogue hear Jesus forgive the man’s sins first which in their thinking caused the man’s affliction and could only be taken away by God. Jesus was therefore blaspheming. To demonstrate that he was from God and acting for God, Jesus took away not only the man’s sins but what the scribes believed were the consequences of those sins, his paralysis. The crowds, if not the scribes immediately understood and gave thanks to God for his mercy.

Homily:

We are given an example of unwavering faith as we hear the story of how Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac, the only beloved son of his union with his wife Sarah. He does not resist God’s command, even though it must tear him apart. Only at the last moment when it is clear that he will actually do as the Lord commanded does God’s messenger stop him.

It was only a test. It was a test Abraham passed. It was a test God Himself passed as well but in the case of His Only Son, it was not the Father who was tested but His children and they failed, taking the human life from the Son of God.

The God we understand did not withhold His Son. He sent him to us and he showed us who he was. The people in today’s Gospel saw him do something only God could do – forgive a man’s sins and in doing so cure him of an incurable illness. They were given visible evidence of who the Lord was, yet they nailed him to a tree and watched as his life’s blood flowed out.

The evidence is passed on to us. The Word of God is clear for us. And each day we face our own tests. Each day we are called to love those we meet whether they love us in return, as the paralytic must surly have loved Christ, or if, like the scribes, our love is met with distrust and envy.

We pray today that we have a faith strong enough to meet the tests the world throws at us today. We pray for the intersession of St. Anthony Mary, whose unwavering devotion to Christ earned him a place with the angles, that our faith be sustained by the Holy Spirit and through our actions all will give glory to God as he shines through us.

Pax
[1] The picture used today of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria is from a Holy Card and according to the Barnaites was painted by Cristina Bellazzi
[2] Readings After Links Expire

Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

And Saint Elizabeth of Portugal

Biographical Information about Saint Elizabeth of Portugal[1]

Readings for Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 21:5, 8-20a

We have been following the saga of Abraham (Abram) as he strives to follow God’s will. In this passage his wife Sarah (Sarai) has demanded that Hagar and Ishmael be cast out of their family group. This is truly the beginning of the split in Abraham’s descendents as through his son Isaac the Jewish people would arise and through his son Ishmael the followers of Islam develop. The same God (whose Only Son is the Messiah) that favored the early Jewish people, in this passage shows his love for Hagar and Ishmael and their decendents.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:7-8, 10-11, 12-13
R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

In this selection from Psalm 34, the singer rejoices in God’s love and compassion, especially for those in need (“the poor”). God saves those who love him and shares in their delight during good times.

Gospel Mt 8:28-34

Jesus comes to a region about five miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee and encounters the two demoniacs (people taken over by demons). He drives them out into a herd of swine (the symbolism here for the Jewish audience would be powerful as swine were unclean animals and even they preferred death to the presence of evil.). The gentle population, probably very superstitious, was afraid of Christ’s power over evil and did not want any more damage as a result of his presence.

Reflection:

The message from all three pieces of scripture today tells us that God is the God of all, not just a select group. In the first reading we find Sarah, Abraham’s wife demanding that Hagar, Abraham’s slave, and mother of his first born son, be excommunicated from their family group. Abraham followed the guidance of God who promised that both his sons (Abraham’s) would prosper and “become great nations”. The Father clearly accepted this obligation to look out for Ishmael and demonstrated that in the wilderness when he and his mother were dying of thirst.

In the Gospel, Jesus cures two possessed people of the gentile community through which he was passing. These were not Jews, presented to him for healing by members of the faithful. They were gentiles in serious straights. The Lord demonstrated his love for all peoples in his healing act.

What does this message say to us? We call ourselves disciples of the Christ, the only Son of God who was God of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael. Do we follow the example set for us by reaching out to our brothers and sisters of diverse faith backgrounds? This message today is extremely important to us in the light of tensions in the world. It is so easy for us to look at those who follow Abraham’s older son with fear and distrust because of a minority of militants and extremists have twisted the words of the Holy Quran to their own hatful purpose and under that banner (which generally is a mask for greed or lust for personal power) justifies the murder of innocent people. We must remember that in times past there were those who took Holy Scripture in similar directions.

Today we pray that, following the example of God the Father and Christ His Son, we too can show the face of love to all peoples of all nations. We ask God the Father to give us the Spirit of peace that we might reach out to the world and, in doing so, advance the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Pax
[1] The picture of St. Elizabeth of Portugal is by Francisco de Zurbarán, 1627-33
[2] After Links Expire

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

Biographical Information about St. Thomas the Apostle[1]

Readings for Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Eph 2:19-22

In this passage, St. Paul describes the unity brought about among all believers in Christ. This unity is formed under a common teaching flowing from the Hebrew Prophets, through the Apostles to Christ himself who is described as the “capstone” or cornerstone. This unity of spirit becomes the Church – the “dwelling place for God in the Spirit.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:1bc, 2
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel, the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.

Gospel Jn 20:24-29

This story from St. John’s Gospel picks up just after Mary Magdalene has brought news to the disciples of the Risen Christ and he has appeared to them in the locked room. He (the Lord) has departed and now Thomas returns to find his friends speaking of Jesus' return from the dead.

Thomas acquires his nickname by doubting what the other disciples tell him and persists until the Lord again comes to the locked upper room. To his credit, following the Lord’s own challenge, St. Thomas applies the title “My Lord and my God”. It is the first time this title, reserved for God the Father, is given to the Son, proclaiming his divinity. The passage concludes with Jesus acknowledging the title but praising those not present who will believe in him without requiring physical proof.

Reflection:

How fortunate we are to have the example of St. Thomas the Apostle, “Doubting Thomas”. If our only example of discipleship was the unwavering faith of St. Paul after his conversion we would find the bar set too high and despair at our unworthiness.

In St. Thomas we see our own doubts, our own skepticism. These feelings, present in all of us to a greater or lesser extent, are not usually the things we share with others, even our closest friends. Because of the faith environment we share, at least in the western world, questioning the divinity of Christ or the existence of God are thoughts we are ashamed even to admit.

It is generally in the dark times, times where our lives seem to be headed in the wrong direction, when everything we do seems to turn to ash, when all we meet seem to turn their backs on us, that we find that question “Where are you now God?” It is when unvarnished evil shows it’s face in our lives that we doubt the words of God’s only Son who said “I am the way the truth and the life, whoever believes in me shall never die but have eternal life.” Ask the teenager who looses both parents to a drunk driver if those words ring true.

But we have St. Thomas. He shows us that the greatest doubts can be turned to faith and that faith can accomplish great things. Today we pray for the strength to retain our faith in the face of adversity. We ask St. Thomas, who sits with the angels and saints around the throne of the Lamb, to intercede for us, that we might be examples of faith to others as he was to us.

Pax
[1] The image used today is “Doubting Thomas” by Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri), 1623
[2] After Links Expire

Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings for Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 18:16-33

Following the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, the Messengers of the Lord are leaving the hospitality of his tent. They travel together to where Lott and his household had gone and prepares to punish the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sinfulness. Abraham, for his part attempts to negotiate for the cities asking for mercy for the innocent. He is successful, demonstrating the mercy of God to the innocent.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Remembering God’s promise of mercy for the innocent, Psalm 103 praises God for his compassion and gives thanks for his salvation.

Gospel Mt 8:18-22

We come to an interlude between the miracle stories in St. Matthew’s Gospel. In this passage we find two sayings dealing with discipleship and what that means. The first of these is a reply to a scribe who wished to travel with the Lord. The Savior’s reply indicated that he must be prepared to have not permanent home if he was going to do so. He must give up material wealth.

In the second situation, the would-be disciple asks to be allowed to bury his father. This does not mean his father had already died but that he wished to wait for that to happen so he could carry out his family responsibilities. The Lord’s response makes it clear that ties to the family would be secondary to the disciples call to follow him.

Reflection:

The whole idea of spiritual leadership is presented in broad brush strokes in today’s scripture. In the first reading God is intending to punish the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham, the Patriarch who knows his kinsman Lott has taken up residence there pleads with God for mercy for the innocent. In this same way we are called not to judge in the name of God but to pray for God’s mercy for those who live in sin.

Just as Abraham did not judge those who lived in the accursed cities, we are not to judge those whose actions proclaim them to be godless. Ours, as our Savior taught us, is a role of intercession even for our enemies.

The second part of the lesson plan for discipleship comes from the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus responds first to the scribe telling him that if he wishes to follow the Way he must have as his first priority the Kingdom of God. His possessions must take a distant second place. That message comes to us as well. We too are called to focus our efforts on living a life worthy of the name “disciple of Christ”.

The final lesson on spiritual leadership takes the focus on the Lord further, eclipsing even our ties to family. If our efforts are first for God all else will fall into place. If we place anything else first in our lives, this emphasis will be clearly visible to other as well.

Pax
[1] After Links Expire
[2] The picture today is “Abraham and the Three Angles” by Giambattista Tiepolo, 1770

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Biographical Information about Saints Peter and Paul[1]

Readings for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary: (Today I borrow the commentary from Fr. Tom Welbers at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Berkley, California)

Reading 1 Acts 12:1-11

The liberation of Peter from prison echoes many events of Jewish history (the deliverance of Joseph, Gn 39:21-41:57; the three young men, Dn 3; and Daniel, Dn 6) that consciously reflect the paschal liberation (Ex 12:42). Peter now undergoes the same trial and deliverance as his Master and in his own person becomes a sign of God’s deliverance of his people.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

This psalm, in the words of one being unjustly persecuted, echoes hope for deliverance and freedom. Response: "The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him."

Reading II 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18

Paul is writing from prison at the end of his life. The only deliverance he can expect is death, and he confidently proclaims that it is the greatest deliverance of all. The death of the Christian who has lived and worked in union with the death of Christ through baptism is true release to freedom and glory.

Gospel Mt 16:13-19

This passage is often used as a proof text for the primacy of the Pope. It may well be that, but to stop there is to set aside rich insight into our own participation in the mission of the Church. The "power of the keys" is rightly understood as referring to the authority of Peter and his successors in the ministry of leading and unifying the Church, but it also provides us with an image of the mission of the whole Church, ourselves included. The Church is the doorway to God’s kingdom. Each of us as a member of the Church has the power to unlock that doorway — to welcome all we meet, by our spirit of love and forgiveness, into association with us in the kingdom. But we can also close the door of the kingdom to others, excluding them by our attitudes of superiority, prejudice, selfishness, or negligence. As Christians, we have the power to open or to lock the door of God’s kingdom. By our own words and actions we cannot help but exercise this power — one way or the other.

Reflection:

Today we celebrate two Apostles, one who traveled with Jesus and was the leader of the disciples during the life of Jesus on earth, the other a persecutor of the disciples until he himself was chosen by the Lord as an instrument. Two very different backgrounds but called together for a common purpose, building the kingdom of God on earth.

How different were their calls to that single purpose. Peter, Simon the fisherman who left his profession to follow Jesus, called almost it seemed by accident as his brother, who was a disciple of John the Baptist, told him one day “We have found the Messiah”. From that day until the terrible night in the courtyard outside the house of Caiaphas when he denied the Lord, he was a frequently reluctant student. We hear the Lord, in today’s Gospel, take that flawed student, now renamed and recreated through the Holy Spirit, and give him the keys to the Kingdom and establish him as our first Vicar of Christ.

Paul (Saul), on the other hand, was a traditional Jew, brought up and educated to become a member of the Sanhedrin. We first encounter him as he approves of the stoning of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church. Was he unwittingly promoting the faith even then? His zeal for Hebrew orthodoxy made him the perfect instrument of the Temple in Jerusalem. He was sent to eliminate these “Christians” who flaunted their authority by saying the Messiah had already come.

They sent Paul to Damascus, but a funny thing happened on that road. The Lord, from his home at the right hand of the Father, reached down and snatched Saul, now Paul from the hands of the Temple leadership and created his own tool to take God’s word to the world. Paul’s oratory training would be put to good use as he first challenged the Jews in Antioch and then all round the region, debating the pagan Greeks and Romans and establishing churches throughout the region. Christ took this flawed and sinful man, filled with hate for God’s children, and turned him into a force that lovingly invited the world to come to Christ.

Our celebration today is of St. Peter, first Pontiff of the Church and St. Paul, the great Evangelist. Even more, today we celebrate the Church looking in and reaching out. We thank God for taking unlikely instruments and making them forces that shook the world. In our awe, we ask him to take our humble efforts and continue their noble work.

Pax
[1] The engraving today is of “St. Peter and Paul” by Diego de Astor, 1608
[2] After Links Expire

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

Biographical Information about St. Irenaeus[1]

Readings for the Memorial of St. Iraneus[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Gn 16:1-12, 15-16 or 16:6b-12, 15-16

The story of Abram continues today and in it we find God’s promise of offspring for Abram kept but in a surprising way. Not through his wife did God give Abram his fist son, but through Hagar, Sarai’s maid servant. Here ironically is the beginning of Islam as well. Out of Ishmael comes the Prophet Mohamed and the prophetic statement by the Lord’s messenger “his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him;” seems to be coming to pass in out generation.

In the alternate short form of this reading the decision by Sarai, Abram’s wife to give her maid, Hagar, as concubine to her husband is omitted, as is the combative reaction of the two women toward each other once Hagar becomes pregnant.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Psalm 106 is a song of thanksgiving. In this selection the singer thanks God for his saving mercy and favor to his chosen people.

Gospel Mt 7:21-29

This is the final section of the first of five great discourses of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. In it he broadens his attack on false prophets to include those who perform acts in his name but lead lives of sin. He uses the analogy of the house built upon sand and the house built upon rock to indicate that those how have a deep faith and act out of that faith have a strong foundation and can stand against adversity; while those who give the faith lip service and for others to see but do not have that deep faith will fall. He will not even recognize them when they come before him in final judgment.

Reflection:

Today we marvel or at least wonder about the story in the first reading. Our news if full of war and hatred that stems from the enmity between the descendants of Ishmael and the descendants of Isaac, Abram’s son out of Sarai, his wife. We wonder if the words of the author of Genesis are being fulfilled or are partly the cause of this conflict. It seems as if the angel’s words are coming true in a middle east in flames. While many say it is President Bush’s fault, the fire was burning long before he or his father lead our armed forces into the region. The current rounds of bloodshed have now been burning since 1948 when, in atonement for the persecution of the Jews in World War II, the modern nation of Israel was established and the displacement of the Palestinians in the region was started. We leave that whole history to those who know it but it does seem that what is taking place was almost inevitable.

The Gospel story we heard today was another reminder that we who proclaim faith in Christ must develop a strong faith foundation if we are to stand against adversity. Each day we go out into the world, whether it is to work, school, or just to do errands. In that secular world we are challenged to apply the principles of or faith to the life situations we face. This is especially true if we are in an environment where our friends or co-workers do not share our values and invite us to follow a path contrary to our moral precepts. If our foundation is strong, built upon rock as the Lord might say, we can comfortably decline that path. If, on the other hand, we have not strengthened that foundation we bow to the pressure and fall into darkness.

While it is super important to build that strong foundational faith while we are young and with our own young, it is equally important that we continue to fortify that foundation with regular doses of grace. Even the strongest foundation will wash away if neglected. The sea of inequity is persistent and powerful. Today let’s take a shot of grace and be thankful to those who helped us to build our own foundation.

Pax
[1] The image “St. Irenaeus” is by an UNKNOWN artist
[2] After Links Expire