The Day of the Lord - 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Perhaps the biggest cottage industry in Christianity is in telling people exactly when Jesus will return for the final judgment. Throughout the history of our faith we have seen countless predictions come and go, and yet the world is still here. This concern was certainly present in the Thessalonian community to whom Paul writes, for the author has to warn people about alleged statements falsely attributed to Paul stating that the end times were near. However, the problem we face is not when Jesus comes again, but what our expectation of that event is. The readings today provide us with the proper expectation.

The first reading from the book of Wisdom provides its audience with a contrast from the surrounding religions of Israel. Pagan religions viewed its gods as adversarial forces in the world that threaten humans. At best the ancient gods tolerated humans and at worst they were hostile to the existence of humans. These traditions then adopted a system of sacrifices to appease the angry gods so that humans might avoid calamity. Yet, the author of Wisdom presents us with the one true God who loves all that he has made. Even those who offend against God are rebuked gently in order that they might abandon their evil ways and believe in the Lord.

The Psalmist continues the same theme from Wisdom in reminding the reader that the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. God lifts up those who are falling and raises up those who are bowed down. While Israel has seen the great mercy of God time and again in her history, still they see God in terms of the surrounding culture: an image of fear and judgment. Fear and judgment can never lead to love, and thus these two pieces of wisdom literature remind us that God prefers the path of love and mercy to instill the same within us.

The Gospel text powerfully demonstrates the love and mercy of God through the ministry of Jesus. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector of Jericho, a large city, and so he was certainly a wealthy man. Yet, he acquired his wealth through dishonest means; tax collectors of the day were known for cheating and extorting people for sums beyond their required tax levy in order to amass a large fortune for themselves. The Gospel text does not tell us what attracted Zacchaeus to Jesus, but he greatly desires to see Jesus, about whom he has probably heard a great deal. Perhaps it was the message of Jesus regarding God's preference for the poor that led Zacchaeus to reconsider his life; maybe it was Jesus' message of God's love and forgiveness that can change any life. In any case Zacchaeus goes to great lengths to see Jesus, to invite Jesus to his house, and then to make amends for his life of sin.

Jesus announces that salvation has come to the house of Zacchaeus today. The coming of Jesus, then, is not about fear and judgment, but about announcing salvation being offered to all. In anticipating the coming of Jesus, our goal then should not be to pass along a message of fear and judgment, but rather our aim should be to see Jesus' coming joyfully, for when Jesus comes he brings salvation, he brings good news. Pope John Paul II asks us to consider Jesus's coming: "Do I want to see Christ? Do I do everything to see him? This question, two thousand years later, is as relevant as it was then, when Jesus passed through cities and villages of his land. It is a relevant question for each of us personally today: Do I want to? Do I really want to? Or do I perhaps rather avoid the encounter with him? Do I prefer not to see him and do I prefer him not to see me (at least in my way of thinking and feeling)? And if I already see him in some way, then do I prefer to see him from afar, not drawing too near, not venturing before his eyes so as not to perceive too much...so as not to have to accept the whole truth that is in him, that comes from him - from Christ?" (Pope John Paul II, Address, November 2, 1980)

Let us then entrust ourselves to God, asking for the grace to see with clarity what the coming of Jesus means and how we should anticipate with joy this coming in our lives. So, we pray: "Let us pray in the presence of God, the source of every good. Father in heaven, God of power and Lord of mercy, from whose fullness we have received, direct our steps in our everyday efforts. May the changing moods of the human heart and the limits which our failings impose on hope never blind us to you, source of every good. Faith gives us the promise of peace and makes known the demands of love. Remove the selfishness that blurs our faith. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

God Hears the Outcast - 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Discussions on prayer tend to be focused on our side of the conversation: "What should I say to God? Does God hear my prayers? What techniques can help me in prayer?" While those questions are important, they tend to overlook the fact that prayer is a two way street. We speak to God, but God also listens and speaks to us. What God says to us in prayer and in the scriptures can often be difficult for us to accept. The readings for this Sunday provide us with a balanced view of prayer, as well as a challenge for people of every age.

The first reading from Sirach reflects the response of the wisdom tradition of Israel to the question of whose prayers God hears. The prevailing view of the day held that riches were a blessing and poverty was a curse; sickness and misfortune were punishments, while health and comfort were gifts of God. Sirach reminds the audience that God holds no favorites and that he hears the cry of the oppressed, the weak, and the lowly. What is more, the justice of God will rescue the marginalized, for God judges justly and affirms the right. The Psalmist too echoes these sentiments of Sirach: God is close to the brokenhearted and he will confront evildoers at the appointed time for God's justice to emerge.

Jesus, however, seems to present a different message in relating the story of the Pharisee and Publican in the Gospel text. The tax collector was wealthy because he oppressed others with his dishonest ways and unjust practices, while the Pharisee was righteous before God, obeying the smallest detail of the law. However, what we say to God - what comes from our deepest self - is what is important in the eyes of God. The Pharisee was righteous in external matters, but his heart was not pure and his prayer was really addressed to himself, not God. The tax collector, by contrast, is not righteous in his external actions, but he demonstrates profound contrition and humility in his prayer because it came from the very depths of his being. Such prayers bring profound conversion and renewal. The outcast is the hero of the story, while the perceived good guy comes away not looking so good - just as we saw in the first reading!

Paul seems to present us with yet another obstacle to prayer, for the second reading appears to be the prayer of the Pharisee in the Gospel text. Paul is boasting of is actions and of his salvation to come. However, Paul knows the difference between praying like a Pharisee and praying like a repentant sinner, for he has uttered both kinds of prayers in his life. He came to see that external observance of the law cannot save; only faith in Christ that animates the heart and propels a person to live as Christ lived can achieve such redemption. It is this faith that Paul boasts of, not his own works.

Pope John Paul II offered us a glimpse of his own prayer life as he began his papacy more than thirty years ago. His words are reminiscent of Paul's words while at the same time reflecting the prayer and ministry of the Lord Jesus: "For me prayer is the first priority. Prayer is a basic prerequisite to service of the Church and the world....Every believer should always think of prayer as an essential and indispensable component of one's vocation. It is the 'opus divinum' which precedes and overshadows every work. We well know that faithfulness to prayer, nor its neglect, is a test of the vitality of religious life, apostolate, and Christian fidelity." (John Paul II, Address, October 7, 1979)

Let us, then, be attentive to the prayers we utter so that they may come from the very depth of our being and reflect our true position in the universe as utterly dependent on the love of God. Let us also listen to God as he tells us that he hears the prayers of the lowly, the poor, and the oppressed. May we hear the cry of the poor and through our prayer serve them as the Lord Jesus did: "Let us pray in humble hope for salvation. Praised be you, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no power for good which does not come from your covenant, and no promise to hope in, that your love has not offered. Strengthen our faith to accept your covenant and give us the love to carry out your command. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen." (Opening Prayer)

Faith on the Earth - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

"But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" This question seems oddly placed at the end of our Gospel text for today's Mass. Surely there are many people of faith: churches are well attended on Sundays, people seem to be praying fervently, and charities received a great many donations across the world. In previous times we can find other great examples of widespread faith among people in various parts of the world. How, then, could Jesus question whether he'll find faith on the earth when he returns?

Perhaps the problem lies in what we regard to be faith. The readins for this week all address this central element in a person and a community's relationship with God. Rather than provide us with a definition of faith, the scriptures provide us with examples for us to ponder and to examine in our lives in relationship to those stories of faith.

The first reading from the book of Exodus provides us with the story of Moses praying in fervent intercession for Joshua and his army in their battle against Amalek. As long as Moses kept his hands outstretched, the Israelites had the better of the day; once his arms fell, Amalek's army had the upper hand. So Aaron and Hur helped Moses keep his arms outstretched so that the Israelites could win the day. This story isn't about manipulating God through our own efforts. It is about the great faith of Moses in God's help. The Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years; they were hardly a fit military machine to take on the powers of the day, let alone defend themselves effectively. These people were an outcast group on the earth, scorned by all for their odd faith in one God. Compared to other nations, Israel was insignificant and quite powerless. It is within this context that we should see the faith of Moses: in spite of these overwhelming odds, God chose to protect the marginalized people of Israel and to make them his people. Moses believed that God would help them - not with some magical powers but with faith and love that would enable them to rise up to be the people God called them to be.

Similarly the Gospel story of the widow and the unjust judge should be seen as a story of faith within the context of the times. Widows were absolutely powerless in ancient society. Women had no status or protection of citizenship apart from the connection to a man. When a woman was a girl, she received societal protection through her father's citizenship; when she married the woman received the protection of her husband's status. A widow generally could not remarry when her husband died, leaving her completely powerless in society, although God had provided protections in the law for widows and the Israelites were obligated to provide for widows in their need. This unjust judge in many ways reflects the times in which the story takes place. The Romans had replaced all the leaders of Israel with hand picked puppets who would be loyal to Rome, not to the law of God. Some Jews followed Roman law and ignored the law of God. This unjust judge clearly did not respect God or human beings. Yet, the widow had faith that God would protect her and side with her in this matter with the judge. Her perseverance paid off and the judge helped her not out of concern for her or God, but because he wanted her to stop nagging her.

Clearly, the faith Jesus is looking for is not one that is wrapped up in our selfish pursuits: praying to win the lottery, to have a big house and fine things, or success in certain worldly pursuits are not the aims of faith. These readings point us to a faith that trusts that God will help the voiceless, the poor, and the lowly of this earth - and if we ask for the grace to become effective advocates for these least ones in our society then the Son of Man will indeed find faith on earth should he come in glory today. We should heed the command of the second reading: "be persistent, whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage, through all patience and teaching."

The Eucharist - the memorial of the death and resurrection of Jesus - is the ultimate lesson in learning to live as Christ and to have the faith of Christ to the point of dying for others. A life lived for others is the only way to heaven, and so we pray for help in incorporating this word and Eucharist in our lives by unitinig our thoughts to the closing prayer of Mass this week: "Lord, may this Eucharist help us to remain faithful. May it teach us the way to eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

"Remember Jesus Christ" - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The similarity between the first reading and the Gospel regarding the healing of a leper might tempt us to look no further in the readings for meaning. These two stories are straightforward enough: Namaan and the unnamed leper are healed, both are foreignes, and both come to faith in God through their healing. What, however, is the challenge for us in the readings this week?


The first answer to that question lies in the generosity of God's gifts of compassion and mercy. In the time of Elisha the prophet the faith of Israel in God was once again at a low point. The prophet had been pushed aside to the margins, since the leaders and people of Israel would not listen to the words of the prophet. In the midst of this setting God heals Namaan the Syrian through the ministry of Elisha. Similarly, the Gospel story recounts the event where Jesus heals ten lepers without question. All are healed, but only one returns to thak Jesus for this great gift. In both stories we see Elisha and Jesus break social conventions: it was forbidden to have contact with those who are unclean, and it was forbidden for the unclean to approach others. The compassion and mercy of God extend to all and are not limited by our social conventions and laws.


The second part of an answer to the challenge of the readings is found in the act of thanksgiving both Namaan and the unnamed beneficiary of the Gospel reading. Neither Elisha nor Jesus place any conditions on the supplicants who approach them for assistance: they perform the compassion and mercy of God without deciding whether or not they "deserve" God's help or not. None of us deserves God's compassion and mercy, yet we have all received them in abundance. These two characters recognize this fact and thank God. Their lives have been changed by the experience and they live new lives of gratitude. Namaan commits himself to the God of Israel; the man in the Gospel story too becomes a person of great faith. That faith leads to a life of gratitude to God.


Still, a life of faith and thanksgiving are still not enough. Paul provides the most important challenge to us: Remember Jesus Christ. What does that mean? Does such a remembrance merely recall these past events as wonderful stories that happened long ago to other people? Or, is our remembrance sacramental in nature? The latter type of remembrance is one where the person we recall is not merely some historical figure, but someone who is alive and present to us. To remember Jesus Christ is not the same as remembering George Washington. When we remember the ministry of Jesus it should change us profoundly; it should call us to imitate him in the way we live our lives.


Pope Benedict XVI stated, "The man who has hope lives his life differently." (Spe Salvi, #2). We might well ask the question, "Different from what?" The world encourages us to live for ourselves, to satisfy our every desire and whim, and to neglect the needs of others. Such a life cannot have any room for God because there is already another god present - ourselves. When we live by hope we are remembering Jesus Christ and the manner in which he lived: a life of total service to others, a life of bringing the compassion and mercy of God to others without qualification; a life of radical solidarity with every single person because each and every one is a child of God. Thus, to live in hope is to live the life of Jesus Christ in the particular circumstances of our life today.


Namaan and the healed foreigner came to live lives of hope through their recognition of God's compassion and mercy in their lives. May we come to recognize God's compassion and mercy in our lives, and through that recognition come to be the compassion and mercy of God to others. We pray, then, for such assistance as we join our intentions with that of the opening prayer for Mass: "Let us pray that God will help us to love one another. Lord, our help and guide, make your love the foundation of our lives. May our love for you express itself in our eagerness to do good for others. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen."

"The Measure of All Things" - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

During the golden age of Athens Socrates was in the midst of his great teaching career, a career that would ultimately lead to his death at the hands of the Athenian city state. During that time, Socrates' main opponent was Protagoras, who argued that man is the measure of all things. This statement means that there is no transcendent reality that determines how we ought to live our lives, no objective truth to order our behavior, and no other person whose very presence obligates us in some way to respond beyond ourselves. The flaws of this philosophy are obvious to us who profess belief in God, but our mere external profession does not immunize us from the temptation to live and think as if we are the measure of all things. Very often our prayers are self-centered, and even when we pray for others there often is a hidden motive of our own selfish concerns addressed in those petitions. The readings for today's Mass remind us of this temptation and they provide a remedy to overcome it.


The prophet Habakkuk wrote during the time just before the invasion of Israel by the Babylonian army in 586 B.C. He sees the coming destruction of Jerusalem and so he addresses a lament prayer to God that seems somewhat selfish: why do I have to see his wickednss and destruction? The brutal honesty of Jewish prayes is refreshing in a certain sense, and God certainly appreciates it as well because God responds with brutal honesty as well: the just will live because of their faith. In effect, God is telling the prophet that whether you see good things or bad, it does not matter. What matters is that you trust God in all things and practice justice toward all.


Hearing God's word can be a great challenge. The psalmist reminds us that hearing God's word is not enough. His ancestors heard God's word in the desert, and yet their hearts were hardened and they failed to believe. Despite the many great signs God performed for them, th Israelites continually fell into idolatr and injustice. These sins revisit Israel and lead to their downfall that Habakkuk is about to witness.


The letter to Timothy that forms our second reading today describes a community that is in fear of giving witness to their faith. Despite their many external observances and exercises, the community still cannot rekindle the flame of their original faith commitment. The answer to the problem does not lie outside of ourselves; instead, it dwells within us. The answer is not ourselves and what we do - the answer is found in listening to the Holy Spirit who dwells deep within us, encouraging us in the way we should walk. The performance of external actions and rituals are not bad in themselves, but if they are not accompanied by deep faith their value is nil. Faith only comes through a deep and abiding relationship with the God who dwells within us.


Jesus provides the final tonic to the temptation to measure all things in ourselves. The call of discipleship is one of service, a call that requires humility to realize our place in the universe. God has made us to serve Him by serving others. We can have no legitimate complaint against God because we have received all from him. Only faith can lead us to an authentic life of service, a life that is also one of justice. We can then forget ourselves and reach out towards others. As the Second Vatican Council stated: "Only the light of faith, and meditation on the Word of God can enable us to find everywhere and always the God 'in whom we live and exist' (cf. Acts 17: 28); only thus can we seek his will in everything, see Christ in all men, acquaintance or stranger, make soun judgments on the true meaning and value of temporal realities both in themselves and in relation to man's end." (Second Vatican Council, Apostolican Actuositatem, #4)


Authentic justice comes in a life of faith, and the life of faith is grounded in a profound prayer life that communicates with the Holy Spirit who dwells deep within us, ready to form us into servants for the kingdom of God. May our concluding prayer lead us to the Holy Spirit who grants faith to us that we might live lives of justice and service: "Let us pray before the face of God in trusting faith. Almighty and eternal God, Father of the world to come, your goodness is beyond what our spirit can reach. Lead us to seek beyond our reach and give us the courae to stand before your truth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."