A Dwelling for God - 4th Sunday in Advent Year B

There is the story of a poor fisherman, his wife, and a talking fish. One day the fisherman finds the talking fish and the wife insists on having the husband ask the fish to grant them a wish, whereupon the wife asks for a nice house instead of their hut. The fish grants the wish. As the story progresses the wife asks for grander dwellings, and at each request the sea gets more violent. The wife's final wish is to be lord of the sun and moon, at which point the couple is returned to their poor hut. The point of the story is that the poor couple had all they needed in their simple life, and that the desire for greater dwellings led to the loss of their spirit. The readings for today's liturgy provide us with a similar lesson.

In the first reading we find King David pledging to build God a magnificent dwelling for him. After all, David had built a glorious palace for himself while God's presence in the Ark f the Covenant continued to remain in a simple tent. The desire seems just on David's part, but God does not want David to build the Temple. God was content to have his presence remain in the simple dwelling of the tent. Eventually David's son, Solomon, would build the great Temple of Jerusalem, only to have king after king defile the presence of God therein with the worship of false idols and the various injustices allowed to exist throughout the kingdom of Israel.

God's desire to dwell within the lowliest of things finds its way into the Gospel for today. The angel Gabriel announces God's intention to have Mary be the mother of Jesus the Lord. Mary was not from the upper classes; she lived in Nazareth of Galilee, one of the poorest areas of the northern regions of Judea. And yet God chose her to have the Lord Jesus reside within her and to enter human existence through her womb. Just as God preferred the humble tent of the desert for his presence to dwell among the people of Israel, so God preferred the lowly handmaiden of Nazareth to be the God bearer.

The readings point us to the real point of the Advent and Christmas seasons: God neither desires nor prefers the grand buildings built by human beings for his dwelling, even though the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is housed in such places. It is God's preference to dwell within the heart and soul of each human being he has created. All of us have been chosen to be God bearers and to bring God's presence into the world through our words and deeds - deeds of justice and love. The buildings we create are fine enough, but just as the Temple of Jerusalem has been destroyed, rebuilt, and destroyed once again, so our buildings bear the same fate. Buildings do not have an eternal destiny, human beings do. We must build a suitable dwelling for God within our own hearts and souls in order for Christmas to mean anything at all.

Martin Sheen played the lead role in a movie called "The Fourth Wise Man." Sheen's character is the fabled fourth wise man who was to accompany the others to bring additional gifts to the Christ child - gifts of three precious jewels. The man gets separated from the others and lost along the way. He desperately searches for the Lord Jesus over many years in order to bring him these jewels. However, over the years he comes across people in need who require his assistance: a sick child, a slave under harsh conditions and separated from his family, and a widow in dire need. The man uses the jewels to save these people from their plights, and he wanders the streets of Jerusalem penniless and heartbroken that he was unable to give these gifts to the Lord Jesus.

The final scene has the wise man sitting along the side of a road in Jerusalem, and Jesus walks by carrying the cross to Calvary. Jesus stops to talk with the wise man, who apologizes for not having brought him the jewels. Jesus replies, "For as often as you did it to one of these least ones, you did it to me." We ended the liturgical year with that line from the final judgment of Matthew 25, and so it becomes the central message for Advent and Christmas. We make a fitting dwelling for God by caring for the least among us. We make the best preparation for the coming of Jesus by deeds of justice and love.

As we make ready for and celebrate together the coming of the Lord Jesus, let us ask for the grace we need to make our lives a fitting dwelling for him. "Let us pray as Advent draws to a close for the faith that opens our lives to the Spirit of God. Father, all powerful God, your eternal Word took flesh on our earth when the Virgin Mary placed her life at the service of your plan. Lift our minds in watchful hope to hear the voice which announces his glory and open our minds to receive the Spirit who prepartes us for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Test Everything - 3rd Sunday of Advent Year B

In the past few weeks my eight year old son has begun questioning the cherished legend of Santa Claus. He has barraged us with a flurry of probing questions that expose the incredulity of many aspects of the Santa Claus story: how can Santa deliver all these presents to every child in the world in one night? How can reindeer fly? Why does the Santa at Zona Rosa look different than the Santa at our school holiday pageant? Sooner or later he will arrive at the truth behind the Santa Claus legend, and healthy questioning will lead him to discover the real identity of Santa. Today's readings provide us with a template to follow in our own discovery of the identity of Jesus.

Paul encourages us in the second reading to test everything - to retain what is good and reject what is evil. While such advice seems tautalogical, the spirit in which we engage in this testing is what we must strive to achieve. Paul exhorts us to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, and in all things to give thanks. Very often our testing in the world is done with a great deal of cynicism, skepticism, and negativity. And yet Paul provides us with a model of testing that does not seek the personal destruction of individuals or groups of people, but instead we should seek joy and gratitude in a spirit of prayer that seeks the truth of our identities and that of Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel text we see a group of people searching for the identity of John the Baptist. Indirectly this searching for John's identity is linked to the search for Jesus' identity that comes to dominate the Gospel of John. If John is the precursor, the one sent to prepare for the coming Messiah, then the identity of Jesus becomes clear. However, this group searching for John the Baptist's identity cannot arrive at a definitive decision. John's answers confuse them because they have a faulty notion of the identity of the long awaited Messiah. They hoped for a political savior who would liberate Israel from Rome and to restore the nation of Israel. Jesus, however, is not that messiah.

The identity of the Messiah that the Christian community adopts is found in the first reading from the prophet Isaiah. The anointed one (i.e. Messiah) is to bring glad tidings to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, release to prisoners, and to bring a year of favor from the Lord. The messiah would be wrapped not in garments of fine cloth or jeweled robes, but rather in deeds of justice that bring salvation to all nations. This image of the Messiah becomes the criteria for testing everything related to the identity of Jesus. In the end it is Isaiah' description of the Messiah that is the authentic understanding of the role and identity of the Messiah of God. The Lord Jesus fits that description and through his life and ministry we come to salvation.

In our own lives we must test ourselves against this mission of the Messiah, for in becoming followers of Jesus we take on that identity and mission for our own lives. Fundamentally, then, our lives must be centered on acts of justice and charity. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord Jesus in the same way Lent prepares us to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. In addition to repentance for our sins and penitential practices, we have many opportunities to perform acts of justice and charity during Advent as we prepare for the coming of Jesus.

Christmas is the celebration of the Incarnation of Jesus among us. Advent prepares us to have Jesus become incarnate in our lives through our words and deeds while at the same time preparing for the second coming of the Lord Jesus. As we continue our preparateion, we pray together for the help necessary to be a fitting crib for the Lord: "Let us pray this Advent for joy and hope in the coming Lord. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever faithful to your promises and ever close to your Church; the earth rejoices in hope of the Savior's coming and looks forward with longing to his return at the end of time. Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness that hinders us from feeling the joy and hope that his presence will bestow, for he is Lord forever and ever. Amen."

The King of Service - Feast of Christ the King Year A

In Shakespeare's play Henry V, the entire court is shocked at the ascension of young Henry to the throne after the death of his father. Henry was known as one not attune to courtly manners and attention to serious duty. He frequently visited taverns and cavorted with the lower classes in his various escapades. No one thought Henry would make a suitable king for the great realm of England. What people failed to notice, however, is that Henry was not merely having revel, but rather he was meeting the people of his realm, getting to know them, understanding their lives and problems - for these would be the people who would fight his wars and pay his taxes. Henry learned to serve them and love them, and in so doing he learned the true greatness of leadership. Today's feast of Christ the King reminds us that service, not power and prestige - is the hallmark of Christian leadership.

The first reading from the prophet Ezekiel provides us with the paradigm of leadership in ancient Israel - the shepherd. All the great leaders of Israel were shepherds: Abel, Abraham, Moses, David. A shepherd cannot lead and protect his flock in a sheltered bunker apart from them. He must be in the midst of his flock, getting to know them and love them. This intimacy enables the shepherd to seek out the lost and stray sheep, and to face any danger in protecting his flock from harm. Shepherding is not pleasant work: you get dirty and smelly in caring for sheep, and you are exposed to the elements in being with them in the field. This model, however, is the model Jesus adopts for his leadership, one that is passed on to the shepherds of the Church who take up the shepherd's staff of leading their flock.

In order to live the life of service, the follower of Jesus must place oneself in an inferior position in relation to others. This idea of submission is the point Paul makes in the second reading. Jesus the Lord submitted to the will of the Father, and in so doing he destroyed sin and death. In the same way, we can overcome sin and death in our lives through submission to God. This submission then puts us in the spirit of service to others that is the hallmark of Christian living and leadership. By this submission we lose ourselves in the identity of Christ and participate more fully in the solidarity called for by Christian service.

The obligation of the Christian Gospel, however, is not restricted to those who profess the name Christian. In the Gospel reading we see all peoples coming for judgment. Our judgment is not based on our knowledge of the catechism or any system of theology. We are judged solely on whether we have served the least of Jesus' brethren. It is significant that both the sheep and the goats do not recognize the Lord Jesus in the least ones, for they ask, "When did we see you hungry, or naked, or in prison?" Human beings are fundamentally constituted to being Christian, and the baptized faithful recognize our fundamental human vocation to be followers of Jesus. It is our task to make that vocation known to others in both word and deed. By fulfilling our Christian and human vocation to serve others we most effectively proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, the one who calls us and provides us with the example to follow.

The call to ministry and discipleship has been given to each and every person. This mission requires great humility, a generous heart, and great fortitude in enduring many things. Most importantly, it is a call that demands that we be in the midst of the world, getting dirty and exposing ourselves to great dangers as we serve each and every human person without exception. Such a calling cannot be done from an ivory tower or some protected enclave. It requires us to immerse ourselves in the messiness of this world and to love all unconditionally.

Henry V famously encouraged his men to battle with these words:

"For he today that sheds his blood with me/Shall be my brother, be he ne'er so vile,/This day shall gentle his condition;/And gentlemen in England now abed/Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,/And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks/That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day." (Act IV, scene 3)

The Lord Jesus asks us to shed our blood - to be his brother - in his army of peace and service to all. We pray together for the grace to follow his lead: "Let us pray that the kingdom of Christ may live in our hearts and come to our world. Father all powerful, God of love, you have raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death to life, respelendent in glory as King of creation. Open our hearts, free all the world to rejoice in his peace, to glory in his justice, to live in his love. Bring all mankind together in Jesus Christ your Son, whose kingdom is with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen."

Be Not Afraid - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

When I was a teacher I coached the JV boys basketball team for the high school. The varsity team was preparing for the district playoffs, being seeded sixth and set to play the second ranked team. The morning of the game the athletic director informed me I would be coaching the game, as the varsity coach was at the hospital with his young daughter who had a serious accident that day. Fear was palpable in me and in the players, but we rallied behind one truth: courage is not the absence of fear. It is the willingness to step up and do what is right and what is necessary in spite of your fears. Managing our fear enabled us to pull off an upset win that night, and it is also the key to understanding the readings for this Sunday's liturgy.

In the first reading from the book of Proverbs we encounter the ideal wife, a symbol for wisdom in Old Testament literature. A wife in ancient times had many fears: fear her husband may die and she become a vulnerable widow: fear of famine; fear for the future of her family. Yet wisdom knows how to care for the home, how to provide for the needs of her family, how to care for the poor, and how to be courageous and confident in doing what God has called her to do. Very often it is women who exhibit courage far better than men, as we see in the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Seeking wisdom is the key to dealing with the ordinary - and extraordinary - events of life.

One of the extraordinary events that become an obsession for people is the end of the world and final judgment. Paul addresses the needless preoccupation with this event in the second reading. No one knows the final day of the Lord's coming, but wisdom enables us to know that we should not be complacent in our Christian life. The Christian has the witness of hope and joy in trusting all to God's providence. The desire to know the final day is a vain pursuit that distracts us from the duties of our present life. It is born of fear that consumes us and drives out the love that we should be present in the life of a follower of Jesus. Love provides us with the courage we need to live confidently as a child of God.

In the Gospel passage we have yet another vision of the final judgment, this time represented in the giving of talents to servants and the return of the master to account for the use of those talents. Wisdom knows that all is a gift from God and that gifts are meant to be shared with others. Fear should not lead us to squander that gift, as happens to the third servant. God has called us all to a great work, entrusted us with the gifts of ministry to build up the kingdom of God on earth. None of the servants knew when the master would return, but they knew he would return one day. The difference was in how each saw their relationship to the master and what inspired them to act. Love propelled the first two servants to accomplish great things, while fear led the third servant to fail in his obligation to use his talents wisely.

God has called each one of us to ministry in his Church, each in their particular vocation and circumstance of life. No doubt there are forces in the world that make us fearful: the culture of death seems to grow more prevalent each day; violent persecution of Christians is growing in more parts of the world; and basic moral sense has given way to self-interest, greed, and exploitation. In our own diocese we may be afraid to move forward in building up the kingdom of God as we face many difficulties and problems of a public nature. Today, however, God once again says to us: be not afraid. God continues to call us to ministry and we must want to do great things for God: great deeds of justice and charity for every single person on earth, born and unborn, friend and foe, rich and poor.

As we seek for the courage to carry out our baptismal call, let us pray together for this help we need from almighty God. "Let us pray with hearts that long for peace: Father in heaven, ever-living source of all that is good, from the beginning of time you promised men salvation through the future coming your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to drink of this truth and expand our hearts with the joy of his promises, so that we may serve you in faith and in love and know forever the joy of your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Walk the Talk - 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

The worst part of being a parent or a teacher is when you encounter a situation where you violate a rule or principle you have established for others to follow. Invariably your children or students will catch you, and you are then forced to give a defense for your indefensible action. In my youth I remember all too well the reply that came from my parents and teachers: Do as I say, not as I do. That reply wins no support in any polling I have ever done on those who have heard such a phrase, and yet people in government, business, and religion all adhere to it in one form or another. The readings today challenge us to overcome the talk and look at our walk.

The prophet Malachi begins our set of readings by describing the problem: the priests of Israel are a bad example and have taught others to forsake the covenant with God. Consequently, the nation will suffer punishments as a result of the actions of the priests, and the punishments will be most severe for those priests who have led others astray. No doubt many in the pews have a similar sentiment in their hearts as a result of the recent events in our diocese, but before we get ready to throw stones at the clergy, we must first consider the other readings to get a more complete picture of the situation.

Jesus seems to develop a similar condemnation against the scribes and Pharisees of the law in his day. However, Jesus had no quarrel with their teaching of the law; he has far more to say about their living the law themselves. Bad example in many ways is worse than bad teaching. Bad teaching can be refuted with sound argument and truth because it is only directed at the mind. Bad example, however, cuts to the very core of a person and reaches the heart. The effects can be long lasting and some never fully recover from bad example.

The solution Jesus offers is not merely a condemnation of the actions of the scribes and Pharisees, for the words of condemnation are just that - merely words. Instead, Jesus encourages us to live faithfully to God through humble service to others. Later in his ministry Jesus will provide the ultimate example to drive home the point about humble service: he takes up a basin and towel, and washes the feet of his disciples - an act that not even a servant would perform for another. This example certainly provides the motivation for Paul's ministry of treating the Thessalonian community as a nursing mother would care for her child, toiling day and night so as not to be a burden to others.

We have received a great deal of criticism as a church in the past several months as a result of the recent events in our diocese, some of which is justified. People certainly have a right to be angry and hurt. However, the solutions provided by many critics are merely punitive and retributive. In no instance do we find anyone stating that the cure for our present malady is to commit ever more deeply to serve one another in profound humility and love. And yet this is precisely the message of Jesus for us today. Yes, we must repent and atone for the mistakes we have made, but more importantly we must also follow Jesus in his example: serve one another in humility and love.

God's covenant with Israel is a great challenge for his people, one they continually failed to achieve as individuals and as a community. The people of Israel had no example to show them how perfectly live the law of God. Jesus becomes that example of perfect living of the law of God, a theme Matthew highlights time and again in his gospel. Jesus is the only person to perfectly live the law of God, and this individual fidelity should be the example that the community of the Churhc should embody in their lives.

As we gather this weekend to grow in our Christian life and calling, we ask God's continual help along the way: "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 us 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. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Who is My Neighbor? - 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

From the earliest days of the Church, pilgrimage has been one of the most fundamental experiences of Christian piety. The concept of pilgrimage certainly goes back to the experiences of Israel: Abraham's pilgrimage from Ur to Canaan, Israel's move from Egypt to the Promised Land, and the return to Israel from the Babylonian captivity. The most profound experience of being a pilgrim is that of being a stranger in a strange land. The pilgrim is utterly dependent upon the hospitality of the residents there, as the language, land, and customs are utterly foreign to the visitor. The pilgrim is also one who must trust in the good will of those who occupy this strange land. Today's readings highlight for us the reality of our pilgrim status on earth.

The Gospel text provides its original audience the definitive interpretation of the Old Law by Jesus. The Law consists in love of God and love of neighbor - two commandments that cannot be separated. Matthew's readers were Jewish Christians living after the destruction of the Temple and the beginning of their expulsion from the synagogues. This audience was keenly aware of their status as strangers and aliens in a foreign land: the land of Israel that no longer welcomed them, and the land of the Roman Empire that was no home to the Christian community. Loving God and neighbor became the way of living as a pilgrim in this foreign place that speaks a different language than that of the Christian.

Paul's community in Thessalonica also experienced this pilgrim status as they go forth in new territories for the Gospel message. In moving westward from Asia Minor to the Greek mainland, Paul enters a new world and the word alone will not be able to win people to the Gospel of Christ. By living the faith and imitating the deeds of Jesus, people in this strange land come to accept the Gospel. When a person is not able to speak the language of a strange land, actions are the universal language to overcome this barrier. Christians come to embody the love of neighbor in welcoming the stranger in their midst. This hospitality leads to the acceptance of the Gospel by those who were foreign to this language.

The first reading from the book of Exodus challenges the Israelite community to remember their status as strangers and aliens in a foreign land. God commands them to welcome the stranger and alien into their midst because they were once in that position. God anticipates Israel's movement from a minority under rule by a dominant empire to the day when they would have their own land. Such transitions are a challenge to any society. It is easy to be in favor of social justice when one is the minority and experience injustice from others. It becomes more of a challenge to live the message of social justice when you become the majority and feel threatened by the presence of those different from you.

The history of our nation is replete with examples of oppressed minorities crying for justice who later become part of the majority and then become the oppressors of the new stranger and alien. In very many cases it has been Catholic populations from other lands who have experienced such hostility, and sadly enough in more recently times it is some Catholics who seek to oppress the new group of strangers who themselves are Catholic! Today the most prosperous nation on earth has initiated harsh and extremely limiting laws to prevent people from entering our land lawfully. At the same time we look the other way when immigrants are exploited for their work so that we might continue to live as we like. Such policies have only increased the scourge of human trafficking and drug trafficking globally and in our own land. We must never forget our history as strangers and aliens, nor must we forget our theology of being a pilgrim people who everywhere are strangers and aliens in a world that does not speak the language of Jesus the Lord.

As we seek to recover our pilgrim identity and imitate our ancestors in faith who welcomed the stranger, let us pray in the words of the Church in today's liturgy: "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."

The Lord is King - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

In the world of mathematics you will be hard pressed to find a two sided object in geometry. In order to create a shape with sides, at least three sides are required. Despite this truth, people try in vain to reduce various things to only two sides - left and right, black and white, and the like. The readings for this Sunday point out the complexity of our world while at the same time showing forth the simplicity of God. The issue of church and state presented here is not to be viewed through a political lens, but rather with the eyes of faith that present a deeper vision than the two dimensional perspective of polemic.

The first reading from the prophet Isaiah presents us with the figure of Cyrus, king of Persia. Known in the ancient world as being a ruthless leader, we nevertheless encounter a positive image of him in the biblical text. However, the prophet also reminds us that political power does not lead to divine status, a common failure of ancient monarchies and empires. Kings are dependent upon God for their success just as everyone else. Even a ruthless person such as Cyrus can make decisions favorable to the people of God, a lesson we might reflect upon in our American political climate of demonization.

At first glance one might get the impression that the passage from Paul has little connection to the other readings. However, Paul is the first to use the term "gospel" to refer to the message of Jesus. This Greek term had been employed by the Roman empire. The emperors, who thought themselves divine, saw their words as being good news for their people. Paul, however, uses the term to refer to the message of Jesus - that message of Jesus which is truly good news for all. What is more, this message is not merely words as were the decrees of emperors, but the message is also mighty deeds of power and the Holy Spirit. Hence, it is not political power but rather divine power that gives authority to the gospel of Jesus.

The gospel text is well known to us, but often it is used as a defense of the separation of church and state instead of its original intent of correcting our attitudes toward political power, God, and money. Two groups come to question Jesus on whether it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar: the Pharisees opposed Roman occupation and thus would take a negative answer to the question, while the Herodians who favored Roman rule would prefer Jesus to answer in the affirmative. Each sought to trap Jesus so that he would be in trouble with one or the other. Jesus' answer dumbfounds his audience - both then and now.

What truly belongs to Caesar? Money - something of little importance and clearly a man-made object. What belongs to God? Everything! What do we have that does not come from God? Nothing! God has given us our world and our very being, and these things are what we owe to God. Yet, we always hold something back from God, much like Cain. Matthew's readers would know all too well the conflict that this scene presents to them. On the one side they are faced wtih pressure from the Jewish synagogue to conform to the prevailing Jewish theology and reject Jesus as Messiah. On the other side they face the pressure of the Roman Empire in forsaking Jesus for the cult of Caesar. In both cases the worldly security of money comes forward as the pressure point used to bring about conformity.

In our own day we have many who would co-opt the Gospel in creating political pressure upon the followers of Jesus. We will be told by various people that voting in certain ways is the authentically Catholic way of the Gospel, and others will tell us that we must defend America as a Christian nation. Failure to conform to these folks will lead to exclusion and rejection. Yet, the psalmist today states that the Lord is king, not Caesar; and that our true homeland is heaven, not America. This does not mean that we do not engage in the political arena, but we must do so based on Gospel values that cannot be translated into a political platform and bthat cannot be embodied in any one candidate or political party.

As we seek to make God the Lord of our life, we ask for his constant help in the words of today's opening prayer: "Let us pray for the gift of simplicity and joy in our service of God and man. Almighty and ever-living God, our source of power and inspiration, give us strength and joy in serving you as followers of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen."

The Marriage of Heaven and Earth - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Story book weddings - the ones where everything goes off without a hitch - are perhaps the most fictitious narratives ever designed. I have yet to meet a couple who did not have something go awry in their wedding plans, ceremony, or reception. Nevertheless, we all love the idea of the perfect wedding because we are all romantics at heart. Love should be perfect and neat and tidy, though the travails of planning and executing a wedding are good preparation for the struggles that married life entails.

The prophet Isaiah presents us with a picture of the perfect wedding feast. The food is perfect, the setting is perfect, and there are even no tears to be had at this wedding. The prophet provides this setting to describe the fulfillment of the Messianic age in Israel, a time when oppression will end, fidelity to God will reign, and all the people will treat one another with justice and love. No doubt Isaiah's audience needed such a message in the midst of the Babylonian captivity when Israel was no longer their homeland and the people had no idea if they would ever return. Such an image provided the Israelites with the hope of eventual return and the fulfillment of all their longings.

Jesus uses the wedding image of Isaiah in describing the kingdom of God. Yet, this wedding scene is not perfect as it was in Isaiah. Someone enters the wedding banquet without the wedding garment - a crasher to the party. The person is escorted out so that the wedding feast can continue as it should. Jesus always referred to the kingdom of God as something we await, but also as something that is present already in our midst. In the life of the Church our sacramental actions are our participation in the kingdom of God here and now, in addition to an expectation of future completion in heaven. How can we, then, understand the actions of the Gospel's wedding banquet?

In the ancient world marriage was a threefold process: betrothal, wedding ceremony, and the consummation of the marriage. Betrothal was not really akin to our notion of engagement. Betrothal was a legal obligation to marry the other person at a future date already determined by the families. It required legal action to break a betrothal, as we see early in Matthew's Gospel when Joseph intends to break his betrothal to Mary. Both betrothal and the wedding ceremony were once in a lifetime events; you could only engage in these events once. Without going into the details, the consummation of a marriage can take place more than once in the life of a couple.

I mention this dynamic to highlight how it is we encounter the reign of God here and now in our sacramental life. Baptism can be likened to betrothal to God. We are pledged to God and become part of the family of God irrevocably. In Confirmation we celebrate the wedding day by confirming the pledge of baptism and being sealed in that relationship with God. Finally, in celebrating the Eucharist - the banquet of the Lord Jesus - we consummate our relationship with God in joyous celebration of union with our beloved Lord. This analogy explains why it is we ordinarily do not allow those who are not baptized or confirmed to receive the Eucharist. The current western practice of receiving confirmation before Eucharist is an historical aberration that is slowly being corrected. RCIA has restored the proper order of receiving these sacraments.

The life of the Christian, then, can be likened to a marriage relationship. In such a relationship we are in a deep loving relationship with another, a relationship that grows and evolves over time. Love is what shapes our decisions and actions in the relationship, and yet it is God who always initiates the relationship and shapes its course in our lives. We merely respond to that love as we would in our human relationships of love. Hence, Paul in today's second reading finds himself in every circumstance of life, content to be hungry or satisfied because love has led him to this life of service to others.

As we seek to respond to love with love, we ask God's help in today's opening prayer: "Let us pray in quiet for the grace of sincerity. Father in heaven, the hand of your loving kindness powerfully yet gently guides all the moments of our day. Go before us in our pilgrimage of life, anticipate our needs and prevent our falling. Send your Spirit to unite us in faith, that sharing in your service, we may rejoice in your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

The God of Peace - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

War is certainly a more profitable business than peace. Defense contractors certainly earn far more than farmers or mediation experts. The same is true regarding the ever present cottage industries of the negative message. How many people in our culture profit from tearing down others: politicians, business leaders, religious leaders, and many others. There is no real talent in tearing down other people, but it takes great skill to build up another person - just ask a parent or a teacher. Today's readings provide us with an opportunity for us to decide what we choose to do: to build up, or tear down; to be peacemakers or war mongers.

The first reading from the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel text from Matthew provide us with bleak images of the Lord's vineyard on earth. In Isaiah's day Israel was decimated by the invading Babylonian Empire, a fate that befell God's people for the failure of its leaders to remain faithful to the covenant of Israel. In this particular selection we see little signs of hope, though later in the book Isaiah provides a message of hope by looking ahead to the Messianic age and the deliverance of Israel from this horrid plight.

Similarly Matthew is presenting us with this lesson of Jesus, who invokes the prophetic tradition of the wasted vineyard of Isaiah in describing the condition of Israel in both Jesus' day and in the time in which Matthew is writing his gospel. The leaders of Israel complain loudly about Roman occupation in Jesus' time, yet they fail to see its cause lies once again in their infidelity to God. They have ignored the message of the prophets and they will kill the son of the vineyard owner. All of this will lead to the destruction of Jerusalem and the final diaspora of the Jewish people from Palestine. When Matthew writes his gospel text in the eighth decade of the first century, the Jewish leaders are expelling Christians from the synagogues, thereby completing the break between Christians and their older brothers in faith. Once again, new leaders will replace older leaders of God's vineyard.

It is at this point that the cottage industries of negativity stop. These negative images are all they need to manipulate the masses, attempting to convince us that they are modern day prophets like Isaiah or Jesus. Yet, Isaiah and Jesus ultimately had messages of hope found not in political structures or economic models but in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the dawn of the Messianic age for which Isaiah longed. It is precisely here that Paul picks up the message of hope for us in the second reading. We long for peace in our lives, personal and communal. How are we to acquire this peace?

Paul exhorts us to think about whatever is good, whatever is noble, whatever is true, whatever is just, whatever is worthy of praise. These thoughts will lead us to the peace for which we all long. In the modern era we have a tendency to look at that which divides us in terms of culture, politics, and theology instead of what we hold in common and what is good and pure in other traditions that differ from ours. The ancient church recognized what was good and worthy in the world of antiquity, accepting and borrowing freely from ancient Greece and Rome, pagan cultures both. We must not be afraid to find similar treasurs in other cultures, and in fact we are encouraged to do so by the Second Vatican Council and subsequent acts of the Magisterium. The Gospel has the transformative power to find the good in any culture and make it holy. The words and deeds of Jesus and his redemptive death and resurrection provide us with the peace we need to have no anxiety in our interaction with other cultures and traditions. We need not be defensive or engage in unnecessary apologetic; we can only benefit in learning new approaches to the faith of the ages.

If we truly have the faith of Jesus we will have the peace we desire in our individual hearts. In our positive interaction with other cultures and traditions we create a model for peace that can show the world how to live in the way God calls all of humankind to live. Let us pray for this faith that leads to peace in union with the Church universal: "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 touch. Lead us to seek beyond our reach and give us the courage to stand before your truth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

The Fairness Doctrine - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Students of American history will be familiar with the title - fairness doctrine. It was the policy of the Federal Communications Commission from the late 1940's stating that a broadcast company, radio or tv, had to air both sides of a controversial issue in a fair and balanced way. It was designed to guarantee a diversity of viewpoints and failure to do so was subject to FCC enforcement, which the Supreme Court held to be valid in a decision on the matter in the late 1960's. Interestingly enough, the fairness doctrine has been officially abolished and is no longer a policy of the FCC.

Today's first reading and gospel texts present us with the theological version of the fairness doctrine. Here, the principle is whether God should extend mercy to the lifelong sinner who repents and whether God should punish the lifelong person of virtue who falls from grace. The prophet Ezekiel presents the fairness doctrine in rather stark and straightforward terms: no mercy will be granted to the virtuous man who commits iniquity, while mercy will be extended to the reprobate who repents at the end.

Jesus, however, nuances the discussion just a bit. He presents the case of two brothers who are asked to carry out a command of their father. The first son promises to do so, but he does not follow through on the promise. The second son, on the other hand, refuses to do so, but late on thinks better of it and fulfills the command of the father. Once again, the fairness doctrine is set in rather straightforward terms: it is the person who actually carries out the will of God in his or her life through actions and deeds who is faithful to the Father. Lip service alone does not cut it; positive actions are what counts.

Lest we go away feeling good about ourselves and our understanding of God's will, we still must consider the second reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians. If we are to follow the will of God, we must imitate the one who did so perfectly in his life, the Lord Jesus. While actions are important and essential in fulfilling the will of God, so too is the attitude with which we carry out these actions. Jesus, the son of the living God, while on earth did not exalt himself or set himself as God's equal. Jesus renounces any claim to honor and titles. Instead, he lowered himself to the status of a slave, taking our place in dying for our transgressions. Our attitudes must be that of the Lord Jesus, otherwise our external actions will have no value whatsoever.

Paul's letter to the Philippians was a moral exhortation to his favorite community, and yet morality is never separate from Christ. As Karl Rahner points out in referring to Paul in this letter: "When he is preaching about morals he is thinking of Christ, when he is thinking about Christians and when he is thinking about the rest of mankind, he thinks of the Lord. He thinks of the Lord as of one someone nearby, someone who once lived among us and has simply gone away and is in heaven; he thinks of the Lord as of one abiding with us in his Spirit, in his word, in his brother and sister, as of one who is coming, who would penetrate ever further into our lives, who would absorb our lives ever more completely in himself, who with his Spirit and his power, with his own history which is still going on, is engaged in one tremendous advent. And he is close to us as well, in the destiny that leads our lives toward a single goal, to death and to judgment, which may be nearer than we think. The Lord is near. He is close to all of us. Are we close to him?" (Biblical Homilies, p. 139)

It is a strange phenomenon that someone can be close to you, but you are not close to them. How often do our children try to snuggle close to their parents, and sometimes we embrace them in return and we share that closeness, while at other times our minds are elsewhere and we only share an incidental closeness of space. God seeks to embrace us fully. May we return that embrace fully in our words, actions, and attitudes. We pray together with the Church throughout the world: "Let us pray for the peace of the kingdom which we have been promised. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in your unbounded mercy you have revealed the beauty of your power through your constant forgiveness of our sins. May the power of this love be in our hearts to bring your pardon and your kingdom to all we meet. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

An Attitude of Gratitude - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

A few years ago I was invited to give a reflection on an aspect of Catholic Social Teaching to a group of youth ministers, so I chose the idea of gratitude since it has spiritual applications as well. The reflection began by giving several wrapped gifts to some of the attendees, none of whom, by the way, thanked me for the gifts. The gifts were snacks, a DVD movie, and other things to share with others. After they opened the gifts I asked them what they were going to do with the gifts. All said they would enjoy the gifts; none said they would share their gifts with others. When we pointed out the obligation in Catholic teaching to share, the group instead moved to complain about how much they make in salary. Needless to say, gratitude was not in the room that day.

The event came to mind in looking at the Gospel text for this Sunday. Jesus compares the reign of God to an owner who goes out to hire people for his vineyard. To provide context, it is important to know that throughout many parts of the country day laborers are the dominant profession of the lower classes. If you visit Turkey, for example, you will see people standing about waiting for someone to hire them for the day or the week. Their entire livelihood depends upon being selected to work for someone, and so they are extremely vulnerable. If they do not get chosen, they and their families cannot eat. Many immigrants right here in Kansas City try to earn a living as day laborers, as it is their custom from their countries of origin.

In any case, workers came to the vineyard at various points in the day to work, and when the day was over the owner came and paid everyone the same daily rate, regardless of the number of hours worked. Those who worked all day did not thank the owner for being employed at all. Instead, they took the opportunity to complain about the injustice of being paid the same as those who worked less than they had. Instead of seeing the owner as generous to those who worked fewer hours, they saw him as parsimonious for not paying them more. The real injustice in the story, however, is not in the action of the owner, but in the lack of gratitude in those who worked the entire day.

In the grand scheme of things, God owes us nothing. He was under no obligation to create anything - but he chose to do so in order to share his being and his love with the entire cosmos. When humankind on our planet fell into sin, again God was under no obligation to redeem the human race through Jesus his Son. Somehow we have developed the idea in modern Christianity that God owes us something, that we are entitled to his beneficence. Yet, God freely chose to extend his mercy upon us and to show the ultimate example of love in the person of Jesus. We in no way have earned this gift. Indeed, we can state with the prophet Isaiah - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord."

The great spiritual writer Thomas Merton said that the heart of the Christian life is gratitude. In fact, the Second Vatican Council asserted that the source and summit of the Christian life is the Eucharist, a word that means thanksgiving. The entire Christian life is one of dependence upon God and gratitude to him for all that he has done for us. In being ever grateful to God for all, we thereby fulfill the command of Paul in the second reading: "Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ." Jesus the Lord humbled himself to become one of us, and humility then is essentially tied to our dependence upon God and our gratitude to him for all that we have and are. Merton's contrast of the humble man and the proud man speaks to the Gospel call today: "The humble man loves himself, and seeks to be loved and honored, not because love and honor are due to him, but because they are not due to him. He seeks to be loved by the mercy of God....The proud man loves his own illusion and self-sufficiency. The spiritually poor man loves his very insufficiency. The proud man claims honor for having what no one else has. The humble man begs for a share in what everyone else has received. He too desires to be filled to overflowing with the kindness and mercy of God." (Thoughts in Solitude, p. 44-45)

As we seek to live a life of dependence, gratitude, and humility, let us join our hearts to the prayer of the Church in the liturgy today: "Let us pray to God that he may attune our thoughts and actions to his own. Lord our God, you say of yourself that you are good with a love that surpasses even justice. Thank you for accepting the little ones as much as the great, those who turn to you at the last hour as well as the laborers who have toiled all our lives. Open us more to the free gift of your grace, make us accept them with gratitude and appreciate how liberally you give to others. Turn our ways into your ways of love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Discerning the Will of God - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Many of us have had the experience of looking for something familiar to us: our car keys, shoes, a favorite coffee mug, or some other mundane item. After an exhaustive search through the entire house, we find them right in front of our eyes. They were there the entire time, and yet we could not see them. Why? Very often we already have a preconceived idea of where they were, and when the object isn't where we think it should be, we lose our focus and search in vain for the missing item. Discerning the will of God often follows the same pattern; happily, the readings can help us see what is really obvious.

The prophet Jeremiah provides an honest dialogue between Jeremiah and God. The prophet thinks at first that God has duped him into thinking falsely about the will of God for him and the nation of Israel. However, Jeremiah realizes that in reality he duped himself. We all expect to have success in the work God has called us to perform, and when our idea of success is not met, then we blame God. The truth is more difficult to accept: that we have provided ourselves with a false notion of success and our vocation. Jeremiah thought his preaching would convert Israel: that they would return to God and thus overcome their enemies. That outcome didn't happen, and yet God's will was present in that outcome as well as in Jeremiah's work. Fidelity to our vocation is the most important aspect of discerning God's will. Authentic discernment can only exist within a heart that is faithful to God's call.

Paul finds himself in a similar prophetic role. In the second reading we find Paul exhorting the church of Rome not to be conformed to this age, but instead to be renewed by the transformation of our minds. Only through such transformation can we then discern the will of God for us - what is good, pleasing, and perfect. The Christian community in Rome faced the difficulty of practicing their faith in the very heart of the Roman Empire. Pressure was mounting for the Christians to acquiesce in accepting the growing cult of the emperor. Rejection of this cult led to loss of status and financial security. Later this rejection of the cult would lead to the loss of their lives, and yet again we find that fidelity is essential to discernment. Worship of one's nation, no matter what form that takes, is always the sin of idolatry and thus the most blatant example of infidelity.

The Gospel text provides us with the ultimate criteria for knowing the will of God. The mission of Jesus is to live and die for others. Peter cannot see this truth because he has already had his own understanding of what the Messiah of God should be. Like most Jews of his day, Peter saw the Messiah as a political leader who would overthrow Roman occupation and lead Israel back to its time of glory before the time of Jeremiah. Peter had conformed himself to his present age, not to the will of God. The mission of Jesus is our own mission as well. The entire call of God for us is to imitate Jesus in his fidelity to God and thus live for the sake of others to the point of death.

In the early church martyrdom was the ideal to which the Christian aspired, for it meant imitating Jesus in his death as well as in our lives. The modern age has affected the attitude of Christians. Instead of expecting martyrdom as the lot of Christians and not shrinking from it, we find ourselves complaining at the faintest slight against us. Finding acceptance in the world from Constantine to our own age has led us more often than not in conforming ourselves to the age rather than to the will of God and the example of Jesus. Yet in every age the Church has examples of those who did not seek such conformity to the age. We see in their lives the authentic imitation of Jesus that instilled within them the peace that enables us to overcome the hostilities of the world, and, sadly enough, even from those within the Church.

As we seek to be faithful to the call of God and the example of Jesus, let us unite ourselves with the liturgy for today in having before our hearts the opening prayer for today: "Let us pray to God who forgives all who call upon him. Lord God of power and might, nothing is good which is against your will, and all is of value which comes from your hand. Place in our hearts a desire to please you and fill our minds with insight into love, so that every thought may grow in wisdom and all our efforts may be filled with your peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Making the Team - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

We have all been there: the sandlot or gymnasium where we are all standing in an awkward mass. In front of us two of our peers are captains and they are choosing players for their teams. Depending on the sport there are only so many slots to be filled and some of us won't be chosen for a team. The feeling of not belonging in these experiences is palpable and difficult for a young person to deal with. Now, imagine an entire group of people who are not chosen to belong to the team. In our times we would call such exclusion discrimination, but corporate exclusion was common in ancient times, and it explains the condition of the Gentiles with respect to Israel and access to the one true God. The readings today show us a God who picks all of us to be on his team.

The prophet Isaiah develops the promise of the Messianic age when the hope of the Gentiles' entry into the fold of Israel comes to fruition. From the time of the diaspora to the Christian era Gentile conversions to Judaism were rare due to the requirements of the Jewish dietary laws and male circumcision. At best, Gentiles who desired a relationship with the God of Israel but who would not conform to these external practices were known as God fearers: they believed in God and followed the moral law of Torah, but they were not considered Jews and thus not part of God's chosen people. Isaiah provides the hope of a future inclusion where worship of God and adherence to the justice precepts of Torah were the marks of such inclusion. This hope finds an echo in the responsorial psalm today: O God, may all the nations praise you!

In the second reading we find Paul talking about the actual inclusion of the Gentiles in his present day. The preaching of Paul provides the concrete realization of Gentile access to the one true God. God has provided a generous gift to all - Jew and Gentile alike, and Paul reminds us that God's gifts are irrevocable. The Gentiles come to Christian faith because now they have access to God through Jesus Christ. Fidelity to the moral law and participation in the sacrifice of Christ through sacramental action and living the law of love are now providing this access. The old divisions of race, class, and gender are now gone. All have access to God and all are radically equal in Christ. The Messianic age is here through the obedience of Christ and our acceptance of that obedience in our lives through faith.

The Gospel of Matthew provides us with a scene from the life of Jesus that seems indifferent at best to the needs of the Gentile woman. Matthew is writing to Jewish-Christians who are facing two distinct struggles: the acceptance of Gentile converts, and seeing their connection to Judaism dying away. The Temple had been destroyed and Jewish-Christians are being expelled from the synagogues by rabbinic Judaism. Today's text simultaneously addresses both issues: Jesus welcomed the Gentiles through faith in him, and at the same time Jesus rebukes rabbinic Judaism in finding their faith wanting in comparison to the Gentile woman. The action of Christ and our access to it by faith, not ancestry or ritual piety or anything else, is what saves us all.

Everyone of us stands in need of Jesus' healing and salvific work in our lives. The faith of the woman led her to healing and to works of justice. We must reach out to all peoples in bringing Jesus' teaching and example to others. This love excludes no one, the gift of faith is offered to all. It does not come to us by our own action and we cannot earn or merit it. What is more, we cannot impose conditions on others or place limitations on God's grace which is present all around us. Our works do not lead to faith; God leads us to faith and we then respond to that gift in our lives. The biblical texts for today's liturgy make this point abundantly clear.

As we seek to imitate Jesus in our ministry to others, we help to bring forth the Messianic age to its full completion. Let us pray with the Church in seeking the grace of God to carry out this work: "Let us pray with humility and persistence. Almighty God, ever loving Father, your care extends beyond the boundaries of race and nation to the hearts of all who live. May the walls, which prejudice raises between us, crumble beneath the shadow of your outstretched arm. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

The Pearl of Great Price - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Noted American novelist John Steinbeck wrote a famous novel entitled "The Pearl". He quotes the parable of the pearl of great price from the Gospel of Matthew to begin the story. It is set in a poor village of Mexico where a family has an infant son they adore so much. The child, however, gets ill and they are unable to afford the medicines due to their poverty and the corruption of those in power. The father of the family finds a pearl of great price in the ocean, but the corrupt pearl merchants conspire to cheat him out of a fair price for it. Desperate, the family flees to Mexico City in the hopes of obtaining a greater price. The pearl merchants chase after the family, and after a brief struggle, the husband and wife return to their poor village with the body of their dead son, shot to death in the skirmish with the bounty hunters.

The novel forces us to come to grips with social injustice, but it also forces us to consider what is of ultimate value in our lives. Certainly the child is their pearl, and no doubt the fate of their child is tied to the pearl of the ocean needed to pay for medicine to save the child. Yet, did they see their treasure correctly? The readings for today's liturgy force us to consider this question in our own lives.

In the Gospel text Jesus presents us with several images of the kingdom of God. All of these images combined show us that the kingdom of God is the greatest treasure we can possibly possess and that we should strive continually to possess this kingdom in our lives. Yet, how do we envision this kingdom? Do we see it in terms of power and domination, or do we see it in terms of service and building up the members of the kingdom of God? Jesus makes it clear that it is not for us to decide who belongs to the kingdom: we are merely present to be caught up in its path and allow ourselves to be taken into its mystery. At the end of time God will decide who belongs and who does not belong. As St. Augustine taught, the city of man and the city of God are intermingled on this earth until the end of the age. We can only remain faithful to the city of God by conforming ourselves to the teaching and example of Jesus.

Paul makes plain what was implicit in the Gospel text: the kingdom of God and our election into it is a gift from God. Our calling as members of this kingdom is also a gift and a great responsibility. Again we must ask ourselves how we envision this gift? Do we seek to keep this gift for ourselves and use it to the benefit of others? I remember overhearing a Catholic encourage a priest by saying, "Keep the faith!" The priest replied, "No, we must give it away freely to others." That exchange captures well these different views of this precious gift entrusted to us.

At the end of the day, we are all faced with the same choice Solomon has in the first reading. In baptism we have been anointed kings to share in that ministry of Jesus, but again how do we envision this kingship in our lives? We can certainly pray for long life, riches, and victory over our enemies. At face value these seem like fine things, until they are measured against what Solomon actually prays for: an understanding heart to help the people of God to distinguish right from wrong. He asks to be a servant king, not a domineering king - and God rewards him for making the correct choice and for having the correct view of kingship, gift, and the treasure entrusted to each and every one of us.

As we strive to follow the teaching and example of Jesus, to imitate Solomon as we live out our baptismal vocation in the midst of the world, and to ensure that our world is free from the injustices that lead to desperate decisions, let us unite our hearts with the Church in her opening prayer for today's liturgy: "God our Father, open our eyes to see your hand at work in the splendor of creation, in the beauty of human life. Touched by your hand our world is holy. Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us, to share your blessings with our brothers and sisters, and to experience the joy of life in your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Creation and Redemption - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

The ancient world clearly understood the connection between the human and divine. Even the pagan world saw human events intertwined within those of the divine. The Trojan War was seen in these terms by the ancient Greeks. The book of Genesis shows how creation became disordered from the fall of our first parents. Even in more modern times the notion of human frailty causing natural ruin is not a foreign concept. In William Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" the king and queen of the fairy world, Oberon and Titania, are engaged in a lover's spat, fighting over the rights to an orphaned child. As the argument progresses, Titania reminds her lover that the storms and plagues of the natural world are the result of their arguments. She concludes:

And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown/An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds/Is, as in mockery, set: the spring, the summer,/The childing autumn, angry winter, change/Their wonted liveries, and the mazed world,/By their increase, now knows not which is which:/And this same progeny of evils comes/From our debate, from our dissension;/We are their parents and original. (Act II, Scene 1)

These same sentiments occur in the biblical texts from today's readings. Paul's letter to the Romans clearly sees the whole created realm as being subjects to futility, and that creation is waiting in painful expectation as it waits for the redemption of our bodies. That full redemption will not take place until the eschatological times of fulfillment that remain unknown to us. The sufferings we endure - whether they be physical, moral, spiritual, or mental - are the pains of childbearing as we bring forth the reign of God in our lives. The patience required to endure the pains of labor is the same virtue we need to bring forth works of justice and peace in our lives.

Isaiah the prophet also uses the image of creation to make the same point. The rain and snow have a natural purpose of watering the earth and bringing forth life for the earth. In the same way, God's work is never done in vain. The word of God goes forth to produce the fruits God wills for it. As with the rain and seeds of creation, we need to have patience with ourselves and others in seeing the effects of God's word among us. Our lives, individually and communally, seem to make little progress in the life of the spirit. We struggle with our weaknesses, fall again and again into sin, and continually make the same failures. Yet, we live with the hope that in continuing to follow the promptings of God in our lives we will overcome these failings and succeed in living a life of holiness.

The gospel text too teaches us this same lesson, again within the context of images from creation. The futility of growth amid the imperfect elements of creation is all to evident: growth cannot take place on rocky ground, shallow soil, or in the midst of thorns. Only in the rich soil disposed for growth can we find success in producing fruit. Yet, God continues to sow in areas where we might not think wise. The fact that the word of God fails in these areas is not the fault of God or his word, but rather in the imperfections of the soils that receive them. As cooperators in God's work of creation and redemption, we have the opportunity to make these imperfect soils a fitting place for God's word to take root and produce a great deal of fruit.

If the storms and groanings of creation are the result of human sin and failure, then it follows that only a life of radical holiness and justice will result in the full redemption of creation we all desire. Poor soil can be changed into good soil, and sinful human beings - both individual persons and the community of the Church - can be made into worthy vessels that are fit dwellings for God that bring forth the reign of God on earth. As we seek to follow our common vocation, we pray together with the Church: "Let us pray to be faithful to the light we have received, to the name we bear. Father, let the light of your truth guide us to your kingdom through a world filled with lights contrary to your own. Christian is the name and the gospel we glory in. May your love make us what you have called us to be. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Spirit, Soul, and Body - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

We are accustomed to thinking about the human person in terms of a duality: soul and body. This dualism is the inheritance of Greek philosophy that passed into the Christian tradition from the time of St. Augustine to St. Thomas Aquinas. While the distinction has been helpful at times, it leaves us at a loss in trying to understand how the biblical writers understoon the human person. Today's readings present us with such a struggle.

The second reading from Paul's letter to the Romans at first glance appears to present us with the duality of the flesh and the spirit at war with one another. However, we have to consider what part of the human person decides whether we follow the promptings of the spirit or the desires of the flesh. In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians he describes the human person as spirit, soul, and body - a Trinitarian image that helps us better understand his vision of the human person. God dwells within the deepest recesses of the human person in that part called the spirit. The soul is the bridge that links the spirit to the body, and it is the soul where the struggle exists. In Paul's view, the proper functioning of the person is the soul listening to the promptings of God in the spirit and thus directing the body to carry out the will of God discerned from the listening to the Spirit of God dwelling within our spirit. In the reading today, Paul presents us with the opposite vision: a dysfunctional person is one whose soul follows the desires of the flesh and not the spirit. Such a person cannot at all be said to be a follower of Jesus.

In the Gospel text Jesus provides us with an idea of those who live according to his yoke, according to the spirit of God. It is often the least ones, the poor and oppressed, who often know the will of God far better than the wise and powerful of the world. The least ones don't live in the flesh because they lack the means to do so, whereas the wise and powerful have the means to live a life of the flesh. Thus, while they are poor in matters of the flesh, the least ones are rich in the spirit of God. They know that the will of God is not found in having more but in being more. They know that ruling comes not from conquest and institutional power but rather in ruling oneself by following the promptings of God in the spirit.

It is interesting to note that the yoke of Jesus is easy to those who are heavy burdened and downtrodden, but is yoke is very hard for the wise and powerful. The first reading from the prophet Zechariah provides us with the key to understanding this difficulty. The prophet outlines for us the identity of the Messiah: a just savior, meek, and riding on an ass. The coming Messiah will outlaw the tools of war: peace will be the hallmark of his reign. And yet we find the world continually at war, and we are told to "support our troops" - code language for telling people not to question war at all, an implicit charge of disloyalty against those who oppose the current wars. Indeed the Messiah has come, but he has yet to be received and accepted by our world. The least ones continue to find the yoke of Jesus easy but that of the world harsh, while the wise and powerful have an easy time in the world and neglect entirely the life and message of Jesus.

In seeking to follow the yoke of Jesus let us return to the image of the human person that St. Paul provides us. May we attune our soul to listen to the promptings of the spirit where God dwells within us and so direct our bodies to do the will of God we encounter in the spirit. In this way we will reject the desires of the flesh and avoid becoming one of the wise and powerful of the world. We pray with the Church for this grace today: "Let us pray for greater willingness to serve God and our fellow man. Father, in the rising of your Son death gives birth to a new life. The sufferings he endured restored hope to a fallen world. Let sin never ensnare us with empty promises of passing joy. Make us one with you always, so that our joy may be holy, and our love may give life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

A Merciful and Gracious God - Trinity Sunday Year A

Having young children can often be a great tonic that soothes the wounds inflicted upon us in the world of grown-ups. Young children often make the same mistakes over and over again, and each time they come to us begging forgiveness and promising to do better in the future. We know they mean what they say, and we also know that they will fail again and the scene of begging forgiveness will once more be played out on the stage of our living rooms. The same is true for us adults in our relationship with God. How often have we entered the confessional promising God to do better, only to find ourselves back in the sin bin a few weeks later confessing the same failures. The readings today for Trinity Sunday help us to maintain this perspective we know so well from our own human experience.

In the first reading we find Moses with God in the great theophany on Mount Sinai. God led his people to this place in order to establish the covenant with them. We must remember that prior to this day, the Israelites had been wandering in the desert continually offending God. They longed to return to Egypt and slavery because the desert was a hardship. They continually grumbled against God for their plight. Even at the moment of receiving the covenant they fashion for themselves a false god to worship. How right was Moses in saying that this is a stiff-necked people, and yet he once again pleads for pardon from God, and God remembers his love and forgives his people once again.

Why does God continually forgive his people? The Hebrew word for love used in the Exodus account here denotes a marital love, an unbreakable bond that exists between two persons. Such a love exists among the persons of the Trinity, and it is this love that God brings to the relationship to which he invites every single person. This love is also the love to which we are called to exemplify in our relations with other people, as Paul notes in the second reading. Paul encourages the people of Corinth to live in harmony and peace, and if we do so the God of love and peace will be with us. Paul uses the word "agape" to denote love in this passage, the Greek term used by Christians to denote the Hebrew notion of love - the love to which we are called in our lives.

We also discover the term "agape" in the Gospel text when Jesus tells Nicodemus about the love God has for the world to such an extent that he sent his only Son not to condemn the world, but rather so that the world might be saved through belief in him. For John, faith is always a verb - to believe means to do the works of Jesus on earth, and so the followers of Jesus are called to live this radical love in every circumstance of life and to every person we meet. Nicodemus comes to realize this love only when he sees Jesus die upon the cross, the ultimate act of radical love.

We saw earlier that the people of Israel were a stiff-necked people. Paul encourages his audience to mend their ways. John records Jesus' admonition that unbelief, i.e. failure to love, leads to both condemnation. We are well aware of our sins - both our individual sins and our collective sins as the institution of the Church. We have promised to do many things, and we have failed to live up to those promises. We have a responsibility to acknowledge those failures and to accept the human consequences that result from them.

At the same time we once again entrust ourselves to the Triune God who provides us with an example to follow as we look to mend our ways and to live as Jesus himself did while on earth. As Pope John Paul II stated in his first visit to the United States, "Jesus gives us his peace accompanied by his justice. He is peace and justice. He becomes our peace and justice. We are bearers of the peace and justice of God! We are not builders of a peace and justice that are merely human, always wearing out and always fragile. Wea re primarily the humble beneficiaries of the very life of God, who is justice and peace in the bond of charity. God's justice and peace cry out to bear fruit in human works of justice and peace, in all spheres of actual life." (Homily in New York City, October 1979)

We therefore pray to be God's justice, peace, and charity in the world: "God of love and mercy, you call us to be your people, you gift us with your abundant grace. Make us a holy people, radiating the fullness of your love. Form into us a community, a people who care, expressing your compassion. Remind us day after day of our baptismal call to serve, with joy and courage. Teach us how to grow in wisdom and grace and joy in your presence. Through Jesus and in your Spirit, we make this prayer. Amen." (USCCB Prayer for the Third Millennium)

Worship and Doubt - Ascension of the Lord Year A

Even in the best of times doubt afflicts the believer. Faith, like all the other virtues, is tested by the struggles and sufferings of life. Courage cannot be tested unless a situation develops where bravery is called for. Temperance exists only in the life of the person who has struggled with their appetites in the various circumstances of life. Faith, too, can only take place when the storms of doubt surround the person and the virtue is required of us. In the life of the Church we find no shortage of tests to our faith, especially her in the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. Scandal cannot but test the faith of every believer, and the readings today provide us with the opportunity to examine our faith in the midst of these trying times.

In the Gospel text we read that the disciples were astonished upon seeing Jesus for the first time after the resurrection. They simultaneously worshipped and doubted, a great consolation for us in these times. Worship does not require perfect faith in order for an act of worship to be efficacious. The disciples doubted because all of their expectations of the Messiah were completely wrong: Jesus was not a political messiah sent to restore the nation of Israel to power and influence. Yet, their object of worship is correct - the Lord Jesus. As long as we fix our attention on Jesus and appropriate his values to our own we will then be freed from our idolatry to power and false images of discipleship.

The first reading provides us with yet another scene where the disciples' attention is focused wrongly. After Jesus ascends into heaven they stand looking at the sky, a posture that receives rebuke from two men dressed in white. Why? Our attention should not be focused on Jesus in heaven, but rather in Jesus among us. We have the promise that Jesus will return and so we have no need to stare at the sky looking for Jesus to be as he was on earth. Jesus calls us to be his presence in the world today, and so our worship is not an end in itself but rather a means to become Christ for others.

This very mission of the Church is precisely the point of Paul's letter to the Ephesians in the second reading. Paul encourages us to know the hope that belongs to the call of Christ we have received. Further on we read that we are the body of Christ and we have received all that he has received from the Father. This identity and mission carries with it an awesome responsibility before the world. Can we say that we have lived as Christ has lived, loved as he loved, served as he served? Our failures in this mission both as individuals and as the collective institution of the Church requires us to seek God's forgiveness, to atone for our sins, to resolve to never more offend the living God, and to do penance for these sins.

In the early days of the Church reconciliation was a public event. The penitent stood before the people of God to accuse himself of sin and to be restored to the people of God by the people of God. While we now celebrate this sacrament in a private manner in our own day, it is perhaps necessary in some way for us to celebrate this sacrament publicly when our sins are public and affect the whole body of Christ. The point of such a celebration is not to create a publicity stunt or even to shame sinners. It is rather to experience the catharsis and metanoia of the action of reconciliation. It is also to hold ourselves accountable to one another and to the world - to set an example for others that we intend to live as Christ's disciples and to restore what has been broken.

As we celebrate the Ascension of Christ in glory, may we seek to follow the Lord Jesus by walking in his teaching and example. We pray: "Father, send the gift of peace into our hearts. You know our efforts to follow the trail that Jesus has blazed before us. Forgive our weakness and infidelity, so that, reinvigorated by your Spirit of peace, we may resume our journey with greater courage until we reach the home where you wait for us. Amen." (Revelation of Love, by David Turoldo).

The Lord is My Shepherd - 4th Sunday of Easter Year A

More than a few years ago I was at Mass in Dallas, TX where I had been living when these sets of readings occurred. One of the deacons at the parish preached on these readings, lecturing the congregation on the lack of trust people have in institutions. Speaking directly to my generation, he questioned how it is that we could not put faith in the pillars of our society: government, business, religion.

Growing up I remember teacher after teacher, adult after adult told us kids that respect had to be earned, that it was not a right we had at birth. So, if this statement is true, then there could be plenty of reasons why our generation has trust issues. With respect to government, my generation grew up in the post Watergate era where we experienced countless instances of government lies and abuse of power. In the realm of business, my generation experienced the Keating five, the savings and loan debacle of the 80's, Enron, Arthur Anderson, and a host of other institutions who have cheated their shareholders and lied to the public. And dare we mention the ways in which religion has sadly led people to lose trust: the sexual abuse crisis, televangelists, and the use of violence in the name of religion. Needless to say, too much could be said to justify the lack of trust that exists in our world.

And yet we find ourselves present today at holy Mass. In spite of the many reasons why we should not trust we again come to the Church seeking nourishment and direction in our lives. The human person needs to trust in order to survive and thrive. On a horizontal level we cannot exist without trust, and we long to put our trust in people and institutions. The readings today provide us with the only place where such trust belongs - the Lord Jesus.

How are we to know that we can trust Jesus? The second reading provides the answer: Christ suffered for us, and left an example that we should follow in his footsteps. Jesus accepted insult, he suffered, and he handed himself over to death. He did not insult, he did not threaten, and he offered himself up. This example is meant for us who had gone astray like sheep. By following the example of Jesus we return to the shepherd and guardian of our souls. In this way is Jesus the Good Shepherd who leads the sheep to good pasture, and only by living as Christ do we ensure trust in the hearts and minds of people.

In the life of Israel there had been many just and upright shepherds to guide God's people: Abel the righteous, the holy patriarch Abraham, Moses and Joshua, and David the great king of Israel. And yet the Gospel text has Jesus say that all who came before him were thieves and robbers. Is this mere hyperbole, or does Jesus intend us to take these words literally? Surely these predecessors of Jesus were righteous leaders of God's people, and yet they fall short of the standard of being a shepherd. Jesus is that standard, and only by being united to him and following his example can we be led to green pastures. Only by following Jesus can we ourselves be authentic shepherds for the people of God. Only by accepting insult and giving none, by suffering while not threatening, and only by handing ourselves up to death for others without seeking relief from this vocation can we shepherd the people of God with authenticity - and only in this way will the people hear the voice of Christ and follow.

The lack of trust we experience is natural, and the distress we face in such times can be painful. As we seek to follow Christ the Good Shepherd, let us pray for good shepherds to be among us and seek the grace to be good examples ourselves: "Let us pray to God our helper in time of distress. God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, though your people walk in the valley of darkness, no evil should they fear; for they follow in faith the call of the shepherd whom you have sent for their hope and strength. Attune our minds to the sound of his voice, lead our steps in the path he has shown, that we may know the strength of his outstretched arm and enjoy the light of your presence forever. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen."

Were Not Our Hearts Burning? - 3rd Sunday After Easter Year A

Recently the world witnessed the lastes from the realm of false antiquities: someone claims to possess the nails from Jesus' resurrection. Many people look to such items as well as apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in various places throughout the world or on a piece of French toast at your local Denny's to bolster their faith. Millions of dollars are spent to span the globe in search of such phenomena, and yet the greatest presence of God on earth resides in your neighborhood Catholic Church - the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Today's readings bring us back to the central elements of our faith.

The Gospel text relates the journey of two disciples who were leaving Jerusalem for Emmaus when they encounter Jesus on the way. However, the two men do not recognize Jesus while walking on the road. The conversation turns to the events of the past few days, event which the two men seem to know so well while their mysterious companion appears unaware. As they walk along the way Jesus proceeds to explain to them the scriptures concerning the Messiah and how the events of the past few days were necessary events in the life of the Messiah for the climax of salvation history. While Jesus speaks to them, their hearts are burning within them, yet they still do not recognize him until they stop for the evening and Jesus performs the Eucharistic action of breaking the bread. Then, they come to recognize Jesus, but he disappears from their sight. What are we to make of all this?

Jesus is not longer physically present to us as he was prior to his death. If we search for that presence in material objects or in alleged apparitions we will be disappointed. As the second reading points out, we have been ransomed from our futile conduct of seeking God's ransom in perishable things like silver or gold. Instead, we have been ransomed by the blood of the spotless lamb, Jesus the Christ. The presence of the risen Jesus is in the Word of God and in the sacramental actions of the Church, as the two men in the Gospel text discovered.

And yet there is more to be discovered. Jesus performed many great signs and works while on earth, just as God had done for the Israelites throughout salvation history. We encountered these various events during the Easter Vigil liturgy when we heard the many readings from the Old Testament regarding God's intervention in history. We have also heard the three great signts of Jesus in the weeks preceding Holy Week when we heard the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, the healing of the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus. Many people long to experience such phenomena in our own time and they lose faith when such does not happen.

However, Peter tells the Israelite people in the first reading that Jesus has been raised and that they are now experiencing the effects of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Jesus' faithful people. The presence of the Holy Spirit works miracles in our own lives: just look at Peter in the first reading, the same Peter who fifty days earlier had denied Jesus thrice and ran away with all the others in fear. The Holy Spirit continues to have that effect in the lives of people in our own day, and he can have that effect in our own lives if we but recognize Jesus risen from the dead and present to us in Word and Sacrament. We celebrated just such a life last week in the beatification of Pope John Paul II. The Holy Spirit transformed a poor young man who lost both his parents at a young age to a state of holiness that inspired nations to seek freedom and led millions to a renewal of faith in their lives.

The miracles we seek should be the radical change of our own lives and the great deeds the Holy Spirit can do in us for others. As we acknowledge the presence of Jesus in our lives and listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we pray today with the universal Church: "Let us pray in confident peace and Easter hope. Father in heaven, author of all truth, a people once in darkness has listened to your Word and followed your Son as he rose from the tomb. Hear the prayer of this newborn people and strengthen your Church to answer your call. May we rise and come forth into the light of day to stand in your presence until eternity dawns. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."