33rd Sunday - "Keep calm and carry on"

 

"Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom"

Luke 21:5-19

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111625.cfm

During the second World War the British Government launched a simple slogan: “Keep Calm and Carry on.”

It was meant to encourage people, while bombs fell over their cities. The message was obvious, don't give in to fear, be courageous, stay faithful and stay steady. The fact that the British Royal family stayed in London during the bombing rather than seeking safety away from the city, gave people all the more security in their words.  

In many ways, today’s Gospel as we quickly approach the end of the liturgical year, has Jesus giving similar advice.  No doubt the Gospel is disturbing.  The images of “days blazing like an oven,” which we hear in the first reading of the prophet Malachi. About “wars and insurrections, famines, plagues, natural disasters, and mighty signs coming from the sky,” in the Gospel, the thought may be to run for cover and hope that you stay safe.  Yet, Jesus tells us to “keep calm and carry on.”

Not only that but Jesus warns of self-proclaimed prophets of doom who warn us that the last days are coming at a precise date and time of day.  Some may wait with bated breath, others may scoff, and many simply ignore such warnings dismissing them as naive.  Jesus advises, “Do not follow them!”

The disturbing imagery we hear in the readings today may at least bring confusion to our present-day ears. This doesn't sound like the good news that Jesus is expected to preach. As our Lord, is predicting the future destruction of the sacred Temple in Jerusalem, it must have pained him to speak these words both as the Son of God and as a faithful Jew.

Historically, what Luke describes in his Gospel as the destruction of the sacred Temple of Jerusalem by the Romans would indeed take place in the year 70 A.D.  Once conquered, the Romans proudly confiscated the menorah, the sacred lamp stand, from the Temple and carried it off triumphantly to Rome. Was this the end? For the Jewish people, it certainly seemed it was. That God had completely abandoned his chosen people and they were left with a destroyed nation. 

Yet, it is not the end as such but rather the beginning of something new. Something greater, a new “Temple” in the person of Jesus’ own risen body and a new way of seeing God and our relationship to him. The old order is passing away and a new order begins so keep calm and carry on. 

The natural order of things would tell us that transition times are not always clean and easy.  In fact to uproot the old and plant the new can be a messy business. Think of natures own process or the universe and the powers of creation - new stars, new planets, the change of seasons. Rooting out a sinful and unhealthy habit or addiction and replacing it with something virtuous and healthy. 

The words of Malichi provide a hopeful message in the end: for those who remain faithful.  “But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” The healing rays of a renewed faith and a new hope in God through his Son, who will rule the world with justice.

It indicates for us a kind of upheaval coming, a profound change in the order of things and a new beginning, a new kingdom being established.  Who is the King? Christ himself who will overturn the expectations of the old order to establish a new order of things with Christ who will be he will be Savior of all.  The source of all that is good and right.  

So, the call of this time, then, is to be at peace and to not fear.  To trust in the end that no matter what may come our way, we are called to do well.  If we should worry about anything it might be that I am so worried about things that I am doing nothing good or productive either for others or for myself. That I may not carry out the work the Gospel calls me to do. Rather, I must trust the words of Christ that if I am faithful to the Gospel “not a hair of my head will be destroyed.”

I may find that I am grateful that God put me here in this life, that he has given us the Holy Spirit, called us to a rich faith community, his Body the Church, and given us many opportunities to live out the Gospel in his service day by day and that he loves me more than I can imagine. That he shares his living presence with us in the sacraments and in particular the Holy Eucharist which is he - food for our journey through life. In other words, carry on the work of the Gospel, do not be deterred by what may appear the end of the road, but pick up and move forward in faithfulness. In the end, it is not so much what and when the Lord, will return but rather most importantly, when he comes what will he find us doing? Living out the Gospel and the way in which God has called me through my way of life as a faithful Christian, or one living in fear and doubt doing what I desire rather than making the Lord the center of my life which takes away fear. 

 Now, that’s good news no matter what other forces may come my way.  The best antidote to the illness of too much worry is to do the opposite, the work of the Gospel. To keep calm and carry on the mission of the Gospel. 

 Grant us O Lord our God, 

the constant gladness of being devoted to you,

for it is full and lasting happiness

to serve with constancy

the author of all that is good.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you in

the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

God, for ever and ever.

(Collect of Sunday: Roman Missal)

 

Feast of the Dedication of the Latern Basilica in Rome: A Church for All

John2: 13-22

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110925.cfm

O God, who were pleased to call your Church the Bride,

grant that the people that serves your name

may revere you, love you and follow you.

and may be led by you

to attain your promises in heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity

of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. 

(Collect of Mass- Roman Missal)

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Cathedral Church in the Archdiocese of Rome - the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome who just happens to be Pope Leo XIV currently. It always falls on November 9^th and so it does so on a Sunday this year.  The Church feels it is important enough to interrupt the usual flow of the Ordinary time Masses, as we had last Sunday with All Souls Day.

 All priests appointed as Bishop's in a particular Diocese have a Cathedral Church in the Diocese of which he is the Pastor of that Cathedral and by association, that Cathedral becomes not only the Church of the local Bishop but also becomes the Church, the gathering area for worship for all Catholics in that Diocese. Locally, that is significant since the Bishop is our Chief Shepherd, he represents leadership over all Catholics and his Cathedral then becomes symbolic of the local Church, especially with his priests who promise “obedience and respect” on the day of their ordination.   

Now, imagine that on a global scale.  If the local Bishop happens to be the Universal Pastor of the Church, wouldn't his Cathedral be symbolic for all Catholics around the world as it is in each Diocese for those Catholics.  He is Chief Sheperd of the Global Catholic Church, of which there are more than 1 billion members, and we join with him as the Body of Christ gathered in prayer and worship.  It's a powerful vision and one that draws us together as beloved sons and daughters of Christ, for whom the Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth. 

Well, that Cathedral Church for Pope Leo is not St. Peter Basilica in the Vatican but rather one of the four major Basilicas in the ancient city of Rome: Named after Christ the Savior and two co-patrons: St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist (the Gospel writer and Apostle).

Our beautiful first reading from Ezekiel present the image of water flowing from the Temple, THE place of worship for centuries for the ancient Jews.  Jesus himself worshiped here and was presented as an infant to the Lord by Joseph and Mary.

The image has water flowing and flooding and bearing fruit wherever it goes.  New life symbolic of grace coming from right worship.  What a rich image of the sacred space of a Church where we are all invited to receive not only the grace of the sacraments, the living encounter with Christ in the Eucharist, and are called to become a holy people to the Lord.

It is no wonder, then, that our Gospel from John is the scene of Jesus cleansing of the sacred space that had been violated by merchants who turned holy things into objects of cheating, over pricing, and violating sacred worship by their profane destruction of the sacred Temple.  As Jesus in is fury said, “. . . stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” If you’ve ever seen the Chosen and their depiction of this scene, you come to understand the just anger that Jesus showed at this time.

This Basilica of St. John Lateran, then, is the oldest of all the four major Basilica’s in Rome, at least 16 centuries and is given the title: “Mother Church of all Christendom,” quite the honor. Twenty-eight Pope’s are buried there, for a thousand years, it was the seat of Church government until the Pope moved that to the Vatican in the 13^th century. It has been attacked, vandalized, burned twice, a place of baptisms for all Romans for a thousand years.  So, these facts, and there are others, prove to us and profound symbolism of this building for all Catholic Christians. 

Thus, this building reminds us of what our parish Churches are, sacred ground.  A place, a holy place set aside and dedicated, for an encounter with the living God as we do during the liturgy and the celebration of other sacraments.

It creates a communion of persons, the Body of Christ, a place of unity when all gather to meet the living God on holy ground. 

So it is far more than just walls, adorned with beauty but a living testimony to the living God that identifies his people and is the ultimate one who makes that space holy: Jesus Christ our Savior. 

Let us create a sacred space to meet the Church.  Our parish churches that should be cared for and supported, our homes where the family, the “domestic Church” gathers. 

 

"Eternal Rest Grant unto them O Lord

And let perpetual light shine upon them"

30th Sunday: Who prays the best?

(By Orlando Mendoza)

Luke 18: 9-14

The Worde: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102625.cfm

-----------------------------------------

Almighty ever-living God

increase our faith, hope and charity,

and make us love what you command,so that we may merit what you promise.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you 

in the unity of the Holy Spririt,God, for ever and ever.

(Collect of Mass)

For the last four Sunday’s Jesus has given us a kind of mini- catechism on prayer in the Gospels we’ve heard.  He teaches us to pray with faith, even as small as a mustard seed (Lk 17: 5-10).  That we must pray with gratitude in our heart, like the one leper returned to Jesus (Lk 17: 11-19). That we must be persistent in our prayer like the widow who pesters the heartless judge (Lk 18: 1-8) and today we hear that we must pray with humility before God, like the repentant tax collector in (Lk 18: 9-14).

The lesson of today’s story from Jesus is obvious.  Don’t be proud in our prayer before God but humble as we pray. We are called to admit the truth about our lives, about the choices we’ve made, about the words we’ve said, or some action I committed, or the constant habit that I feel I always must be right and so I tend to question or disagree with everyone who doesn’t see things my way. To know our limitations and our gifts and to admit where I fall short is fundamental to our prayer before God. We pray with honesty and come before God as we are.

The parable presents a common trait of the Gospel writers who present Pharisees in a negative light, knowing how Jesus confronted them.  They seem to be the constant bane of Jesus in his call for integrity.  Yet, in fact they were likely closer to Jesus’ own teaching than distant from it. Our Lord did not criticize the basic content of their teaching but rather how they themselves did not live up to what they taught yet presented themselves in a way that would appear otherwise in their display of hypocrisy.

So, the scene is powerful in its right context.  When Jesus states, “the two men went up to the Temple to pray,” he refers to what the folks of his time would understand.  This was no private visit to a Church; the two of them alone, one in front and the other in the back.

The Temple was a busy, noisy, crowded space so those who prayed did so in full view and earshot of others.  One would not pray silently but out loud so others could hear.  The Pharisee is boasting of his perfection and certainly some could hear well what he was claiming. As Jesus states, he “spoke this prayer to himself.”  As such, it was more to draw attention to himself than to bring honor to God by his spoken thankfulness: Thanks that I’m not like the rest of humanity! So, in essence as comical as it sounds, he was praying to himself.

The population generally looked to these gate keepers for both example and leadership. They dressed in a certain rich and beautiful robes and clean manner; they carried with them, attached to their outer garments, symbols of the Jewish faith – maybe we could say a kind of religious habit.

Yet, in the laws of diet and cleanliness, Sabbath regulations, and other burdensome legalities, and the near slavish following of it, they exaggerated the importance of such man-made laws to the detriment of the sacred law of love, humility, and charity which God asked of his people in the original Covenant.  The Pharisees suffered from too much emphasis on external appearance which created a kind of spiritual blindness to the deep relationship of love that God was seeking. So, we hear of their self-aggrandizement, their superior righteous attitude, and self-righteous judgment of others.

As he boasts his prayer before God, while adjusting his halo properly, he claims that all his righteous success was of his own making.  Yet, we know that in humility we admit that all good in our life is gift from God above. Virtue is God’s business as we respond with an open heart to his grace within us.

By contrast an equally unpopular figure appears, a tax collector.  Generally despised by the population for their greedy way of collecting taxes and the Roman occupiers they represented.  Now, unlike the Pharisee, here’s one guy who couldn’t possibly recognize his sin.  Yet, to all who heard this story for the first time, he became, like the Good Samaritan, the one who got it right! As he spoke in his way, “Lord, have mercy on me,” others may have heard.  He names no one else; he doesn’t even call out his specific sin but recognizes that the choices he has made and the direction of his life is not of God.

His prayer was simple, deeply sincere, humble and truthful.  His only desire, as he “stood off at a distance” from the Pharisee who stood and proudly proclaimed his goodness, the tax collector “would not even raise his eyes to heaven.”  He prayed from his heart: “O God be merciful to me a sinner.”  It wasn’t what he had done right, but how he prayed that mattered.

To be justified means to be in right relationship with God; to be in proper Covenant order and goodness before God.  True humility is the key here it seems. Like the tax collector we are taught how to pray with honesty and humility. “God, this is who I am, with all my faults, sins, and blemishes.  I haven’t been what you call me to be so I ask in all humility for your mercy, that I can start again.”

The tax collector didn’t grovel or think of himself as worthless.  Yet, he was realistic and honest about his own sinfulness and accepted responsibility for his less than virtuous behaviour.  This is true conversion and a prayer that is heard and answered by God.

What an ideal application for the sacrament of Reconciliation.  When we go to confession we stand before God not as the Pharisee but as the tax collector.  Honestly admitting our sin, out loud but heard only by the priest, we know that this truthful assessment of my life choices will receive God’s mercy like the leper, like the tax collector and we move forward with new hope.

So this leaves us with rich lessons on prayer over the last several Sundays:  pray with faith, no matter how small. Pray with gratitude in your heart for blessings received.  Pray with persistence and don’t give up.  Pray with humility and realism before the loving God of mercy and redemption. So Faith, Gratitude, Persistence and Humility.