32nd Sunday - Are you ready?

"Behold the bridegroom, come out to meet him!"

Matthew 25: 1-13

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110826.cfm

Almighty and merciful God,

graciously keep from su all adversity,

so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,

we may pursue in freedom of heart

the things that are yours.

(from Collect of Sunday)

Several years ago, as a favor to another priest, I conducted a wedding at a nearby Catholic Church for a couple who I really didn’t know very well.  He assured me they were prepared for the marriage and felt things would go well. So, all the proper permissions were in order and I frankly looked forward to a nice wedding ceremony from all that I had heard.

The priest was right as far as I could judge on meeting them that all should go well for the wedding however the beginning of the wedding was a bit off putting.  The entire wedding party had arrived early enough. As guests were arriving, I was likewise getting ready and joined them in the entrance of the Church to begin the ceremony with the wedding party lined up, I noticed the groom was missing! With less than five minutes to go I asked if anyone knew where he was, but no one did.  Earlier "sightings" of the groom had happened, including by myself, but when all was ready, we were found waiting.  I don't know how the bride felt but she was preoccupied with last minute details out of sight. All was ready, but no husband to be.

 Finally, one of the groom's men said, "I last saw him downstairs." So, two of us then went in search of the groom and sure enough, he was watching a baseball game on TV.  He claimed he lost track of time but then ran upstairs to take his place. While embarrassed with nervous laughter, all settled down to proceed as expected.  I whispered to him, "Are you sure you want to do this?" he joked, "Sorry, yes of course." I could not help but think of this Sunday's parable from Matthew's Gospel about the waiting bride’s maids as they longed for the groom to appear.

At this time as we come quickly to the end of our liturgical year, this theme or anticipation of the Lord's coming is before us.  While we may not want to reflect much on the end times, it is better for us to anticipate and to be aware of where the Lord is present to us now, each day. 

Reflecting Jewish wedding custom of the day this parable of Jesus is fundamentally our attitude as Christians who await the return of the Lord who will come at some time in his risen glory for the final judgement on all creation. Like the bridesmaids we must be ready to receive him whenever that moment arrives keeping in reserve a life of good works and spiritual strength to offer when he comes.

The maidens are to accompany the bride from her home to the groom’s home in great joy as she is carried in procession.  The mood is festive. Yet, the groom may be negotiating with the bride's father about financial arrangements for his daughter. 

Suddenly, at the midnight hour the groom (Christ) appears to the surprise of everyone. The story emphasizes overall that being prepared for the Lord's final coming at the end of all time is a wise choice.  To seek and welcome Wisdom, a reference to Christ, in our first reading is the model for all Christians. While living life with no future thought is foolish, when it comes to our faith; our spiritual life and the life of Jesus' Gospel values.

Here Jesus emphasizes not when he is to come, yet we fully believe that he will return the this earth at some moment in time, but wisdom is not so much to fret about that as it is to live in readiness.  Likewise, each day is another opportunity to meet the Lord and to show him how wise we have been rather than wasteful and reckless.

Our first reading from the Book of Wisdom uses the word “anticipation.” The writer of Wisdom tells us: “She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire.” Obviously, the writer of this Book assumed the female pronoun adds to the beauty of wisdom.

The implication is that she knows that she is desirable not for any inappropriate reasons but rather for the insight she bestows to make careful and intelligent choices – with “prudence.” True wisdom is to know what God desires and to seek that out for our lives.

The Spirit breaths into us and teaches that we can’t be lazy but rather we must be open and ready to receive the Lord.  We should be seeking him, anticipating his coming, and be ready for when he arrives.  Our lives should contain good works, signs of charity and selfless service towards others, a faith that has grown and been put into to practice. Such works are the fruit of our lives in Christ and, symbolized by the oil, our “lamps” are found burning bright when the groom arrives.

Having enough oil as our parable illustrates is a sign of our readiness before God. The Christian life points to the future and not only to our present moment in time. Thus, we see this illustrated in our Gospel parable. So, we hear the Gospel as a whole, not just as a part.

Jesus tells us to not be complacent about our life of faith. As Catholic Christians we enjoy a spiritual treasure and tradition.  How well do I know what is there? Do I take seriously my prayer life, do I participate in the sacraments especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation? Do I offer some time in doing good works for the benefit of others, do I take advantage of learning more about my faith or do I assume that what I learned in Catholic grade school or during my teenage years is all I need to know?  Do I take some time to spend with the scriptures and/or read a book on spirituality or the lives of the saints?  Do I ever pray the Rosary? Our journey may lead us down different paths but in the spiritual life, there is a path for all of us. We can go on and on about the treasures of our faith but to ignore them, to never explore such things or participate on some level in them, is to be at a serious loss – basically foolish.

Bottom line, the whole point of our existence here is to get to heaven.  How I get there is answered in this parable. If we are living the life of the Gospel in the best way that we can as a disciple of Christ, then we are ready to meet him whenever it is that time. I think, personally, how we will be judged in the end will hear God saying to us: “What did you do with what I gave you?” If we cannot answer that question, we may indeed need to check our oil supply!

 

Solemnity of All Saints - All the holy ones

 

Matthew 5: 1-12

Blessed are the poor in spirit

Blessed are  they who mourn

Blessed are the meek

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness

Blessed are the merciful

Blessed are the clean of heart

Blessed are the peacemakers

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you

and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

To be happy, is to be blessed.  We are filled with joy because God has invited us into his comunity, his family as it were.  In the Beatitudes, according to St. Matthew, Jesus does not say "blessed are you because you have much money, or good health, or because you look good, but you are blessed because you know that you are "poor in spirit," totally dependent on God for all things.  Happy are those who identify with the suffering of others, who humble themselves for the sake of another (the meek, the merciful, peacemakers). 

Any of us can be a saint. We can be holy and focused on the Lord and serve him with generosity and love.  Rather than being content with the easy, the minium or the convienent. God seeks those who respond to his grace, as Mary did, who live in trust of him. 

Grace operative in our life makes us pleasing to God and holy people.  As St. Ignatius of Loyola stated: "Work as if everything depends on you and pray as if everything depends on God." 

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

Almighty ever-living God,

by shose gift we venerate in one celebration

the merits of all the Saints,

bestow on us through the prayers of so many intercessors,

an abundnace of the reconciliation with you

for which we earnestly long.

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.

10/25-26 - 30th Sunday: The Great Command

 

Matthew 22: 34-40

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102526.cfm

Our Gospel this Sunday may be a bit tricky.  The scene is that of a lawyer, or a “scholar of the law” is chosen by the ever-cunning Pharisees to pose a question they foolishly hoped would trap Jesus.  Remember the question about the tax last weekend and the Roman coin?  Well, this was another attempt with the same intent. The Pharisees, hearing the Sadducees failed in their attempt to trap Jesus after showing him the Roman coin with the image of Caesar on it, now turn on him again.  This time it is a challenge to explain what might be at the core of the Jewish covenant, a sacred law by which all righteous Jews would live. What is more fundamental to their way of life than obedience to the Sacred Law which governed everything from food, work, worship, and relationships with Jews and non-Jews.  The Pharisees above all were the law police making sure that all Jews were following the proper prescriptions.

So, he poses a simple straightforward test to Jesus: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” I’m not sure why they thought this question would challenge Jesus but so they did. 

Our Lord is quick to answer that we shall love God with all our heart, mind, soul.  In the Pharisees thinking that would be the answer.  However, Jesus throws them a curve ball.  He takes the command to love your neighbor and places it on an equal level as love for God, then adds a third,
as yourself.  The greatest commandment has three loves within it:  love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self.  We cannot love God separate from our love for neighbor which comes from a healthy love of self as a son or daughter of God.  Not three individual loves but rather one great love with three equal parts.  Sounds somewhat Trinitarian doesn’t it.  One God with three equal persons. Is, therefore human love meant to reflect God’s love for us? 

To love as God loves remains at the foundation of our Christian way of life. Thereby saying that the heart of the Christian Gospel is charity. Yet, what if I’m not loved in return?  What if I show kindness to another and all I receive back is a cold shoulder, an insult, or an angry response?  To extend charity to another is often more challenging than it sounds but it can also become more rewarding than you ever imagined. In other words, if we truly love God then charity, love in action, would be the constant measure and force of our life.

So, they ask Jesus, of all the laws which govern the life of the Jews enumerated in the first books of the Torah, which is the greatest? Moses had given the people more than 600 laws that were to be followed by a faithful Jew so the question is asking Jesus which of them is the essence of all or the greatest among them?

Jesus answers what every Jew would be familiar with, the sacred Shema: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and something they would have agreed with but then he goes a step farther: “The second is ‘like’ it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  While his audience would have been familiar with the sacred love of neighbor, Jesus states that in essence the way to love God is to love your neighbor. It’s not about the law as much as it is about charity in action. In the view of God, everyone is your neighbor for his love is universal. Doing good to our neighbor, wishing no harm upon them, to give charity is to love God through them, which includes our enemies. 

How do we love God?  By showing charity, love in action, towards our neighbor.  Remember the scene of the last judgement in the Gospel of Matthew 25: 31-46.  “I was hungry, naked, in prison, thirsty, ill and you cared for ME.” Whatever is done for these least ones we do for Christ. Whenever good is done for others, we are doing it for Christ. 

The most unique thing is that Jesus put both on the same level thereby as a blend of two laws as one.  “The second is like it . . .” Jesus said. Thus, it is one sacred law with two equal parts: love God and love your neighbor.

Our love is without borders; it is inclusive and extensive of everything God has made and all he loves.

Love is not a feeling or an emotion.  Love towards anyone is a choice, a decision you make. Jesus,' the incarnate Word of God who speaks, captures for his listeners and for us the very heart of the law. This is how God sees it for us.

My attraction or my feelings are simply emotions – that’s not love. True love is a choice I make; a movement towards another to do good for them, regardless of who they are. To love is to will good for the other regardless of my feelings for them.  To do good to our enemies, to wish them no harm is virtuous love.  For to love those who love us is not virtue.  Only when we love the stranger and the enemy can we say that we are loving as Christ has loved.

Remember Jesus washed the feet of his disciples the night before he died and stated clearly: “As I have done, so you must do.” Then he offered them the greatest act of love in the Holy Eucharist the night before he sacrificed himself for our sake.

Give the one who asks for money on a cold night, a warm piece of your own clothing? How about a sincere smile and “hello” as you pass by or a kind comment on something you notice they are doing?  To offer simple assistance to someone who asks for help? To resist judging another person who looks and speaks differently than you or is caught at a different economic level than you? I think we can find endless examples of how we can contribute to the common good and share our love for God.

In closing, let me illustrate this through an ordinary personal example.  A few years ago I was shopping for groceries in the early evening.  It was getting dark and was cold enough to wear a warm jacket.

As I was putting the items in my car, a man approached me who was clearly “on the street” and politely asked for some money.  My usual skepticism stepped in and my initial resistance, but I knew I had a few dollars in my pocket, so I gave it to him.  He thanked me, went on his way to the other side of the lot near the entrance to the store, where he sat down on the sidewalk, covered in a blanket that I’m sure had not been washed in some time.

As I was getting in my car, I had the strongest desire to go to him and offer him the coat I was wearing, but sadly I did not do so. I had another coat and sweaters at home but for some selfish reason on my part, I watched him for a short time, then drove off.  As I write these words, I feel a sense of guilt knowing I had resisted a call from God to love my neighbor.  A lesson learned indeed.  As a priest, you think I would know better but nonetheless, do not resist the grace of God when a moment arrives.

Do good for others and love God in return.

Almighty ever living God,

increase our faith, hope and charity,

and make us love what you command,

so that we merit what you promise.

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 30th Sunday)

 

29th Sunday - Caesar or God?

 

Matthew 22: 15-21

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101826.cfm

Almighty ever-living God,

grant that we may always conform our will to yours

and serve your majesty in sincerty of heart.

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)

The following letter was found in the files of the Internal Revenue Service: “Dear IRS, my conscience has been bothering me. I am including a check for $5,000 to pay my back taxes.” At the bottom of the letter was a postscript, “If my conscience continues to bother me, I will send the rest.”

Many things may run through our minds as we consider the Gospel this Sunday. While Jesus really isn’t teaching us about who we owe money to, he does present to us a very interesting response to the challenge of the Pharisees. It can be taken in more than one way. It is actually a riddle Jesus proposes. 

In a clear effort to entrap Jesus, the scheming Pharisees, pose a question to Jesus the “Teacher” as they refer to him, Rabbi, that would reveal on whose side he really is – that of the Romans or the Jews.  Either way, they felt he would entrap himself no matter his answer that seemed to back Jesus in to a corner.

With an almost sickening false flattery, Jesus is  asked the tricky question: “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Matthew relates that Jesus knew their “malice” their evil intent and, as always, could read their hearts.  

If Jesus said “no” you should not pay the census tax, then he would anger the Romans and be accused of sedition. If he said “yes” then he would challenge the very Commandment to the Torah to have no other god’s before you by siding with the Romans and their brutal occupation of Israel. 

In fact, while the tax was originally meant to support the most sacred place in Jerusalem, the Temple, the Jews paid that tax to maintain their worship center. However, when the Roman occupied Israel, they shifted the profit of that tax to support their pagan temples to the gods of the Romans.  So, if one paid that tax, they would not only sympathize with the Romans but violated the sacred Command of God to have no false gods before them. 

To make matters more complicated, imprinted on the coin they showed Jesus was the clear image of Caesar and an inscription which claimed him to be the “Son of god,” in reference to his father, Agustus, who had been proclaimed divine by the Roman Senate.

Nonetheless, “show me the coin, “Jesus stated.  As Pharisees, being representatives of the Sacred Law, they should have no such graven image in their pockets let alone in their hands. Still, someone does although it isn’t stated who but the very fact that it is produced for Jesus proves their complicity and also that Jesus does not carry the coin himself. They possess the coin which pays the census tax, which reveals their complicity with Rome.

Brilliantly, Jesus turns the question back on them: “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” Score another one for Jesus!

There is likely no other line Jesus spoke that Christians have wrestled with its meaning.  What is Caesar’s?  What is God’s? How wealthy can the Church be and what about the right use of money considering our Christian faith? We modern American’s may point to this as a classic example of the separation of church and state, but its meaning has nothing to do with our American Constitution.  It is far more about our right relationship in the human community and the one God, who is Lord. One example may help to answer the question as to what belongs to who.

In the story of creation, as God creates humankind, we hear that we are created “in the image and likeness of God,” Every human is created with the image of God as unique.  We don’t look the same, we don’t walk in lock step uniformly and each human person has a unique individuality that reflects the limitless power of God over all things.  To God is owed all things because he is Lord of all and above all.  Like the ancient image of Caesar imprinted on the coin, the image of God is imprinted on us eternally due to our baptism.  We belong to God as we are baptized into Christ Jesus when we are signed with the cross during the ceremony. 

So, to whom do we owe what?  As citizens of a nation, we have the responsibilities of good citizenship of course and to determine what is "Caesars,” that is taxes, obedience to law and order, good citizenship, and patriotism is clear. Government officials have a legitimate authority to protect its citizens, and we work for the common good of all in this Country.  We all know how fortunate we are to have a say in our own governing. Yet that power is limited and uniformly applied, we hope, like the money we carry.

But the things of God have no limit: all is gift, and all is grace.  All authority ultimately comes from him. Our first reading from Isaiah today reminds us how God used the pagan Persian King Cyrus as an instrument to return the exiled people to Israel: “I have called you by your name, and given you a title, though you knew me not.” He released the Jews in captivity and even assisted them in their return to the devastated Jerusalem with assistance to rebuild their temple.  He was a “messiah,” a savior to these people despite his pagan background.  God will use anyone for his good purpose.

We human beings belong to God for as money is printed in the image of an earthly nation we human beings are created in the image of God.  Therefore, it may be not so difficult to recognize that when it comes to our human obligations to our government pitted at times against those that call us to Christian discipleship, we find a tension,

It should be for us a matter of how the human person is recognized, respected, protected, and honored by our government.  If we live in a culture which looks at life as more pragmatic rather than as sacred, then our allegiance must be always to the higher moral standard which God has established.  As the poor, the elderly, the frail, the unborn child the innocent are all unable to support and protect themselves are ignored or dismissed, then we rise to make a difference and speak to “Caesar” so that laws can be changed.  We give to God what is God’s. If the sanctity of the marriage covenant is seen as not what God intended, then we must choose what God is owed not what is popular or political. Give to God what is God’s. We owe him everything as he is the Lord of our lives.

So, while we may separate our allegiance to State and Church we cannot live as dual citizens – one way for one and another way for the other; one way in Church and another in the public place. The choice must be ours.  We are Catholic/Christians who live in a secular culture, and we cannot compromise the things of God for the things of Caesar.  As citizens of a nation life stops here when we are gone.  But as citizens of the kingdom of God, we go on beyond this world where our total giving will be for God alone.  So, whose image do we follow? Upon one another, who do we see?