“For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” —1 Cor. 9 - All the prayers and readings of today’s liturgy direct us to our God who heals. Whenever Jesus preaches, whether through parables or cures, he is teaching us a lesson about healing. Whatever Jesus does is for us to imitate.
“They were all amazed!" - (Luke 4:36a) - In the signs (or “mighty works”) of Jesus’ casting out “unclean spirits,” healing all who were brought to him and speaking with an authority and power the people had never experienced before, Jesus is demonstrating what this life in the Spirit can look like for us. In the words of the 145th Psalm today, “The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.”
The Feast the Church celebrates today, the Passion of St. John the Baptist, is one of the oldest feasts recognized by the early Church. St. John the Baptist, the cousin of the Lord Jesus, was truly the precursor of the Savior. He went before the Lord in birth & death.
“We Proclaim Christ Crucified” - At yesterday’s liturgy we began reading the great first letter of Paul to the Corinthians. We will remain with it at the daily liturgies until the middle of next month. Today, Paul speaks of one of the most central mysteries of our faith, the cross of Christ.
"Stay awake... You do not know when your Lord will come." - In a bit of a nostalgic shrine to my life pre-mid-course-redirection, one shelf of books in my office is still devoted to the time management and leadership tomes so prevalent in the business pop culture of the '80's and '90's.
“Come and see.”—John 1:46 - Bartholomew, whose feast we celebrate today, has also been known as Nathaniel. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus says to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” As we go through each of the gospel writer’s rendition of Jesus’ life, we see how different the call is for everyone. Jesus calls both the men and the women in Scripture according to their personalities and their lifestyles.
“Woe to You Scribes and Pharisees…..” - Today’s gospel (Mt: 23-26) continues Jesus’ taking the scribes and Pharisees “over the coals” for their hypocrisy and excessive eye for detail, to the exclusion of more important matters and issues. In the first (of two) instance Jesus zeroes in on an excessive emphasis on the smallest of plants when being faithful to the obligations of tithing produce correctly.
“Let It Be Done Unto Me According To Your Will” - When each of us began our journey of life as children we could not have imagined life being exactly as it has been for us. There have probably been moments that felt even more wonderful than we could have imagined and other moments that may have caused suffering beyond what we would have thought possible. Life is learning and growing, hopefully surrounded by love.
“The Entire Law and the Prophets Depends on This” - The prophecy from Ezekiel 37 in today’s first reading is probably the most well-known of that book and perhaps of all the prophets- the “dry bones” prophecy. It is also a very good example of how prophecy, by its very nature, is something that is both obvious and elusive.
In today’s Gospel we have jumped from Matthew Chapter 20 to 22 and our parable is in many ways more allegory than parable. It is not unrelated to yesterday’s gospel about resentment at God’s generosity to latecomers in the Kingdom. Today it’s more about sadness over the Jewish leaders’ unwillingness to accept Jesus as Messiah and Lord.
“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.”—Heb. 4:12 - Today’s readings are saturated with images of a God who loves and cares for us in all circumstances of life. God is scolding ineffective shepherds who have not cared for the needs of the sheep.
"The Camel and the Needle" - Today’s gospel (Mt 19:23-30) once again (see the gospels of 5/25/21: Mk 10:28-31) follows on the encounter between Jesus and the rich young man. Jesus says to his disciples that it will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. This is only one of a number of verses in this passage that are more than a little problematic if taken completely literally.
"What Did Mary Ever Do?" - Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has a long tradition in our Christian history. Poets, songwriters and artists have portrayed the Mother of God in words, music and art that have inspired millions. Mary has stood for the highest form of human virtue. Piety, purity, gentleness, compassion and loving obedience have made her a model disciple, generation after generation.
“With God All Things Are Possible” - I seem to get this Gospel reading each time it comes up! Matthew and Mark have very similar passages regarding Jesus’ teaching on divorce. Those passages, today’s passage from Mt 19 and its parallel in Mk 10, along with an additional brief but consequential teaching in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount in Mt 5:31-32 (where Jesus says that a man divorcing his wife causes her to commit adultery and that anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery), are the entire basis for the Church’s prohibition of divorce and remarriage.
Giving and Seeking... Mercy and Forgiveness - "The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant" is the chapter heading in one of my bibles for today's Gospel reading; in another "The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant" is the lede. The two titles, and the no-nonsense and no-nuance parable from Jesus the Teacher that gives them substance, are reminders that forgiveness is one of the manifestations -- lived, real, 'sacramental' -- of what it means to body forth the virtue of mercy.
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” —2 Cor. 9:6 - Today we celebrate the martyr, St. Lawrence. Much of what we know of St. Lawrence is legend. However, we do know that he used church resources to care for the poor. All our Scripture readings today focus on giving and forgiving.
“Unless You Change and Become Like Little Children, You Will Not Enter the Kingdom of God.” - With these words in today’s gospel (Mt. 18:1-5, 10, 12-14) Jesus answers His disciples’ question of who is of greatest importance in the Kingdom of God. And perhaps more to our point, the qualities needed to gain entrance. What difference does it make who is the greatest if we never get into the Kingdom in the first place?!
"Scandal and Sensitivity" When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?” (Matthew 17:24) - Sometimes Jesus’ teaching revolves around practical common sense. In today’s gospel reading, as the plots against Jesus begin to build, the temple tax collectors slyly ask Peter whether or not Jesus paid the temple tax. Jesus knew they weren’t as interested in whether or not he paid as in “catching” Him at something.
“Lose Yourself and You Will Find Yourself” - We spend only today in the book of the prophet Nahum, which at only three chapters is one of the shortest books of scripture (though there are several prophets with three chapters but Hagai at two and Obadiah with only one, are the shortest books). The opening passage of today’s first reading from Nahum 1:15 is something of a direct quote from Isaiah 52:7, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,” so beloved in the Christmas liturgy.
My Jesuit classmates and I chose part of this Gospel for our Vow Mass, so I have to declare that I have a special interest here. Jesus and his disciples are in the predominantly pagan district of Caesarea Philippi which was dominated by Rome. It was, therefore, both an unexpected, yet fitting, place for Jesus’ identity to be proclaimed. He came, after all, not only for his own people but for the whole world.