Month: November 2016

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

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In today’s Gospel the disciples ask when the Temple will end, and the Lord starts to explain when the world as we know it will end: his Second Coming. Our Lord gives some signs, but doesn’t give them exactly what they’re looking for: a signal. He describes calamities: social upheaval, wars, natural disasters, and persecutions. All of those have existed and will exist during the Church’s pilgrimage on earth, even before the end of history and Our Lord’s return in glory. Our Lord won’t give us a signal, but he will give us the secret to survival: perseverance.

In today’s First Reading the prophet Malachi describes the wicked on the day of the Lord as burning away in a flash; stubble burns quickly and intensely. Yet the just will see the same event as warmth, light, and healing. Even though Our Lord foretells persecution and calamities, we should focus on why he is coming, as the Psalm today reminds us: “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.” The only people who don’t want justice are bad people, and their injustice will be swept away, no matter how enduring it seemed.

The just will experience moments of pain: the prophet tells us the Day of the Lord will bring healing, which implies that there’ll be healing needed. It will require endurance, not resignation. In today’s Second Reading Paul warns against those who have faced the possibility of the Day of the Lord’s imminence by not working and not living their lives normally. If everything occurs as Our Lord describes in today’s Gospel that attitude is a recipe for disaster. Perseverance requires work and grace. When we’re put on trial it won’t just be our spiritual toughness, but the Holy Spirit that will help us endure and realize that even as we suffer we give witness, and the Spirit gives witness through us. Our suffering and perseverance will inspire others to believe and be saved as well.

Ask Our Lord today to help you stock up on what will truly help you persevere in the long haul: faith, hope, and charity. Don’t focus on when life as we know it will end, but on how to live it in holiness and justice.

Readings: Malachi 3:19–20a; Psalm 98:5–9; 2 Thessalonians 3:7–12; Luke 21:5–19. See also 14th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year II, and the 34th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading John commends Christians for offering hospitality and support to itinerant missionaries. In John’s time Christian communities were still small and spread out over wide distances; missionaries needed a place to stay while they preached the Gospel, and where better than their spiritual family?

Even today missionaries leave home and comfort to share the Gospel, often enduring want, hardship, and even indifference. Young missionaries put their studies or career on hold for something nobler than just making a buck. We should support our missionaries not only materially, but spiritually. Not all missionaries do their work in far off countries; every missionary is sent by Our Lord to share the Gospel, and even in our own societies the work of sharing the Gospel depends on people willing to dedicate time and talent.

Let’s support our missionaries spiritually, materially, and by considering how we too can be missionaries in the Lord’s service.

Readings: 3 John 5–8; Psalm 112:1–6; Luke 18:1–8. See also 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C and 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.

32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year II

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If you’ve ever heard the expression “cafeteria Catholics” (Catholics who pick and choose what teachings they like), there’s always the danger of heading right out of the back door of the cafeteria and no longer being Catholics at all. In today’s First Reading John doesn’t bring any new teaching, just a reminder of an old teaching and a warning. We know from all of John’s writings that charity has a central place in the teaching he received from the Lord, and just as he heard from the lips of Our Lord in the Last Supper discourse (see John 13:34–35; 14:15,23–24), he reminds us of the connection between love and obedience. Our Lord doesn’t just command us; he teaches us how we truly love. We show our love by having faith in his teaching.

Part of that love is being faithful to John’s teaching about Our Lord; someone is contradicting the teaching of Our Lord to such a degree that he or she is denying the Incarnation (“those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh”). When John describes this as deceitful and the antichrist he is teaching that those who teach contrary to the true teaching regarding Christ become anti-witnesses, so to speak. With this loss of faith and contradictory testimony they lose God too.

Ask Our Lord today to help you not stray into the cafeteria and stay “all in” regarding his teaching.

Readings: 2 John 4–9; Psalm 119:1–2, 10–11, 17–18; Luke 17:26–37. See also 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.

32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday, Year II

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Imagine if an employee of yours stole your property and skipped town, and the police brought him back with a letter from the Pope, personally addressed to you, saying that your employee had converted to Christianity in prison and encouraging you to welcome him into the family as a brother or son? That brings us a little closer to understanding the First Reading today. Paul met Onesimus, an escaped slave, in prison and helped him become Christian, then sent him back to his Christian owner with a letter of recommendation and an appeal for his freedom.

Paul already knew Onesimus’s owner, Philemon, and wanted Philemon to welcome Onesimus back not just as a free brother in Christ, but a freed brother. At the same time, Paul didn’t want to order him to do it; he wanted him to freely welcome back his slave as a member of the family. In Paul’s time slaves were the property of their owners, who had the power of life or death over them. The Romans were very harsh on escaped slaves. We’re not sure how this letter was received, but in Paul’s Letter to the Colossians (4:9) he mentions Onesimus once again as a “faithful and beloved brother” to them, an encouraging sign that Philemon did the right thing in the end.

When someone wrongs us we can be very exacting in terms of expecting them to make amends for what they’ve done. We can “chain” them in our expectations of how they should treat us after mistreating us. Yet, for a Christian, the first question should not be, “how will you repay me,” but, rather, “are you sorry for what you have done?” If someone is truly sorry they’ll make restitution as best as they can, and, like Philemon, let’s not be a taskmaster about it, but a brother in Christ.

Readings: Philemon 7–20; Psalm 146:7–10; Luke 17:20–25. See also 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

 

32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul gives Titus advice for whom we’d call today the laity, with the exception of children, and from the virtues they should practice it should remind us that everyone in the Church is called to contribute, not only to the Church, but to society. Titus is encouraged to edify the faithful them by his example, but when our pastors are struggling they should be edified and encouraged by the example of the laity as well, especially those entrusted to them.

Paul reminds us that every member of the Church should focus on three things: temperance, justice, and devotion. Temperance is self-control in various areas of our life: in food and drink, in chastity, in patience. Justice is treating everyone fairly, not just in matters of money, but in family obligations and in respecting their dignity as human persons. Devotion is honoring not only God, but everyone we love, and making time for prayer and a sacramental life in order to help us live temperately and justly, bolstered by grace.

Let’s ask Our Lord today to help us take stock today of our relationships and our virtue in order to not only be good Christians, but a source of edification for everyone we meet.

Readings: Titus 2:1–8, 11–14; Psalm 37:3–4, 18, 23, 27, 29; Luke 17:7–10. See also 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C and 32nd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.