Monday

16th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading the Lord convokes creation as a jury in the trial between him and his people. He asks Israel what grievance they have against him; this text is also used in the Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday afternoon. Its reminds us that just as we judge the world, the world judges us for our actions: not just other persons, but the world itself. Each one of us can examine our world, let it put us “on trial” to see what grievance it may have against us. As a society we can measure how just society is, whether it is being responsible in the consumption and sharing of its resources, whether it lives in solidarity with other societies in the world.

However, this trial also needs to come closer to home, not just that big world out there where sometimes it is difficult to measure our own impact. How do I treat myself (health)? How do I treat my things (my home, my budget, my use of time)? How do I treat others (my family, my friends, complete strangers)? In today’s Gospel Our Lord is being put on trial; they are demanding a sign as evidence. Our Lord prepares them for the future trial of the Last Judgment instead, using two examples of potential witnesses against them: Sodom and Gomorrah, two of the most wicked towns in the Old Testament; and the Queen of the South, who came from far away to seek the wisdom of Solomon because she knew she lacked it. In short, he warns them of the future consequences of their immorality and lack of wisdom.

He also tells them of Nineveh, a town despised by the Jews that repented of its sins when Jonah warned them of their impending destruction by the Lord. The sign Our Lord will give them–the Resurrection–is a sign of their salvation if they welcome it in faith. Our “trial” is not hopeless as long as we have Our Lord in our corner. Let’s not shy away from some healthy self-examination today to see how we can better our world by bettering ourselves through morality and wisdom.

Readings: Micah 6:1–4, 6–8; Psalm 50:5–6, 8–9, 16b–17, 21, 23; Matthew 12:38–42. See also 1st Week of Lent, Wednesday, 28th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, and 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.

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15th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading the Lord teaches us that devotion to him is pointless when we don’t show a level of devotion to others and their needs: he wants us to treat others justly and compassionately when they are in need. In the Gospel Our Lord takes it a step further by reminding us that devotion to others at the expense of devotion to the Lord is also a losing proposition. In the First Reading the Lord reminds us of our obligations in general; in the Gospel we consider those whom we owe the most: our family.

If the Gospel talks about “hating” your loved ones it must be understood in the context of the entire discourse: family members who do not welcome the Lord through his prophets or through righteous people. In short, loved ones who have fallen into sin and present a danger of leading us into sin as well. Not all family members are an obstacle to our devotion to the Lord, but if our devotion to our family exceeds our devotion to the Lord, we’re on the path to perdition, despite the best of intentions. We owe the Lord and our family everything, but the Lord comes first.

Let’s pray that our loved ones grow in devotion to Our Lord, confident that following the Lord, even when it implies the cross, will be a blessing to our family.

Readings: Isaiah 1:10–17; Psalm 50:8–9, 16b–17, 21, 23; Matthew 10:34–11:1. See also 31st Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday, and 15th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.

13th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord reminds us not to worry about where we’re going to stay or our family when we follow him and help him extend his Kingdom. Everything we seek, God willing, will be awaiting us at the end of our journey: true rest and everyone we love in Heaven.

Readings: Amos 2:6–10, 13–16; Psalm 50:16b–23; Matthew 8:18–22. See also 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Sunday, Cycle C, 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year II and 26th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday.

12th Week of Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading the Israelites have split into two kingdoms due to tax disputes: the Northern Kingdom of Israel, with its capital in Samaria, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, with its capital in Jerusalem. Today’s Gospel warns us against being fixated on the faults of others when we have big problems of our own: the Northern Kingdom had been so fixated on the Southern Kingdom that it underestimated the threat of Assyria, and, as a result, it was conquered and absorbed into the Assyrian empire.

Even while trying to assert its Israelite identity the Northern Kingdom was abandoning the customs of its forefathers, probably to stand out in contrast against Judah, and the very identity it tried to preserve was lost. The Kingdom of Judah was not flawless, but the Northern Kingdom turned a blind eye to its own faults because it was too busy judging Judah’s. It’s a reminder to all of us to avoid judging another altogether, as Our Lord teaches us in today’s Gospel, but to especially focus on any cause for condemnation we may find in ourselves before sizing up and condemning others.

Let’s ask Our Lord today to enlighten us regarding our own faults so that we may better help others to over come theirs.

Readings: 2 Kings 17:5–8, 13–15a, 18; Psalm 60:3–5, 12–13; Matthew 7:1–5. See also 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday and 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.

11th Week of Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading King Ahab’s desire to acquire some adjacent property to his palace seems innocuous enough, but for an Israelite land is birthright: a family’s property represents a portion of the Promised Land given by the Lord, and giving something up like that is not something to be done lightly. Ahab is thinking of expansion and landscaping, Naboth is thinking of birthright and his family’s inheritance. Ahab doesn’t understand and starts to pout instead of reflecting on how superficial, jaded, and selfish his offer was.

What follows through the machinations of his wife Jezebel shows an eclipse of justice in Samaria: Jezebel finds officials and personnel to falsely accuse and execute Naboth without outcries by anyone. Naboth, for defending his birthright, forfeits his life, and the rights to the land remit back to the king. The king himself should represent justice in his kingdom, but Ahab goes along with his wife’s plan without any qualms. Now the Lord must take justice into his own hands because the King, his anointed, does not. We’ll soon see the consequences of Ahab’s decision.

Let’s draw the lesson from this sad story of the importance of loving our neighbor as ourselves.

Readings: 1 Kings 21:1–16; Psalm 5:2–3b, 4b–7; Matthew 5:38–42. See also 11th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.