Twenty-Third Week

23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday

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If a blind man were to offer to help you cross the street you would either charitably decline, think he was crazy, or maybe convince yourself he had super powers. We live in a society where people seek the virtuous thing to do, the logical thing to do, or the craziest thing to do, and are willing to get advice from or give advice to anyone. People can supposedly all follow a truth that doesn’t need to agree with the truth of others, and, as a result, a lot of people with partial views stumble around in the dark when they should all be seeking profounder truths.

Our Lord in today’s Gospel reminds us that we must try to see and live clearly before helping others, or it will be a case of the blind leading the blind. We have to invest time, prayer, and reflection to determine the solid foundation on which to live and to be guided. We can’t just invent this on our own: we need help from Our Lord, and we need help from solid people and solid traditions. As St. Paul recalls in the First Reading, out of his ignorance and disbelief he became a persecutor and lead others to join him in his quest. Our Lord dramatically intervened in his case to help him see how blind he really was.

Let’s pray today for everyone to receive the grace to see clearly and live clearly in order to find the best role models and be the best role models for others.

Readings: 1 Timothy 1:1–2, 12–14; Psalm 16:1b–2a, 5, 7–8, 11; Luke 6:39–42.

23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday

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Today’s society is plagued by ways of losing your temper, inspired by the principle of “don’t get mad, get even”: people go postal, get road rage, drop f-bombs, go ballistic, send flame mails, and are branded as trolls online. Our Lord in today’s Gospel tells us the Christian response to people who get on our nerves: “don’t get mad, get praying,” talk to your manager if you’ve got a problem, keep driving calmly and forgive the guy who’s tailgating you, watch your mouth, take a walk and cool off, send that e-mail draft or destructo-comment to the trash unpublished. In biblical language that is translated in terms of “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another,” as St. Paul teaches in the First Reading today.

In today’s edgy, thin-skinned, irritable society that is a tall order. It’s not something we can accomplish overnight, but the best way to help us reconquer these virtues again is to contemplate Christ crucified when we think we’re about to blow. Our Lord didn’t just preach this in today’s Gospel; he lived it. None of us have been mistreated as badly as him and he bore with it all and forgave everyone who sought it (even desired to forgive those who didn’t). Contemplation is not simply remembering; it is seeing the scene in your mind, with Christ, and not just once. It is through contemplation and grace that we achieve the recollection to help us keep from losing control, and in contemplating Christ crucified little by little we realize how beautiful charity toward others and despite others is, and how petty we can often be.

If feel like you’re going to blow today, find a Crucifix and ask Our Lord for the grace to handle that situation as he would: with endurance and forgiveness.

Readings: Colossians 3:12–17; Psalm 150:1b–6; Luke 6:27–38.

23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord gives encouragement to some and a warning to others. If we’ve experienced hunger, poverty, or derision in our lives, we know how much more wonderful each meal, each bill paid, and each affirmation feels. At the same time, if we’ve enjoyed a full stomach, some surplus income, and being liked by everyone, we face the temptation to just keep working to have more and to be kept more in mind–we may be full, but we never feel satisfied. Whether we’re experiencing feast or famine, glory or persecution, we have to keep our sights set on where we’ll truly be satisfied: in Heaven.

As St. Paul reminds us in the First Reading, we have to keep our sights set above. That’s what reminds us that earthly things are meant to be means to achieve heavenly ones, not just for us, but for others as well. Material wealth and honor will not last forever: as the saying goes, you can’t take it with you, and all of us have visited monuments to people who are all but forgotten. The real glory we earn will be determined by how we invested our talents and treasure in the light of eternity. If we fall into the trap of living a lie for the sake of fame and celebrity it’s just a matter of time, either here or in eternity, when we’ll be revealed for who we truly are.

Let’s not focus on how full our stomach is, how full our bank account is, or whether we’re popular. Let’s focus on living a life in Christ that will one day blossom into glory with him.

Readings: Colossians 3:1–11; Psalm 145:2–3, 10–13b; Luke 6:20–26.

23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Monday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord reminds us that the Gospel is not something to live quietly or behind closed doors. He knew he was being observed by the scribes and Pharisees to see if he would perform a miracle on the Sabbath and give them ammunition. That didn’t make him heal the withered hand out in the back after teaching in the synagogue away from prying eyes. He didn’t just perform the miracle, he performed it publicly and in a synagogue on the Sabbath. It’s interesting that the scribes and Pharisees didn’t haul him off and accuse him right there; they knew in the eyes of people who still possessed common sense that Jesus had done something good on the Sabbath, just as he’d said. If only they too had understood.

As a result they saw Our Lord as a threat to be dealt with, but not directly and openly. That should already put us on our guard against whatever “gospel” they’re following. The works of God are meant to be signs to the world: signs to the goodness, power, and mercy of God. We shouldn’t be shy about getting the Word out, and also praying and working so that in countries where Christians are persecuted they receive the freedom to exercise their religion without threats or fear.

Let’s examine ourselves today and see whether there’s anyone in our lives who make us shy about sharing the Gospel and living our faith openly. And, as Our Lord did in today’s Gospel, let’s be loud about doing good works in his name.

Readings: Colossians 1:24–2:3; Psalm 62:6–7, 9; Luke 6:6–11.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

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In today’s First Reading we are reminded that the Lord wants to heal us from our infirmities, but it’s likely that the Israelites never imagined Our Lord would want to come personally and do so. God wants to touch us and heal us; we see that in today’s Gospel. By modern standards it may seem distasteful that saliva is involved, but when we consider that every time we celebrate the Eucharist we are receiving Jesus’ body and blood, it’s not much of a stretch. God assumed a human nature because he wanted to come touch us and heal us through human nature.

God still wants to touch us and heal us. Today he does so through the sacraments. In each sacrament there are certain materials, certain expressions, certain dispositions of heart through which Our Lord reaches out and touches us and heals us or strengthens us. When we receive him in Holy Communion we touch God, who comes into our hearts and makes us more like him after he decided, out of sheer goodness, to assume a human nature and become like us.

Let’s be thankful in receiving the Eucharist today that Our Lord wants to be close to us, wants to touch us. And let’s examine how our sacramental life is going: Mass, confession, etc., so that it really touches us and helps us to change for the better.

Readings: Isaiah 35:4–7a; Psalm 146:7–10; James 2:1–5; Mark 7:31–37.