Year I

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tailgating you, watch your mouth, take a walk and cool off, send that e-mail draft or destructo-comment to the trash unpublished.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.

22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday

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In today’s confrontation between an old order and a new one we see Our Lord connecting his ministry and mission to that of David and, therefore, to the Messiah. When the Pharisees take Our Lord to task for his disciples’ behavior he reminds them that David, when there was a need, did something very similar with the bread of the Temple that was reserved to the priests. “Son of Man” is a title for the Messiah, and here he is showing a continuity with David that in part fulfills the prophecy of the Messiah, who’d be David’s descendant.

The Pharisees in their time had popular support and a predominant interpretation of how the Law was to be applied in everyday life. Jesus is reminding them today that there is a Legislator-in-Chief who is the ultimate authority. He is taking the legal framework back to its foundations, while also starting a tradition his Church would live throughout the centuries. Sometimes even he legislates rest: the Day of the Lord, every Sunday, is a day on which we’re expected to rest in order to have time for our spiritual and family obligations and refresh ourselves. And, like in today’s Gospel, some people need to serve in other ways on that day.

Whether we rest or work, let’s do it as Our Lord would wish it.

Readings: Colossians 1:21–23; Psalm 54:3–4, 6, 8; Luke 6:1–5. See also 15th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.

22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord reminds us that traditions are good, but that sometimes we have to begin new traditions as well. The process of fermentation in a wine skin produces pressure, which is why new wine in an old wine skin would burst the skin, just as patching an old wine skin is pointless, because it wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure. At the same time, the older a wine is, the better its flavor and the more it is sought after, without denying the enjoyment of newer wines.

Wine is the common denominator: in the Bible wine symbolizes joy, and both old and new traditions should be a stepping stone toward that joy, since they are means to a happy end. Our Lord today doesn’t deny the importance of prayer and fasting, but also reminds us that joy is part of the path to that ultimate joy that we’ll experience in Heaven. Christianity is characterized by joy while not denying moments of penance in expectation of that joy, which is why two of our liturgical seasons–Advent and Lent–are preparations for joyous celebrations–Christmas and Easter.

Let’s not be quick to throw out old traditions, nor shy about starting new ones, provided they help us bring ourselves and others to eternal joy.

Readings: Colossians 1:15–20; Psalm 100:1b–5; Luke 5:33–39. See also 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.