October 26, 2014

30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Exodus 22: 20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1: 5-10; Matthew 22:34-40
I ask myself the question: What is love? I’ve answered that question in so many different ways: when I was young ‘love’ was somehow associated with the toys or games that I ‘loved’ to play. As I started in school, it was associated with the teacher or subject matter at hand. I loved just about every subject but never writing. I thought I could draw a little but it was unrecognizable and anything using scissors was a disaster. The school lunches were OK but trying to trade a bologna sandwich or a liverwurst one for peanut butter and jelly was hopeless; so I suffered and not necessarily ‘in love’. So ‘love’ was what I liked, what I enjoyed and what I had fun in doing.
Then came the development years and sports and girls. It seemed the predominant teaching on ‘love’ was in telling me, in no uncertain words, that this is love…that isn’t love…you are not the one to decide what love is. Then inserted into these instructions was what Jesus ‘taught’ about love and even this somehow seemed to be influenced more strongly by authorities than by the words of Jesus. All this happened in the later 40’s and the 50’s. Then came the ‘crazy 60’s: Kennedy’s assassination; Second Vatican Council, the music rebellion, folk music, later on Woodstock and in the same year of 1969, ‘Day of Aquarius’ and Viet Nam lasted for 21 years until 1975. And the question was asked and responded to ‘What is love’. I lived in these years and was asked the question…it’s the question of the ages…it’s the question of Jesus today.
The bottom line is that each person will have his or her own definition of love as well as all sorts of different experiences of loving or being loved. For Example: ‘I love pizza; this outfit; these colors; these kinds of people and so on. So it can be asked is love an emotion; is it a virtue; is it chemistry; is it psychological commitment? These so-called descriptions of love distract us from God and what His love is all about.
Paul reflects on the people from Thessalonica who became imitators of him and Jesus by accepting the Gospel. Paul speaks of how they “became imitators of us and of the Lord” both in their suffering and in their joy and therefore “became a model for all the believers.” As Living the Word says, “In other words, love that is genuine takes the suffering, joyful love of Christ and the saints as its model. Godly love not only cares for the vulnerable, but does so both at personal cost and joyfully.” Paul spells this out in his description of love that most wedding couples use in their wedding liturgy. “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, Love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” In light of this I reflect again on what is love?
The reading from Exodus looks at love from a series of prohibitions from God: ‘don’t behave in this way toward others…’ These originated at the Mt. Sinai covenant where the people are covenanted with God. “I will be your God, you will be My people.” The difficulty is that these were directed toward those who were not classified as ‘enemies’. They were part of the 613 injunctions the Israelites were required to follow to have a ‘healthy relationship with God and others.’ God had proved His love: the people were delivered from slavery in Egypt. God loved them for who they were and God saw a value in them that they didn’t see in themselves. This is present in every single person ever created—God’s unconditional love. God was totally compassionate…the people were to be totally compassionate.
All this is leading up to the commands of Jesus to me and to every person when He responded to what is the greatest commandment. ‘You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
The first part of the Gospel injunction is taken from Chapter 6 of the Book of Deuteronomy and is known as the Shema, the prayer that was recited twice each day by faithful Jews (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorpost of your houses and on your gates.”
THEN Jesus says I must love my neighbor as myself. Jesus is telling me that I MUST put my love into action. He tells me that I must respond to those in my life NOW who are most in need. I must always do the best I can to consider the needs of people and not just my own agenda. I am to love because I am loved just the way I am now!

Alice Camille in Exploring the Sunday Readings gives this commentary: “Love is the experience most likely to bring us to our knees. Not just in an attitude of prayer, though that happens too. Love makes us vulnerable to change, to grow, to be hurt, to make sacrifices, to be exalted. We’re at our best when we act under the influence of love. In the realm of the ordinary and the extraordinary, love makes us superheroes.

If it’s true that love is so incredible, then why do we ever choose to act from any other motivation? Fear is the most likely culprit. The reward of love is everlasting, but the cost of love is also high: everything we are and everything we’ve got. Some of us aren’t sure we’re prepared to pay that. Worse, some of us have yet to be the beneficiaries of that kind of love, so we may be forgiven if we don’t believe the rumors. For those of us who do know ourselves to be deeply, truly totally loved, there’s only one response possible: to become lovers ourselves.” And she asks: “How many ways have you expressed your love today? Who are the beneficiaries of your love?”
It is all about me realizing that I am loved. Period! Now can I love? God needs me to love!
Two passages have been my mantra for years:
Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”
Mother Teresa: “The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace.”
Sacred Space 2014 is beautiful today:

“Why should I love God totally? Because that is how God loves me. Nothing that I do could make God love me more. God’s love shines on me like the sun shines on earth.

Real prayer includes resting gratefully in that love.”

October 19, 2014

29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 45: 1, 4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-5; Matthew 22: 15-21

I remember being the youngest, and trying to ‘get out of the jobs’ assigned to me. Whatever excuses I tried, I never remember any of them being accepted. My mother would listen and then say ‘do your job’…if dad was present, and mom told me to do something and I hesitated, dad would say, “What did your mother tell you to do”… or… ”what did your mother just say?”…that ended all conversation and even any try for an excuse to get out of ‘my job.’
It seem as I have lived my life I have found more and more people ‘offering excuses’ for not doing what they should. Reasons as…it’s not fair…why me…why doesn’t my brother help…it’s not my job…or the biggie—I won’t do it! (That didn’t work for me and I knew if I even said it, I would be in trouble ‘for life’). So I ask: what excuses do I offer or give to God for not doing something? Even more important, why do I offer these excuses? Why do I engage in a conversation with God to determine what is ‘right or wrong’ for me to do? Once Jesus put an end to such a conversation by asking, “What are the commandments?”
In reality the answers have been given…Sacred Scripture contains a wealth of information and commands that put me on the right track on how to act and how to live. Jesus was very specific in showing me The Way. Am I paying attention not only to what Jesus said, but the life example He lived? Am I seeing that Jesus didn’t give suggestions on how to live but He gave life giving mandates and principles? Do I think that I can pick and choose what is the way a Christian is to live? Do I somehow feel it is up to me? Do I attempt to ‘trap’ God in agreeing that my way is right? All these questions are continuing along the line of the ‘dispute that Matthew shares in the Gospel: The Pharisees produce a Roman coin to Jesus, it has Caesar’s image on it with an inscription. They are trying to humiliate Jesus publicly with their question, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” If Jesus says ‘NO’, the Romans will be more than upset. If Jesus says ‘YES’ then many of the Jewish people will be upset. What is ‘of God’…where is God in my life…is God the center of my life…am I daily or hourly even, showing my love for God? This is really a phony debate but an ATTEMPT, just as I used with my parents, to get out of doing what I didn’t what to do. Even more importantly, it was my ‘job’ to do the chores. Jesus cut to quick: what is really important: paying attention to the things of God! This was at the center of the Jewish faith: everything ultimately belongs to God. This is my faith too…Am I living in this way? I can make up excuses, but the ultimate question is am I living the life and teachings and example of Jesus at each moment of each day? Don’t make excuses.
Sunday Homily Helps: “World events are not only isolated images on a TV news hour. Our spiritual lives are not simply a parallel little world unmoved by the events that surround us. Pope Francis has called us to listen and hear the cries of our world because their cries fashion the shape of our gospel response. They are not merely a bunch of unbelievers from whom we need to separate, but they are the ones whose cries shape our response in grace.”
I can get lost in the coin issue in the Gospel: Is the question, ‘Is it lawful to pay the tax?’ No not really. Jesus asked whose image is on the coin…they said Caesar and Jesus gave the answer, ‘Give to Caesar what belongs to him’. The real shocker is that Jesus continues, “Give to God what belongs to God.” This really was an insult to the Pharisees, they really thought they lived this. Jesus is saying, ‘Well are you living this?’ He’s asking me, ‘Are You living the Way that Jesus taught you?’ God is not forcing me, God is challenging me! God is asking if I’m walking the walk…am I living a life of service? Is my love genuine and unselfish? What is the challenge to me: Am I giving to God what belongs to God? Paul commends the Thessalonians “on their work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus…knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God, how you were chosen.” Is Paul describing me? Where do I have to grow? Am I letting the Spirit of God lead me? Is it my way or God’s way?
Patricia Datchuck Sanchez in The Word We Celebrate states ‘it as it is’:

“Instead of legislating on the matter proposed to Him, Jesus refrained from giving pat answers and provided His listeners with a principle, whose application He left to their responsible consciences.

For that reason, it would be an error to seek in this teaching of Jesus justification for any particular theory of church-state relations. Still, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” has been applied as rationale in various and sundry political contexts throughout the centuries: the medieval two-sword theory, the throne-and-altar theology of Lutheran orthodoxy, the separation of church and state in the North American constitution. Yet, in all these applications, there has been an injustice down the original principle given by Jesus. “Give to Caesar,” difficult though it may be, represents the loyalty one owes to temporal authority. But “Give to God” is a challenge which taps not merely our financial resources or political allegiances. “Give to God what is God’s” is a demand with no limitations.

1. To see and accept the hand of God at work in the ‘least likely’ people is a part of responsible believing (Isaiah).
2. One does not join the church as one would a club; one is called to respond to God in faith within a faithful community (Thessalonians).
3. Within the heart of the one totally committed, there are no compartments labelled secular, sacred, church, state. There can be no dichotomy, therefore, in one’s activities. (Matthew).”
   

So I reflect on:

• What are the idols in my life? Power? Comfort? Security? Or anything or anyone who provides these? Addictions too?
• Do I praise God often? Is it only at formal prayer or in church? Enjoying nature, working on environmental issues, speaking the truth, setting a good example and sharing with the poor are ways to give honor to God. Do I do these?
• Do I ‘worship’ popularity, affluence, attractiveness, or physical strength?

Sacred Space 2014 concludes:
”Jesus remains free and firm in face of the plots against Him. I ask for His courage to stand up for what is true and just.
To be a good citizen and to serve God are not in contradiction because God works though all human systems and institutions to build the final community of love. God needs me to help build good relationships wherever I find myself.”

October 12, 2014

28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Isaiah 25: 6-10; Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20; Matthew 22: 1-14
Today’s Gospel is the third parable that Jesus has told to the religious leadership who question His authority. So one would think that it is easy to understand and maybe even that it doesn’t refer to each person reading this blog/ but it has enormous ramifications and leads to much reflection.
When God invites do I respond? When God asks of me, do I put it off? Is God an important part of my life? Is God only important when I need something? Does responding to God only happen when I am available and it is convenient? Does God care how busy my life is and how it is difficult to respond always as a Christian?
Then there are the reflections that come directly from the Gospel: why would God expect only a ‘passerby’, maybe even a ‘street person’ to have the necessary clothes on the spur of the moment to go to a wedding ceremony? And the response is ‘NOW!’ Wasn’t this ‘passerby’ perhaps in his/her charity just responding in ‘love’ to the kings need to have the wedding feast filled with guests? Why the harshness of the king? The parable is obvious in that the ‘king’ is God; if this is so, doesn’t this portray a cruel and harsh God nowhere near the God of love that is heard repeatedly in the accounts of the New Testament? This certainly is another one of those parables where it is difficult to hear what Jesus is saying.
One would imagine that when the servants went out after the first time and found out that those invited had refused to come, then the King would be upset. This was the height of impoliteness. What does this say about me when I refuse to respond to people who ask for my help? Is this part of what the parable is saying? A little bit…and the reflection is a good one…why do I refuse?
Then the second set of invitations went out to “those invited” and tell them that everything is ready, ‘Come’. Again some ignored, others were ‘too busy’ and some took the servants “Mistreated and killed them.” Now this is going too far.” The King has to be upset, God has to be ‘furious’…and I could or would never do a thing like that. The King retaliates, of course. Obviously the parable is meant for the religious leaders who refused to listen to Jesus and all those who were plotting to have Him killed. I think, ‘I would never do that’ so the parable doesn’t apply to me. Then comes the final invitation and the part of the parable so many think is ‘unfair’. Maybe I’m developing my idea of God from a misunderstanding of Jesus words. I find frequently that I REACT to the initial words of Jesus and not see the wealth and beauty in all the words.
Some commentaries have suggested that ‘wedding garments’ could be provided from the closet if needed…like a suit jacket in a fancy restaurant that demands a jacket for a man. Now the ‘guest’ would really be in the wrong if this was the case and they refused to wear it. Other commentaries suggested that the servants carried ‘wedding garment with them to the newly asked ‘guests’. These are reaching quite a bit, I feel.
The bottom line is that the man who refused to wear the garment…the only part of the parable with a ‘problem’, was wrong. The king was not wrong. WHY? There is an important sentence that I have overlooked far too frequently in my cursory reading and it is a sentence that ‘solves the riddle.’ “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence.” Jesus points out the main point of the Parable which puts the blame entirely on the shoulders of the guest. HE WAS SILENT. He didn’t say a word. If he was unjust accused, especially knowing the consequences of this action, he would have spoken up loud and clear. He had nothing to say…no excuse, no explanation and NO PROTEST. His silence branded him as guilty…period.
With this it is good to review the gospel and its meaning for me. Jesus is telling the leaders and all that God loves everyone forever and that Jesus showed this love and will prove it by dying for every single person John 15:13-14: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” Now the people who refused, just don’t care about God and evidently don’t feel the need for His love. The one who preferred his farm represents anyone too attached to material things and God is not a priority in any way shape or manner. The others were concerned with fame and money. Those who killed the servants certainly didn’t care. Was it because of excessive greed, selfishness, lust for power and just themselves? Then were the people: the good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent etc. AND what would be my excuse…my excuse to refusing to change, for refusing to change my ways of doing things, for refusing to want to enter the conversion process?

Matthew A Devotional Commentary says so much to me: “Isaiah and Jesus both emphasized that the Lord’s invitation was not an exclusive, high-society event. All are invited regardless of state in life, position in the community material wealth, race, age or handicap. The mixing of social groups was just as radical a concept in Isaiah’s and Jesus time as it is in ours. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day, for instance, shunned tax collectors and sinners—but these ‘sinners’ often accepted Jesus before the self-righteous Pharisees did. Today, the educated and financially secure often shun the gospel, while the poor and humble embrace it eagerly.

In the sacrament of the Eucharist, God invites all people to taste His great love. As we participate in the liturgy of the Eucharist, God increases our desire and readiness for the heavenly banquet that is to come. How will we respond to the Lord’s invitation to the wedding banquet of His Son? Will we be too preoccupied with worldly affairs to accept it humbly? Or will we respond with hearts overflowing with love and gratitude for the Lord’s gift of refreshment and the opportunity to dwell in His house for ever (Psalm 23)?”
I reflect on:

• How is the invitation to join Jesus in heaven like the wedding invitation in today’s Gospel?
  
• Can I respond to Jesus without giving Him time each day?
  

Sacred Space 2014 says:

“The kingdom of heaven is often presented under the image of a great banquet. With Jesus, the kingdom is already here. Could it be that I am slow to accept the gifts that God offers me now?

Everything that veils and deadens love will be removed in God’s time. I pray that I may play my part in removing anything that prevents people becoming fully alive.”
I continue: Who is welcomed in my home? What evidence is there that I believe God provides for my needs? In the second verse of ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ sung by Harry Chapin, a 10 year boy asks his dad to play ball, but the father is too busy. This connects so much to the gospel parable…do I see it?

October 5, 2014

27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21: 33-43
How am I doing in my relationship with God? How am I doing in my relationship with others? How well am I loving myself? When I look at creation do I see the work of God in all His glory, magnificence and His giving? Do I see in God’s creation that it is about me and how I can enjoy it? Do I view the world as being created by God and therefore all is beautiful? Do I see how the corrupt world comes not from God but from corrupt people? Do I separate myself from corrupt people saying ‘that’s not me’? Do I use…abuse God’s creation? Do I feel it is there for me alone? Do I realize that God has a plan for each person from all of time and that the plan includes our being in heaven with Him? Do I give up because I feel I’m just a ‘bad’ person and never will be worthy? The readings help me so much in showing me how to focus.
Isaiah begins by giving an allegory that can be interpreted deeply or superficially. He begins by ‘fooling’ his audience into thinking that today’s passage is just an agricultural scene representing a love song to a friend. Now the ‘friend’ is making sure that the vineyard will be successful by choosing a wonderful site, preparing the soil in the right way and planting only the highest quality of plants. The ‘friend’ even ‘assumes’ that the crop will be successful by purchasing a wine press. But the harvest failed, what God has planted has been made ‘corrupt’ by human hands. The people bringing the crop to harvest are so possessed by their greed that they are unable to realize the potential harvest. The ‘friend’ that Isaiah is talking about really is ‘The Friend’…God. God brought the people to a land ‘flowing with milk and honey’; protected them from enemies on all sides. God has made the people models for all around to see as being recipients of God’s love and tenderness. Did they live the examples of love…no…they lived for themselves not for the glory and honor of God.
Jesus helps my mind set in today’s parables, telling His listeners that we are focusing on ourselves and not on God. The parables are directed against the chief priests and the elders. Each person is being compared to an unfruitful vineyard: the vineyard is Israel, the tenant farmers are Israel’s leaders and God is the householder. The servants are the prophets and the son is Jesus. Jesus is telling very directly and pointedly that the Kingdom of God will be given to a people who will produce its fruit. Unfortunately this has been interpreted that God is rejecting the Jews in favor of the Christians. NOT TRUE. The leaders have been incompetent, they will be replaced by competent leaders who will be leaders and believers.
So how do I apply these readings to myself? Do I view all that I have as a gift? Or do I maintain that I deserve these? Do I feel it’s about me being fulfilled and happy and taking care of me? Or do I see that everything is a ‘trust’ from God to me to be used for the betterment of those God has placed in my life? The subtleness of the devil wants me to act as if everything is mine and therefore I control it for my own benefit to do with as I please. Here is where the problem lies. Then the habit is developed that I want more and more…more power, more authority, more money, more pleasure and more toys to fill my pleasure. This never works…because I have made myself ‘god’ of my world. And Jesus says, “Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” JESUS IS THE CORNERSTONE.
These readings today give me much seed for thought because they are helping me to see how God feels. Isaiah says, “What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done?” I have to take time and reflect on all that God has done for me. As I look at the readings and at Salvation History I see in spite of all the love that God showed His people, all He got in turn was ingratitude. This was the “SIN” of Adam and Eve in the garden…they wanted MORE and were definitely not grateful for what they had been given. The people of Israel had been treated in a special way by God and along with this came responsibility. Repeatedly they failed and looked out for themselves.

Fr. Flor McCarthy summarized it in this way in his New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies: “What sort of fruits did God expect from His people? God looked for peace from His people, and got war; for true worship, and got idolatry; for justice in their dealings with one another, and got injustice, corruption, and exploitation of the poor and the weak; for goodness, and not evil; for caring and sharing, and got greed and acquisitiveness; for temperance, and got excessive eating and drinking; for community, and got exclusiveness and snobbery; for humility, and got pride; for wise and godly living, and got a pagan lifestyle.

This to some extent is our story too. God wants us to make use of the gifts and opportunities He has given us so that we can grow as His children. But often we fail to respond to His love. And yet, God doesn’t write us off, but gives us chance after chance.

We fail not just as individuals but as Church. The Christian community is the vineyard Christ planted and tended with such care that He gave His life for it. He looks to us His followers, the tenants of His vineyard, to produce the fruits of justice, love and peace. It’s a great privilege and a great challenge too.” And I ask how am I doing? Am I sharing the gift of myself in love?

So I reflect on:

• Do I try to live as my own master, rather than as one who lives to serve God?
  
• Do I view God as a God who is constantly making demands on me or a God who wants me to be a person of love?
  
• What do I view as my greatest gift? Does God agree with this?
  
• What has been my greatest achievement; why did I pick this? Would God select the same thing?
  
• Do I tend to pray more honesty when I have failed? Why is this so?
  

Sacred Space 2014 shares:
“Those who think they own God’s kingdom are in trouble. The reign of God is an action of grace, a yielding to the sway of God. I remember that it is a gift to be appreciated more than a property to be claimed or asserted.

Jesus allowed Himself to be the rejected stone, to be overlooked and demeaned. In what way might I learn from Him?”